News Writing Assignment 5

Twenty protestors have made a copse in Wishingshire their home in protest of retail giant Megabuck’s plan to build a car park on the site.

The supermarket chain planned to redevelop the site in Moonville, as part of their estimated 180 strong expansion across the country, and contractors were due to begin clearing the area this morning.

Ignoring a court order that they remove themselves, protestors chained underground and in the branches of the trees remain adamant that they will not allow the plans to fell 200 old trees to proceed.

The eco-protest began two Saturdays ago, when Joseph Bloggs made his home in the branches of a tree on the site. Mr. Bloggs left only to attend the High Court where the judge ordered his removal.

“I have been here two weeks and I am not going anywhere. They will have to drag us from these branches,” added Mr. Bloggs.

This is not the first time Megabuck has come to Moonville, as they have a store just outside of the town, which Mr. Bloggs believes has already damaged local businesses.

“We have got one [Megabuck store] and there are already empty shops...”

There has been additional protest from older residents, 1,700 signing a protest petition as the development would require moving the town’s war memorial to allow heavy vehicles to access the superstore.

Local Council planning manager believes the town is “In need of vital regeneration”, and that a central Megabuck store would draw more visitors to other businesses.

A spokesperson from Megabuck has declined to comment on their plans for the eviction of the protestors, but have made assurances that they intend replace the trees they wish to cut down.

Round 2?

So, I'm pretty sure I can hear the subconscious bell ringing somewhere in the back of my mind, as I prepare for round two of this fight. Though this time, I'm going into it with confidence. I have my gloves laced up tight and a smile on my face. I'll take some punches -sure- but this time I'm out to prove myself. Not to anyone else, but to me. Time to take down this behemoth, and move on, up and never back, but with fondness.

There's only one other blog on here, and it was nearly exactly a year ago now that I posted it. Strange how I can be nearly in the exact same spot doing the exact same thing, but I can be so different. I'm no longer weighted by the dry heat and sterility, for this time the air feels cool, and likely due to newer computers, the hum of the electronics is minimal.

Today we were given our first two tasks [aside from the initial 'Polaroid and caption' doodad]. Jacqui Boddington [Who I will elaborate on later] explained to us the basics of interviewing techniques, and the importance thereof. We were swiftly put into pairs and shoo-ed away to interview one another and write it up into some rushed semblance of a feature. This went better than I expected and I managed to scribble down somewhere between 150 and 200 words in about twenty minutes which surprised me, having not written at any sort of length for a few months. After a short discussion about our hopes and fears [both about the course and generally] we grouped up into threes and went out into Falmouth to find some sort of news story to write up. We all managed to cobble something together in the end, which despite its second rate nature, made me feel really rather proud of myself, as it's reminding me that I can in fact achieve things. Small steps make for giant leaps.

A last interesting note would be the Seven Up [Not the popular carbonated drink] style mini documentary that Jacqui has managed to sign a few of us willing guinea pigs up to. Shes planning on conducting a short interview with each of us [I cant for the life of me remember how many of us there were], and supposed critical points in our university education. I feel really quite lucky to be taking part in it, and am really looking forward to watching them back at the end of these coming three years, as I am an avid fan of retrospect.

Anyhow I'll round up now. All in all, I am feeling more positive and proactive than I have in a damn long time, and it's bloody liberating. I can look to the future with a smile, knowing there will be challenges, but I'm ready to face them.

If you're reading this, smile, it'll release endorphins in your brain [I do enjoy stealing knowledge from documentaries now and then] and make you feel just a smidgen happier.

And that can never be a bad thing, right?

Afternoon, folks.

Having just polished off what was probably the worst excuse for a Cornish pasty this side of Devon, I write to you now from the sterile comfort of one of University College Falmouth's many computer rooms, the hum of electronics and the strangely dry heat beginning to make my head hurt.

Unfortunately for both yourself, and I, you will soon be hearing frequently from me in this pretty little corner of the internet. Opinions, musings, rantings, ravings.. You will be privy to each and all of these, you lucky beans! So without further ado, let us begin.


Perhaps, we should start at the beginning, as any sort of story/account/reconfabulation should do. I arrived here in Falmouth sometime in the afternoon of Monday the 25th of September. I spent a good forty five minutes moving copious amounts of clothes [most of which I'll never wear] and food [which generally requires little more than a kettle to make 'edible']. Unfortunately most of this still remains in boxes, but I'm sure unpacking properly will come in due time. Luckily for me, I'm housed with a group of particularily wonderful, if eclectic people. I won't bore you with the interesting bits, but rather give you an overview of what has ensued the past three nights I have been living here. 'Pon the eve of Monday, the celestial and the demonic clashed in a frenzy of snakebite and nicotine as the stannary played host to 'Horns and Halos' theme night. Much fun was had, alongside excrutiatingly embarrassing dancing and air guitar played upon cheap plastic tridents. Oh yes, freshers week indeed.

The next night took a slightly different direction, as I and a flat mate went for a couple of pints down at the pub. Nice and relaxed, with playful insults slung back and forth amidst the initial 'getting-to-know-someone' phase. He is ginger, I might add [and thus, has no soul]. And so we come to last night. A few of us from block K [woop!] went up to the boathouse, where conversation was made, and little else happened.

Anyhow, now that we have the extracurricular covered, how about the curricular?

Journalism [BA Hons, mind!] is the... Journey I seemed have embarked upon, though I am yet to look back, and doubt I will. This, which you read now is the third piece of 'work' I have undertaken as part of the course, and so far probably the most expansive [as you can tell, they're yet to really shove us in at the deep end... But I'm waiting with bated breath]. I feel both anticipation and anxiety when I consider the coming year, and the two which will follow, but I am certain come graduation, I will look back only with fondness.

And so last of all, defying convention to the bitter end, I will introduce myself.

Michael Robert Eardly Alexis Korner-Davidson in full, Michael Korner-Davidson if we're being official.. But you can just call me Mikey, It's easier that way.
I struck the grand old age of 19 on the 13th of the ninth oh-six, yet I feel barely older than sixteen, if I'm honest [I'll be sitting there with my pipe and glass of cognac before you know it!].
There's not very much more I can convey to you across this expanse of wires and digital signals about myself, as I feel only in conversation can you truly know someone. As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango.

So, do stay tuned, as there will certainly be more to follow...

Over and out,

Mikey x