Portfolio Story 2 - Nightclub to host charity event

A night club in Preston has announced it is holding a charity event night in aid of Rock FMs cash for kids Christmas appeal. Baluga Bar and Club is to host a create your own cocktail night on Tuesday 18th December to raise money for the charity with the winning cocktail to feature on the Baluga menu for the next month.

To enter the contest and be within the chance of winning £250, participants must pay an initial £5 for entry to the club.

They will have an 8 minutes to create a cocktail of there own making, with a wide list of ingredients available they will aim to impress the 3 judges who have been selected to overview the event, Baluga's very own bar manager, Vodka Revolution's bar manager and a professional cocktail maker from Manchester's Hula Tika Lounge.

The winner will be announced before the end of the night and all takings for the competition will be donated to the cash for kids appeal. Bar manager Tom Havlin said. :" I'm thoroughly looking forward to the event, to see what kind of cocktails people will fix up, we've got all sorts of crazy fruit and other ingredients on the list. I'm not expecting any miracles but hopefully the odd good one and of course it's all for a great cause."

The money raised for cash for kids is donated around locally going to children and to young people under the age of 18 with physical, mental, psychological or behavioural disorders, living in poverty or situations of deprivation, suffering through distress, abuse of neglect

In relation to the charity Mr Havlin said: "I think its a brilliant charity, Christmas for a child you know, you can only experience it for so many years before you grow out of it. Waking up on Christmas day as a kid with no presents is unthinkable."

If you want to donate to the charity you can via text, over the phone, via a cheque online at Rock FM cash for kids. They really need donations to help raise funds for underprivileged children in the Preston area.

If you are looking to attend the event, check out the map below for directions and places to park and other alternative travel routes.

View full size map Baluga Bar & Club

Portfolio Story 1 - Preston boxer goes Pro

A Fulwood boxer has agreed to sign professional after successful four year career as an amateur.

Reece Fowler, 22 of Fulwood ABC boxing club has signed his first professional contract with VIP promotions from Bolton, all the training will be done at the original elite gym in Horwich.
He will be trained by Karl Ince, who has coached former World, European and British champions in the past, including Enzo Maccarinelli and Joe Calzaghe.


Fowler makes the step up to the professional scene after a strong amateur career, highlighted by his victory in the crusierweight division in the 2009 amateur boxing championships. After winning the title, Fowler took almost a year and half out after suffering a shoulder injury after being involved in a car crash.

Reece will make the step down to super middleweight when he turns professional in January.
 On the issue, Mr Fowler said: “Before I suffered my injury I was on the cusp of signing pro with Hatton promotions, but with the length of time I was out I felt I needed to prove to myself and everyone else that I still had what it takes, I got back in training and was feeling sharp and personally felt I would of won last year’s ABAs again if I wasn't eliminated.”

Fowler was thrown out of the 2011 competition at the quarter final stage after his next opponent informed the committee that Fowler had already competed in the ABAs before at a different weight class, leading to him getting disqualified.

His new trainer Karl Ince had this to say, “Reece has got the potential to be a very good boxer, the middleweight class suits him down to a tee. We are already looking at getting his first fight sorted before the summer. 2013 is going to be a big year for Reece Fowler.” The full interview with Karl can be heard below.



Fowler had many highlights from his amateur career and actually holds the British record for the fastest knock out in amateur boxing. He has also held the Northwest and Midlands title on two occasions. It looks like being a bright future for Reece if he can repeat the success he had in his amateur career to his professional.

 To check some of Reece's other achievements search the timeline below.

Reece's Amateur Career on Dipity.