In the news – 15-21 June

The Daily Mail, Sky News, The i Paper, The Express and The Times, among several other national press and radio outlets shared the news that watches worn by British soldiers during the Second World War – and handed down as family heirlooms – emit radiation that can cause cancer. The dials on the timepieces, which descendants have kept as a memory of their brave relatives, give off harmful amounts of radon gas, according to Dr Robin Crockett, from the University of Northampton.

Our Chancellor, Rev Richard Coles, talks tuition fees, mental health and the art of listening in Ed Quarter’s ‘10 minutes with…’ Q&A feature.

In May 2018 the Leather business unit of specialty chemicals company LANXESS hosted students from the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) from the University of Northampton at its headquarters in Leverkusen. Thomas Brackemeyer, head of the Organic Leather Chemicals business line in the LANXESS’s Leather business unit, summed up the visit in Leather International Magazine.

A group of babies and their parents were honoured this week at the Roots of Empathy Northampton Baby Celebration event – hosted by the University of Northampton – as the programme waved goodbye to the second intake of tots. The full report can be found in the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

As it is Learning Disability week, John Turnbull, Subject Lead for Learning Disability Nursing and student, Lauretta Ofulue, talked to BBC Radio Northampton about what is great about the profession (clip unavailable).

The University has strengthened its partnership with the home of British motorsport by signing an official strategic international agreement. The University’s China and Emerging Economies Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Silverstone Circuits Ltd (SCL) to help forge a strategic partnership as SCL looks to explore opportunities in China (East Midlands Business Link – link unavailable).

A metal band whose guitarist is a University of Northampton graduate have been nominated for three major music industry awards. Brady Deeprose, 23, alongside bandmates Conor Marshall, Dan Nightingale and Jan Krause make up Conjurer, whose album Mire was critically acclaimed on release in March. As reported by the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

An ‘ingenious invention’ from a University of Northampton student could help to stem the tide of plastic waste that enters our oceans. The Plastigully, as reported by the Chronicle and Echo is a simple device that sits in street storm drains and collects any litter that falls into them, while maintaining water flow. The device – which itself is made from recyclable plastic – can then be removed, emptied and re-inserted into the drain. The story was also featured on ITV Anglia television news.

Two University of Northampton students have received awards at a recent health conference for the “outstanding” care they have given to patients. Stacey Francis, a Year 1 Adult Nursing student and Hollie Townley, third year Midwifery student, received the prestigious ‘DAISY in Training Award’ at Northampton General Hospital’s annual nursing and midwifery conference. As reported by the Northants Chamber.