Friday, 14 February 2014

AWARE - Giving an extra hand

Recently I have been given the opportunity to help a group of children and teenagers simply by giving a few days of my life. These children are just like me or you except from they have been diagnosed with autism. Autism is a lifelong disability which affects they way in which a person communicates and is able to relate to those around them. Autism includes symptoms such as speech difficulties, lack of eye contact and no fear of danger. These difficulties with everyday social interaction and the ability to form friendships is due to their limited capacity to understand the emotional expression of others. Therefore it is greatly appreciated both by the children and their parents and guardians when volunteers like myself offer to spend some time either with a group of autistic children or even spending one on one time with a particular child. I know of this appreciation because my younger brother, Conor, has been diagnosed with ASD and attends this group once a week and loves it. Sometimes it is better for children like Conor to have a couple of hours every week where they can spend time with friends and helpers taking part in a range of activities including sports, puzzles and games.

Personally as a volunteer I have been involved in a range of events which both I, and the children involved have enjoyed. The first is the simple weekly gathering of children which I frequently attend along with Conor and our parents. As well as this though there are a range of other activities available for those who want to attend such as play schemes which any child can attend. These usually take place during school holidays and give volunteers such as myself a chance to spend one on one time with a child. Here us volunteers are encouraged to talk to the children and watch over them and join in with what they want to spend time doing.

Finally there is the monthly trip club which unfortunately often clashes with my Saturday job leaving me unable to attend. However on the occasions when the trip club falls on a Sunday I am more than willing to help out. These events involve taking children out to activities such as the cinema, ice skating and a range of eateries. The previous trip club which I was able to attend was highly enjoyable as a group of about fifteen children with five or six supervisors went to Leeds, first calling at the Red Hot World Buffet before going to watch the latest Disney film, Frozen, at the cinema. These events give the children and us volunteers a chance to get out of the house and have fun while being able to socialise and get to know each other.

Friday, 7 February 2014

A Trip to London

It was 5:40 on a dark and damp Monday morning when I left my house and started my short journey to school. The journey that followed however was a longer one as the coach waiting outside was ready to carry my history class to London, a trip that would take us around the capital of the country giving us sights to see, photos to capture and fun to be had. The 6 hour trip that followed did not include any of this but it was necessary and time passed about as fast as can be expected on a cold and cramped coach. This all changed though as we passed through into central London and the landmarks began to flood our vision. The Eye, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square all flew past as we reached our destination; the perhaps slightly less exciting Science Museum. Although interesting at times the museum was not the most notorious building in London and the two hours we spent there were not the best I have experienced in my life. However morale remained high as we piled back onto our coach and set off to the four star Thistle Hotel. Storming into the high class hotel and feeling out of place felt great as we grabbed our key cards and explored our living quarters for the next two nights. The rooms for two, although small, were extremely impressive with comfortable beds smothered in various pillows and cushions as well as a en-suite bathroom and a handful of other fantastic features. Following a quick shower and change of clothes we were off again as we began a ten minute walk to our eatery of choice...Nandos! Although not the classiest place to eat sometimes a good, filling meal is what you need, especially after a long busy day. The food was fantastic as always, in my own opinion as a Nandos fanatic but the highlight of the night was yet to come. Setting out again on full stomachs we soon reached the West End. That's right, we were going to see a show. The decision fell onto The Bodyguard and my fellow students and I gathered above the stage ready to watch but not sure what to expect. The show was much more entertaining, nail-biting and hilarious than I could have ever imagined and I'm not ashamed to say I loved almost every minute of it.

As we awoke for our first and only full day in the city it was apparent that tiredness was a problem. However a hearty breakfast dismissed this early start and we were soon ready to set out to our next destination, the Houses of Parliament. After a quick security check we were inside the magnificent building. A short tour followed and we saw many parts of the legendary structure including both the chambers of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Additionally we went on to meet the labour MP of my local town Halifax, Linda Riordan. This meeting was interesting as well as informative and we were given the opportunity to find out about our own town, future plans and how to get into the world of politics. After this came the sightseeing! Buckingham Palace was the first to be checked off and was followed by a range of venues from Covent Gardens to Tower Bridge. It was truly a great feeling to see all these amazing features of a magnificent city. A quick return to the hotel left us an hour to get ready for our next night out. A smarter outfit was advised for this night as we were booked to eat at the five star Strand Hotel! Although it was a great experience I would honestly say I preferred the Nandos! They should sponsor me...

Waking up on our final morning was a sad moment as the realisation that by that night we'd be back home set in. However it was not over yet as the coach stopped to let us out at Oxford Street where hours of shopping would take place. Four hours and plenty purchases later we were done though and the time had flown by. The mood on the coach home was sad but we had all had an amazing time visiting the magical city that is London.

Saturday, 25 January 2014

My favourite comedy films of all time

Comedy, in my opinion, is one of the greatest TV and film genres out there. Whilst providing non-stop laughs and having you falling off your chair in hysterics, a comedy also has the ability to tell an emotional and tense story filled with action, romance and drama.

One comedy film which I adore is Stepbrothers. This hilarious 106 minutes of side-splitting laughter will have you rolling on the floor all the way through. Will Ferrell plays 39 year old Brennan Huff, a 'not completely there' adult who provides plenty of slapstick comedy throughout. His on star screen, 40 year old Dale Doback, played by John C. Reilly is an almost exact replica of Brennan, yet once their parents marry they must all move into the same house and the two new stepbrothers do not get on. However after realising their similarities the two immature middle aged men become best friends and what follows is a film full of fun, friendship and fits of laughter.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is an example of another comedy film with characters that you can easilly relate to and get extremely attached to. Vince Vaughn plays Peter La Fleur, a man who is just your average guy, made apparent by the name of the gym he owns, Average Joe's. After the gym starts crumbling financially La Fleur must organise a team of misfits from his gym to enter a dodgeball tournament with a huge cash prize for the winners. Standing in his way though is White Goodman. This pumped-up rival gym owner is brought to life by Ben Stiller in what is perhaps his most hilarious role yet.

My final recommendation comes in the form of Superbad and its loveable protagonists Seth, Evan and Fogell, Aka Mclovin played by Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse respectably. After promising to buy all the alcohol for a party using a fake ID the trio go through an eventful night full of misadventures making this a highly rated movie in the comedy genre. Story wise the film may lack depth yet for a film full of crude jokes, slapstick events and hilarious consequences you can't go wrong with Superbad.

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Top 5 - TV Shows

I love tv shows of many genres from action and horror to comedy and crime. To pick just five shows from all those I watch is horrendous to even think of attempting but after long consideration I have made up my mind. Here is the final list:

5 - Breaking Bad
Despite this series finishing recently I am extremely late to jump on the bandwagon and am still in the process of viewing the second season. However I am loving it all the same and doing all I can to avoid spoilers. The first season I found set the context out perfectly and got the audience really connecting and rooting for the 'bad guy' Walter White. The addition of Jesse Pinkman as his accomplice added balance to the duo and is actually my preferred character in the whole show. At first all he is is a drugged up loser but when he looses his home, money and friends I genuinely felt sorry for the character.

4 - Dexter
The eponymous character Dexter Morgan is another of those villains you have to love. This serial killer is haunted by witnessing the brutal murder of his mother as a child and so to express himself uses a code of his foster father and takes revenge on those in the world who have done bad in the world and walked innocent, killing them and dumping the bodies secretly. To add to the story Dexter has a very strange choice of career, a blood spatter analysis working with the Miami police department. Each season has a new storyline to it with a different threat to Dexter which include a fellow police officer and even his own brother yet still carries on helping you connect to all the characters.

3 - Sherlock
This crime / drama programme has you on the edge of your seat, telling the tales of Sherlock Holmes but with a new twist. The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent and he fulfils the role perfectly. His sarcasm, misunderstanding and overall cockiness give the show humour in the tensest moments. With Martin Freeman as Doctor Watson you have to congratulate whoever did the casting for this programme. With season 3 coming out very soon we will learn what actually happened when Sherlock supposedly leapt off a building committing suicide last time we saw him. Spoilers there by the way!

2 - The Walking Dead
I've already expressed my fondness of this show in an earlier post (make sure you check that out) and as season 4 has gone on it has just got better. There's not much more I can add to what's already been said but once again, the best part of this show is the characters and the fear that any of them could meet a deadly end at any random point.

1 - How I Met Your Mother
This comedy show is amazing! When Ted first starts the tale of how he met his wife it is the start of a wacky and hilarious tale which lasts a fantastic nine seasons. The five main characters of the story all bring something different to the show and are all extremely talented and portray their roles the best they possibly could. Especially Neil Patrick Harris who plays the legend - wait for it - ary Barney Stinson, a womaniser who secretly wants to settle down and marry. The best part of the entire series for me was his final play to get a woman - The Robin. This impossibly well thought out plan to propose to the love of his life is a heartwarming moment when you realise what's happening. Other highlights that come to mind is Ted and Marshalls road trip where they become obsessed with the song 500 Miles and also the episode named 'The Naked Man' where the characters learn a new unique way to get with the opposite gender. The show does funny perfectly but can also be dramatic, scary and tear jerking as shown with the death of Marshalls father. All in all the show could not be improved in any aspect in my opinion and is ultimately my favourite show of all time.







Monday, 11 November 2013

Rugby World Cup 2013 - Tonga vs Italy

Now I'm no huge rugby fan, I've played my fair share of games throughout my school years during the P.E lessons and I understand the most simple rules of the game, even attending several local matches in the past. However when the world cup came to my home town, Halifax I was keen to attend. After securing some of the last tickets available I was spectacle to whether or not the seat I had been given would be in a good spot or not but when the day arrived on remembrance Sunday and I found my place in the stands, near the top of the east stand I was treated to a view of the entire pitch.
The pre-match entertainment, although interesting to watch, was nothing special, mostly showing off Halifax as a community through singing, dancing and cheer-leading although a highlight was a warm up match between rugby legends and a starting line up of soldiers from the army. The end of this match was a draw with both teams scoring two tries but the best part came moments later when both teams went for a lap around the pitch to be greeted by huge rounds of applause from every section of the crowd.
Then it was time for the match to begin. I went in on the fence, not supporting either of the teams from group C. However I took an instant liking to Tonga with their charisma, attacking force and fan favourite player, Fuifui Moimoi. The later announced man of the match barged through Italian resilience over and over for the whole match and dominated the entire opposition. Despite the teams going in at half time with the score at only 2 - 0 to Tonga due to a late penalty goal the match had been extremely enjoyable with a huge array of breakthroughs stopped by great tackles, pinpoint accurate passing and split decisions.
The second half somehow managed to step up to the standard of the first, and was even more action packed than the first. Three Tongan tries were allowed whilst several Azzuri attempts were deemed 'No Try' much to frustration of many fans around The Shay. In the end Italy just couldn't break through a tough Tongan defensive line and the game ended 16 - 0 ensuring that neither team would qualify for the next round of the world cup with Scotland topping the group ahead of both of them. 

Thursday, 7 November 2013

My opinions on...The Walking Dead

With the 4th series of one of my favourite television shows starting a couple of weeks back I thought I'd say how impressed I am with the start of what might be the best season yet! Personally the first series is still my favourite, watching the group band together, connecting with many of the characters and then painstakingly watching them die one by one. When I started watching the second series I expected great things and although the show was definitely still worth a watch it was not up to scratch with the excellent standard that had already been set. It was just more of the same as season 1, killing walkers. Although this was great for the first season, by the second season you need a new formula or else every episode is the same. However I did love the final episode and I was shocked with some of the events that occurred. It left many questions in my mind and I couldn't wait for season 3. Finally there was change as we were introduced to The Governer! The perfect villain for a great season and the return of Merle, a character that you'd almost forgotten about but had stuck somewhere in the back of your mind. After opening episodes giving information on both sides Rick and The Governer finally meet and although it is an undramatic episode the tension is immense. Although I was slightly disappointed with the final episode of the season I understand why there couldn't be a huge shoot out in order to lead to yet another season.
Now four episodes into the fourth season I am loving The Walking Dead as much as ever, as the group faces a new problem, disease! After being introduced to several new characters we lose almost as many almost straight away. With the disease spreading a cure must be found before it is too late. I honestly cannot wait for a new episode each week.
I think what I love most about the show is the development of each character. Daryl is a great example of this, starting off as just a 'dumb, violent redneck' it doesn't take long for him to start appreciating the group and doing all he can to help them. On the other hand characters such as Carol go the complete opposite direction, learning how to deal with walkers and becoming one of the group weapons with the most knowledge of weapons.

Friday, 25 October 2013

Barclays Premier League weekend match predictions

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
Prediction: 0 - 3
Arsenal have a relatively easy game on paper to bounce back from a 2 - 1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund midweek in the champions league. Crystal Palace are currently sitting in 19th in the league and league leaders Arsenal should have no problems winning this match by a large goal margin. Olivier Giroud should continue his fine goal scoring form with two of the goals which I expect to be assisted by current star player Mesut Özil who will also grab a goal for himself.

Aston Villa vs Everton
Prediction: 1 - 3
The meeting of the Belgium giants, Christian Benteke and Romelu Lukaku, both players who I think will get on the scoresheet this match. Benteke will grab Villa's only goal early on but a comeback from Everton will see them end up winners after a brace from Lukaku and a late game finisher from Kevin Mirallas.

Liverpool vs West Brom
Prediction: 4 - 1
Could we see the return from injury of Phillipe Coutinho? If so we will finally witness the deadly trio of Sturridge, Suarez and Coutinho for the first time this season. After loosening their grasp on top form in the premier league a home game against West Brom should be a great time for Liverpool to get back to winning games by a few goals. Sturridge and Suarez will both grab two of the goals with Stephen Sessengnon getting a consolation for the visitors to deny a clean sheet for the reds.

Manchester United vs Stoke City
Prediction: 2 - 1
Another game that David Moyes and Manchester United should really be winning. But will it be another occasion where they drop points? Stoke will put up a fight but a headed goal from one of united's centre backs will give them a lead in the second half before Wayne Rooney puts the game beyond doubt. Although Stoke will threaten a comeback late on through Ryan Shawcross heading in a corner it will be too late.

Norwich City vs Cardiff City
Prediction: 0 - 0
Two teams near the bottom of the table so far this season will both be hoping for a win this match. However a goalless draw is the most likely outcome with neither team notorious for goals right now.

Southampton vs Fulham

Prediction: 1 - 1
Another draw, this time with a goal apiece. Fulham come off their biggest win of the season after Patjim Kasami's wondergoal against Crystal Palace on Monday, however a stern Southampton defence will keep them out until a late Berbatov goal. Southampton will then reply almost immediately through a header from a corner coming from either Jose Fonte or Dejan Lovren.

Sunderland vs Newcastle United
Prediction: 0 - 4
Newcastle will run riot in this Tyneside derby with QPR loanee Loic Remy scoring his first hat trick for the club. Hatem Ben Arfa will add another goal to completely finish off Sunderland who will remain bottom of the table.

Chelsea vs Manchester City
Prediction: 1 - 3
City will take charge early on in this match through Aguero who will go on to complete his hat trick before 60 minutes is up. Towards the end of the match Chelsea will bring on Fernando Torres who will grab a 90th minute consolation goal for the blues but it will be too little too late.

Swansea vs West Ham
Prediction: 5 - 2
In the game of the week Swansea will continue their increase in form, coming back from two early hammers goals to eventually win 5 - 2. Ricardo Vaz Te and Winston Reid will give the lead to West Ham but defensive mistakes will lead to two goals each from Wilfred Bony and Jonathon De Guzman before late frustrations lead to an own goal.

Tottenham vs Hull City
Prediction: 3 - 1
To round of this weeks fixtures Tottenham Hotspur will dominate Hull City at White Hart Lane. Although Robbie Brady will give the visitors early hope from a free kick a penalty from Roberto Soldado and then a brace from in-form Andros Townsend will crush the dreams of an away win for the visitors.