Soap stars swap Albert Square for Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College
Students from the Supported Learning area of Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College recently attended an awards ceremony in recognition of their achievements and were treated to a star-studded day with actors from BBC soap Eastenders.
Cliff Parisi (aka Minty) and Ricky Groves (who plays Garry the mechanic) left Albert Square for the day and presented certificates of achievement to students with a range of disabilities from Acton, Hammersmith, Southall and numerous community locations across London.
Congratulating them on their efforts, Cliff in the soap said, “It is wonderful to see so many people achieving so much. Thank you for making us so welcome today and good luck in all you do.”
Over 380 students aged between 16 - 90 years old with severe, moderate and profound learning disabilities, autism, Asperger Syndrome, challenging behaviour, mental health issues and physical disabilities received certificates of achievement for a variety of accredited qualifications gained at the College. The tailored learning programmes focus on employability and are designed to help students increase their confidence and develop day-to-day living and social skills.
The Supported Learning division at the College also uses an innovative initiative designed to send tutors out into the community and take the classroom to the students, enabling them to better meet the students’ often diverse and complicated needs.
Nicola Fung, Student from Supported Learning Division, said: “I really enjoyed coming to college, it has helped me to move on and develop. I would like to thank my tutors in the gatehouse for their support.”
Sue Slynn, Division Manager for Supported Learning, said: “This is one of the most important days of the year for our division, when we can all come together to celebrate the immense achievements of our learners. I would like to thank all my staff for their tremendous efforts throughout the year and a special thank you to our celebrity guests for making it an extra special day. “
July 24, 2007