A Royal Marine who lost his leg helping a crashed motorist on the M3 visited Weston College to give an inspirational speech to sports and public services students.

Lee Spencer, 47, came across the car accident and began helping the injured driver and passengers using first aid training he had learned during his 24 years in the army.

Suddenly, another car crashed into the vehicle, sending the car’s engine and gearbox flying across the motorway lanes towards him. The impact severed his right leg and dislocated his left.

He used the training he learned as a Royal Marine to instruct a bystander to tie a tourniquet around his wounded leg and got the bystander’s daughter to stop the bleeding by standing on his femoral artery.

He told the students about the impact the accident had on his life, and how he was inspired to help change other people’s lives by raising money through a variety of sponsored walks, marathons and even rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

He gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records for being part of the first disabled crew to sail the Atlantic raising awareness for Row2Recovery.

Rebecca Ranson, Weston College Section Area Manager for Sports and Public Services, said: “This was a fantastic and inspiring opportunity for the students to find out about life in the army, how to act in an emergency situation, and how the training they're undertaking can help in real-life scenarios.”

Weston College has set an ambitious target of achieving 200 apprenticeship pledges in just 100 days.

Following the success of the previous 100 in 100 campaign, the College has decided to raise the bar, by matching 200 passionate apprentices with great local employers in just 100 days.

The campaign itself will be starting on January 22nd, and will run through until June 8th. Throughout the campaign the College will be updating their progress via social media, using the hashtag #200in100 on Twitter.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “One of the most effective ways of bringing a new generation of employees to your company is through apprenticeships. Apprenticeships have expanded over the years, and we have seen the growth in popularity of our Degree Apprenticeships, giving organisations a hands on approach in the development of the student, to meet their business needs.

“Weston College is excited to be launching this campaign to create 200 apprenticeships in 100 days. With the support of existing and new employer partners from across the region, we look forward to supplying more opportunities to our students in the year ahead.

“We’re appealing to organisations across the region to pledge and support this exciting mission to create 200 local jobs.”

The businesses that pledge will have their logos featured in the dedicated ‘200 in 100’ section of the website, be featured predominantly in the social media campaign and have other publicity through press releases and video. 

Weston College has received the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Beacon Award for Students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities at an event at The Grove Restaurant at Weston College’s Knightstone Campus.

The award recognises the College’s specialist provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities, particularly Weston Bay – the College’s autism spectrum residential training centre. Judges found that the College actively develops and promotes exemplary teaching and learning which benefits its students and sets an example for other colleges across the country to follow.

This year the AoC received 120 submissions from 100 colleges from across the UK.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, said: “This award recognises an area of Weston College provision that has a tangible effect on its learners, enabling them to progress beyond their own expectations. 

“Nationally, only 24% of autistic people are in employment, whereas 100% of the students who study in Weston Bay progress into further study, university, independent living or paid work.”

The award follows investment in the College’s inclusive practice provision over recent years under the direction of Dr Phillips CBE. The Weston Bay facility was the first of its kind in the UK to be opened by a further education college, and its success has led Dr Phillips to work with colleges across the country and internationally to replicate its provision.

Ian Munro, Area Director (South West) for the AoC presented the award at the event and informed the gathering of some of the assessor’s comments. He said: “The winning submission demonstrated outstanding strategic planning for the provision, led by senior management and the governing body and developed over several years. 

“The programme also included a seamless dual approach to teaching and learning; strong professional development and training, with certification at degree and Master’s level, for staff; high quality residential training provision; outstanding success rates.

“All the Beacon criteria were met and many exceeded in this project; and verified through the independent assessors visit to the College.”