Adventurer and author Anna McNuff joined some of Uxbridge College’s most inspiring students and employer partners to celebrate their achievements at an awards night recognising their success.
Anna, whose incredible endurance feats include cycling through every state in the USA and running 3,000 miles from one end of New Zealand to the other, is also the author of ‘The Pants of Perspective’ about her 148-day kiwi trip. As well as presenting the awards, Anna talked about her life and adventures - and shocked everyone by ripping off her baggy walking trousers mid-sentence to reveal the authorial ‘pants’ - a pair of lurid Spandex leggings decorated with rainbows, a unicorn and a wolf!
Students and employers who work with Uxbridge College received their awards from Anna and had their photos taken with her. The overall winner, who took away the Super Star prize, was Travel & Tourism student Chelsia Afonso. Chelsia (19), has gone from strength to strength, excelling in her studies, volunteering, and being chosen as a British Airways Inspire Student Ambassador, which as part of the role saw her as one of the passengers on an all-female flight with Carol Vorderman to commemorate International Women’s Day. Chelsia started at College on a Level 2 City & Guilds Cabin Crew course, going on to complete the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Travel & Tourism, which enabled her to gain a place at the University of West London on the BA (Hons) Airline and Airport Management. She also won a Jack Petchey Award, including for volunteering at Open Days and Parents’ Evenings, and was chosen for a Highly Commended Award in the national BTEC awards.
Principal of Uxbridge College, Laraine Smith OBE, said: “I would like to say a huge congratulations to all our student and employer winners at this year’s awards - as well as a really big thank you to Anna McNuff for making the evening so special. Whilst our awards are partly about some of the more apparent forms of success such as excellent grades and high pass rates, what really shines out among our winners is what they achieve as individuals during their time at college - be it through the challenges they overcome, the journeys they go on, or the people they turn into as they take up opportunities in and outside the classroom to fulfill their potential. I’m extremely proud to be at the helm of such a fantastic organisation that continues to make this possible for young people and adults year on year.”
The event, held at The Beck Theatre in Hayes, recognised winners from across the College’s academic and vocational programmes - including GCSEs, A Levels, BTEC qualifications, Apprenticeships and HNDs - and from among the 1,000 employers the College works with.
Star and Special Award winners were:
6th FORM CENTRE
Star Award (Sponsored by intu Uxbridge): Lul Aklilu
The Gavin Taylor Bursary Award: Nadeem Moledina
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Star Award (Sponsored by M4Money Credit Union): Jenika Ranmal
Higher Education Award: Casilyn Magabulo
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Star Award: Shkelzen Prelezi
Higher Education Award: Khaled Gholami
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING (Mechanical & Electronics)
Star Award: Joshua Teixeira
Higher Education Award: Neesha Paul
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING (Technology & Innovation)
Star Award (Sponsored by John Guest Ltd): Cameron Lynam
SCHOOL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING, LEARNING SUPPORT & FOUNDATION STUDIES
Star Award: Sayed Awlia Sediqee
SCHOOL OF HAIR, BEAUTY, HOSPITALITY, EARLY YEARS AND PERFORMING ARTS
Star Award for Hair, Beauty, Hospitality & Early Years (Sponsored by Dennis Williams Ltd): Sadie Loveridge
Star Award for Performing Arts: Demi Humphrey
The Comfort Simoyan Award (Sponsored by Dennis Williams Ltd): Narges Aslami
SCHOOL OF HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE & CREATIVE ARTS
Health & Social Care Star Award: Aiasha Mohamed
Creative Arts Star Award & Ian Hebditch Award: Ruby Khan
SCHOOL OF SPORT, TRAVEL AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Super Star Award (Sponsored by Lloyds Banks, Commercial) and Sport, Travel & Public Services Star Award: Chelsia Afonso
Higher Education Award: Connor Murphy
David Keating Memorial Award: Wiktoria Szewczyk
EMPLOYERS AND APPRENTICES
Intermediate Apprentice Award (Sponsored by the Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce): Kyle Matson
Advanced Apprentice Award (Sponsored by the Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce): Kimberley Way
Apprentice Employer Award: Chalfont Electrical Services Ltd
Work Experience Employer Award: Triangle Site Project Team, Galliford Try Building - London & South East Commercial