A COLLEGE principal who is retiring next year presided at one of her favourite events for the final time.

Joanna Tait led the celebrations of success at Bishop Auckland College’s Adult Learners’ Awards, where three women won the top individual prizes.

She said: To celebrate our adult learners’ achievements is a great pleasure for me as I know and empathise with their struggle to overcome lots of difficulties and problems to achieve. All adult learners deserve to be celebrated."

Community student Gwendoline Perkins, 51, from Crook, was named the outstanding adult learner of year.

She was nominated by Alan Skinner for constantly producing an excellent standard of work and, despite setbacks, always remaining positive and dedicated to her family and studies.

Doreen Robson, 45, from Willington, won the Andrew Pickard access to higher education award. She was nominated by Christine Hopper for showing dedication and commitment to her course.

The overall winner of the college’s 2009 higher education award was 33-year-old education and care student Samantha Hemingway, from Byers Green, who was nominated by Philip Marshall for her excellent module assessment and submissions.

The outstanding group were the women returners to work from Newton Aycliffe, Judith Abbott, Samantha Brown, Rachel Counsell, Caren Edmead, Ann Marie Francis, Rachael Hall, Maureen Johnson, Evelyn Letford, Louise Longstaff, Tracey McGowan, Seona Raamsalu, Lynn Richardson, Carol Rutherford and Katherine Saville.

Prizes were presented by Brian Allen, former chief executive of Sedgefield Borough Council, Sue Reece, from the University of Sunderland and Rachel Steel and James Pickard, the daughter and son of former assistant principal Andrew Pickard.