<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">On Thursday 29th February, Weston College celebrated the incredible achievements of over 40 students at its annual Celebration of Success event. The event hosted at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, recognised the dedication and outstanding achievements of students from all ages and disciplines.&nbsp;</p><p>The students were nominated by college staff and winners were selected by the College's Principal and Assistant Principals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Weston College teaches over 30,000 students a year across all levels from school leavers and a diverse range of courses for adults to re-train and upskill.&nbsp;</p><p>As part of the evening, guests were treated to a delicious 3 course meal, made by the College’s Hospitality and Catering students as well as performances from University Centre Weston’s (UCW) BA (Hons) Musical Theatre students.&nbsp;</p><p>With the prestigious ceremony underway, one-by-one, the winning students were announced and took to the stage with a resounding applause from family, friends, and special guests. They were presented with their award by Chair of Governors, Andrew Leighton-Price.&nbsp;</p><p>With thanks to our sponsors <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://hpsbristol.com/"><u>Honeyfield Property Services</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://parksidehousestudents.com/"><u>DPL Partnership</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.cjhole.co.uk/estate-agents-and-letting-agents/branch/weston… Hole</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://mindful-education.co.uk/"><u>Mindful Education</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.pace-agency.co.uk/"><u>Pace Agency</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.image-sign.co.uk/"><u>Image Sign</u></a>, <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.skylightproperty.com/"><u>Skylight Property</u></a> and <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.chillicharity.org.uk/"><u>Uncle Paul’s Chilli Farm.</u></a>&nbsp;</p><p>As the main event sponsor Honeyfield Property Services’ Director, Jon Patch presented certificates to our Principal Gold Award Winners for Under 19 and Adult Student of the Year, to Baylee Burrows and Bosang Humphrey.&nbsp;</p><p>Access to HE Student of the Year and Adult Student of the Year, Bosang Humphrey commented:&nbsp;</p><p><em>"Winning this award is like a motivation, life is full of challenges and when you put in that effort and your effort is recognised, that's like a stepping stone and you realise yes I can do this. Just think about if somebody else can do it, then I can also do it. When you change one life, many lives are changed as a result, so I really appreciate this award”</em>&nbsp;</p><p>The evening continued with several awards to recognise the teams of Business learners that took part in the Weston Hospicecare Business Enterprise Challenge. &nbsp;</p><p>This challenge saw local business mentors advising and investing in the young entrepreneurs to set up their own business ventures and to generate profits that were donated to Weston Hospicecare. The College presented Weston Hospicecare with a cheque for an amazing <strong>£ 6771.75, </strong>all of which was raised by the learners during this incredible challenge.&nbsp;</p><p>As well as recognising students, six members of staff also picked up an award for their exceptional service through the Tony Suner and Heather Wood Memorial Awards. The recipients of these awards have collectively dedicated over 180 years of service to the College, embodying the spirit of commitment and making a lasting difference to the students and their colleagues that they have helped along the way.&nbsp;</p><p>Weston College’s Interim Principal, Jacqui Ford commented:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><em>“Tonight, we gather to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our learners and the invaluable support they have received along their journey. Out of a cohort of 30,000 learners, reaching this stage is truly an impressive accomplishment.&nbsp;</em>&nbsp;</p><p><em>“The exceptional talent of our governors and staff, combined with the outstanding abilities of our learners, collectively radiates brilliance. Personally, witnessing the remarkable skills of both learners and staff fills me with immense pride, not only for their individual successes but also for the dynamic spirit of entrepreneurship embodied by every member across our organisation."</em>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>A massive congratulations to all our winners! Take a look at our 2024 winners </strong><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/cos-hall-of-fame-24"><strong>here&nbsp;</stron…;

<p>Weston College Automotive students received a generous donation from Avon &amp; Somerset Police this week when they contributed three Vauxhall car engines. The donated engines are set to enhance the hands-on learning experience for our automotive students, providing them with valuable opportunities for skill development and practical application.</p><p>As the engines had reached the end of their fleet life, rather than allowing them to go to waste, Avon &amp; Somerset Police decided to donate them to the education of our future automotive professionals.</p><p>The hands-on aspect of our Automotive courses is fundamental to developing well-rounded and skilled automotive professionals. With the addition of these engines, students will have a further opportunity to work with real-world equipment, gaining practical knowledge that goes beyond traditional classroom learning. The engines will be integrated into the curriculum, allowing students to apply theoretical concepts to actual engine repairs and maintenance tasks.</p><p>A massive thank you goes to Avon &amp; Somerset Police for their thoughtful contribution, which will undoubtedly have an impact on the education and future careers of our Automotive students.</p><p>As we celebrate this contribution, we also extend an invitation to other potential donors or supporters who may wish to contribute in similar ways. Whether it be spare parts, equipment, or industry expertise, we welcome partnerships that enrich the educational experience of our students and prepare them for successful careers. For any enquiries regarding donations or partnerships, please contact Louise Greene at louise.greene@weston.ac.uk</p><p>For those interested in exploring Automotive courses at Weston College, please visit <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/motor… Vehicle | Weston College</a></p>

<p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Weston College was proud to welcome the mayor of Weston-super-Mare, councillor Ciarán Cronnelly last week for a talk about democracy and the role of local government.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Mayor Cronnelly was elected to both North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council in 2019, representing Winterstoke ward. In May of 2023 he was elected mayor. His background before taking up this position was in the charity and volunteering sector, spending his whole career in this area including working for Citizens Advice for a number of years. Mayor Cronnelly said: “This work and volunteering has given me the skills I have now”. &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">As a functional role, the mayor is the Chair of Weston Town Council. This means that they make sure that decisions are fair, and that everyone has had their voice heard. People on the council come from a wide range of backgrounds with a diverse range of views, making this incredibly important. &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The mayor also acts as a local and national representative for Weston. Mayor Cronnelly explained to students that he often meets with other mayors in the surrounding area, discussing how the surrounding towns can help each other. He also represents the views of residents by advocating for the Town Council nationally, even visiting Parliament to discuss Weston Town Council. &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The mayor also engages with the police and crime commissioner, as well as carrying out community visits and charity visits. He celebrates the important work that these people and organisations are doing and helps to promote their work to a wider audience. Each mayor chooses a charity for the year with Mayor Cronnelly choosing the Weston Foodbank. He has raised over £7000 since taking office! &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">One of the key reasons that the mayor visited Weston College was to discuss democracy with our learners. With a general election approaching this year, the mayor spoke about how important it is to register to vote. Although you can’t vote if you are under eighteen, you can register to vote from sixteen. &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">A way Mayor Cronnelly suggested to get involved with democracy at a college level as a student is to get involved with the </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/students/students-union"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Student Union</span></a><span style="font-size:inherit;">. This is a great way to get involved with decisions around college directly and make a difference! The mayor also encouraged students to contact their councillor, or their MP if they&nbsp;have a view on something and tell them this view. “You won’t be heard unless you do get involved.”&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">One of the reasons for the visit is to celebrate the AoC Colleges Week 2024. With a general election happening this year, this year’s Colleges Week has a focus on democracy and educating learners about the process and importance of getting involved with government at both a national and local level. &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Mayor Cronnelly was able to give us a strong insight into the workings of local government, as well as informing students on how they can get involved politics and influence change that they want to see from their leaders! &nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">A huge thanks to the Mayor of Weston, Ciarán Cronnelly for coming in!&nbsp;</span></p>