Huckerby Makes it an Extra Special Celebration
Norwich City legend Darren Huckerby was the guest of honour at the End of Year Celebration for the School of Foundation Studies, helping to make this year’s celebration of student achievement extra special.
The event at Chapelfield Methodist Church on Friday 9th July saw 270 students presented with certificates by Darren Huckerby to mark their successes over the last year. The awards mark students’ attendance and completion of their courses, as well as their achievements in extra-curricular activities.
The celebration event included performances by students featuring drumming, guitar, euphonium and a sing-along to the Lion Sleeps Tonight, with Darren Huckerby joining in alongside the Futures IC students. As well as providing the entertainment, students also ensured that guests were well catered for with the Progression Hospitality group providing food at the event.
Rob Bates, Acting Head of the School of Foundation Studies said: "This has been the best ever Foundation Studies Celebration Event, providing a fitting end to tremendous year of student achievement and progress. I would like to thank Darren Huckerby for coming along to join our celebration. Darren was brilliant as the guest of honour and his involvement helped to make the event even more special for our students and staff.”
The year has been packed with achievements for the School of Foundation Studies, which caters for students with few previous qualifications from school and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Most notably, the RUGRoom, the dedicated social and study space for students with Asperger’s Syndrome and other autistic spectrum disorders, was honoured in February with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.
Other highlights have included: the first cohort of students to compete the ground-breaking Project Search initiative which provides employment opportunities for students with learning difficulties; participating in the first of this summer’s Bishop’s Garden Open Days; the Learning Difficulties football team competing in the British Colleges Union National Championships; a graffiti jam at the college open days in April; a successful art and crafts sale in the Castle Mall; and Progressions Horticulture students winning the Silver Gilt medal at the Norfolk Show.
Dick Palmer, Principal, City College Norwich said: “All of the students have something to celebrate and many have made really significant strides in their development over the past year. It has been a year of exceptional achievement for our School of Foundation Studies as a whole, culminating in the honour of receiving a Queen’s Anniversary Prize. I would like to congratulate all of the students on their individual achievements this year, as well as the highly dedicated team of staff who have done so much to support this success”.
Darren Greenough, 19, who gave a drumming performance at the event said: “It was a bit nerve-wracking performing in front of 200 people. It was good to meet Darren Huckerby. He is a really nice chap and he said my drumming was wicked!”
Anna Harmes, 20, who will be progressing next year on to an Outdoor Adventure course at the college said: “The performances were really good. I am a Norwich City supporter and a big Darren Huckerby fan and it was great to see him at the awards and to get his autograph.”
Phoenix Purple student Rob Freeman, 19, said: “It was really good receiving an award from Darren Huckerby, as I have never seen anyone famous before.”
Progressions Horticulture student Sarah Zima, 19, said: “The awards were really nice. I enjoyed all the music and the performances and it was really nice to meet Darren Huckerby.”
Perry Wilson, 20, said: “The Foundation Studies staff are all really lovely and everyone at the awards was really nice. I felt really pleased getting my certificate and really enjoyed meeting Darren Huckerby.”