Seven students from across Merseyside have received awards in recognition of their outstanding voluntary activities and community support.
The students were presented with trophies and certificates at the Further Education and Sixth-Form Colleges Citizenship Awards held by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).
Sponsored by the Merseyside Colleges Association and O2, the awards recognise the achievements of college students who offer their own time to become caring, compassionate and tolerant individuals who have a real sense of civic responsibility.
Each college has the opportunity to nominate a student to attend the awards ceremony and receive an award in recognition of their achievements. Students from King George V College, Knowsley Community College, Liverpool Community College, Riverside College, St Helens College, Southport College and Wirral Metropolitan College were all selected as Citizenship Award winners for 2008 and were presented with their bronze award – enscribed with the words ‘Men and Women for Others’ – at a ceremony in the Roscoe Room on Rodney Street by Lord Alton, Director of the Foundation for Citizenship, and Professor Michael Brown, Vice Chancellor of LJMU.
Lord Alton explained that, now in its tenth year, the awards: “Promote the good news stories on Merseyside and highlight the incredible voluntary work, leadership and generosity of young students.”
He added: “ Albert Einstein once said that we are most at risk from good people who do nothing. With the extraordinary selflessness and huge amount of altruism shown by the young people whose achievements we are recognising today, we have little to fear.”
The students who received awards were nominated by their college for a range of heart-warming actions. Jenna Higginson, from Birknehead, a BTEC National Health and Social Care Student at Wirral Metropolitan College, is a keen community worker who is one of three Young Advisers attached to the “Community and Local Government Scheme” and is a member of the consultancy scheme looking at what improvements young people want in the Rock Ferry and Tranmere Alliance areas.
The awards form part of the Liverpool John Moores University Roscoe Foundation for Citizenship, which involves more than 1,000 schools across the North West. The College is very proud of Jenna’s achievements and are pleased that her valuable contribution to the community has been recognised.
Pictured From Left to Right: Professor the Lord Alton of Liverpool; Director of the Foundation for Citizenship at Liverpool John Moores University, Jenna Higginson, Professor Michael Brown; Vice Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.
For further information contact Barbara Mace, Manager of the Foundation for Citizenship at Liverpool John Moores University, on 0151 231 3852, or Andrew Molyneux, Coordinator of the Merseyside Colleges Association, on 0151 252 3071.