A COLLEGE has celebrated the achievements of its adult learners for the last time before staff and students move into a new building.

Bishop Auckland College held its annual adult learners' awards evening, which was attended by nominees, and their family and friends, on Thursday night.

The first phase of a £17.5m redevelopment opens at the start of the academic year in September, and the event was held in the college's new cafeteria.

Adult students from across the curriculum, from A-levels to foundation degrees, were nominated by their lecturers.

Guest speaker Linda Bailey, partnership director of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in County Durham, said: "I would like to acknowledge the commitment Bishop Auckland College has to adult learning and, on behalf of the LSC, congratulate all the nominees."

The winner of the outstanding adult learner individual award was engineering technology student Louise Finlay.

The 31-year-old from Barnard Castle, who is in the final year of a three-year part-time foundation degree, was chosen for the way she juggles her job at Filtronic, in Newton Aycliffe, and her studies.

Her lecturer, Barrie Morgan, said: "She has a demanding career in a high volume, high technical industry and manages to combine successfully the demands of a very busy work schedule, family life and an intense programme of academic study."

She could not collect the award because she was sitting her final examinations but her father, Bill, Johnson accepted it on her behalf.

The winner of the outstanding adult learner group award went to the Community Learning (Newton Aycliffe) counselling skills NCFE level three group.

The group consists of Carol Austin, Debbie Burdon, Emal Fenwick, Lee Hodson, Tom Malone, Barbara Meakin, Angela Nutter, Elaine O'Neill, Cathie Pickering, Carol Robertson, John Temperley and Tracey Wilson.

Lecturer Carole Briggs, who nominated them, said they were "a fabulous group of individuals" and praised their support for each other and sense of humour.

The regional National Institute of Adult Continuing Education learner award went to blind student James Welch, who studies at the college's Royal Corner Learning Centre, in Crook.

He rushed back from a national adult learner conference in London to receive his award.

Individual nominees:

Kathy Grabowski, Carol Morgan, John Tweddle, Claire Moderate, Jennifer Smith, Gwyneth Archer, Jane Condren, Marion Craggs, Nicola Louise Russ, Sarah-Jane Watson, Melanie Fullwood, Alison Gallimore, Carmen Moore, Jill Beasley, Johanna Clark, Louise Finlay, Michael Elphick, Margaret Holloway, Maria Tweddle, Silvia Derevjanikova, Marion Emmott, Christine Rycroft, Graham Calvert, Stuart Matthews.

Group nominees:

Assisting learning - foundation degree year one, business and management, catering and hospitality NVQ level one, community - Evenwood - Chill Out Group, Community Learning (Newton Aycliffe) counselling skills NCFE level three group, complementary therapies - foundation degree year two, hairdressing level two.