Chen Futao, the Minister for Science and Technology, at the Chinese Embassy in London, unveiled the plaque Tuesday March 20, outside of the University Building, alongside Colin Hindmarch, the Principal of Harlow College.

Sir Charles Kao who won a Nobel Prize in 2009 for “groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibres for optical communication” could not attend the unveiling due to Alzheimer’s, but his wife Lady Kao sent a message in his place.

She said: “We would have been delighted to attend the ceremony.

“Our wildest dreams never envisaged the vast changes it would make to all of our lives.”

Many former employees of Standard Telecommunication Laboratories (STL) that was based in Harlow, were present to witness the unveiling of the plaque dedicated to their colleague.

Speaker, Ian Vance, former managing director for STL, explained how Sir Charles Kao would not give up on the innovative idea behind fibre optics.

He said: “What it actually shows is that some of the people had the vision to actually do this.

“First of all they were accurate, they were spot on, in terms of what needed to be done.

“The type of thing that was proposed was spot on as it turned out over the longer term, and secondly, they had the passion, the desire, the interest to actually make it happen and to push it through.

“Charles Kao who we’re celebrating today absolutely was one of the people who actually made that happen.”

Optical fibres help transmit data from A to B, at high speed and with low loss. Without such an invention, popular websites such as Facebook and Twitter would be unable to withstand the amount of traffic they receive daily.

Mr Vance, said: “The internet as we know today with YouTube and Facebook with all the other things that have happened, with the masses and masses of traffic that goes over it, people literally couldn’t say that none of that would be possible without this particular invention having happened at this particular point in history.”

Pro Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University, Alan Sibbald said: “It is a great shame that Sir Charles’ health does not enable him to travel and be here today.

“However, I am confident that the plaque will remind staff and students of his achievements and provide inspiration to us all.”

The career of the award winning SAJ member has taken him across the world, interviewing sports greats such as Tiger Woods, and even getting into some sticky situations and being threatened with a bread knife.

John Whitbread started his career off in a different generation of technology. A typewriter was his trusty journalism tool.

Everything he wrote would be typed up and sent to copy where the people equivalent to subs would then check the proofs before print.

He went on to describe the lack of technology available when he started out and talked about the brilliance of having a mobile phone, which was met with a few confused faces.

He said: “We often had to go to the neighbours house to ring the office.

“The mobile phone just frees you up.”

Whitbread highlighted the importance of moving with the times as he emphasised the need to adapt within the media industry.

To Harlow journalism students at the forefront of their careers, Whitbread described his difficult experiences searching for a job.

He said: “I wallpapered my bedroom with refusal letters” from national papers that were looking for well-educated Cambridgeon or Oxfordonian candidates.

When asked why he didn’t throw away the rejection letters he replied: “It was an incentive I didn’t want to be beaten.”

To some aspiring journalists it baffled them as to why he never moved onto a national paper when asked about it he said: “Could I have tried for the national papers?

“I’ve had a pretty good life in the area I work in, and I got a lot of it.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to meet all of the best players…Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods, a lot of them became good friends aswell.”

Persistence was the key message expressed throughout Whitbread’s talk, the changing times doesn’t ultimately change the fundamentals of what journalism will involve as our future journalism careers unfold.

He said: “In essence you’ll be doing the same thing.”

He discussed the time he completed the ‘door knock’ in order to do a story about a missing teenage girl and instead of a bereaved parent he was confronted with a bread knife and a threatening manner.

John talked about getting the style completely wrong for one of his first pieces on a local fair and having to spend the whole of his Monday night to correct the mistakes.

At the end of the talk he did leave us with some pearls of wisdom for the future.

“The most natural way of saying something is the best way of writing it.

“Imagine you’re the reader for the first time.

“You have to have a talent for writing, you need to be inquisitive, a bit of a gossip, someone who always wants to know a bit more.”

And when in doubt, “follow the money, the reason behind somebody doing something is money.”

Students and Journalism Lecturer Neil Silver at The Daily Telegraph (Photo: George Newkey-Burden)

STUDENTS from Harlow College’s journalism course were recently treated to a tour around the London offices of The Daily Telegraph.

The students, who are studying for a National Council for the Training Of Journalists (NCTJ) qualification, were shown around by George Newkey-Burden, who has worked with the institution for around 30 years.

At the offices on Buckingham Palace Road, the group observed one of the largest newsrooms in Europe from an upper level before walking through it.

The students also learnt about daily life at a national paper and were told about some of the facilities on site, including a gym and in-house doctors.

Harlow College Journalism Lecturer, Neil Silver, said: “For most students, it was their first look at a national newspaper office.

“The buzz they got out of being in that environment increased their desire to get in to the industry.

“It was an impressive site and everyone came out of there with a buzz.”

Student, Jessica Flexton, said: “We loved George and it was very impressive and inspiring being there.”

By Michael Havis

Thurrock FC 2

Harlow Academy boss Steve Blaney believes his team are capable of a late surge up the table after they punished a sloppy Thurrock side on Wednesday.

Injury ravaged Harlow, who named only one substitute for the league game, extended their unbeaten streak to three games with the victory.

A delighted Blaney, said: “If I am being greedy a top four finish would be fantastic.

“Today’s the first time this season that we’ve secured back-to-back wins and more importantly kept a clean sheet in the second half.”

In truth, the game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested, however a poor attacking display in the first-half by the visiting side cost them dearly as they struggled to finish their chances.

With both sides intentions set solely on attack gaps appeared across the back throughout. Harlow exposed the open space first, Billy Jones burying a loose ball ten minutes in, but Thurrock were gifted a goal seven minutes later when Tyler Nile’s sliced clearance found his own net .

The home side were made to go with five in midfield on the half hour mark – Nile going off injured. The formation change paid off though, a 33rd minute punt forwards deceived Thurrock’s centre-back pairing allowing Remi Richards through to lob the on-rushing keeper.

Thurrock drew level soon after, converting a penalty on the 37^th minute mark. Injury time madness then ensued, Harlow taking advantage of poor defending to score two in two minutes.

The break did little to quell the forward thinking hosts, Lewis Francis’ 54^th minute goal putting the game beyond doubt, ensuring Harlow took all three points.

The new granite plaque replacing the original, which was stolen. (Photo: Jayde Phillips)

An 18 inch square plaque honouring the victims of Nazi persecution was dedicated in a ceremony at the Holocaust Memorial Garden.

The granite slab was fitted in the same spot where the original bronze plaque was prised out of the ground behind Harlow Study Centre in Waterhouse Moor, Harlow.

It was commissioned by Harlow Council and carried the same words as the first version, laid in January 2001: “This garden is dedicated to the victims of the Nazi regime in Germany (1933-1945) and all peoples of the world who have suffered persecution or been victims of atrocities or genocide.”

The dedication ceremony was led by Rabbi Irit Shillor from Harlow Synagogue, who led a crowd of more than 40 gatherers in a traditional Jewish funeral prayer.

Members from Harlow’s Jewish faith were also among those who attended the unveiling of the plaque on what one the attendees, Irene Bainbridge, described as an ‘emotional day’ for all of them.

The GP from North Essex, who fled Germany in 1939 to escape Nazi persecution with her brother Joshua Jolles, Deputy Chairman of Harlow District Council, added: “It was important to replace the plaque, so that our future generations would not forget an important part of their history and would always have a place to go to remember.”

Council leader Andrew Johnson, who unveiled the plaque, said: “The Holocaust clearly meant nothing to the thieves who took the original memorial. While bronze and metal are being stolen up and down the country, cashing in on the victims of Nazi mas murder is surely a new low.

“It was important we show the thieves that we will not have our town defaced by their selfish actions- that’s why Harlow Council immediately commissioned a new plaque to be ready for Holocaust Memorial Day.”

By Jayde Phillips

Lorna Crump (32) of Collins Meadow and Lisa Tiffin (30) of Ladyshot have signed up to go to Peru and walk the Inca Trail in aid of St Margaret’s Hospital breast cancer unit in Epping.

They decided to undertake the arduous trek after their friend’s mother passed away from breast cancer a couple of years ago.

The race night is just the latest fundraising event in a series that the pair, who used to work together, have been running to help reach their huge target.

“Neither of us have ever done anything like this before,” said Lorna, “but were really keen to get involved with the charity trek after seeing the good work the hospital did for our friend’s mum when she was fighting breast cancer.

“The race night is the latest event we are holding to help us reach our fundraising target, so we are hoping as many people as possible will come along for a really fun night supporting this fantastic cause.”

Lorna and Lisa will have to walk for at least 10 hours each day, carrying heavy backpacks in temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius to complete the trek, which will begin in July.

They will also have to contend with the high altitudes and thin Oxygen in the Peruvian mountains, while braving temperatures as low as minus five degrees whilst sleeping in tents at night.

“It will no doubt be a huge challenge for us and we will have to do a lot of training beforehand,” said Lorna. “But we are both really looking forward to the experience.

“The hardest bit will be reaching our £10,000 fundraising target but if it helps other families going through the trauma of breast cancer then all our hard work will be worthwhile.”

The race night is taking place at Harlow Greyhound Stadium on Friday, January 13 from 7pm. Tickets cost £10 and can be purchased by calling Lorna on 07825 833365.

The initiative was originally launched with the council’s backing in July when it was announced that panels would be fitted to 1,200 homes across the town.

The costs of installation and maintenance over the 25-year life of the programme were to be met by Kier Harlow, which planned to recoup its outlay through the Government’s ‘Feed in Tariff’ scheme.

Now, the project has been stopped in its tracks after ministers announced plans to cut back the Feed in Tariff payments by 50 per cent.

Council leader Andrew Johnson said the “unforeseen” funding reduction had given the council no choice but to call a halt the programme.

“Following the Government’s sudden proposed changes to subsidies, we have had to scale back the programme to 280 homes,” he said.

“We share our tenants’ disappointment and I hope the Government would consider allowing existing schemes to continue.

“In the meantime, the council and Kier Harlow are examining other ways in which we can help residents reduce their energy bills.”

Harlow MP Robert Halfon said he had already raised the issue with of continuing the scheme with energy minister Gregory Barker, with the hope of securing additional funding to see the project through to completion.

He said: “As winter approaches we urgently need to help families and pensioners with the soaring cost of heating bills.

“I have met personally with the energy minister about this, urging the Government to finance these solar panels for our town. He is looking at this now.

“In the meantime there will be other measures to help, like the Green Deal, where Harlow households will be able to insulate their home for free.”

However, Labour group leader Mark Wilkinson said the Government had “badly let down” residents who had opted in to the scheme.

“A lot of residents were looking forward to cheaper utility bills which they will no longer receive,” he said.

“I would hope Mr Halfon will do all he can to turn this decision around and fight for the people of this town because his government has badly let down residents

The Tory MP has likened the company to a “feudal monarchy” in the way it deals with the public. In a Private Members Bill read out in the House of Commons earlier this week, Mr Halfon called for the “democratisation” of the BBC.

The Bill in question would, in principal, put greater control of the BBC into the hands of the public, who could then vote on the BBC’s strategic direction making, its programming and even the salaries paid to its senior employees.

The Bill would also allow the licence payer to elect people in key positions, both in the BBC Trust and on its Executive Board, where decisions about budgeting, programming and operational management are made.

 These measures, according to Mr Halfon, would go a long way to bringing accountability to a company that, in his blog in November, he called a “kleptocracy, indifferent to the public who pay for it.”

In the same November blog, Mr Halfon had urged people not to brand him a ‘BBC Basher’, and said that he “loves the BBC…it is a great British institution.”

However, Mr. Halfon continues to say that “at the moment, the licence fee is taxation without representation. We do not tolerate that in our politics, and there is no reason why we should tolerate it in our public media.”

Pointing to other recent changes in the public sector, such as allowing the electorate to sack MPs and the signing of e-petitions, Mr Halfon says the BBC must avoid falling behind the trend.

“In our public institutions, we are moving away from mainframe democracy to an open-source democracy; the BBC is clearly behind the curve, and must change.”

The Partridge Care Centre was at the centre of a police inquiry after three people were taken to hospital with “diabetes related problems” in August last year.

At the time Essex Police had dropped the investigation, saying there was no evidence of “any relevant criminal offences,” despite the deaths of two women.

The home’s owner Rushcliffe Care Limited acknowledged there had been problems in the past, but claimed it had taken steps to make sure residents’ “health and well-being are paramount”.

However, documents leaked to the BBC have proven that there were serious problems at the home long before the police investigation.

A former employee of the home, Mr. Graham Flack, said he had witnessed abuse and neglect of residents during his time there

“There was an incident where a certain member of staff was sitting on a resident, who was quite challenging… I would say restraining someone like you see on telly via the police,” he said.

“At the end of the day no-one deserves to be held or pushed in any form or manner. It was not nice, not nice.”

Partridge Care Centre is a residential nursing home specialising in looking after people with a range of neurological conditions.

The centre has rooms for 117 residents, although at the moment it is less than half full, and presently employs about 120 staff.

It is run by Rushcliffe Care, which also owns 23 other homes.

Mrs Eileen Jarvis, a Partridge resident, suffered from dementia and required specialist care.

She moved into the home in February 2011, with instructions that she should not be left alone because she was likely to fall.

According to a letter from the centre’s manager to the family, Mrs Jarvis was left unattended during a shift change.

She got up, fell and broke her hip. It was two hours before staff at the home called the emergency services.

Mrs Jarvis’s daughter, Lesley Minchin, said she had got to the home at the same time as the paramedics.

“She was screaming out in pain when I arrived there and they were trying to ask her where the pain was,” Mrs Minchin said.

“She said she didn’t know but was hurting. When they touched her leg, she just screamed out.”

Mrs Minchin claimed many of the problems at the home were caused by a lack of employees.

“The staff were very, very good. There just wasn’t enough of them,” she said.

A series of inspections at Partridge Care Centre have been carried out by the Care Quality Commission since May.

The health watchdog’s most recent report, published in December, said it only had minor concerns over staffing levels.

“Overall we found that there were sufficient numbers of staff available in the home, however there was a lack of effective leadership and deployment due to the large numbers of agency staff working there.”

The Partridge Care Home failed in four of the five basic standards during this inspection, including concerns about whether residents were safe in the home and whether they are receiving appropriate treatment.

The BBC investigation also discovered that, during a surprise visit to the home by two managers in May 2011, several members of staff were found asleep while on duty, a serious disciplinary offence.

The managers found one resident lying on an unmade bed that was smeared with faeces. Another was found sitting on the floor and had soiled themselves.

Other residents were found wandering around on their own, yet more were found in bed fully clothed and the building itself was said to have smelt of urine.

An internal audit carried out by staff at the centre in July also found that most of the residents’ rooms were dirty.

Of the 21 homes run by Rushcliffe Care Limited, eight of them are currently failing at least one of the basic standards expected by the CQC, despite the company posting a £1.6m profit in the past year.

The company has since issued a statement, describing the failures at the Harlow care home as “a series of unfortunate locally mismanaged events.”

“We are unable to comment on individual unsubstantiated allegations, which have been made, but we… take all complaints and allegations seriously and when brought to our attention they are dealt with promptly and fairly.”

Essex County Council has suspended the placement of residents at the home after the hospital referrals related to diabetes in August.

In a statement, Ann Naylor, cabinet member for adult health, said: “The formal suspension of placements at Partridge Care Centre will remain in place, in consultation with Rushcliffe Care management, until such time that we are fully satisfied that sustainable improvements in the wellbeing and care of residents have been achieved.”

Prospective parliamentary candidate Suzy Stride, who works for a London youth charity set up to help young people find work, accused the Government of being “out of touch” with the challenges they face.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics show that roughly 715 of Harlow’s young people are currently claiming jobseekers allowance, while the number of long-term claimants has tripled over the past year.

“Young people need the right training to get back into work, but this out of touch Government doesn’t seem to understand that,” said Ms Stride.

“Teachers and youth workers in Harlow need the right funding in order to carry out this crucial work, but with continued cuts in youth services such as Connexions, young people and their families continue to be hit hard.”

Turning on the coalition, Ms. Stride has urged Westminster to abandon its “failing” economic policy and adopt Labour’s five-point plan for economic growth.

 “Young people in Harlow are at risk of becoming part of a lost generation because the Tory-led Government won’t abandon a plan that isn’t working.”

Tory MP for Harlow Robert Halfon has responded to Ms. Stride’s accusations.

“Labour left us with a legacy of 2.5m unemployed and nearly one million young unemployed. Despite this, the number of apprenticeships in Harlow has almost doubled in the last year: from 450 under Labour to 780 today.

“Although the economy is very difficult and slowing down across Europe, Harlow is better off than elsewhere. Our town’s youth unemployment is lower than both the East of England and the UK average.

“But I am not complacent about this; it is a serious problem. That is why I welcome the fact there are now 482 job vacancies at the Harlow Job Centre which is encouraging.

“I am also working hard to persuade the Government to open a new high-tech apprentice school in Harlow which would give our young people jobs and opportunities for the future, and help to put our town on the map.”