Singers and musicians wanted for UK première of new Nativity musical

Lighthouse Poole will host the UK première of a new, epic Nativity musical on December 4 – The Birth of a King – and local singers and musicians are invited to join professionals in the performance.
   The event is produced by professionals who have worked on major West End and Broadway musicals such as Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and The Phantom of the Opera. It will also be premièred this year in three US venues and in Singapore.
   The Birth of a King will have a full symphony orchestra, a 120-strong chorus and 37 soloists. If you are interested in joining the cast, chorus or orchestra, simply apply at www.the-birth-of-a-king.org.
   Its professional production staff have experience of working with singers who are complete beginners and everybody is welcome to apply for an audition – and of course, professional-standard singers can apply too! All kinds of singers are needed – opera, rock, classical and musical.
   Local musicians are also invited to play in the orchestra alongside the professionals and semi-professionals already booked.
   Open auditions start on July 30 and continue on various dates in August. Its team is keen to hear from anyone who is interested, even without singing or stage experience, as full training will be given.
   A spokesperson said: “We are not asking people to audition for a particular role - all we want you to do is come along and sing us a song! If you are a grand opera singer, we would love to hear it.
   “If you have no experience, then feel free to bring any song you like - simply bring music or a backing track for whichever song you choose – or come and just sing "Happy Birthday" (we already have the music for that)!
   “The audition for chorus only will be very low key and is really just to give us an idea of which part to place your voice in, so please don't panic about it if you've never done this before. We're friendly and we don't bite!”
www.the-birth-of-a-king.org

Groveley Detection: GDU-Incus granted safety integrity rating SIL 2

The GDU-Incus ultrasonic gas leak detector has been granted SIL 2 certification.
   The unit is already IECEx-approved for use in hazardous areas and ATEX-certified to Ex d ib IIB+H2 T4.
   Manufacturer Groveley Detection has over 19 years experience supplying fire and gas detection equipment for hazardous areas and the GDU-Incus represents its latest development in ultrasonic gas leak detection technology.
   Utilising extremely stable piezoelectric technology, the GDU-Incus offers a large coverage area of up to 40m (pressure, leak size and background noise level dependant) with a detection range between 25kHz to 100kHz and an instantaneous speed of response.
   The IP66/67 rated detector provides unrivalled protection from the harshest of weather – its -55°C to +85°C operating temperature ensures functionality in even extreme environments.
   The GDU-Incus is factory set and requires no field calibration. It needs minimal maintenance and reliable operation is ensured using a continuous electronic self test.
   Safety Integrity Level is the measure of functional safety of electrical and electronic safety related systems.
www.groveley.co.uk          Photography by Phil Dowding

Groveley Detection: record year with 82% turnover boost

Hazard detection specialist Groveley Detection has announced another record year with an 82 per cent increase in turnover to £3.9 million for its latest financial year, which ended in May.
   Managing director Robert Bennet said the increase was due to focusing on high-end products and quality service.
   “We are well established in the industry after 19 years, we know our markets well and what our customers are looking for”, he said. “We have concentrated on niche areas and providing excellent customer service, and over the years built up a very good in-house team.”
   A new product - the GDU-Incus ultrasonic gas leak detector - will allow the company to continue to expand into world markets. This airborne leak detector offers a vast area of coverage, high sensitivity and an extreme temperature range, plus features such as self-testing and cleaning.
    Mr Bennet said: “Importantly, our products have an extremely long life in the field whilst requiring very little calibration or testing, so offer long-term life-cycle savings that outstrip lower quality competitor products. Initial capital costs may be slightly higher, but hugely lower maintenance bills and long service life produce an overall lower cost”.
   He added the long-term benefit message has taken time to get across in the industry but is now gaining momentum and has contributed to the increased turnover
www.groveley.co.uk         Picture by Phil Dowding:  Groveley Detection’s GDU-Incus ultrasonic gas leak detector

Future nano-scientist Sam loves his work at Cadnam Garden Centre

A young future scientist from Totton – who is fast becoming an expert on nano-scale circuitry for future computers – still loves his part-time job at a local garden centre!
    Sam Hillman (18) so impressed the UK’s National Physical Laboratory* during a four-week experience placement that in May he was sent to a science fair in Texas – where he won a silver medal for his project.
   His interest lies in tiny nano-scale computer circuitry – which will be much faster than conventional technology – and is set to replace microprocessor technology in laboratory microscopes within ten years.
   Importantly, they allow faster and more complex functions using less power.
   Sam is studying A-level Physics, Further Maths and Chemistry at Brockenhurst College, and will attend Warwick University in October. Then he wants to work in research for nano technology for sustainable energy.
   He has worked as a part-time sales assistant at Cadnam Garden Centre for 18 months and said: “I really enjoy working there, it’s a great place. I’m not really an expert on plants but I find them interesting and it’s great to learn about them.”
   Sam won his silver medal at the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering Environment Project Olympiad**. He was awarded $600 financial support for study and a fully-funded scholarship invitation for four years of study in a US university.
   He won his place at the exhibition by presenting at the Exscitec Science Fair at Imperial College London last year.
www.golden-acres-nursery.co.uk     Picture by Phil Dowding
www.isweeep.org