Lion Award Winners 2006

Stephen Schofield

Stephen is the Community Supporter Lion Award winner in 2006. He is a lecturer/trainer medallist, who has taught painting and decorative techniques for 28 years. He has been teaching at Coleg Gwent since 1984, and encourages new knowledge, experience and training within his local community. He has sought help from outside agencies, such as the Rotary Club of Carleon, to help celebrate student successes. Stephen took voluntary redundancy in 2005, and now works as a self-employed decorator.

Hazel Foreman

Hazel is the Creative Craftsperson Lion Award winner in 2006. She was awarded a Medal for Excellence for her work in Level 2 Certificate in Design and Craft - Conservation and Restoration. She previously did a three year degree in Conservation and Restoration of Historic Objects. Just before graduating she got a job working in the conservation department at Hampton Court Palace. She moved to English Heritage in 2005 and also works as a conservator in the South East.

Andrew Thomas

Andrew is the Lifelong Learner Lion Award winner in 2006. He was awarded his Medal for Excellence for his achievement in his Level 4 Certificate of Further Education Teaching - Stage One. He has been involved in Basic Skills teaching for the past 11 years. In the early 1980s Andrew began to take evening classes and a list of GCSEs, qualifications, a diploma, and masters have followed. He intends to continue to up-grade and up-skill in the future, and to encourage his learners to also. In his own words, 'learning is indeed lifelong'.

Steve Bacon

Steve is the Innovator Lion Award winner in 2006. He is a lecturer/trainer medallist, having taught catering and hospitality courses for the past 22 years. He has been instrumental in designing and re-designing courses to improve the delivery and to stimulate his learners. Steve always finds new ways to promote his sector within the community, such as contributing to press and radio with articles and appearances. He works on many local initiatives, such as working with young unemployed people.

Karley Brown

Karley is the Employee Learner Lion Award winner in 2006. She was awarded her Medal for Excellence for her Level 2 NVQ in Leathergoods. Aged 18, she is the youngest Lion Award winner in 2006. Since the age of seven, Karley has always been keen to work as a saddler. She has achieved a great deal of success in her apprenticeship to date, and has shown much talent for the trade. She has won many prizes and trophies for her work, including the runner-up LSC Apprentice of the Year Award in 2005. 

Suhail Pasta

Suhail is the FE learner Lion Award winner in 2006. He was awarded his Medal for Excellence for his work in his Level 3 Advanced Diploma for IT Users e-Quals. Suhail has overcome many obstacles in his pursuit to gain further knowledge and skills, and has achieved distinctions in all levels of IT so far. He is an overseas student from Kenya, having arrived in the UK in 2003. Suhail has now gone on to study a business course at Leicester College. In the words of his nomiantor, 'he is one of the most dedicated lifelong learners I have come across in Further Education'.

Chris Taylor

Chris is the Outstanding Achiever Lion Award winner in 2006. He was awarded his Medal for Excellence for his ILM Level 3 Introductory Certificate in First Line Management. For 18 years Chris worked as a street cleansing operative for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council. Two and a half years ago he received a promotion and the opportunity to take a qualification. He threw himself into the work and managed to complete two qualifications within a year. Since then he has encouraged many of his peers to take the same training, and he has been instrumental in making his depot a 'buzzing learning organisation'.