Rhianna Larkai, a Level 3 Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care learner, decided to join the Anthony Nolan register two years ago following a presentation delivered at College by a representative of the Anthony Nolan Charity, with Rhianna sending off a cheek swab to join the register.

Anthony Nolan is a charity that matches incredible individuals willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow to people who desperately need lifesaving transplants. The charity educates young people about the lifesaving difference they can make by joining their register. They further conduct ground-breaking research to improve the success rates of transplants and improve the lives of all people with blood cancer and provide support, advice and information for people with blood cancer and their families.

A big congratulations to nine of our Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design who participated in a real live project with homebuilder Joseph Homes. The project brief gave them their first taste of what it takes it to be a working designer in the Creative Industries. The winning designs were announced at a special exhibition held at South Thames Collegeon 28^th February. Guests were invited to view all competition entries, before witnessing the joint winners being presented with prizes by the Mayor of Wandsworth, Councillor Piers McCausland.

Mayor of Wandsworth, Cllr Piers McCausland, Leader of the Council, Cllr Ravi Govindia, and Managing Director of Joseph Homes Michael Bryn-Jones announced Laura Mathews and Rafael Fischer as the deserving winners after their entries impressed five specialist guest judges - Mark Davies (Futurecity), Helen Phelan (Artist), Chris Leigh-Cattrall (M3 Design Development), Zoe Green (landscape and urban designer for The Tramyard) and Morley Von Sternberg (Photographer). The runners up, Cristina Rosculete and Rodrigo Branco, were also highly commended by the judges.

Students were invited to provide suggested designs for a sculpture at Joseph Homes’ current Balham development, The Tramyard, by creating a mood board with research and drawings. Their designs had to encompass the values of Joseph Homes, as well as including the history of the site as London’s last working tram depot. The two winning designs will now be combined to inspire the final sculpture at The Tramyard.

On Monday 11 February, South Thames College was delighted to welcome Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP for the launch of the Take One campaign at the college’s Tooting Campus.

South Thames College has joined forces with Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce, the Wandsworth Ambitions Careers Initiative and Merton Chamber of Commerce to set a challenge for Wandsworth businesses to ‘Take One’ young person – to provide work experience, an Internship, a Traineeship, an Apprenticeship, support a volunteer placement or through mentoring a young person.

Allin-Khan, MP for Tooting, tweeted: “Far too often, young people are not given the opportunity to reach their full potential. Today, with @SouthThamesColl, I brought together community organisations from across Tooting to discuss what employment and skills opportunities we can provide to local young people.”