Gemma wins 2006 Childer Award

Date article online: 12/06/2006

This year, the Rochdale Childer Award was presented to first year BTEC First Diploma Sport student Gemma Williams. Mrs Maureen Cooper MBE, Chairman of Rochdale Childer and Margaret Kingsford, Director of Teaching and Learning at Hopwood Hall presented Gemma with her award.

Gemma, who lives in Castleton, has an unusual learning style that involves reading and writing text upside down. Gemma started her course at Hopwood Hall learning in this way, until her style of reading was identified by the Hopwood Learning Support Team as a form of dyslexia. Now receiving support at college, she is able to read the "correct’ way up with the use of orange paper, after years of using her previous style. Despite having severe asthma, Gemma regularly represents the college in the hockey team and enjoys judo; not letting any difficulties get in the way of succeeding at college. Tomorrow (13/06/06) Gemma and her family attend a ceremony at the Town Hall where she will be presented with her winner’s medal.

Gemma was nominated for the award by her tutor Sam Green who commented; "Gemma’s overall attitude towards college life and her studies has been exceptional and she is a fine example to other students. Every piece of work she has completed this year has earned her distinctions. She really is an exceptional student and thoroughly deserves to win this award."

The Childer Award scheme was inspired by a legacy left to local children’s charity Rochdale Childer, by Miss Deval, a teacher who during the Second World War accompanied children evacuated from the Channel Islands. She taught her pupils in Rochdale and when they returned home, Miss Deval decided to remain in Rochdale.

Sponsored by the University of Salford, the Childer trophy is annually awarded to one student in the college and also one pupil in each school in the borough, who are individually sponsored by other organisations or individuals. Designed by a Hopwood Art and Design student, the trophy is given to the most deserving student in the college or school.