Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

When I first found out I was the new Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Blast Reporter for Cornwall, it came as quite a shock! I was in the middle of doing the washing up, and nearly ended up breaking many plates.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I was on my way to Bristol for an official two-day training course. My assigned mentor Matt Shepherd kindly gave me a lift. Thankfully, the traffic was flowing well and we were there in around two hours.

I was pleased to see most of the other Blast Reporters were looking as tired and slightly nervous as I was! When I learned how far some of them had travelled to be there, I felt very lucky to be just a couple of hours down the road. We were warmly welcomed to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Bristol, and supplied with much-needed refreshments.

Alex in Bristol

We were all shown what previous Reporters had achieved, and what some got up to following their Blast experiences. There were some very inspiring stories! Everyone was lifted by the introductory speeches and, once we had introduced ourselves, we were split into groups and headed off for a nutritious Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ lunch!

Our first workshop of the day was all about interviewing techniques. We were given fantastic advice by a vastly experienced radio presenter from London. As someone who often interviews many people a day, we all listened to her tips very closely.

We then proceeded to learn some basic photography skills. It was a very hands-on session, in which we were given cameras and let loose around the building. We may have looked a little strange, but we learned plenty about what makes a good photograph, and what doesn't.

That evening, we were taken by coach to the hotel. After checking in and settling into our rooms, we went down for a meal - curry! All the Reporters were having a great time, as we talked about the day's events, where we all came from and what we hoped to be covering over the summer. In every conversation, there was always a wide range of accents!

While some decided to explore the bars of Bristol after the meal, I was exhausted, and went straight to bed to prepare for Day 2.

Alex at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in Bristol

After breakfast, we all got on the coach and headed back to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Bristol. Thankfully nobody seemed hung over from the previous night, meaning that we could all take full advantage of the final day!

For our group, first up was a tour of the local newsrooms and radio stations. We were surrounded by very busy people, which gave us an idea of what to expect on our placements.

Afterwards, we learned more about the editorial processes and guidelines the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ works with, to encourage us to report in a truthful and unbiased way. A session on website editing later, and we were finished!

They were a tiring but highly enjoyable two days - it was great to meet the other Reporters, and no doubt we will keep in touch. The advice and tips given by the professionals at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ were invaluable. It was a great experience, and I'm nowΜύ looking forward to the summer more than ever before!