Deborah is awarded a Helena Kennedy Award

York College A Level student, Deborah Taylor, has been awarded a Helena Kennedy Foundation bursary worth £1,500 and a laptop towards her university education. Each year the Helena Kennedy Foundation invites Further Education establishments to nominate students to receive bursaries to support their progression to Higher Education.

Nineteen year old Deborah, a single mum and former pupil of Barlby High School, has studied A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Religious Studies at York College, her daughter also attended the college’s Day Nursery. Deborah is now continuing her education at Edgehill University in Liverpool to study for a degree in Science Keystage 2 & 3, she hopes to become a primary school teacher.

Deborah says: "I am so pleased to receive this bursary it will make a big difference to my life at university. I always wanted to be a teacher and when I was given the opportunity to do a work placement at the York College Day Nursery I realised that I definitely wanted to aim towards studying for teaching degree. I am looking forward to living in Liverpool with my little girl and studying at the university there."

Jules Dymond, the Welfare and Funding Advisor at York College, supported Deborah in her application for the Helena Kennedy Award. She says: "Deborah has worked really hard at college despite having setbacks. She is totally deserving of this award and I wish her well as she progresses into Higher Education. As a college, we nominated four students for a Helena Kennedy Foundation bursary and the other three students have also been awarded laptops.”

Jules will accompany Deborah to the House of Commons for the official awards ceremony in October.

Press Release: 24/08/09