Brockenhurst College’s annual Gala Awards evening held on Friday 18th September celebrated the success of its students, who received awards for an array of achievements including: Science and Maths, Practical Learning, Apprenticeships, Computer Science, Public Services, Sports and Performing Arts. A number of memorial awards were also presented to students who had achieved exceptional outcomes through hard work, dedication and commitment.
Many of the awards were sponsored by local and national companies that work with the College to offer work placements, training opportunities or other aspects of students’ learning. Representatives from the sponsors included McCarthy & Stone, Colten Care, Portal, Travis Perkins, Echo Pilot Marine Electronics, Professor David Roberts, Chewton Glen, Geo Specialty Chemicals, Doughty Engineering, Norco GRP Ltd, The Collective Group and PTF Engineering.
David Yates, Chair of Governors of the College, said: “It was a privilege once again to join the staff and students of Brockenhurst College as they celebrate their tremendous achievements. We continue to strive for excellence in all we do here and these awards are confirmation of our continued success. I join Di in congratulating these students and thank them for the contribution they have made to the College; I wish them every success for their future studies and careers.”
Mark Northey, Director of Norco GRP Ltd, commented: “We are pleased once again to be involved with Brockenhurst College and these awards, which recognise the hard work the students have put into their education.”
Ian Payne, who won the award of Student of the Year, commented: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Brock and feel very humbled by the award of Student of the Year. I thank everyone at Brock for all their support and will always be grateful of that and of the friendships I have found there. It has been a fantastic preparation for university.”
PTF Engineering, which works closely with the College encouraging young engineers into the work place by supporting the work experience programme, was also named Employer of the Year at the event.
Andy Thornton, Operations and Admin Manager at PTF, noted: “We welcome every opportunity to encourage talented youngsters to join our industry and are delighted to be working with Brockenhurst College on a programme of student placements which provides a real taste of how rewarding a career in engineering can be.”
Brockenhurst College Principal, Di Roberts CBE, commented: “This Gala Dinner celebrates the success of students who have achieved so much in their time at Brock; the awards reflect our diverse curriculum and community of learners. Their success gives me immense pride in our teaching and support staff, whose dedication makes this College so unique. I would like to thank the parents, families and others who have supported students in their studies and encouraged them to achieve their goals. I congratulate all our students on their achievements to date and I look forward to following their continued success as they progress to higher education and employment; I know that they will make a real contribution to our society and become outstanding ambassadors for the College.”