Blackburn Student livens up classrooms

A former student of Haslingden High School has been brightening up her old classrooms by painting murals

Haslingden High school is the first school in Lancashire that has taken a new and unique approach to learning.

The school’s aim is to be able to ‘enhance learning’ by informing the students about the importance of history through art. A former student has been asked to liven up classrooms by painting huge colourful murals on the schools walls.

Artist Laura Doherty has been working part time at the school as an ‘Artist in residence’ and has painted five classrooms so far.

At present Laura is painting an art timeline in the Arts corridor.

She said: “I don’t plan on painting the whole school but when I am done with the art corridor, I and going to begin painting the music Corridor.”

The 19 year old has been painting ever since she was eight-years-old.  Doherty is currently studying a foundation degree in art at Blackburn College and will be studying a degree in September at London Art College. 

The murals which have all been painted by Doherty represent different subjects. She has linked the English classrooms to Shakespeare and the history classrooms to WW2 – which was her first ever painting.

She was 16 years old when the history teacher asked her to ‘transform the gloomy walls’ in a work of art. Doherty said “Teachers are asking me all the time to paint in their classroom and give me an idea of what they want so I go away and design a plan. ”

According to teachers in Haslingden High School, students across schools in Lancashire aren’t concentrating enough in the core subjects. Sally Tembo the head of art said: “The murals are a new way which will help the children to concentrate and learn more about a certain subject. Schools in Lancashire definitely need to try this new technique.”

She has inspired many young pupils who stop and chat to her whilst she is busy completing the art corridor. Doherty said: “The visuals will help to create an impact on the children and when they look at my work they will understand that I have spent my time and effort in painting this.”

Doherty is hoping to continue her transformations in classrooms and corridors in the hope to brighten the children’s learning up.

Zero-hours contracts on the rise

The number of people on zero-hours contracts in the North West is continuing to rise according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

In 2008 the Trade Union Congress calculated that there were 9,861 people employed on a zero-hours contract.

However, it is now believed that the figure has risen to around 77,000 – leaving even more people with no guarantee of work.

Campaigners say that the contracts have helped the government to mask the true extent of the lack of regular employment available to people in the wake of the financial crash.

According to a survey from isidewith.com only 34% of people in the North West support the use of zero-hours contracts.

10% of those said they only supported them in cases where people were only seeking part-time employment, while 8% said they supported them but they think that exclusivity clauses should be banned and a minimum number of hours should be guaranteed.

The Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the contracts by claiming that many people on them favour them because of the flexible hours. Earlier this year he controversially claimed he could not live on one.

It is believed around a third of those on the deals would like more hours.

Financial security

Those who oppose the contracts say that they mean families constantly live in fear of not being able to pay bills and put food on the table.

James McKenna, the Regional Campaigns and Policy Officer for the Trade Union Congress in the North West said: “It’s a real problem for workers now and if we want to tackle some of the problems were facing in the economy it’s about hours.

“You’ve got to guarantee people hours because aside from giving them the financial security to go and spend in the local economy, you just can’t have a future.

“You can’t get a mortgage, you can’t manage, you can’t do a range of things because you don’t know just how much money you’re going to earn each week.”

Zero-hours contracts also mean that those employed on them often can’t go and find another job because they are required to go and work whenever they get a call.

Martyn Rawlinson, a Labour Cabinet Member for Resources at Preston Council, said: “The Labour Party wants to scrap zero-hours contracts and make them illegal. Preston council don’t have zero-hours contracts, we don’t believe in them.

“We have casual jobs that don’t involve a contract so people can work whoever they like whenever they like. If they want to turn down work from us there’s no penalty, whereas on a zero-hours contract you’re contracted to that company and you need to be available for that company.”

The percentage of people in employment on zero-hours contracts rose from 1.9% in 2013 to 2.3% in 2014.

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics from October to December last year, around 1 in 43 people in the UK are on a zero-hours contract.

The people most likely to be on the contracts are women, those in full-time education, part-time workers, those under 25 and those over 65.

Acas — Zero-hours contracts

National Careers Service

Job Centre Plus

BBC — What are zero-hours contracts?

BBC — People on zero-hours contracts paid less than others

The One Plus About Wearing A Hijab.

Many Muslim women all over the world choose to cover their heads, cover their heads in a different style or wear a niqaab. You ask what is a hijab? For those of you who don’t know Hijab is a term also known as a headscarf. It is basically covering your hair with a scarf. The scarves can be any colour and any pattern, you choose. It is worn for religious reasons, as Muslim women have to be able to reach a high standard of modesty and piety and it is another way to attain the blessings of God Almighty.

Being a Muslim shines upon the relationship between the body and mind. Muslims also believe that wearing of the outer garments and veiling of the body leads to veiling of the heart and shielding it from impure thoughts. 

Hijab Fashion. 

There really isn’t any point of wearing a headscarf if you can’t cover up properly. The western fashion is a great way to create a hijab friendly outfit. You know what the real deal is when you start wearing a hijab? It gives you a chance to really figure out how to layer up and to understand the fact what will look better with your scarf. Even before when I started to wear the hijab I reckon my dressing up sense was conservatively. But when you do start to wear the hijab you have to understand that you can’t offend anyone else by what you are wearing. I know we shouldn’t really dress up to make others happy but therefore we should dress up so you can inspire and make yourself happy with your outfit. Of course any Muslim girl who wears the hijab can refer to my feelings we all want to throw on shorts and a tank top and walk out of the house looking fabulous like that. But that is a big NO!

Just remember why you chose your hijab friendly outfit in the first place. Every time I buy a top or a pair of jeans I always have to think is the neck a bit to low or is it a bit too tight. Not because I’m going to go out to impress the society, I personally just wouldn’t feel comfortable going out with a low neck top. You are right the Hijab isn’t easy especially when the weather gets a bit to hot and it hits over 23 degrees. I will always be happy with why I made the decision to wear the hijab. It just reminds me what the bad hair days can now equal to the good outfit days I will have. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post thanks for reading. 

The Power of Praying to the all Mighty Allah.

As I sit here in this cyber cafe there is a reason why I want to blog about praying. No matter what religion you believe in you Pray in different ways and forms. It can be at different worship places and there are different ways to Pray.

Being a young British Muslim girl I have understood the power of praying through reading religious books. However as part of the Muslim faith there are people who may and might only pray when they want something. My parents have always said and taught me: “If you only pray in the time of trouble then you are in trouble.” Makes perfect sense right? I believe to my personal experience prayer is more powerful than anything. You may not think that it is but even if you are an Atheist you must want to look up to someone and you probably asks question like what happens to me after I am cremated or buried?

There are so many ways how it can help and below are my reasons:

As a Muslim every so often I will visit the nearest Mosque whenever my heart wants attention I turn towards a beautiful worship place. It is a place where all your problems seem so little and your heart will be at peace whilst praying at a Mosque.  Praying my Namaaz on a prayer mat and reciting beautiful Arabic Surahs is a peaceful feeling. Another formal routine for a Muslim is to recite the Holy Qur’an in Arabic. If you ever need guidance or as a Muslim you need any sorts of answers you can find your answers in the Quran. Yes you may think how can this be true. Well believe it or not the Qur’an has the answers to everything, from seeking guidance on marriage, life, business anything in the world. Praying your Namaaz and being in sujood, when you bow your head and your brain is in a position below your heart and if Muslims new the power of Sujood they will never lift their head off the ground. Praying is done in different postures, sitting, standing, kneeling however in Islam we bow down to Allah. No matter what religion you worship.

Words are proven powerful that words prove the power over anything. When praying to Allah you should not ask for anything negative for any one. If all prayers came true then the world would be a negative place. In Sujood a Muslim should always ask for forgiveness and to make you into a better Muslim.

Congregational prayer carried out by the Imam of the Mosque.

Sitting down waiting to begin Namaaz

An individual has to pray five times a day in a Muslims life should be a routine:  

1. Al-Fajar
2. Zuhar
3. Asr 
4. Magrib
5. Isha.

Optional prayers are Tahajjud

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Leave comments down below for me because I would love to hear your experiences:

Do you pray differently? Where do you pray? Any of your prayers been answered?

 

 

Why broken heart can be the cause of death?

The answer has mainly been ‘no you cannot die of a broken heart’ I remember a few years ago my journalistic thinking lead to the question of can you actually die from a broken heart? Proven by scientists in recent research it can now be said that death could be around the corner for those who suffer from a broken heart. It could mean suffering from the following medical problems:

– Hair loss
– Cold and Flu
– Headaches
– Strokes and Heartattack
– Asthma
– High blood pressure
– Inflamotary Bowel Disease
– Cancer
– Diabetes

Although it may seem that heart attack and all of the above mentioned are quite common medical conditions now a days. Talking from a personal experience knowing that my grandfather shortly passed away from a heart attack after 3 months of my grandmother passing away and now research also has explained that many widows die by being a widow. At the time obviously we knew it was a heart attack but we just didn’t know the cause of it. I know saying that he died from a broken heart but it could just be from the fact that he missed her too much. But I guess we’ll never know.
If you want a healthy life learn to avoid the big stresses that cause you to have a broken heart or the big excitement/shocking news.

 

I do not take any credit for any pictures unless I have mentioned

Regards