Welcome to my website...

My name is Hannah Stanton, I have a passion for journalism and aim to specialise in TV.

Here you will find my work from the last year and a half at university. Feel free to browse the tabs above and leave any feedback you may have.

I am always looking for work experience so if you wish to see a copy of my CV you can get in touch via the Contact Me tab. 

University still worth it?

By Hannah Stanton

DEMOS have broken out in the last few months in protest over rising tuition fees.

David Bradshaw, head of media at Christ Church University, said: “Despite the cost, going to university still puts graduates in a far better position than non-graduates. Non-graduates are ruled out of a lot of jobs.”

The estimated 50,000 amount of dept. has got students on the edge of their seats with worry. Emily Goodman, 19, a student at Christ Church University, said: “We’re going to be in a huge amount of debt when we finish university, then we’re probably not going to be able to get a job at the end of it.”

Tom Price, 21, a student in his third year at Christ Church University, said: “It’s crazy to be honest; we’re going to be paying it off until we retire.”

But despite students fears an estimated 600,000 of them applied for a place this year and that’s set to increase next year.

Worry and fear among students of repayment continues. Riots are on-going and anger towards the government continues.

 

Tributes paid to drowned buskers

By Hannah Stanton

HUNDREDS of people congregated in Canterbury High Street in Friday to pay their respects to drowned buskers.

 

The bodies of 17-year-old Hugo Wenn and Daniel Lloyd, 25, were pulled from Reed Pond, near Tennyson Avenue, Canterbury, on Monday. Since then hundreds have paid their respects.

The two were well known due to the amount of people who turned out to lay flowers for the pair was astonishing. Sarah Morris, 18, spoke about Daniel, “He was a generally nice person, both of them were.”

Friends gathered at the spot in the town centre where they used to play. Flowers and messages wrote in chalk could be seen from down the street. Everyone was very grief stricken and mournful. One girl who knew Daniel, Louise Jones, 17 said, “It’s just a big shock that they have gone.”

Kent Police said a 28-year-old Canterbury man, who was arrested at about 9.30pm on Tuesday on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs, remains in custody.

A 54-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, has been released without charge.

Our thoughts go out to the families at this difficult time.

 

 

Student dieting habits ‘outrageous’

By Hannah Stanton

Students are risking their lives with the amount they are drinking, according to experts.

The worry is that the students do not realise what they are doing to their health. The facts are shocking. Around 40% of patients admitted to A&E are diagnosed with alcohol-related injuries or illnesses, many of which are the result of binge drinking. A large amount of these young people are students.

Marie Saunders, 40, a nurse in Canterbury, said: “I’ve been in this job for 15 years; the amount of young people I’ve treated for alcohol poisoning is outrageous. Binge drinking has definitely increased in the last couple of years.”

Fiona Williams, 20, a student said: “You just don’t think about it, I’ve got to admit I buy alcohol over food sometimes when I’ve run out of money.”

Clare Sheppard, 43, a receptionist, said: “My daughters in her second year at uni, it seriously concerns me that she’s drinking too much. Also her diet is poor because she chooses drink instead of food. I’m not happy about it.”

A lot of students don’t care that much about their health. This is a huge concern.

Nathan Lockley, 23, a student said: “The risks don’t bother me. You only live once.”

For more information on the risky alcohol pose to health visit www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Bingedrinking.aspx

Bands rise to stardom

Infectious riffs, bright caps, big expectations and a stunning debut to match. This is modern rock and it’s exactly what Cardiff needs. Hannah Stanton meets a new band from the Welsh city…

SMOOTH, suave, sophisticated. Forget it. These three are out to make an impression and it’s not pretty. At the beginning of 2011, Silvertone were almost unheard of but within just a few short months they got in to the top two Cardiff rock charts. I delve back in to their short but very impressive journey which has left fans hovering on the edge of their seats.

I first saw them play back in the summer of 2011 at a small gig at Church Stretton Summer Fest, West Midlands. The atmosphere was electrifying.  Since then the three have played in pubs and bars across the country. So who are these fresh new faces of rock? Well we have: Rich Clarke on vocals/guitar, James Boyd on lead guitar/vocals and Callum ‘Legion’ Lee on bass. Rich cringes slightly when he reveals the band’s ritual.

 ‘Before every show we sit down and listen to Slow Poke by Pee Wee King, start to finish’.

When I asked him how they got together he said he met James at college and after leaving in late 2008, they decided to get together as a duet, where they played various covers and originals. They soon saw potential for their material and quickly recruited Callum, a talented musician from Cardiff, and long-time friend of James. The band was now complete and gigging could begin.

Debut album The Darkest Light captures the relentless and fast, upcoming talent they hold between them. They already have 4,360 fans on Facebook and counting. Their single Lies of an Angel saw them take number two on the Cardiff rock charts.

Their music has been played on BBC Merseyside numerous times, and a mini festival in Cardiff saw them play with big metal band Emmure. This along with playing with bands from across the country, from Liverpool to Plymouth and everywhere in between.

With such a bright future ahead I asked Rich where the band sees themselves in three years’ time. He said: ‘We would love to be touring America and Europe and would have liked to have released our third album by then and built up a valuable fan base and a list of valuable contacts.’

I asked him for a random fact about the three he said ‘We like to buy Kinder eggs; in fact we can’t get enough of them!’

I asked what they liked to do in their spare time Rich said ‘We love watching Harry Potter back to back, plus American Dad and the Batman quadrilogy.’

The biggest gig was to a couple of hundred fans, and the band soon gained interest from Deltasonic Records and Eagle Rock Records. With so much talent splurging out and their faces quickly becoming recognised and interest growing, I was eager to know what makes them tick. ‘Our inspiration mainly comes from Alterbridge, a modern American band which are mature yet honest, true to their roots whilst appealing to a younger audience.’

‘This is a career path for us’ added Rich. It seems Silvertone live and breathe music and need nothing else, the attitude for a successful young band you might say. Either way these guys are going to be around for a while yet.

Silvertone can be found on Facebook- facebook.com/silvertoneuk.

Download: Lies of an Angel (The Darkest Light) on iTunes now.

 

 

Cinderella- The pantomime to see this season!

A stunning set, classic comical characters and a lifelike horse that flies; this is what ‘show business’ is all about. Hannah Stanton takes a look at this year’s pantomime of Cinderella in Canterbury.

From the moment two dancers spring on to the stage and wow the crowd with their gymnastic moves at the beginning of the show, you just know it’s going to be a pantomime to remember. Writer, director and producer Paul Hendry could not have a picked a better Prince Charming than John Partridge, nor could he have cast Stephen Mulhern better in the role of the sweet and lovable Buttons.

The Fairy Godmother, played by Sue Devaney, brings great warmth to the captive audience and gets the show rolling.  One of her first lines,: “A flying book? Isn’t that novel!” makes the audience fall for her. She sets herself up to be a much-loved character of the show with her Bolton accent and quirky presence; she soon has children giggling and parents laughing all the way through.

Her fun approach, combined with the Ugly Step Sisters’ ridiculous costumes and slapstick comedy, creates the perfect combination for classic comedy. Prince Charming and Dandini could be described as a great comedy act. John Partridge has many talents to offer, as he is both funny and highly attractive, the perfect prince in fact. His performance shows he is no one-trick pony though, as going from an EastEnders character to pantomime role seems to have been an easy transition for him.

The dance routines in this show, choreographed by Paul Tracy, are performed to modern music to keep the pantomime modern and upbeat. Prince Charming’s best bit of the show has to be when he sings ‘It’s a New Day’; the audience loved his powerful and captivating voice.

Before the performance I got a chance to speak to some of the audience members in the foyer. One eight-year old girl, who was seeing the pantomime for the second time this season, said: “I just think this is the best pantomime ever.  When I’m older I want to be Cinderella because she wears the nicest clothes.” Her mother added: “We’ve already seen Cinderella once before Christmas, but because all my children enjoyed the performance so much, we wanted to give them another opportunity to see it before it closes.  It’s a brilliant night out for all the family and we’ve been talking about it for weeks!”

Buttons’ and Dandini’s funniest part of the performance is when they use a box full of children’s board games, which they pull out at random to create a story. This proved to be hilarious and had the audience, young and old, in fits of laughter. Even Buttons and Dandini were finding it hard to contain their laughter at times through this act.

The first of half the show ended with the audience on the edge of their seats and children brimming with excitement, as Cinderella hovered above the stage in her magnificent carriage. She wore a dazzling dress and the carriage was drawn by a very lifelike horse. A snow fall of foam rained on to the audience as the first half drew to a close. Clearly a lot of investment has gone in to make this show so good, and the crowd’s reaction proves it has paid off.

A sweet touch was added at the beginning of the second half: a little girl found a gold key underneath her seat and was asked to come up on stage to meet the characters and have her photo taken with them. This was a good way of warming up the audience after the interval.

During the second half the entertainment continued as the Ugly Step Sisters pulled out a false leg to try and fit in to Cinderella’s glass slipper.  This was much to the chagrin of the Prince, who soon realised that they had locked Cinders in the cellar. He came to her rescue and proposed to her. Kate Quinnell, who plays Cinderella, makes a very fitting princess with her perfect smile and big, bright eyes.

Near the end of the show Buttons encourages the audience to their feet and splits them in half to form a singing competition. The crowd loved it, and it created much excitement among the kids.

After the performance I was lucky enough to be invited back stage, and whilst all the actors were understandably keen to get changed and get home after such an exhausting and exhilarating performance, I had five minutes to speak to Sue Devaney who plays Cinderella’s famous Fairy Godmother.  I asked her whether she was still enjoying the role despite the pantomime’s long season. “Oh I couldn’t be happier in this role; I feel it was written for me.” she said. “Seriously, this has been such a great run for us, we’ve had fantastic fun at rehearsals, excellent performances night after night, and Canterbury has the best audiences.  This is a dream role for me.”

There is a great mix of kids’ and adults’ jokes in this pantomime, showing that this family show is more than able to cater for all ages. There was a superb atmosphere all the way through the show and a real sense of enthusiasm in the audience. A classic pantomime feel I would say, proven by the crowd’s constant engagement. The bright and glamorous sets were very impressive, and really added to the performance; these, coupled with clever lighting showed the professional standards of the pantomime.

Cinderella certainly had a spectacular, all-singing all-dancing finish too. The next pantomime Sleeping Beauty starts it’s run on the November 30 2012.

You can book tickets now at the Marlowe Theatre: on 01227 787787.

 

Climbing Kilimanjaro for kids

 

Donating money to charities is one thing, but getting involved and experiencing where your money is actually going is so much more.  Would you make the climb of your life for those less fortunate than you?  Hannah Stanton reports

In less than a year’s time, 44 students from Canterbury Christ Church University will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and taking on extreme climates in their efforts to raise money for the charity Childreach International.

Climb Kili 4 Kids is one of Childreach's main events, those taking part will have to raise a minimum £2,450 each in order to secure their place.

Laura Johnson is an 18-year-old in her first year studying education.  “I’m very excited about the challenge,” she says, “although I know it’s going to take a lot of effort to raise the money needed.”

But for Jake Dilley, a team leader at Christ Church, next summer’s climb will be his second. He says: “Last year I climbed Kilimanjaro and this year I have been selected as one of the team leaders. I hope that my previous experience of climbing the mountain will help prepare others for what lies ahead.”

Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania, for those of you who don’t know, and at 19,341 feet above sea level makes it the highest mountain in Africa. A challenge indeed for the 44 keen participants taking part. Hundreds of volunteers take part in the event every year, and because of this Childreach is dedicated in doing everything it can to help support and cater for its participants.

The charity takes care of your flights, transfers, accommodation and trekking costs and also pays for your national park fees, guides, tents and meals. They provide experienced group leaders to help partakers through every step of the challenge.

Joe, a representative for Childreach International and a group leader said: “This is a truly amazing opportunity; I would encourage anyone to take part in this once in a life time experience.”

Childreach raise money to help improve children’s access to healthcare, education, human rights and protection in the developing world. By taking part in this trip of a lifetime, these young, hardworking and enthusiastic students have already made an incredible change to a child’s future. Their positive attitude and commitment is an inspiration to us all.

This charity work not only makes an incredible difference to those less well off, but also changes these young academics as people and hopes to give them a much more positive outlook on the future. The impact the work has definitely given encouragement to those around them.

During the trip to Africa there is the option for participants to extend their stay in Tanzania. After the 44 students complete their climb, they can head straight home if they choose. However, the event has something else up its sleeve. An amazing inadvertent that allows the participants to extend your trip by eight days. This allows them to soak up more of what Africa has to offer, including safari trips and exploring the vast continent.

Nearly anyone can climb Kilimanjaro as it is one of the few mountains in the world where it is possible to reach the summit without any climbing experience. The vast majority of the ascent is walking, with only a short scramble on the final section leading to the summit. Experienced guides lead you all the way and porters help to carry your main baggage up and down the mountain. Therefore anyone can experience ‘The roof of Africa’ for themselves.

The money raised from this event goes towards making sure that children have enough food, clean water and shelter, a good education, a reliable health service and the right to live in a loving environment without fear of abuse or violence. Childreach believes that as a result of the hard work participants put in they get back something in return. This is the experience of climbing a mountain, and the opportunity to explore Africa first hand. This is the final result of the participant’s dedication and energy towards the cause.

 

 

Gallery launch in Canterbury

The launch of a new gallery took place last Friday; I interviewed the art director of the gallery afterwards to see how it went. Hannah Stanton reports:

Director David Lilford already has one gallery in Canterbury so I was intrigued to know his reasons for opening his latest place. It is very suave and sophisticated inside with black marble floor, leather sofas and bright lighting; this is the kind of place you would expect to see in the centre of London.

The launch went very well, with a turnout of 150 people. I asked him why he had decided to open his second gallery in Canterbury. He says: “We’ve built up an excellent reputation in Canterbury. We do art fairs in London and around the country.” He added that this was a higher end space compared to his other gallery in Castle Street. The work in his other gallery is similar although it will now be a little bit more conservative.

David goes to many art fairs in London and he will be at the Twenty-Twenty-One show which is held at the Royal College of Art in February. “Sales at those fairs are pretty good”, he says: “All we need is a base in Canterbury.”

I was very impressed with the collection of work he had in the gallery including pieces from Banksy. He says: “I deal mainly with artists that I know, although there is secondary market work like the Swoon and the Banksy.” David gets approached three or four times a day, but he’s not looking for artists and most of the time the artists that approach him are not the quality he is looking for.

There is some work that David does not except, he said: “Not particularly, I’m open to anything, I don’t do photography really and I don’t do prints. Everything has to be by the hand of the artist.”

David is “extremely careful” about which artists he chooses to exhibit. In comparison to his other gallery “sales wise it’s pretty similar at the moment, but looks-wise it’s quite different.” He doesn’t have any galleries outside of Canterbury but he does have a framing business in Herne Bay.

David says his favourite artist is Billy Childish. “He’s my hero.” Billy is a rounded artist, he has released about 120 records, and he has 40 published books of poetry and five novels. “He’s influenced some of my favourite rock stars, people like Kurt Cobain.” Customers’ ages vary from teenagers to pensioners and travel from all over the world to buy work from David. He says: “I’ve just shipped a deal to a guy who lives in California.”

A variety of people attended the launch on Friday, January 20. There is definitely a punk feel to the gallery, with artists here such as Jamie Reid. A lot of people in David’s age group are buying in to this work because they loved the rock era. David, 47, hasn’t always been an art dealer, he worked in retail but he has now been an art dealer for 12 years. Yet he does not intend to open any more galleries. When he gets the chance he goes to shows in London around Shawd Edge and Brick Lane. “That’s where the cool stuffs coming out” he says.

How does he intend to combat the recession: “We have already done that, I’m finding that people are putting their money on the wall rather than giving it to banks. The recession hasn’t touched us, business is up 50% year on year.” I then asked him if art business is the way to go, he replies with: “It is for me but it isn’t for everyone. I know we’re bucking the trend because there are galleries closing left, right and centre. We have a different proposition, I’m dealing with artists.”

David adds: “I’m quite robust when it comes to artists that apply. People are looking for something that goes up in value.” This gallery stood out for me with its clean and fresh modern look, it turns out that in David’s opinion: “This gallery stands out from anywhere in the South.” He is clearly very passionate about his galleries and the art business in general. He said: “For me this is one of the coolest places around and I’m very proud of it.”

An interesting fact about the gallery’s building is that it was built in the 50s. David says; “Funny how it’s developed because it was bombed in the war, it’s kind of timeless really.”

The Lilford Gallery is located at 3 Palace Street in Canterbury.

It is open 9.30am - 5pm Mon - Sat / 11am -4pm Sun.

Phone: 01227 639086 for more information or visit their website at: mail@lilfordgallery.com