The original 5-a-day campaign was introduced by the government in 2003 following research that showed the public were confused as to what constitutes one portion.

The nationwide dietary advice stemmed from the Department of Health plans to cut early deaths from cancer by a fifth and coronary heart disease by two-fifths, as well as reducing health inequalities.

Because fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, as well as being low in calories they are vital to a healthy diet. Looking after your health inevitably reduces your risk of early death, the public health minister, Hazel Blears, said:

“The evidence shows that eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day could help prevent up to 20% of deaths from our nation’s biggest killers such as heart disease and some cancers.”

Since the launch advertising has been rife with recipes and increasingly inventive ways of achieving the sacred five. So we have compiled this information to give you some easy and cheap ways of getting your 5.

Food labellers have got savvy to using promises of health as a selling tool so the labels on canned, frozen and packaged food generally tell you how many of your 5-a-day the product counts for and what constitutes one portion size.

Variety is important so holding an all you can eat competition with oranges doesn’t mean you’ve achieved your five a day.

We are also sorry to report that a pizza with onion, pineapple, peppers, tomato sauce and mushrooms won’t cut it.

But here is a few suggestions of the things that will.

• A glass of juice and a piece of fruit like a banana or apple in the morning is an easy way of getting two in before you’ve even started lectures.
• Tinned fruit is relatively cheap and doesn’t come with the problem of wasted money on buying fresh fruit in bulk; left forgotten past its expiration date in the back of the fridge. One portion after dinner or as a mid day snack is healthier than that chocolate bar or packet of crisps.
• Frozen veg; peas, carrots, broccoli and sweetcorn will provide one of your 5-a-day.  Three heaped teaspoons of any of the above with carbohydrates such as pasta or potato and a form of protein such as meat or fish would provide a balanced evening meal. Or a portion of two different ones would give you two of your 5-a-day.
• Raisins can be bought in already weighed out portions so can be taken in a bag as a snack or grabbed while walking out the door, that’s another easy one.
• Tomatoes and celery are relatively cheap and can be kept on your fridge shelf and easily used as a snack whenever you feel the need.

Packets of stir fry can be bought for less than £2 and cooked with some sauce provide a tasty, quick (cooking time takes less than five minutes) and healthy meal. This would give you around two of your 5-a-day (check specific packets).

What’s the point in spending £10 on a takeaway that will take around an hour to arrive. Why not have a stir fry for a fraction of the price that will be ready in minutes, meaning you can head out the door for some quality time in the pub?

Eating healthily doesn’t have to be expensive and time consuming so there are no excuses for relying on convenience food. Getting into good eating habits when you are young will set you on the right road for life. Once you make changes to your diet and keep them you’ll realise that fresh food tastes miles better than highly processed takeaways anyway.

As university students venture through the penultimate and final years of their course, a seemingly endless amount of options present themselves when it comes to further education. Postgraduate Master’s Degrees are the presumed natural progression from university, but more specialised courses offered at colleges or highly regarded institutions such as the Met Film School in London are also proving a popular path for students. However, it is always worthy to remember when seeking advice on higher education from particular colleges or universities; they will always feel inclined to offer a slightly biased view in favour of their own institution. The opinion that students need to focus on is that of their future employers and what they believe will stand a person in good stead when it comes to an interview situation.

Journalist and Editor Martin Hovden, who has spent more than 40 years on the Merseyside local newspaper scene, said: “Yes, qualifications are extremely important. However, when I interviewed young journalists, I always concentrated on their work experience. It gave us something to talk about at the interview. Their work experience allowed the candidate to show their enthusiasm and commitment to their chosen profession. I quizzed them about where they got their story from and how they went about researching that story, plus what experience they had. And you can apply this to whatever profession you choose to go into. Show commitment, rather than the awful response: “I’ve always fancied being a….”

As Hovden argues, experience is a priceless asset to have under your belt that not only demonstrates your enthusiasm, but also gifts you with invaluable skills and knowledge of the job before you even begin the interview. The relevance of gaining work experience stretches far beyond the field of journalism and can be broadly applied to all sorts of jobs. Writing letters, emails or even showing up in person at a particular company in search of work placements can be key to future employment and it stems from a genuine desire and interest that employers will undoubtedly pick up on and consequently praise you for.

The balance between experience and education is finely tuned. Those who are either fortunate enough or alternatively committed enough to succeed in both obviously provide the ideal example. However, if ever facing the prospect of choosing one, it is always advisable to place a great deal of emphasis on acquiring experience in your favoured job market. Employers do seem to favour this aspect of any CV and it will prove beneficial to any students in the long run.

As recent marketing reports suggest, the initial sales of Amazon’s ‘Kindle Fire’ is already set to soar past the 2 million mark. Such popularity extends far greater than just this one product, as e-readers worldwide are making books look like the ancestors of this new wave of modern technology. But who can blame students for falling into the trend? With the renowned acknowledgement that students are always going to be strapped for cash, products like the kindle provide a great opportunity to save some much needed money. The initial fee is understandably daunting. Amazon’s own website is offering the e-reader for £89.00, a hefty, one time fee for any student. However, the long term advantages are seemingly outweighing the initial price shock, as hundreds and hundreds of books can then be easily downloaded from the push of a button. When facing the always dreaded task of purchasing this semester’s reading list, would you rather trek into town and find a bookstore or download them from the comfort of your couch? Many are seemingly opting for the latter, as more and more e-books are starting to creep into lectures and seminars across universities.

 So will e-readers eventually make books extinct? Probably not. The now traditional popularity of the holding a physical book will never fully diminish. But it’s proving difficult to ignore the destructive nature e-readers are having on the sales of books, as it becomes the outright cost-effective measure to pursue for many university students. 

How do I repay the Loan?

This is a long time away, but it’s worth understanding now. Once you’ve graduated ( or even dropped out) you may worry that you’ve got an enormous debt hanging over you.

But don’t panic! you don’t have to repay a penny until you get a job and are earning more than £21,000 a year.

Once you’re past that point you’ll pay back 9% of everything you earn above £21,000. So if you earn £22,000, as it’s one grand over the threshold, you’ll pay £90 of it a year.

What you’ll pay back

It’s worth thinking about this for a second. It means the amount you repay each month only depends on what you earn, not on how much you borrowed in the first place ( though borrow more and it may mean you repay more in total and over a longer time)

Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council is joining forces with local Housing Association to provide Merseyside teenagers with the chance of a life-changing exchange visit to Hong Kong.

Young people who sign up for the visit, which is sponsored by Cosmopolitan Student Homes, a member of the Cosmopolitan Housing Group, will spend two weeks in China’s economic powerhouse taking part in cultural, educational and sightseeing activities. They will also host a visit from their Chinese contemporaries when they visit Merseyside. As well as taking part in the visit, they will fund-raise for the trip and take part in awareness activities to learn more about their host country.

Sam McMillan, Managing Director of Cosmopolitan Student Homes says “it has the potential to be a life-changing experience for a Merseyside tenant, not just the visit itself, but also the fund-raising, organisation and preparation that goes into it”.

Creating Opportunity

Successful applicants will not have to provide accommodation in their own homes, and applications are invited from people of all abilities and backgrounds. Young people who are chosen will have to pay £250, but will be given help to fundraise and help will be available in cases of hardship.

‘We are looking for 16 people from Merseyside aged between 17 and 25 years of age who would really benefit from travel and new experiences.

To take part, applicants will be shortlisted after returning an application form, then interviewed. If successful, they will be part of a group that plays host to young Chinese visitors in July, and pay a return visit to Hong Kong in September.

For more details and how to apply http://www.pinecourt-housing.org.uk/youthexchange

Denmark Road when completed will accommodate 614 student in total and is on schedule to open it’s show flat later this month.

Address details: Cosmopolitan Student Homes, 12 Denmark Road, Manchester ,M15 6GQ