Former students receive bursaries

Grant and Samantha receiving their awards from Henry West MBE with principal Derek O’Toole and Yvonne Farrand

Two former students of Hopwood Hall College have been awarded bursaries by the Queen Elizabeth Foundation Trust.

Samantha Booth and Grant Fitton both received an engraved plaque, certificate and a cheque at a ceremony at the College by Henry West MBE, a trustee of the Queen Elizabeth Foundation.

The Queen Elizabeth Foundation, whose headquarters are based in the Old Grammar School Middleton, took the decision 3 years ago to award bursaries to acknowledge distance travelled and the academic achievement of Middleton residents, to support them with the high cost of university study. The trust asked the College to nominate two students to receive this year’s awards.

The ceremony was attended by the students and their families, Derek O’Toole, Principal of Hopwood Hall College and Yvonne Farrand, Team Leader for Learner Services who represents the College on the Trust board.

The students were nominated for the award by Hopwood Hall College in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements at the College and to acknowledge their progression to Higher Education.

Grant has lived in Middleton from the age of 4 and went to Middleton Technology School before moving to Hopwood Hall College to study Music at the Rochdale Campus. Now studying for a BA Hons in Music at Huddersfield University, Grant said he had really good teachers at Hopwood Hall College. He explained that his course at the College had allowed him to explore different musical options which he has found really useful at university.

Grant was surprised and happy when heard about the bursary and is now planning to use the award to help with the cost of university. Grant is the first in his family to have gone to university. After he leaves university, Grant wants to work in a recording studio.

Samantha, formerly a pupil of Cardinal Langley School, studied a BTEC National Certificate in Sport combined with the Football Academy at Hopwood Hall College.

She said her college course gave her a great grounding in Sport to build on at university. She is now studying a double degree in Childhood and Youth Studies with Sport at Manchester Metropolitan University Cheshire. Her Mum said she has thrown herself into University life continuing her passion for football by joining the University women’s team as a striker, the same position she played at Hopwood. After completion of her studies, she hopes to work as a coach in sport clubs analysing performance and coaching techniques.