Local St Helens man to run London Marathon in aid of Coeliac UK

PETER McAleny, 38 from St Helens is preparing to run in this year’s Virgin London Marathon on the Sunday, 22 April 2012. He is running his first marathon to raise funds for Coeliac UK, the national charity for people with coeliac disease. His daughter was diagnosed with the condition five years ago and Peter wanted to help raise funds and awareness of coeliac disease.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. Damage to the gut lining occurs when gluten is eaten. There is no cure or medication for the condition; the only treatment is lifelong, strict gluten-free diet. Without a gluten-free diet, the disease can lead to other conditions, such as malnutrition, osteoporosis, small bowel cancer and can cause infertility problems. 1 in 100 people in the UK have coeliac disease; however, only 10% to 15% of those individuals have been diagnosed.

Peter said:- "I am running the London Marathon because I want to raise funds for Coeliac UK. They have been a fantastic source of help and advice since Emily’s diagnosis. I am delighted to have a place in the Marathon through Coeliac UK this year. This is my second marathon and training is going extremely well. I started off with a target time of 4 hours 40 minutes but now I am hopeful to break the 4 hours 20 minutes mark, at least that's what I am hoping for! I have raised £1,500 to date and hope to break £2,000 come the big day. I hope the funds raised will help towards any research that may be undertaken so that living standards improve and are made easier for those diagnosed with coeliac disease. I would also like to see more awareness promotion in the food and catering industry."

To help raise awareness of the condition, Coeliac UK is holding a campaign in May called the Gluten-free Challenge, asking the nation to pledge support and do at least one thing gluten-free during awareness week, which takes place between 14 May to 20 May 2012.   Further information about the Challenge can be found on Coeliac UK’s website  To sponsor Peter go to:- justgiving.com/petemcaleny.

British student Film Festival on it's way To Liverpool!

THE British Student Film Festival has started off in Newcastle on 30 March and will be heading to Liverpool, Bristol and ending in London on 30 April 2012.  The first film festival of its kind, screening student film nationwide; it seeks to bridge the gap between young talent and the industry. The Festival is screening and celebrating the work of school, college and university students from a diverse socio-economic and geographical pool in 4 cities. Over 130 short films from some of the best student filmmakers in the UK will be screened. All films are under 5 minutes and no limit on style means genres spanning animation, drama, documentary and beyond.

Director of he British Student Film Festival, Francesca Creed said:- "We seek to stress the poetic vision and creativity inherent in every student, exhibited in this festival through film work. Awards will be provided for films which are exemplary in their execution, but the festival and our board of patrons defend the creative vision of each student filmmaker as unique and unquantifiable."

All work entered is screened, and side room will have the festivals hosting a curate film installation exhibition space open to the public. Rory Gibson, Director of Partnerships and Sales added:- "We have striven to provide our student winners with wards hat could make the difference in their careers; relevant work placements for their discipline, professional software, and other unaffordable or inaccessible resources. We also want to connect these students with each other, and help build a UK wide network of student directors, actors, editors, producers and so on."

The Festival ’s board of Creative Patrons and 2012 Judges comprise of industry professionals and academics committed to helping bridge the void between student filmmakers and the industry. They include Sam Taylor-Wood, Rankin, Sally Phillips, Peter Kosminsky, Pawel Pawlikowski, Jonathan Amos and Francine Stock. Dr. David Sorfa, Film Studies professor at Liverpool John Moores University said of the Festival:- "The future of cinema in Britain needs inspired stories, solid technical skill and fearless filmmakers. The British Student Film Festival may be just the place to find this future."

This fantastic event will be in Liverpool's Gold Room, Camp and Furnace from Tuesday, 10 April 2012 until Saturday, 14 April 2012.