Best and brightest recognised at college awards ceremony

Hopwood Hall College’s 2019 Further Education Awards ceremony

Hopwood Hall College’s 2019 Further Education Awards ceremony proved the next generation is brimming with local talent as the college recognised its hardest workers and best achievers.

The main student awards of Silver and Gold Star of the Year Awards were won by IT student, Chloe Walsh and Creative Media student Katrina Walmsley. On becoming the student Star of the Year, Katrina said: “When I started my course I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to do, but with the guidance of my lecturers I’ll now be going to study film at De Montfort University in Leicester to hopefully work in the film industry.

“From studying at Hopwood Hall College I have become a lot more vocal, confident and I have grown so much. I’ll be leaving with one of the best educations I could possibly have had and will continue to prove I can do more than what I originally thought I could and show others this too.”

For the best of the best students and staff, there were also the special awards:

• Emerson Trust Award first and second – won by Hair & Beauty student Karen Rowe with Performing Arts student, Alex Smith, coming second
• Lesley Hawkins Skills for Life Students of the Year – Raymond Tomlinson
• Team of the Year Award as voted by staff – Skills for Life
• Charity Fundraiser of the Year – HR Team
• Unsung Hero Award – Facilities Operative, Steven Smith
• Staff Member of the Year (voted by students) – Health & Social Care Lecturer, Nicola Kelly
• Staff Member of the Year (voted by staff) – Facilities Assistant, Emma Robinson
• Leaner Voice Award – Early Years student, Connor Keatley
• Queen Elizabeth Foundation Awards – Alex Smith, Connor Jones, Bailey Pearson, Steven Alinson, Adam Dalzarus, Jack Dalloway, Jordan Bond, Adam Bamford, Rachel Frost and Olivia Dean

Awards were presented by Chair of the Corporation, Nazir Afzal OBE and Principal & CEO, Julia Heap, to the two students with the highest achievement and best progress in each level of the college’s 38 course areas and apprentice levels.

Some of the best moments for attending 200+ guests revolved around the eye-opening stories behind some of the award winners, many of whom had overcome considerable adversity to reach their achievements.

The night also saw MID Communications CEO, Danny Simpson, inspire students with his journey from Matthew Moss High School student to successful entrepreneur, whilst 15-year-old Polly Foxcroft blew the audience away with her rendition of the ‘A Star is Born’ soundtrack.