NEWS
LEARNING ON THE FRONTLINE AT NORTH KENT COLLEGE
NEW CHARITY LAUNCHES TO PROMOTE CANTERBURY’ S ARTISTIC HERITAGE
A new charity, Sidney Cooper Arts, has been established with a mission to celebrate and support the arts in Canterbury and the legacy of Canterbury-born artist Thomas Sidney Cooper.
The trust was created to promote and advance the arts for public benefit, with a focus on education, participation and access for people of all ages. Its long-term ambitions include creating a dedicated arts space in Canterbury and supporting young artists.
“ Sidney Cooper believes that art should be open to everyone, not just a privileged few, and that belief still feels incredibly relevant today,” said Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE, chair of the Sidney Cooper Arts Trust.“ Through the trust, we have an opportunity not only to celebrate his legacy, but to build something meaningful for Canterbury’ s future; a place where creativity, education and community come together.”
North Kent College has taken a major step forward in practical, career-ready education with the arrival of two fully equipped ambulances for students to train in at its Dartford and Tonbridge campuses.
Identical to real emergency response vehicles, the ambulances will be used by T-Level and Health & Social Care students to simulate real-life scenarios, offering hands-on experience that closely mirrors the realities of frontline roles.
While the vehicles will not be driven off campus or used in live emergencies, they function as fully operational response units, creating a highly realistic environment for learning. The new facilities will help students develop key skills including clinical awareness, communication, teamwork and decision-making in a safe but practical setting, bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional practice.
This initiative builds on the college’ s existing investment in healthcare training, including a hospital simulation ward and assisted technology suite, giving students access to industrystandard equipment and lifelike training scenarios.
“ Training in a simulated ambulance environment allows students to experience the realities of clinical practice in a safe and supported way,” said assistant principal, Stacie Collings.“ We are committed to investing in opportunities that reflect our students’ aspirations. With many aiming to progress into paramedic roles, this initiative ensures they are well prepared and ready for the next step.”
Further plans to recognise Cooper’ s importance to the city include the installation of a commemorative plaque on the historic Sidney Cooper building, which the trust hopes to reimagine as an arts centre, and a project with The Beaney Museum and the University for the Creative Arts to bring his scattered archive together.
ENDANGERED JAVAN GIBBON BORN AT PORT LYMPNE RESERVE
An endangered Javan gibbon has been born at Port Lympne Reserve, marking another important milestone in efforts to protect this rare primate.
The new arrival, named Lima, was born on Valentine’ s Day and can already be spotted clinging closely to its mother in the enclosure opposite the park’ s Palace of the Apes. Experienced mum Belle has previously raised four offspring, while father Gapak keeps a watchful eye on the young family.
Also known as the silvery or moloch gibbon, the Javan gibbon is one of the world’ s rarest primates, with wild populations found only on the Indonesian island of Java, where habitat loss continues to threaten their survival.
Port Lympne Reserve plays a key role in protecting the species, managing the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria( EAZA) ex-situ breeding programme to support long-term conservation. To date, nine Javan gibbons have been born at Port Lympne, with three already introduced into the wild as part of ongoing work with international conservation partners.
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