“ Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t
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- Rikki Rogers
SRC Receives Fundraiser of the Year Award
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Southern Regional College have been awarded the Team/College Fundraiser of the Year at the Good for Me, Good for FE awards ceremony held at the House of Lords on Friday 6th December. The award was presented to the College’s Student Engagement and Organisational Development Teams for raising a staggering £13,500 for NI Children’s Hospice, surpassing the initial target of £10,000.
The 2024 Good for Me, Good for FE Awards is the second year of the Awards. These awards recognise the incredible volunteering and fundraising contributions made by staff and students from Further Education (FE) colleges across the UK. Judging the Team/College Fundraiser of the Year award was Dame Sally Dicketts, a tireless campaigner and advocate for learning and skills.
This year’s awards, sponsored by NCFE, handed out 10 awards to college staff and students for the “incredible impact” of their volunteering efforts. The incredible fundraising efforts of our staff and students were recognised and celebrated at the ceremony!
The College is dedicated to fostering a community of volunteers through employee and student volunteering and fundraising initiatives. We are proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Society NI as our chosen charity for the next two academic years Readthe full storyhere
Presenting
Team/College Fundraiser of the Year Award to SRC was Dame Sally Dicketts. Pictured (L-R) Dame Sally Dicketts, Bronagh Boyle (Acting Human Resources Organisation Development Manager), Jason Brennan (Student Engagement Manager), Helen O’Connor (Acting Deputy Head Human Resources) and Lee Campbell (Principal & CEO).
Performing Art Students Tread the Boards with Cinderella Pantomime
The College’s first year Level 3 Performing and Production Arts Extended Diploma students took centre stage this month with their production of Cinderella in the College’s annual pantomime.
This year’s production once again highlighted the remarkable talent and creativity of our Performing Arts, Music, Art, and Hair & Beauty students, who worked together to make Cinderella a success. Both students and staff put so much hard work, time, and dedication into the show, and we couldn’t be prouder of what they have achieved!
Students in action in SRC’s pantomime performance of Cinderella
�on’t miss the chance to see the incredible talent in action!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Wishing all our wonderful staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Newry Chamber’s International Men’s Day Event
Four SRC staff members attended ‘A Celebration of Men in Greater Newry’ event hosted by Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade in association with Duality Healthcare, to mark International Men’s Day 2024. The event took place at Newry City Athletic Football Club on Friday 22nd November.
This exciting event featured a fantastic line-up of panellists from the worlds of sport, business, leadership, and personal endeavour. It was an afternoon of engaging discussions, banter, and plenty of laughs! The event also raised over £1,100 for two charities who support men’s health—PIPS Hope and Support and Prostate Cancer UK.
This was Newry Chamber’s first-ever International Men’s Day event which aimed to bring together male members of the local business community in a relaxed setting and provided the opportunity to network and hear inspiring stories.
Attendees also enjoyed delicious pizzas from La Dolce Vita, drinks, live music plus admission to the Newry City vs Dundela FC match at The Showgrounds.
This was a huge success and enjoyed by all who attended with the consensus that it will now be an annual event in the Chamber’s calendar.
Pictured are three SRC staff members alongside other male members from different local businesses at the event. Second from the left is pictured: Martin Murtagh, Eamon Quinn and Ryan Mackle.
Explore the Progress of Project-Based Learning!
During Global Entrepreneurship Week (18th–24th November), PBL Officer Edward Jones led a series of entrepreneurial workshop sessions for various courses across the college. These workshops received a lot of positivity, and for many this was their first opportunity to explore and develop entrepreneurial skills like innovation and creativity. The workshop concluded with participants creating a PowerPoint presentation to pitch their startup idea.
The Dragon’s Den style approach gives the students an opportunity to explore and advance their entrepreneurial skills. Upon completion, students had the opportunity to submit their pitch into a college-wide competition for a chance to win Amazon vouchers.
The PBL Teams sites for both students and staff continue to expand, with many finding the posts around our PBL Monthly Theme highly valuable. Each post links to resource-rich pages on our Canvas site, where you can access a variety of timesaving ‘grab-and-go’ toolkit resources tailored to each topic.
If you haven’t joined the PBL Teams Site yet, it’s quick and easy. Simply scan the QR code and once your request is approved, you will have access to all the previous posts as well as exciting new content.
We’d love to hear your feedback on the resources and toolkit items!
Share your thoughts by emailing pbl@src.ac.uk
Stay tuned for more updates on PBL progress in the next edition!
Scan the staff QR code to sign up & stay updated!
Upcoming Events
Sip. Reuse. Repeat —
The Reusable Cup Initiative
Did you know in 2023/24 we used over 84,000 disposable coffee cups in our canteens and coffee docks! That’s enough to stretch for over 5 miles or the equivalent of Portadown to Lurgan Campus!
Let’s kick off the new year sustainably by reducing our waste and lowering our carbon footprint—bring a reusable cup for your coffees on campus!
Each time you use a reuseable cup in Urban Square you will save 20p on your hot drink!
Who’s Who
Sarah King
Student Engagement Officer
Newry Campus
What enticed you to be a Student Engagement Officer?
Prior to this role, I worked in Greenbank as a Monitoring and Placement Officer but was always interested in Student Engagement as the role seemed enjoyable, with planning events and opportunities for students.
What is the most fulfilling part of your role?
Working alongside a great team and feeling that I am approachable to all students who need some guidance or support.
What’s one thing people don’t know about you?
I have a twin sister who looks exactly like me!
What’s the last book/movie you read/watched?
The Holiday
Best piece of advice you have received?
A Problem shared is a problem halved, I’m definitely an over sharer!
If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?
Beyonce or a Kardashian for the lifestyle lol.
Staff Changes
Role Changes or New Starts
Name Contract
Lila Gribben Temporary PT Lecturer - Counselling
Arthur Kamarouski Temporary Lecturer in Computing-Software Engineering
Siobhan McAlinden Permanent PA to the Director of Client Services
Benjamin Veale Temporary Learning Support Assistant
Niamh McLoughlin Temporary Learning Support Mentor
Jennifer McQuaid Permanent Business Development Executive
Caolan Donnelly Temporary Learning Support Assistant
Staff Changes
Leavers
Peter
Mulcahy
Competition ZINE
Congratulations to Bronagh Boyle, the lucky winner of the Luxury Christmas Pudding, generously provided by the Hospitality Department! We hope you enjoy your prize!
Health & Science
Computing Design & Academic Studies
Directorate
Learning Support
Business Support and Innovation
Learning Support
Bronagh Boyle is pictured receiving her prize from Jillian Aulds, Operations Manager for Hospitality & Tourism.
