Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Blast is a branch of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ that encourages young people to get creative in a variety of areas.

Since launching in 2002, its website has become very popular with users uploading their music, videos and other creations. The message boards allow the website's visitors to share tips and ideas.

Every year, Blast on Tour goes around the United Kingdom, stopping off at variousΜύ towns and cities to provide workshops to local teenagers. During August the Blast truck stopped off in Truro's Lemon Quay. It was opened up into a multi-purpose, state-of-the-art building for holding the creative sessions.

Dan Jones led the news reporting course

There was also a covered stage area and dance studio.

Throughout the three days, workshops included sculpture, dance, scriptwriting and photography. Young people signed up by using the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ website, and many of the events quickly became fully booked.

One of the most well-attended sessions was based on parkour, also known as free-running. It is a sport that is growing in popularity all around the world, it also caught the interests of many passers-by.

The workshops were all run by professionals in their field, meaning the young people were learning from the experts.

As well as the senior Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ staff, there was also a large number of volunteer support staff present. Assisting with the running of the sessions and the event in general, the
volunteers were kept busy.

Jade one of the young newsreaders

I spoke to one such helper on work experience, 22-year-old Chantelle.

"I've been a 'wex' (person on work experience) with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Blast for about two and a half weeks now", she told me.

"I think I've started turning into a 14-year-old! It's been a brilliant experience, and I'd definitely like to do it again. I intend to work with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ or some kind of production company in the future. I have to say, it's been a Blast!"

I also spoke to 13-year-old Katie, who was attending a workshop entitled 'Making the News', wherein the aim of the day was to create a news bulletin for radio broadcast.

"We worked to make a news programme. The three of us collected news stories from out and about in Truro - it was really good fun. I learned a lot about the equipment you
need to use to make a news broadcast."

The Blast truck's next stop is Gloucester, starting on 14 August 2008.