Weston College student Chloe Edrich, 16, could be heading to Rio de Janeiro this summer after securing a place at the national time trials for the 2016 Olympics.

Chloe, who studies A Levels at the College and is a member of its Academy of Sport, posted a qualifying time in the 200m breast stroke and will attempt to make the required time in the 400m individual medley and 400m breaststroke.

Chloe said: “Studying at Weston College has enabled me to improve my swimming, but has also supported me in achieving my academic targets.”

Her mother, Kelly Edrich, said: “It was amazing to see her smash the time she needed.

“She’s done fantastically well so far and it would be brilliant if she could make it all the way.”

Paul Taylor, Sports Development and Performance Manager at the College, said: “Chloe has worked incredibly hard to get to this point.

“Combining an Elite Athletic and Academic programme is challenging and requires commitment and dedication, we are very proud of her achievements.”

The Weston College Academy of Sport offers aspiring sportsmen and women an opportunity to further develop their potential, providing them with outstanding coaching, training and support both individually and as a team.

It allows College students to combine their academic or vocational studies with participation in sporting activities at local, regional and national levels.

Farhath Siddiqui, who studies Film and Media Arts Production at UCW, was recently invited to accept an award on behalf of internationally renowned street artist Banksy, but she didn't celebrate with a glass of bubbly...

That's because Farhath is Muslim, and Muslims don't drink - so how did she celebrate? Read on to find out more...

When I tell people that I’m a Muslim, one of the top things people respond with is the question: “Do you drink?”

When I tell them that my faith doesn’t allow it, my answer is often met with disbelief and further remarks such as: “What, not even a little bit?”

The answer is no – I have never consumed alcohol before and I am not ashamed to admit it.

I'm sure a lot of you reading this who love to party feel that I may lead a boring life, and while that might be true in some respects it isn’t because of the lack of alcohol! Just because I don't drink doesn't mean I don't join in with party. I love to party.

Sober doesn't mean boring.  I have been sober on all of my nights out, and I still have managed to have the best time by the end of them! The hype of intoxication shouldn't be something you feel peer pressured to do.

Not drinking on your nights out is always an option. It doesn't mean you can't still have a good time, you won’t wake up with a hangover, and you’ll remember the whole evening…

You might find that you still make a bigger fool of yourself than any other drunk person. If that's the case, take a long hard look at yourself and make sure you do whatever you did again.

When Weston College bought the Winter Gardens for £1 in 2015, nobody could have guessed they'd do this to it...

We didn't turn the pond into a carpark

We cleaned out the pond on day one, and while the fish were on holiday we repaired the lining and installed new fountains and colour changing lights. We released the fish back in September 2017 and plan to plant the area up in 2018.

We didn't turn the ballroom into a lecture theatre

The ballroom has been refurbished, the floor fixed, and repairs have been carried out to the dome. New technology has been installed to bring the building into the 21st century while retaining its 1920s character. The ballroom is available for public booking, and we are already putting on a range of events for the public.

No more Prince Consort Hall

We have transformed the little-used Prince Consort Hall into a series of classrooms and independent study spaces. 

There's a new entrance (but it isn't four stories tall...)

To keep the education and public side separate, we moved the public entrance back to the front of the building and turned an ugly 1980s concrete block into the new entrance to the education section of the building.

We've restored the iconic seafront facade

We've completely removed some of the 1980s additions to the facade of the building as well as intrusive signage that spoiled the building's aesthetics. We've installed more-subtle outdoor lighting and replaced all of the windows to make sure they match.

The cafe's more cosy

Leather sofas, booths, quality tables and chairs... The Florentine bistro (opened in October 2017) serves a selection of cakes, hot meals, sandwiches and baguettes.

The decor has had a much-needed update

It's more than just a lick of paint too - new lights, a new colour scheme, and new fixtures and fittings were all part of our plan to restore the iconic ballroom.

The restaurant's been moved

Located in the former Tourist Information Centre, Lasseter's Restaurant and Bar interprets the Winter Gardens' 1920s character with a modern twist. Serving a selection of locally-sourced dishes created by Head Chef Dave Newman, Lasseter's at the Winter Gardens brings together top-quality food and service in Weston-super-Mare's most iconic building.

It's got a new identity

On top of all of the upgrades, enhancements and refurbishment, we've updated the Winter Gardens' logo, designed by a former Weston College and University Centre Weston graphic design student.