The Bedford College Group Achievement Awards Celebration emerged more powerfully than ever before from the challenging Covid timeline of 2020/21.
Online, but with a wider reach than ever before, the ceremony on Thursday, November 18, marked the successes in adversity of students and staff. For the first time the Group gave awards highlighting the commitment of companies to training tomorrow’s employees.
Ian Pryce CBE, long standing CEO of the Group, which was voted the FE College of the Year in 2020, said: “At The Bedford College Group we have always seen our job as helping people develop into resilient citizens who are able to navigate their way in the world. That journey is never easy, nothing worthwhile ever is.”
Allan Schofield, Chair of the Corporation added: “We are investing heavily and this year sees the Corporation agreeing an ambitious new strategic plan to take us towards 2030.”
Winners announced on the evening:
Outstanding Student of the Year: Katie Moreland also celebrated being as Apprentice of the Year. Katie overcame dyslexia to achieve Distinctions as a Business Administrator Apprentice at Kettering General Hospital.
Joshua Crook was announced as FE Student of the Year. A performing arts students at Tresham College who not only excelled but supported his peers across the department.
Molly Kirton is the Higher Education Student of the Year, from among a wide range of degree-level learning candidates. At the South Bank Arts Centre at Bedford College, Molly studied Graphic Design.
Jonathan Entwistle shared the Student Participation Award for his work with the Students’ Union and has been an active member of the Q Agenda.
Megan Winham jointly won the Student Participation Award for her work with the SU at Tresham College.
The first employer awards by the Group were won by:
Kettering General Hospital as Workplace Placement Provider of the Year
Leibherr as Apprenticeship Provider
Anyvan UK for Employer Engagement.
The Elizabeth Nash Unsung Hero Employee Award went to Amy Cleary, Senior Customer Contact Manager whose team dealt with 1,000s of calls and inquiries from lockdown in March 2020 onwards.
The first Bedford College was established in 1882 and in 1976 the Bedford College of Higher Education was created through a merger of three colleges. In 1992 the “Mander” site in Cauldwell Street achieved independent status from local authorities and was rebranded as Bedford College.
In 2009 Shuttleworth College became part of Bedford College and in 2017 it merged with Tresham College in Northants to create The Bedford College Group.
www.bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk