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Coventry University leaps up the 2018 QS world rankings Coventry University has been given another global league table boost by shooting up the 2018 QS World University Rankings. The university is placed in the 551-600 category in the QS table, which classifies universities based on measures such as academic reputation – including teaching and research quality – their global outlook, and how highly regarded the institution’s graduates are among employers. Coventry has risen at least 100 places in the table over the past two years, and in 2016 it was awarded four out of five in the QS Stars Awards based on its strong performance in teaching, employability and internationalisation.
Twycross Zoo recognised by national industry awards
Letting the Crane take the strain Construction on Brendoncare’s new £11.6 million care home in Otterbourne Hill in Hampshire has reached a new milestone with the arrival of a tower crane on site. The 25 metre-high crane – which can lift up to 2.5 tonnes – is being used by construction company Stepnell to distribute bricks, mortar and other heavy construction materials across the large site as the building goes up. Stepnell is constructing the facility – Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill – which will provide a two and three-storey, 64-bed bespoke home for people needing nursing, dementia care or respite care. The pioneering scheme will also offer 20 one and two-bedroom Shared Care supported living apartments that will enable people living with dementia to stay with their partners while receiving full care and support. “This scheme has a large building footprint as well as site constraints including tree protection areas and major levels differences, which makes this single tower crane ideal for lifting and distributing buildings materials quickly and safely across the site,” said Rob Speirs, Stepnell director.
Zak Showel, oversees management of all animal records, animal transfers and corresponding legislation and is also the coordinator for the Siamang European Endangered Species Programme. Zak said: “I am honoured to receive this award.”
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of construction when the roof is in place, as it means we are moving closer to the day when we will be able to support people with dementia and nursing needs on the site.”
Horticulture degree students from Pershore College visited leading grower Valefresco to see first hand a new agritech system in action. Valefresco is one of the leading salad growers in the UK, supplying major British supermarkets with a variety of wholehead lettuce, babyleafs and more. Director of Valefresco Nick Mauro led the visit, showcasing the methods that they have introduced to increase yield at their Hampton Lucy farm where more than 400 tonnes of salad is harvested every week. The degree students were accompanied by Professor
In addition to the zoo’s collective achievement, Zak Showel, Animal Records Registrar at Twycross Zoo, won this year’s ‘Rising Star’ award for going above and beyond in his role to further the goals of the zoo.
Twycross Zoo was commended with a silver award in recognition of its innovative gibbon facilities, Gibbon Forest, which opened in February 2016. The zoo’s keepers and other experts were regularly consulted on aspects of the design, resulting in an excellent facility which has already improved physical condition of the gibbons and also facilitates the day-to-day care of the animals.
Carole Sawyers, chief executive of Brendoncare, says: “We are delighted with progress on the site and it is exciting to see the plans being turned into reality. We are looking forward to the next stage
Students visit Valefresco to see agritech in action
Twycross Zoo has been recognised for its innovative gibbon habitat at the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) annual awards ceremony.
Sharon Redrobe, CEO at Twycross Zoo, said: “Everyone here is so passionate about animal welfare, conservation and education and it is encouraging to see that the industry appreciates our efforts to become a worldclass attraction that is committed to wildlife conservation.”
A 25 metre-high tower crane takes the strain as new Brendoncare care home takes shape at Otterbourne Hill.
Roy Kennedy who is leading the agritech agenda at Pershore College, where a £500,000 grant by Worcestershire LEP is supporting the development of an Agritech Research Centre, due to open later this year. As well as visiting the farm’s growing fields and polytunnels, the students were also shown round a new scheme which Valefresco have recently invested in - a hydroponic system for growing pak choi. This soilless growing system means the plants can be grown vertically and with tailor-made nutrients being delivered directly to the plants.
Consultants celebrate record growth year 2016/17 was certainly the year for growth for Chamber of Commerce member Wharton Tree & Ecology Consultants. The business celebrated its third year of consistent growth with an 85% increase in turnover, introduction of a new ecology service and recruitment of four new staff. As a start-up, in 2008, the consultancy provided independent professional tree management advice to smaller scale housing developers and individuals undertaking domestic extensions. Since then, a strengthening economy and subsequent increase in residential and commercial development, enabled the business to focus on expansion. The company is currently working nationally on four new settlement applications as well as local government and university contract, including Coventry
University’s flagship project; the new Science and Health Building and new Student Accommodation development at Bishop Gate. Last year the business expanded adding ecological consultancy, including bat and newt surveys, computer aided design and digital tree mapping to its portfolio. Director Peter Wharton said: “Our focus has always been to deliver planned and pragmatic tree and ecological management solutions. Trees and site
ecology need to be considered as assets to our communities. They give sustainable benefits to the people and places where we live and work. Offering these additional services was a natural progression that added value to our clients.”
www.cw-chamber.co.uk