Flying Time Aviation all set to help young people find their wings

Flying Time Aviation will be among companies encouraging youngsters to reach for the skies at a fun packed information day aimed at inspiring the next generation of pilots and aircraft engineers.

Shoreham (Brighton City) Airport-based Flying Time Aviation has been invited by Virgin Atlantic to attend their Future Flyers and Fixers Day, which will inform young people aged 13-25 years about potential career options within the aviation industry. The event, organised jointly by the airline’s Flight Operations and Engineering departments, takes place at Virgin’s multi-million pound training facility in Crawley on November 24.

Young people interested in a career path in aviation will be able to find out the answers to pertinent questions, from which GCSE subjects to study to become an aircraft engineer to how long it takes to qualify as a pilot.

Flying Time is one of the top training schools in the UK and is the only centre in the South East to offer the UK Civil Aviation Authority approved Flight Deck Programme, an intensive one-year course which leads to a Commercial Pilot Licence qualification - the minimum qualification that a European Airline would require from prospective pilots.

Flying Time MD Jonathan Candelon said: “We are flattered to have been invited to attend this event which aims to inspire young people to reach for the skies and look further into the exciting array of careers available within the aviation industry.”

“Flying Time Aviation will be on hand to explain how we assist dozens of prospective commercial pilots from the south east and across the globe to gain their wings every year.”

He added: “Some students will be very surprised at the diversity of career routes on offer. It’s a little known fact that you don’t need a degree to become a commercial pilot and that training can provide a cost effective alternative to undergraduate study. What is absolutely vital is that young people have the drive, energy, motivation and commitment to succeed in this demanding but highly rewarding career.”

Flying Time Aviation trains students from its base in Shoreham on its modern training fleet of Jet A-1 fuelled aircraft equipped with EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System), DA40 Diamond Stars, DA42 Diamond Twin Stars as well as flight deck simulators. Flying Time is the largest operator of Diamond aircraft in the UK.

Future Flyers and Fixers will take place at Virgin’s purpose built facility fitted with rigs which can simulate emergency procedures from an evacuation down a Boeing 747 slide to a smoke-filled cabin. Air Cadets, Gliding clubs and The Royal Navy will be among the industry partners attending. Virgin Atlantic pilots and engineers will also be on hand to share their experiences and young people can attend informative presentations from a variety of speakers.

The free event takes place at The Base, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9LX. Participants should register their interest in the event at futureflyers.andfixers@flyvirgin.com.

Sign up for Santas on the Run!

Why not start the seasonal celebrations by joining hundreds of other people of all ages dressed as Father Christmas for some festive family fun, raising money for a good claus?

Last year saw over 350 Santas running through Crawley Town Centre and raising £15,000 for Chestnut Tree House, the children’s hospice for Sussex.  Will you take the challenge this year and take part in the hospice’s annual Santas on the Run event?

The sponsored Fun Run takes place on Sunday 18 November at 10am, starting and finishing in the Memorial Gardens in Crawley, with a choice of a one or two mile route. You don’t even have to train for the run – you can walk, jog or sprint!

Registration costs £12 per adult, £6 for children aged 6 to16 years old, and just £3 for children under 6.  Upon registration, all runners over 16 will receive a Santa suit, and under 16s will receive a Santa hat which of course can be kept afterwards! And all of our special Santas will receive a Santas on the Run medal and refreshments at the end.

Register online today at www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk or call The Events Team on 01903 706354 and help your local children’s hospice this Christmas.

Brighton & Hove Foodie winners receive trophies

The winners of Brighton & Hove Foodie Awards 2012, chosen by the city’s public, last night [October 1] received their trophies from Latest food writer Andrew Kay and Juice FM DJ Andrea Fox at an awards presentation hosted in the beautiful Dome Room at the Pub du Vin and sponsored by mylivevision.

More than 120 finalists and guests gathered to hear the public verdict on best restaurant, best food pub, best café and best food shop before going on to enjoy the now traditional fabulous foodie showcase, sampling mouth watering treats provided by finalists and aptly demonstrating why the city has a reputation for making the ordinary taste extraordinary when it comes to food.

Award for best restaurant went to Brighton’s original vegetarian eaterie, Food for Friends in Prince Albert Street, followed by Terre a Terre in East Street, with the Chilli Pickle, now firmly established in the MyHotel overlooking Jubilee Square, taking third place.  

The Ginger Pig in Hove Street took Best Food Pub 2012, just holding off fierce competition from The Basketmakers in Gloucester Road who came in second but only by one vote,  narrowly beating The Foragers in Stirling Place in Hove into third place.

Café culture clearly works in the North Laine which dominated this award with another vegetarian outlet, Iydea in Kensington Gardens, winning first place; Moksha Caffe in York Place taking second; and Mange Tout, in Trafalgar Street, coming in third.

The Best Food Shop trophy was once again carried off by the much-loved Infinity Foods, also vegetarian, in Gardner Street, this year celebrating its third successive victory, with The Brighton Sausage Company in Gloucester Road taking second position and third place going to ice cream maestros Boho Gelato in Pool Valley.

“This year’s awards competition was even better than last year, fiercely fought and yet there was a fantastic atmosphere with a lot of camaraderie between the city’s favourite food places at the awards presentation.” said Paula Seager, MD of Natural PR, who runs the awards.

“The competition once again shows what a superb and unique range of independent restaurants, food pubs, cafés and food shops we have in the city and that there is huge support for them here, as the public came out in force to vote for their favourites again.”

“We want to thank everyone who took part, our sponsors mylivevision, all the food outlets who joined the competition and the public who voted so enthusiastically – and we hope that they will all support us again when we launch the Brighton & Hove Foodie Awards 2013 at the city’s Spring Harvest Food and Drink Festival next April.”

Companies interested in sponsorship of next year’s awards can contact Sandra Murphy at sandra@naturalpr.biz.  For a full list of finalists and fantastic pictures of the fun had by all at the awards party go to www.brightonfoodawards.com. 

Succulent, seasonal, 7-course menu at Sussex Food & Drink Awards

Head Chef at the American Express Community Stadium, Dave Crawford, rose to the challenge of developing a feast fit to be served at the Sussex culinary event of the year, when his tantalising menu was approved by the Sussex Food and Drink Awards tasting team.

His succulent, seasonal, seven-course menu will be served at the Sussex Food and Drink Awards Banquet on 31^st January 2013 at the Amex Stadium, hosted by awards patron Sally Gunnell OBE and BBC presenter Danny Pike, and will remain a closely guarded secret until the night according to organisers who opened ticket sales today.

Chair of Judges, Clive Beddall OBE, said: “The Sussex Food & Drink Awards is now in its seventh year and keeping the menu innovative is never easy but the combination of tastes that Dave has put together is simply stunning and having tried this year’s offering, I am delighted to say that the standard is higher than ever.”

“Places at the awards are limited, so we would urge those interested in coming along – whether they be business people looking for a splendid night shared with the superb food and drink community of Sussex, or individuals who want to enjoy a gourmet feast – to book their tickets soon.”

Whilst the menu, along with the awards winners, will only be revealed on the night, clues can be found in the names of dishes to be served, which include Sussex by the Sea, Sussex Upside Downs, Sussex Delight, The Green Grass of Sussex and The Sussex Cut Above the Rest. 

Two tickets to the dinner are up for grabs by the person who correctly identifies the key Sussex ingredients used in each and the order in which they will be served.  For your chance to be at the dinner on 31^st January 2013 post your answer on www.facebook.com/sussexfoodawards or e-mail your entry to sandra@naturalpr.biz by 30^th November 2012.

Head of Commercial Services at Brighton and Hove Albion, Paul Rogers, said: “It’s fantastic to be hosting an event as prestigious as the Sussex Food & Drink Awards ceremony again; it’s about celebrating all that is great in the Sussex Food & Drink industry and gives us the opportunity to demonstrate that our talents aren’t only on the pitch!”

Tickets are now on sale at £80 plus VAT per person or £750 plus VAT for a table of ten, with details on the website www.sussexfoodawards.biz or to book call Sandra Murphy on 01273 857242.

Sussex Cheese Bowling Champions 2012

Three women have been declared champions after 250 people competed in the second annual Sussex Cheese Bowling Championship, held at Hove Lawns last weekend as part of the Brighton Food Festival’s Sussex and the World Market.

Thirty-two-year-old Lucy Shearman from Brighton was overall winner on Saturday September 15 and then Victoria Wilkes and Steph Tooley tied in the contest on Sunday September 16, rolling their High Weald Dairy St Giles cheese balls closest to the big cheese target on a marked out green on Hove seafront.

Said Paula Seager, MD of Natural PR, who organised the sport: “The Brighton Food Festival event was superb, attended by thousands and people got whole-heartedly involved with the cheese bowling with many staying to watch all afternoon.

“We are grateful to The Southern Co-operative, who sponsored the event and provided lots of their staff volunteers to help run the contest throughout the weekend – it was quirky, fun and all about delicious local fare, with contestants taking home their tasty cheeses to eat later. We’ll be back next year!”

The team (seen in the photo above) also raised £364 for Chestnut Tree House, the only children’s hospice in Sussex, at the event, with Peter Allan from High Weald Dairy also donating his salary on the day as well. Winners will receive presentation boxes with a selection of the dairy's delicious cheeses.

Over 100,000 people enjoyed Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival’s Autumn Harvest events, which ran from September 7 to 16, sponsored by PHS Wastetech and Spire Healthcare and run by Festival Director Nick Mosley and a team of local volunteers.

www.brightonfoodfestival.com

Win VIP Royal Pavilion Ice Rink Tickets

The last few rays of summer may still be with us, but a VIP prize awaits winter’s early birds at The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink in Brighton.

As well as the opportunity to skate on real ice against the stunning backdrop of the Royal Pavilion, this year visitors will also be able to sample delicious dishes from Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts. The attraction will open to the public from November 10 until January 20, 2013.

General ticket sales for the ice rink open at midday on September 20 and the first 50 skaters will win a pair of tickets to the VIP launch party on November 8. The lucky ticket holders will join media and celebrities to become the first to take to the ice this year at the seasonal attraction, now in its third year.

Winners can also sample canapés and tasty dishes from Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts, which will be tantalising tastebuds at a “pop up” restaurant alongside the attraction. Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts is a partnership between Jamie and fresh food expert Nigel Harris and brings the TV chef”s passionate, entertaining and relaxed approach to food and dining at venues and events across Britain.

Shella Parkin, managing director of Laine Ltd, who organises the event, said: “The Pavilion belongs to the people of Brighton and Hove so it seemed only right that we give everyone the chance to come along to our launch party.

“As well as being first to test out the ice for the Christmas season, our guests will be able to preview the delicious dishes from the team at Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts. It doesn’t matter whether you are a pro skater or it’s your first time taking to the ice, our aim is to offer the best Christmas skating and food experience yet here at the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink.”

With the former Royal pleasure palace as backdrop, the 800 square metre rink has space for 250 skaters per session, ‘penguin’ skate aids for especially for children and has consistently been listed in the top 5 Christmas rinks in the country since it first opened in 2010.

Royal Pavilion Ice Rink tickets will open for sale at midday on 20^th September at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk/royal-pavilion-ice-rink