SSTO staff celebrate Doctorate awards

Daniel, Marisol & Carley

A trio of SSTO staff joined over 1,500 students at last week's Winter Graduation Ceremony to celebrate their new Doctorate status.

UCLan SENS' Dr Marisol Warthon-Medina, along with Dr Daniel Wright and Dr Carley Sutton from UCLan Tourism, collected their awards in front of family and friends at Preston Guild Hall.

Dr Warthon-Medina commented: "Completing my doctorate and the recent graduation gave me immense satisfaction.

"It was a privilege to be presented by Head of School Dr Adrian Ibbetson, and to receive congratulations from UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerry Kelleher.

"My special gratitude goes to my main supervisor, Professor Nicola Lowe, for her priceless guidance; her support was immense. I'd also like to thank Dr Victoria Moran, Dr Steph Dillon, all of my colleagues at iINSAFSs, MAINN and SENS, and to my family in Peru and Italy who all supported me through my journey.

"In the coming weeks and months I aim to complete several papers I've been working on, and to move my research ideas forward. This would not have been possible without my doctorate and what I learnt during this journey."

Dr Wright said his studies had been a challenging journey, but one he hoped would prove fruitful for his future career. He also wished to thank everyone who assisted him.

Dr Sutton added: "I've had an amazing PhD journey and celebrating with my family and supporters at the graduation ceremony was a truly memorable experience.

"I certainly would like to thank everyone who was involved - in particular my Director of Studies, Professor Richard Sharpley, who has been the most inspiring and supportive throughout.

"My PhD research will continue to enrich my teaching and learning and my journey continues as I plan to publish a book in 2015 - dedicated to Service Quality Management in Leisure, Events, Tourism & Sport."

Little Master book smashes sales records

The SSTO's Professor Boria Majumdar is celebrating record sales for the autobiography he wrote with Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian cricketer widely recognised as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

A celebrated cricket historian and close friend of Tendulkar, Professor Majumdar worked on the book for three years while following the cricketer across the globe.

The book had sold over 150,000 copies in pre-orders by November 6th, putting it ahead of both pre-order and lifetime sales of hardbacks including Dan Brown's Inferno, Walter Issacson's Steve Jobs and JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy.

Professor Majumdar said: "Sachin Tendulkar is a global superstar. Being able to tell his incredible story to his legions of fans was an honour.

"The sales records we've broken are a testament to the man. He has changed cricket for the better and had a profound impact on Indian culture. I've been supported every step of the way by UCLan, and it's been a privilege to take the UCLan name with me around the world during the writing and launch of the book."

Professor Majumdar works as a senior research fellow within SSTO and is currently investigating the impact of mega events on host cities. A Rhodes scholar, he has written a number of much acclaimed books on Indian sport.

He is an op-ed columnist with the Times of India; consulting editor, sports, for India Today Group and is also one of India's best known television analysts on sport.

SSTO says goodbye to Dr Minten

Dr John Minten has left his role as Dean of The School of Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors to take up a new position at Leeds Beckett University.

Dr Minten has been appointed to the role of Pro-Vice Chancellor/Dean of Carnegie Faculty at the former Leeds Metropolitan University and leaves SSTO after a decade with the School.

He commented: "I'd like to take this opportunity to say farewell and pass on my best wishes to all the staff, both personally and for your future careers.

"This is a great opportunity, but I'll be very sad to leave UCLan after 10 years here as Head of Department, then as Dean of School. I think we sometimes take for granted the changes in SSTO over the past 10 years.

"When I joined the (then) Department of Tourism and Leisure Management we had about 25 staff, fewer than 500 undergraduate students, a handful of research students and one Professor. We now have over 125 staff, 2000 students on taught programmes and well over 150 doctoral level research students. We also have a tremendously strong Professoriate.

"Ultimately any School depends on its staff, and I'm very proud of the School I am leaving. I will miss you all, but I am sure you will go from strength-to-strength in the coming years."

Dr Minten will be replaced by Dr Adrian Ibbetson, who steps up from his position as Associate Dean to become Acting Head of School.

"I have worked with John throughout his time at UCLan,” said Dr Ibbetson. "I have enjoyed working with him and have learnt a lot from him. I'm sure I speak on behalf of all the staff to say that we are sad to see him go, but we wish him all the best for the future."

Dr Minten’s Personal Assistant Sarah-Jayne Butler added: "I'd just like to echo Adrian's comments. John is a great guy who is held in high regard and will be sadly missed by many colleagues at UCLan. The School has gone from strength to strength in the five and a half years I've been working here and John leaves us in a strong position.

"Leeds' gain is definitely our loss, and I wish John all the best for his new job and the exciting challenges that lie ahead. Keep in touch!"

SSTO teams up with top skater to inspire youngsters

SSTO staff were on hand to help Lancashire's young sports ambassadors learn what it takes to be a successful athlete or coach from the world's number one female inline skater and ten times British Champion Jenna Downing.

Jenna visited UCLan to share her career experiences with the region’s most promising young athletes and coaches at the Regional Young Ambassadors Conference run by the Youth Sport Trust.

The event attracted 170 young people from 14 schools in the region who are deemed to be the most outstanding sports leaders in their schools. Not only did they learn from the expertise of Jenna, they also took part in a range of physical activities at UCLan's Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre to improve their skills as young leaders.

This included learning how to play wheelchair basketball and taking part in team building and communication skills activities. Jenna commented: "It's a fantastic opportunity for the Young Ambassadors to come together and share their skills and knowledge with each other.

"Some of the young people here are some of the best in the country for their age and it’s a privilege to work with them. I hope my advice is inspirational and they can learn from me both as an athlete and a mentor."

Corpus Christi Catholic High School pupil Dan Tootell, 14, said: "It was great to meet Jenna. Listening to her has made me more determined to continue my work as a Young Ambassador and further enhance my coaching and leadership skills."

Conference organiser Elaine Smith from Southlands High School said the event was even more successful than the last.

"We attracted 50 more Young Ambassadors to this event than our last one in January, so the demand and enthusiasm is certainly there from the young people," said Elaine. "The Young Ambassador Conference is a great opportunity to bring young leaders together to develop their skills and offer them guidance.

"Meeting Jenna and taking part in the fantastic team building activities at UCLan will hopefully encourage them to continue in their roles."

The Young Ambassador Programme is a UK wide project that selects the most outstanding pupils in schools for both their sporting talents and commitment to volunteering as young leaders. Young Ambassadors are expected to act as role models in promoting PE and school sport and help to increase participation and healthy lifestyles in their schools.

Volunteer opportunity

UCLan to host sporting charity event

UCLan's Lancashire Law School (LLS) is staging a Charity Sportspersons Dinner featuring a host of local sporting stars.

World Champion squash player Laura Massaro (left), ace Modern Pentathlete Samantha Murray, Preston-born Luton Town footballer Jonathan Smith and top Performance Psychologist Michael Finnigan will speak about their varied experiences in the world of sport.

Commonwealth Boxing Gold Medallist Scott Fitzgerald will also be in attendance as a special guest.

The event will raise money for the LLS Zambia Project, a scheme which provides educational and sports equipment for orphanages in Zambia, and will be held at the University of Central Lancashire on Saturday, 22nd November, 2014, in Foster Building Restaurant.

The evening will start at 6.30pm for a drinks reception and the speakers will commence at 7.30pm prompt. At the conclusion of the speakers there will be a two-course meal. Dress is smart casual and everyone is welcome.

Tickets are priced at £25 per person. If you book a table of eight the cost is discounted to £160. For further information and booking details please email Martin Salisbury.

Youth Sport Trust - Team Leader Opportunities

The Youth Sport Trust (YST) are looking for motivated and enthusiastic students, who have a passion for sport and working with young people, to join them as a YST Team Leader.

The programme has been running for over 10 years and provides students with great exposure to the world of sports development, whilst helping them to progress and improve both personally and professionally.

It is an ideal opportunity for second year students from any degree, not just sport, to become a YST Team Leader.

The role varies at each event or camp allowing students to develop and progress and experience a range of sport development initiatives.

Over the duration of the programme, every team leader will take on the responsibility of leading a group of young people, facilitating and delivering workshops, guiding and supporting groups in sessions delivered by National Governing Bodies, YST staff and national consultants, as well as providing an inclusive and motivating environment in which the exceptional young people attending camps can thrive in.

YST events involve disabled and non-disabled leaders, promising young coaches, talented athletes and young sports volunteers. In addition, one opportunity will involve working with a team of volunteers, some of whom will be over the age of 19.

Former Team Leaders have gone on to careers with National Governing Bodies, LOCOG, YST and local sport development bodies. The programme runs for two years and in the second year Team Leaders are invited, subject to performance and commitment in year one, to take on a mentor role for new the new intake of Leaders.

For more information and details of how to apply please click here.

Authors meet Critics 2015

The International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (IJURR) is looking for brilliant and promising young scholars from all over the world who would like discussions with IJURR and SUSC authors on their work.

Information about the call for the Authors meet Critics 2015 initiative can be viewed here. Check out the selected articles and books to be discussed and the transcript of previous editions here.

There are 20 fellowships available to cover the costs of participation. The deadline for online applications is 30 November, 2014.

Meet the Athletes evening

We're looking for final year or postgraduate Sports students to work alongside the coaches and parents of the region's up and coming young talent as part of the Lancashire Rising Star initiative.

If you're from the Strength & Conditioning, Coaching, Sports Science, Sports Studies, Exercise & Nutrition, Physiology, Sports Psychology, Biomechanics or Sports Management programmes, this could be a great opportunity for you to enhance your CV while gaining insight into athlete development.

The Lancashire Rising Star Fund gives young athletes from across the region the opportunity to receive a grant to cover costs such as travel, training, accommodation, competition fees, and equipment.

Each recipient also receives a package of support from UCLan that includes strength and conditioning services, nutritional advice and support and access to UCLan sports and training facilities.

Anyone interested please attend the 'Meet the Athletes' evening at Greenbank Lecture Theatre, Wednesday, 24 September, 6.30pm. Alternatively, please email Keith McGregor for more details.

Careers Tube Map

The SSTO has created an interactive map to give students an indication of what type of additional courses they might want to consider in order to enhance their employment opportunities in specific roles in the sports industry.

Each career is a coloured route, with stations along the way to show the steps that may help you reach career goals. As you click the different stations, pop-ups will provide links to further information.

Completing these courses does not guarantee employment in a preferred profession, but alongside appropriate experience may improve your chances.

To view the map please click here.

SSTO Historian in big demand

With 2014 marking the 100th anniversary of World War One, Dr Iain Adams continues to be a much-wanted man.

Based in the SSTO's International Football Institute, Dr Adams' knowledge of sport during WW1 has seen him called upon by a number of high-profile organisations to offer expert insights into the subject.

In early June he travelled to the USA to present a paper on 'Football and The 1914 Christmas Truce' at the North American Society for Sports History at Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Later the same month Dr Adams was a guest on BBC Radio Lancashire’s 'Drive Time' show, talking about Women's Football and WW1.

He followed up with two slots on the BBC for their roadshow in Blackpool entitled 'BBC World War One: The Home Front', where he presented to a combined audience of 1,500 people on sport on the home front during WW1. Dr Adams ended the month at the North West British Society for Sport History's symposium on sport in Britain on the eve of the war.

His final stop for now was at the beginning of July, conducting a workshop on Football at the Front for the staff of the National Football Museum, in preparation for their new exhibition 'The Greater Game' which opens in December.

Homophobia in football debate gathers pace

Louisa with Stephen Williams MP

Homophobia is one of Football's hot topics at the moment, and the SSTO's Louisa Jones has been in much demand as the game strives to tackle this taboo subject.

Louisa recently spoke on BBC Radio Merseyside on behalf of the school's International Football Institute about homophobia in the sport, ahead of taking part in an event designed to explore the issue in greater depth.

Hosted by Everton FC in the Community, in partnership with the Unity Theatre and Homotopia in Liverpool, the theme of the event was brought to life through the staging of a fantastic play entitled 'Gaffer' by acclaimed writer Chris Chibnall.

The play was followed by a top-level panel debate, encouraging members of the audience to discuss the issues broached with leading players from the world of sport, equalities and academia.

Members of the panel and audience were subsequently invited to Goodison Park to join a round-table discussion with Stephen Williams MP. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was on Merseyside to discuss the challenges faced eradicating homophobia and other forms of discrimination from sport and the positive actions being taken by key organisations.

Louisa said the belief that homophobia is an accepted part of football culture, with the commonly held view in the game that it is not discrimination but merely 'banter', is a major problem.

She commented: "It can be hugely destructive when a person hears the same abuse over and over again, and it is for this reason why many gay football teams and leagues have formed away from mainstream provision, offering an environment that is much more accepting and welcoming."

Louisa also called for a coordinated approach across the game in the form of mass education and awareness raising for clubs, fans, coaches, teachers, young people and community groups.

"Professional clubs should be encouraged to build a greater bond with LGBT supporters' groups and football clubs/leagues, by way of formerly affiliating with them, supporting and promoting their work through their various communications channels and helping them have a say in guiding the clubs' equalities work."

To hear Louisa's Radio Merseyside interview please click below.

Adrian Ibbetson graduation message

SSTO leads showpiece football conference

SSTO academics are set to lead a prestigious International Football Conference at the University of Oxford.

The event, partly sponsored by UCLan, has been organised by the SSTO's Professor Boria Majumdar (left) in conjunction with academic publishers Taylor and Francis.

Entitled 'FIFA World Cup and the Nation: Culture, Politics, Identity', Professor John Hughson, Director of the school's International Football Institute, will lead a plenary session on day two of the event, which also features a number of leading figures from the world of Football Culture.

Keynote speakers include award winning journalist and author Mihir Bose. In addition to writing a weekly "Big Sports Interview" for the London Evening Standard, he also writes and broadcasts on social and historical issues as well as sport for a range of outlets including the BBC, the Financial Times and the Independent.

Dr John Minten, Dean of UCLan’s School of Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors commented: "Following on from what has been called the ‘Best World Cup Ever’ there are a host of important issues that have emerged, in just about all aspects of football culture, politics and identity. This event will bring together highly renowned academics and practitioners in what will be an extremely interesting conference."

The event takes place at the The University Club, Oxford, on 23-24 July. For further information please click here.

SSTO lecturer discusses Suárez

The SSTO's Amy Whitehead has been interviewed by British GQ regarding the Luis Suárez biting incident during the recent Uruguay v Italy World Cup game.

Amy, a specialist in Sport and Exercise Psychology within SSTO, offers some strong views about the controversy, saying the striker's "inability to control his arousal level, coupled with his intrinsic and extrinsic desire to win at all costs" are the main factors behind Suárez biting opponents.

The full article can be viewed here.

Dr Guiver to attend showpiece event

SSTO Sustainability Lead Dr Jo Guiver is in Freiburg, Germany, next week for a prestigious Tourism and Transport Workshop.

Dr Guiver will be accompanied to the event by co-author Dr Davina Stanford from Leeds Met University to deliver their presentation about the difficulties of providing sustainable options in tourist destinations, using the Lake District as an example of where some barriers have been overcome.

Some of the top names in tourist travel will be attending including Professor Michael Hall, Stefan Gössling and Paul Peeters.

As a result of the previous workshop in 2012, Dr Guiver and Gunvor Larsen had a paper published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism about tourists' perception of distance.

For full event details please click here.

SSTO welcomes Olympic champion

An Olympic gold medallist visited the SSTO to inspire sporting youngsters through his story of success.

Slalom canoeist Tim Baillie won gold in the London 2012 Olympic Games with his partner Etienne Stott in the C2 event, as well as winning two bronze medals at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and gold at the 2009 European Championships.

Over 100 local college and sixth form pupils met Tim and heard his story as part of a sport enhancement day run by the School. Tim commented: "Winning gold at London 2012 was the culmination of a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears and it was of course the highlight of my career.

"Today I've shared my journey through elite sport and hopefully inspired the students by showing that hard work and dedication does pay off."

As part of the event the pupils also learned more about the psychology of performance, the mechanics of athlete power, rehabilitation, match analysis and event management. They also took part in a practical rock climbing session.

Dr Steve Atkins, principal lecturer in sport, exercise and nutritional sciences, said: "We're delighted to welcome Tim to the University to share his inspirational story with the next generation of sports men and women. They've also been given a taste of the wide range of careers available that support sports development from grassroots to elite level."

Lecturer tackles walk to help child's sight battle

The SSTO's Danielle Prescott is taking part in a sponsored walk to raise funds for a friend's child who has a serious eye condition.

Danielle will accompany around 50 people who are walking from Manchester to Darwen on Saturday 14th June to help support Natasha Scott and Philip Davies and their daughter, Elyssa Davies.

Natasha took Elyssa to her doctors during May as she was concerned about a reflection in one of her eyes.

She was immediately referred to see a specialist and a few days later everyone's worst fears were realised as Elyssa was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma in both eyes. This is a very rare cancer on the retina that affects young children.

The next day Elyssa went to Royal London Hospital to see another specialist who told Natasha and Phil that Elyssa needed to have one of her eyes removed. It has been a tough time for the family, who are making regular trips to London as Elyssa continues to receive treatment to ensure her remaining eye is working.

If anyone wishes to sponsor the walk please email Danielle. For more information on directly helping the family please click here.

SSTO Internationalisation update

Internationalisation Lead Jackie Day has been busy promoting SSTO across the world.

Along with Associate Dean Dr Adrian Ibbetson, Jackie recently visited UCLan Cyprus to work with colleagues delivering our Hospitality and Tourism course and to also oversee the unveiling of the newly validated Sport and Exercise programme.

They also visited the Cypriot Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) headquarters in Nicosia and met with Director General Olga Chrysaphi to discuss the EqUip internship programme.

This is an international scheme run by the CGF in association with universities around the world. UCLan is coordinating the European Region which includes the European Commonwealth countries, England and Cyprus. Students will have the opportunity to undertake 48-week internships with these federations.

In addition to the Cyprus trip, Jackie has been to Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore, working with the British Council on their exhibitions as well as agent exhibitions and school visits.

During this period she also attended the UCLan SE Asia agent conference in Kuala Lumpur and three others in China held in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. These conferences gave Jackie an opportunity to meet around 120 agents who counsel students on why they should choose SSTO programmes to study.

Whilst in Thailand Jackie met Professor Aeerat Suputtitada from King Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, who is looking to collaborate with Professor Jim Richards on the area of gait analysis research.

On the China visit she met Dean Zheng of Xiamen University Overseas College to formalise an articulation agreement which will allow their students to study one year in Xiamen and two years at UCLan within the areas of tourism, hospitality and events.

Living with Diabetes Day

The SSTO teamed up with the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation and specialist teams from Lancashire NHS and Lancashire University Hospitals to host the first annual 'Living with Diabetes Day'.

This unique event brought together people living with diabetes, healthcare professionals, academics, students and diabetes organisations to provide a wealth of diabetes information under one roof.

Living with Diabetes Day gave people the chance to learn more about diabetes and provide them with the tools and increased understanding to support a pro-active approach to good self-management skills and subsequently improve quality of life.

For more information about Living with Diabetes Day please click here. A selection of images from the event can be viewed here.

Mac leaves Green Gecko legacy

Mac McCarthy's long SSTO career is coming to end in June, but the popular lecturer leaves safe in the knowledge he's made a real difference to many lives.

Perhaps Mac's biggest achievement has been his work with the Green Gecko Project - a school and home for former street children - establishing a link which has benefited both children in Cambodia and our own students.

Mac has just returned from Green Gecko for the final time and has sent some details about the Project:

"After my first visit to Green Gecko I spoke to my old friend Edwin Thwaites about developing a new form of assignment for final year students. The idea was to integrate and develop their skills within a team-based problem solving context.

"They would split into small groups to develop and run projects to raise money in a competitive market environment - essentially the real world in microcosm.

"In addition to taking a group to Cambodia each year for field study and volunteer work, over £38,000 has been raised since we began this journey. I'd hoped to reach £40,000 before retirement, and we did get close!

"The learning opportunities provided for our students are invaluable to their futures. Numerous students have been in touch over the years to say how much they learned from a task that proved to be harder than it looks.

"One of the students who visited there is taking up an opportunity to work in a similar setting in Korea. I even got a message from someone I taught over 20 years ago in another institution, reminding me of a similar initiative we developed for supporting Romanian orphans.

"Just a few weeks ago two Preston women, holidaying in Cambodia, went to Green Gecko because they'd heard about it as a result of our students' fund-raising efforts.

"When I started it, I had one aim for our students - that they should learn about the challenges of implementing their management skills in a real world setting and gain some real insights into this and the fact that life is more than just career and salary.

"I had two aims for Green Gecko - that we would keep raising money in order to keep them open, and that we would reach a point, when I retire, where they no longer relied on our money for that. Our money now pays the rent each year."

Students change lives at Green Gecko

Students from the SSTO's Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management programmes have raised £4,700 for an Asian children's charity.

As part of their final year module ‘Management Development,’ students organised a series of events ahead of a life-changing trip to Cambodia to visit the Green Gecko Project - a school for disadvantaged children.

The trip helps students enhance their learning in a developing country, whilst also gaining personal and professional skills by volunteering at Green Gecko. Students arrived on the first day of Cambodian New Year and celebrated a traditional Songkran Festival in the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat.

Celebrations continued for three days across the country and students participated spontaneously with traditional dance and games, which helped break down any cross-cultural barriers. The group continued to experience the rich culture and diversity Cambodia has to offer by visiting various tourist attractions including the Temples of Angkor, TonleSap, and Kulen Mountain National Park.

The second week began with an induction day before the students volunteered to teach six classes daily. Module leader Peter McGrath praised their efforts: "Before they arrived the group had no teaching experience, so this was a tough test in which they all excelled.

"The lessons they delivered were both educational and fun and this was clear by the Gecko childrens’ excitement and enthusiasm throughout the week."

Senior Lecturer Mac McCarthy added: "Now the students have been to the Green Gecko Project they appear to have a renewed zest for life that embraces real values, rather than just the desire for a well-paid career."

This year's total takes the overall amount raised by SSTO students to over £38,000 – cementing the SSTO's commitment to make a difference through education.

Event Management student Luciana Capaldi said the trip had changed her outlook on life: "I'm the same person I was when I left, but with different values and prospects for life. One day I will strive to be part of a similar project to the Green Gecko."

A selection of images from the trip can be viewed here.

SSTO help charity make a difference

SSTO undergraduates raised nearly £1,500 for Derian House by organising a range of events.

As part of their TL3082 Sport and Leisure Events module, students from the Sports Development & Enterprise programme were joined by colleagues from Sports Business Management & Marketing to organise, promote and stage events which included a casino night, a pub quiz and football, pool & table-tennis tournaments.

The money was raised in aid of Derian Lodge, which caters for the unique needs of young people aged 16-25 with a life-limiting illness.

SSTO Lecturer Louisa Jones said: "For a small group of students to raise almost £1,500 is a tremendous achievement. I'm delighted with their efforts in giving something back to the community while developing their own skills."

Lucy Sawdon-Collings from Derian House praised the students' efforts: "As I explained when I first met everyone, the hospice relies almost entirely on donations to continue to offer the support and care we give to families throughout the North West.

"You can rest assured the money raised will definitely make a difference. A huge Thank You on behalf of everyone at Derian House - it's an absolutely fantastic amount and we truly do appreciate every penny."

Students set for Zambia trip

SSTO undergraduates were invited to BBC Radio Lancashire's studios to discuss their upcoming trip to Zambia.

Katie Pattenden and Lauren Parkinson were joined by Media student Michael Jackson on John Gillmore's afternoon show to talk about the UCLan Sport for Development Project.

Working in partnership with Sport in Action, Senior Lecturer Cliff Olsson created the project in 2008 to provide students with an opportunity to study the global value and contribution sport can make towards supporting the Millennium Development Goals.

The scheme aims to actively support Sport For Development projects being delivered in some of the poorest parts of the world by agencies such as Sport in Action and Zambia-based Edusport.

The projects rely upon the goodwill of voluntary sports leaders from the compounds who work with some of the most vulnerable children in the world with only the most basic of resources, delivering key life skill messages through activities and games.

Around 30 students from the Sports Coaching & Development, Sports Studies and Media programmes will travel to Zambia to work at a variety of schools with children aged 3-16.

The trio are all making return visits after taking part in the 2013 trip. Katie commented: "We're looking forward to going back into the community, they are so welcoming and happy to see you. To be doing something the kids want to be doing and are happy doing is a change from here. It makes it worth going out there."

Since 2011 students have raised over £10,000 towards buying basic sports equipment and supporting the building of basketball courts in local rural schools in Zambia. In addition the project provided the opportunity for the local voluntary sports leaders from Zambia to come to Preston and share their skills and knowledge with local community volunteers and children from local schools.

SSTO support rising skiing star

SSTO staff have teamed up to offer support to a future skiing star.

Colne's Bethany Widdup, a member of the England Alpine Ski Team, has been working with Amy Whitehead and Greg Littler as she continues her quest to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

"The support I've received from UCLan has been invaluable to me," said Bethany. "Both Amy and Greg have spent a lot of time with me, helping me through some injuries and difficult psychological patches. I met with them frequently whilst in the UK and remained in contact throughout the months I've been in Europe."

Bethany was one of 14 young Lancashire athletes to be awarded a £500 grant and support from UCLan in the latest round of the Lancashire Rising Star Fund.

The project, in association with Lancashire Sport Partnership, Lancashire County Council and UCLan, awards the grants to individuals to cover costs such as travel, training, accommodation, competition fees, and equipment.

In addition, each recipient receives a package of support from UCLan which includes strength and conditioning services, nutritional advice and support and access to UCLan sports and training facilities.

Bethany added: "Before this season I never received this kind of structural support and I can really see the benefits now. I've not been able to get this sort of thing through skiing, so I'm looking forward to continuing to work with UCLan in the future."

SSTO student takes part in Sporting Statues project

Ffion Thomas has used her PhD studies to contribute to a newly released 'world football' database. Currently studying within SSTO's International Football Institute (IFI), Ffion compiled a map of iconic sporting statues from around the world as part of 'From Pitch to Plinth: The Sporting Statues' project.

We spoke to Ffion to find out more: "I graduated from Sheffield University in 2010 and through doing some work for Dr Chris Stride during my degree, got involved in the project. What started as a bit of fun/general interest in the subject (everyone on the project is a football fan) led to compiling a list of all football statues in the UK.

"This then snowballed into four published statue databases - UK sports, world cricket, US baseball and now world football - as well as several academic papers and conference presentations which I've contributed to, along with conducting online research and interviews. Every effort is made to get each location spot on, which can be fairly time-consuming in some of the more obscure locations!

"The project and my interest in the subject contributed to my application to study in IFI where my PhD is on the use of nostalgia and heritage in the visual culture of football, of which the use of statues is one part."

Dr Stride said the erection of statues to sporting greats was a very recent occurrence: "There were just a handful, maybe four or five that had been erected before 1980 and then maybe another 10 before 1995.

"Suddenly there have been around 100 of these statues built of sports people in the last 15 years. The surge in footballers being depicted is mainly down to clubs appealing to nostalgia and basking in the reflective glory.

"Sports people are seen as celebrities, they never used to be. The sort of people who would have been statue subjects, such as politicians and people of the church and royalty are less popular now."

SSTO Social Media update

The School of Sport, Tourism and The Outdoors recently conducted an analysis of its Social Media activities.

We now have over 7,000 Twitter followers across accounts connected to SSTO, while our Facebook engagement continues to grow.

Our network of blog sites is almost complete, with Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy the latest Division to enter the blogosphere.

A new blog for Sport Exercise and Nutritional Science is currently under construction and will be launched soon. Links to all of our blog sites can be found in the right hand column. We're also developing our presence on Flickr and Instagram.

Thank you to everyone who follows and contributes to our various platforms. We hope you continue to enjoy our output and help us grow the SSTO community.

Graduation 2014

The summer Graduation ceremony for SSTO will take place on Thursday, 17 July.

Registration is between 8.00am - 9.45am, with the ceremony commencing at 10.30am.

For more details please click here.

University Experience Day

To help students make very important decisions about their future, the SSTO is inviting Year 12 students to attend our University Experience Day on Thursday, 12 June.

The event would be useful to those considering studying Sports, Tourism & The Outdoors and Sports Psychology. Year 13 students who have not yet applied to university are also very welcome.

Professional advice will be shared on important student issues such as the UCAS application process, making the transition to university, how best to approach the challenges of money management and university study techniques.

There is no cost to attend - individual and group bookings are welcome. To book onto this event please email the Student Recruitment Team or telephone 01772 894443.

Sports stars discuss their State of Mind

The SSTO teamed up with rugby league charity State of Mind to host an innovative event designed to raise awareness of mental health issues in sport.

Ex-Rugby League stars Terry O'Connor, Brian Carney and Danny Sculthorpe, Hatton Promotions boxer Adam Little, former professional footballer Andy Brownrigg and ex-professional rugby league player Jimmy Gittins, shared their own personal experiences of dealing with mental health issues.

The event brought the professional athletes together with students, local sports clubs and other interested parties to discuss ways to get young males talking about mental health issues, how to offer support to people who are suffering and where to go for expert help.

Leona Trimble, Division Leader for Sports Coaching and Development, coordinated the event for SSTO and was delighted with its success: "I believe 'UCLan State of Mind' has laid down an excellent foundation for raising awareness of mental health, mental fitness and the role that sport can play. I see the event as just the start of our work in this area.

"We are keen to raise awareness, especially through the curriculum, about mental health and mental fitness and have more discussions on the role that sports coaches, sports therapists, sport scientists can play in identifying issues, communicating with athletes and signposting help.

"Tremendous thanks must go to the athletes and ex-professionals who shared their honest, moving and inspirational stories with us, to kick-start the discussions around these important issues and get us thinking about the next steps."

Malcolm Rae OBE, the former chair of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Mental Health Society and UCLan Honorary Fellow, co-founded State of Mind following the death of former Wigan Warriors star Terry Newton, who took his own life in 2010.

He commented: "Rugby league is a tough sport and there is a perception that players can't talk about their feelings because it is seen as being weak. State of Mind aims to challenge this and use sport as a way to bring people together to share problems and ask for help.

"Although the charity focuses on rugby league we're thrilled to welcome athletes from other disciplines to UCLan to get a broad perspective and share ideas of best practice."

Current student Gavin Allman said the event was a huge success. "The State of Mind team truly are a group of pioneers working on a very important shift within sport. I believe sport in general to have a huge influence on everyday people, and these guys are leading from the front in approaching such a taboo topic as mental health.

"Thank you for organising the event and please extend my gratitude to State of Mind for their fantastic work."

Alumni return to SSTO

Hayley, Anthony, Caroline & Alex

The SSTO was the venue for our Tourism, Hospitality and Events Division's inaugural Leavers and Alumni event. Around 130 students were in attendance as four of the Division's Alumni shared their experiences since leaving UCLan.

Anthony Cardwell, Caroline Hinchliffe and Hayley Bartholomew delivered presentations detailing their journey from undergraduate study into employment, while Alex Grebenar explained his route into postgraduate education.

Division Leader Jane Shaw was delighted with the event: "It was the first time we staged something like this and it was wonderful to see so many of our students take part - hopefully we can turn it into an annual occasion.

"Our programmes aim to prepare students for a successful career in their chosen industry and it's great for them to hear how previous students have progressed. I'd like to thank Anthony, Caroline, Hayley and Alex for taking the time to attend and share their experiences."

Careers in Sport - new mobile app

Careers in Sport have launched a free mobile app for students to promote the latest jobs, news and courses available in the sports industry.

Organisations providing careers guidance include the Association for PE, Camp America, Football Association, PE Recruitment, PGL, Premier Training, Radio Five Live and the RFU.

The IoS and Android versions are available to download here.

Students can also keep up to date with the latest news by following @CareerInSport.

UCLan State of Mind

The SSTO and State of Mind are teaming up to host an exciting new event during February.

'UCLan State of Mind' features a number of top sporting names and is designed to raise awareness of mental health issues in sport.

Guest speakers include ex-Rugby-League stars Terry O’Connor, Brian Carney & Danny Sculthorpe, former professional footballer Andy Brownrigg, unbeaten boxer and UCLan Sports graduate Adam Little and ex-Rugby League player and inspirational speaker Jimmy Gittins.

This free of charge event takes place on Wednesday, 26th February and features a number of associated exhibitors and workshops. For full programme details please click here.

Everyone is welcome, so to book a place or for further information please contact Leona Trimble or Malcolm Rae.

Preston Sports Awards 2014

The SSTO's Dr Adrian Ibbetson (pictured far right) was a guest at the launch of the 9th annual Walker Smith Way Legal Preston Sports Awards.

The organisers held a Celebration event at Preston's College to launch the Awards, which give clubs a platform to recognise their volunteers who go the extra mile.

A total of 17 awards are up for grabs, with UCLan sponsoring the Junior Team Performance of the Year Award.

The event takes place on Friday, 7 March at Preston Guild Hall and features former Olympic athlete Jason Gardener as guest speaker.

For more details on the awards categories and ticket information please click here.

SSTO help Warrriors gear up for new season

The SSTO has been helping double winning Wigan Warriors prepare for the defence of their rugby league titles.

The Super League and Tetley's Challenge Cup holders are back in training and have been put through intensive pre-season fitness tests by staff and students from our Centre for Applied Sport and Exercise Science (CASES).

The Warriors players were subjected to a range of physiological checks, including the gruelling VO2 max assessment which pushes the athlete to exhaustion to test their aerobic endurance.

Warriors have visited SSTO for fitness testing for the last four years, and the session comes on the back of a demanding pre-season training camp in Florida ahead of their opening Super League game against Huddersfield on 7 February.

Head Coach Shaun Wane was on hand to watch the players' assessments: "Wigan have won six trophies in four years following a very thorough pre-season fitness regime. The scientific tests SSTO perform allow us to tailor individual training programmes for the players and over the last few years we have set a very high endurance standard, which can give us an edge going into the new season.

"I'm really impressed not only with the top quality facilities, but also with the professionalism and expertise of all the staff and students we have worked with today."

The test day enabled our undergraduate Sports Science students to gain practitioner experience in working with professional athletes and gave an insight into the practical developments of elite sports players. Several students, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, have also worked with the Super League club alongside their studies.

The SSTO's Dr Steve Atkins said: "We are proud of our long-running and mutually beneficial relationship with Wigan Warriors. It provides our students with a fantastic opportunity to work with elite athletes and gain valuable experience that will be an asset when applying for jobs within the industry."

The fitness tests are part of an on-going sponsorship deal UCLan has as the 'official university' of the Super League club. The Warriors also benefit from video analysis support and a number of university degree places for its players and staff.

Heritage and the Olympics

SSTO Lecturer Dr Sean Gammon has released a new book entitled 'Heritage and the Olympics'.

Written in conjunction with Dr Gregory Ramshaw and Dr Emma Waterton, the book offers detailed and thought-provoking examples of components of Olympic heritage, and illustrates powerfully the breadth, passion and cultural significance the Olympics can provoke.

This is Dr Gammon's second recent book release, following the successful November 2013 launch of 'Contemporary Perspectives in Leisure'.

Students receive volunteer awards

Tom, Glen & Lee with Danielle and Rick at the event

Four UCLan students have been recognised for their work on the University's Sport 4 U programme.

Tom Daly, Glenn Richards, Lee Marshall and Joe McDonald were rewarded at the recent Preston Volunteer Awards for their efforts on the scheme.

They assisted with promotion of the project, which helps motivate students by increasing their participation in sports such as Futsal, Rock Climbing, Badminton and Table Tennis.

Speaking after the event at Preston College Lee said: "I was really pleased to have been given the award for my volunteering, as I feel I put a lot of hard work into Sport 4 U. I don't volunteer for the rewards, but it's nice to feel my hard work has not gone unnoticed.

"It means a lot to have been nominated by Sport 4 U leaders Rick and Danielle, and it's great to know they appreciate the work we have all put in."

Camp America Recruitment Fair

The SSTO has arranged a free visit to a recruitment fair for Camp America.

The event takes place in Manchester on Thursday 23 January.

Camp America are allowing UCLan students entry one hour earlier (11.00 am) so they have the first choice of camps they would like to work at.

If you are interested in attending please email Maggie Ferguson.

SSTO Professor chairs first Zinc-Net meeting

Professor Nicola Lowe (2nd from right) with Zinc-Net group

The SSTO's Professor Nicola Lowe has chaired her first Zinc-Net group in Istanbul, Turkey. Zinc-Net, the 'Network for zinc in Biology', received £500,000 from the European Commission to fund research over the next four years into the role of zinc in human biochemistry and physiology.

The network has scientists from 20 different European countries including Spain, Italy, Germany and Hungary. The meeting was the first of the 'Core Group' which is the steering committee for the network.

Dr Lowe said: "We had a productive day, the aim of which was to come up with our short, medium and long term goals for the network, and an action plan of how we are going to achieve them. This will form the basis of the network manifesto I now have to write.

"It was an intense day of discussion and debate, but I was impressed with the commitment and energy the members brought to the meeting."

Historian puts SSTO Institute on the map

With time ticking towards the 100th anniversary of the First World War, Dr Iain Adams from the SSTO's International Football Institute (IFI) is in much demand.

The National Football Museum is putting together an exhibition to mark the occasion and their Director, Kevin Moore, is using Dr Adams as a 'resident expert' as they field enquiries from various organisations about football's impact on the war – particularly the Christmas Truce 1914.

Following an invitation from the British Library in London, Dr Adams was appointed as an official Historian for Europeana 1914-1918 – a scheme designed to develop a digital collection of outstanding sources from European national libraries to remember the First World War.

He has also contributed to a British Council project entitled 'Football Remembers' and recently appeared on the BBC World Service programme 'Sportshour'. In addition, Dr Adams has received requests to use his play about the Truce, A Game for Christmas, from numerous Arts organisations along with the National Children's Football Alliance.

Manchester design consultancy True North have also been in touch regarding commemorative Christmas 2014 Royal Mail stamps.

Dr Adams said: "The 100th anniversary of the First World War and the stories surrounding the Christmas Truce 1914 should provide a unique opportunity for enhancing IFI's reputation internationally and allow us to make a lasting impact."

SSTO leads landmark study

A team of SSTO researchers have led an innovative and ground-breaking international collaborative study into whole body cryotherapy (WBC) exposure.

Working in conjunction with top rugby league club Wigan Warriors and BOC, the UK's leading handler of cryogenic gases, the group aimed to determine the physiological changes that may occur during WBC exposure.

Led by Professor James Selfe, with support from Karen May (Division Lead for Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy) and Nigel Garratt (Knowledge Transfer & Business Development Lead for SSTO), the study also extended to the Southern Hemisphere, with world leading cryotherapy researcher Dr Joseph Costello continuing a previous collaboration with Professor Selfe.

Currently based at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, Dr Costello's expertise in this field is exceptional.

The SSTO's Dr Steve Atkins, Dr Howard Hurst and Dr Stephanie Dillon also contributed to the study, which required the collection of a vast amount of specialised data.

Despite becoming popular among athletes, coaches and clinicians, research into WBC is minimal regarding its use in rehabilitation, conditioning and recovery. The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of WBC looking at dose and physiological response.

During three days of testing at Warriors' training ground in Orrell, the first-team squad used the UK’s first mobile BOC-supplied cryotherapy chamber.

Project coordinator Jill Alexander was tasked with processing the data and preparing the results for publication: "I had a huge multidisciplinary team of people to organise from all the participants," said Jill.

"The data collection was a huge success in the way the testing protocol was executed among the whole team of researchers, BOC specialist operators and the Wigan Warriors players and coaching staff. We could not have completed the study without everyone's overwhelming commitment."

The results have been published in PloS One Journal and can be viewed here.