Cornwall’s secondary schools and colleges dazzle designed. in cornwall

From Penair to Penryn, Mullion to Helston and Camborne to Wadebridge, pupils from Cornwall's secondary schools and Further Education colleges dazzled the judges with the outstanding quality of their exhibits at this year's designed. in cornwall event, which was staged at University College Falmouth's Tremough Campus last week.

designed. in cornwall is a pioneering annual event that celebrates design and technology excellence within the county's secondary schools and Further Education colleges.

Now in its third year, and bringing together 388 GCSE and A level students from 21 institutions across Cornwall, the three-day event is the only large-scale exhibition of its kind in the UK and included:

• an Awards Ceremony to celebrate the achievements of all the participants
• a Schools Day that included some of the UK's most creative designers presenting the case for why theirs was the best, or most inspiring area of design
• an opportunity for members of the public to view the designed. in cornwall exhibition.

The region's business community pledged strong support for the event by sponsoring the twelve award categories, as follows:

• Locally based construction group, Midas, sponsored the Best School Presentation prize and awarded £250 to Helston Community College
• Truro Fabrics sponsored the GCSE Fashion & Textiles prize and awarded £50 to Tamsin Sandercock from Penair School for her textile boots
• Ladd's Concrete Products sponsored the GCSE Product Design prize and awarded £50 to Oliver Davidson from Penair School for his remote controlled walking robot
• Newquay Cornwall Airport sponsored the GCSE Technology prize and awarded £50 to Adam Griffin from Budehaven School for his monitor speakers
• Eco-Bos sponsored the GCSE Sustainability prize and awarded £50 to Alfie Munden from Penryn College for his eco-boat
• Rowe's the Bakers sponsored the GCSE Food Technology prize and awarded £50 to Cecily Cuff from Mullion School for her luxury chocolate ruffle cake
• Gendall Design sponsored the GCSE Graphic Design prize and awarded £50 to Alex Cox from Wadebridge School for his considered understanding of identity and design that underpinned his exhibit, the Pod
• University College Falmouth sponsored the new GCSE Contemporary Crafts prize and awarded £50 to Gabby Fromentin from Mullion School for her re-imagined ceramic fire extinguisher
• Eco-Bos sponsored the Post-16 Sustainability prize and awarded £50 to Ben Tapley from Truro College for his dam/irrigation and flood defence system for developing countries
• Cornwall Development Company sponsored the Post-16 Innovation prize and awarded £50 to Alex Dark from Truro College for his aluminium trials bike frame
• Cornwall Development Company sponsored the Post-16 Craftsmanship prize and awarded £50 to Adam Hall from Camborne Science & Community College for his public realm seating scheme
• An overall Public Choice Award of £50, sponsored by Newquay Cornwall Airport, for the designer of the exhibit that received the most votes from visitors to the exhibition, was awarded to Oliver Netherton from Truro College for his all-terrain lightweight wheelchair that incorporated a unique multi-wheel system that enabled easy access to vehicles.

Stacey Dix, Hamleys of London Company Designer and graduate from BA(Hons) 3D Design at University College Falmouth (UCF), judged the Hamleys Award that was won by Joshua Bailey from Camborne Science & Community College for his eco school chair design.  This award commemorated the fact that the famous London toy shop began life as Noah's Ark in Truro 250 years ago and looked to recognise work by a designer that incorporated or demonstrated one of, or a combination of, sustainable theories, Cornish heritage, learning through play and innovation.  The prize comprised of £100 of Hamleys vouchers, a certificate and a special edition Hamleys George Frederick Bear.

UCF was particularly pleased to a welcome back Stacey and also Alex Turvey, BA(Hons) Graphic Design graduate as guests of honour to this event, both of whom have achieved significant success in the international design industry.  As an acclaimed director, designer and illustrator, Alex recently gained recognition as one of the 15 creatives who will define the future of the arts in Britain and features in Levi's latest ‘craftworker' ad campaign.

Alex and Stacey joined UCF's Head of Design, Patrick Gottelier and Tom Podkolinski, the gifted designer at award-winning,ethical clothing brand, Finisterre, in a lively, interactive question and answer session that explored, amongst other things, the strangest things they had ever been asked to design; the best thing about their respective careers and what they would like to be doing in five years' time.  The assembled pupils could not fail to be suitably inspired by their answers, which ranged from designing a lip wig for Lady Gaga, to seeing a toy that you've designed flying off the shelves and becoming the next David Attenborough!

"This inspirational event provides the designers of the future with a chance to showcase their talents; compete for recognition; gain valuable feedback from peers as well as industry experts; and develop a wide range of life skills, from articulating their design processes to exhibiting their work in a professional context," said Richard Scott from Richard Lander School, who co-founded the event with UCF.  "designed. in cornwall celebrates what we do best in Cornwall - creativity - and motivates our schools and colleges to raise the bar, year-on-year, in terms of what can be achieved."

"It is fundamentally and strategically important for us to nurture Cornish design talent and a privilege to provide the environment that enables such talent to flourish," added UCF's Head of Design, Patrick Gottelier.  "Cornwall is fast-becoming the acknowledged hub for the creative industries, the fastest growing sector in the UK economy.  designed. in cornwall gives us a unique opportunity to spot and encourage the design talent of the future.  Whilst the quality of the exhibits was staggering, this is what we have come to expect from Cornwall's schools and colleges, and we look forward to collaborating with every school and college in the county to create an even bigger event in 2011."

To find out more about designed. in cornwall, please visit www.designedincornwall.co.uk

For further information about Design courses at University College Falmouth and the study opportunities that are available for September 2010 entry, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/design, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213730.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name.  It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing.  The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2013/2014 that will be unique to the South West.

The University College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One and Convergence), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall Council.

Ends

For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby Dip CIPR, MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email:  jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk 

Notes to editors

Exhibiting Schools

Redruth School

Penryn College

Looe Community School

Budehaven Community School

Mounts Bay School

Falmouth School

Camborne Science & Community College

Richard Lander School

Roseland Community College

Hayle Community School

The Bolitho School

Treviglas Community College

Mullion School

Truro College

Helston Community College

St Ives School

Penair School

Cape Cornwall School

Cornwall College

Bodmin

Wadebridge

Sponsors

The Midas Group - sponsor of Best School Presentation
The Midas Group is one of the largest independent property services groups in the UK.  Midas has offices throughout the South West region and South Wales across its specialisms: Construction, Retail, Interiors, Affordable Housing and Developments.  Midas continues to work in long term relationships, exceeding the expectations of customers and demonstrating industry leading performance.

Truro Fabrics - sponsors of GCSE Fashion & Textiles
Founded in 1984 by Rob Millbank, a fabric market trader, Truro Fabrics is now the largest fabric shop in England.  It stocks between 9,000 and 11,000 dress fabrics at any one time and offers a bespoke and highly-experienced service by its staff, all of whom are enthusiastic dressmakers, knitters, interior designers, decorators, jewellery makers and fabric enthusiasts.

Ladd's Concrete Products - sponsors of GCSE Product Design
With over 30 years' experience in the manufacture of concrete products, Ladd's can make a variety of products in an assortment of colours and quantities from kerbs, paving, edging, lintels, copings, cills, heads, string course, padstones and staircases to bespoke products and Wonder Walling.

Their factory and offices are located in Redruth, and they regularly work with private customers, architects, small businesses and large companies, to create outstanding concrete products.

Newquay Cornwall Airport - sponsors of GCSE Technology and the Public Choice Award

Newquay Cornwall Airport is the largest commercial airport in Cornwall with eight airlines offering year-round, frequent flights to 16 UK and EU destinations, including seven flights per day to London Gatwick and double daily flights to Manchester, Leeds and Bristol.

Eco-Bos - sponsors of Sustainability at GCSE and Post-16 level

Eco-Bos is the name of the joint venture company that will deliver the plan to create one of Europe's most sustainable communities - the Mid Cornwall Eco-town.  The joint venture is between Orascom, one of the world's most experienced and respected town developers; Imerys, a world leader in mining and processing industrial minerals; and the Eden Project, a world class visitor attraction.

Rowe's the Bakers - sponsors of GCSE Food Technology

Rowe's is an award-winning food manufacturer and retailer.  The business began in 1949 when Bill Rowe set up his bakery and shop in Swanpool Street, Falmouth, making bread, pasties, cakes and confectionery.  Today, the company has 17 retail outlets throughout Cornwall and Devon, and supplies all of the major multiples nationally and regionally, as well as many independent retailers. Rowe's is proudly Cornish and all of its products are made from Cornish ingredients wherever possible.

Gendall Design Ltd - sponsors of GCSE Graphic Design

Gendall Design Ltd is one of the leading brand and digital communication agencies in the South West.  The company was founded in Cornwall in 1986 by Tessa Gendall and has grown steadily to its current team capability with consultants, brand, website and graphic designers, production artworkers, website programmers, project managers and administrators.

University College Falmouth - sponsors of GCSE Contemporary Crafts

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name.  It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing.  The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2013/2014 that will be unique to the South West.

The University College is delighted to launch this new award to stimulate interest in contemporary crafts within schools and the Further Education environment.

Cornwall Development Company - sponsors of Post-16 Innovation and Craftsmanship

Established in April 2009 as a result of the county's new unitary authority, the Cornwall Development Company is responsible for the delivery of economic development on behalf of Cornwall Council.  The company undertakes a wide range of activities including managing and marketing Cornwall as a visitor destination, community regeneration, the development and management of work space, the delivery of major transformational projects and services to business and inward investment.

Hamleys of London - When he was a small boy, William Hamley dreamed of opening the best toy shop in the world. In 1760, he did, cramming his small shop, Noah's Ark, with every toy he could find.

By the time Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, Hamleys was already a London landmark.  Families flocked to the store, now owned by William's grandsons.  So successful was the shop that in 1881 a new branch opened in Regent Street.  To cope with the public's growing appetite for playthings, Hamleys added a further five floors of toys.

Over the years, Hamleys survived the hard times of the 1920s and the Blitz of the Second World War, and remains the world's most famous toy store, continuing the tradition of providing the ‘finest toys in the world'.

In 1981, Hamleys moved to 188-196 Regent Street, where it remains today.  The flagship store on Regent Street has over seven floors packed full of toys and games, and now delivers to children all over the world.

The toys may have changed, but if he were here today, we're sure William would recognise the same delighted faces as he guided you round the shop he dreamt of as a boy.

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