National Star

We wanted to share some more of the photos from our fantastic Leavers’ Ceremonies, which took place a few weeks ago during the last week of term.

The Leavers’ Ceremonies mark the incredible achievements students have made during their time at college. For some this is the ability to indicate a strong ‘yes’ or ‘no’, for others it’s developing key life skills such as being active community citizens, and for others it’s getting ready to enter the world of work.

Each student leaves with a record of their achievement and the knowledge they should be so proud of everything they have already, and will go onto achieve.

2024 Leavers, you are already missed but we can’t wait to see what you do next.

🌟Join us in celebrating a decade of National Star in Hereford! 🌟

Since our inception in 2014, demand for specialist education in Hereford has grown, leading us to opening the Eveson Centre in 2020 supporting up to 30 learners. In just four years the number of students has grown by 50%.

Due to our growth we have launched our latest ambitious extension appeal which will cost £685,000 to construct, and we need to raise £450,000 to make it possible. The two-storey extension will include:
➡️ Two new classrooms
➡️ Two additional personal care rooms
➡️ A multi-skills kitchen
➡️ Communal space

“Our growth shows the incredible need in Hereford. These new facilities will enable us to support more young people and be able to adapt to meet their needs. We passionately believe that the young people of Hereford are worth investing in, but we need your help to make that happen." Sasha Narey, Provision Manager, Hereford.

🔗 Donate today and let's build the future together! https://bit.ly/3yk6sMx

🌟 National Stars CPD team recently won the 'Talent, Training and Development' award at the C2S awards! 🌟 This is a testament to the continued hard work and dedication shown by our CPD team and all of the staff who make the most of this vital opportunity to expand their knowledge and grow their careers with us.

Our National Lead for Staff Professional Development, Dawn, shared her thoughts:
“Every training course and qualification that is offered by CPD has been created by National Star subject experts. We are so lucky to have such a wide range of in-house specialist who work with the CPD department to produce inspiring, innovative, and bespoke induction and enhancing courses to meet the training needs of over 105 departments.”

National Star prides itself on supporting staff to further educate themselves. Our workforce includes Facilitators who are now trained Physiotherapists, administrators who are now qualified Chefs, and staff who have recently completed their studies and are now a qualified nurse. 🌱 The opportunities to grow at National Star are never-ending, with our CPD team always happy to support you in whatever direction you decide to go.

“We run apprenticeship and diploma qualifications that staff can achieve to support their career at National Star. It is wonderful to see these staff develop skills and knowledge throughout the time we spend with them during their courses, many having the confidence for the first time to apply for that ‘next role up’ and often achieving it while they are still undertaking the course with us.” Charlotte, CPD Manager.

If you would like to join our team or register for job alerts, visit our website today https://www.nationalstar.org/careers-with-us/current-vacancies/

A parent has praised three National Star colleagues for going the extra mile to support her son, Mike, who lives in our long-term care at Christie, Bradbury Gardens. Mike's mum, Hayleigh, says Tyla, Ollie, and Olly have been incredible.

“I am overwhelmed by the level of care that Mike has been shown. Nothing is too much trouble for them, and Mike's wellbeing is central to all that they do,” says Hayleigh.

Ollie gives up his free time and works extra hours to ensure Mike feels safe and is relentless in ensuring Mike is treated with dignity and respect. Tyla supports both Mike and Hayleigh with compassion, and she personifies care to an exceptional level. Olly’s calm and assured presence makes “2 Ollie days” the best days ever!

Our CEO, Lynette Barrett, recently visited Christie to personally thank the team: “You are incredible ambassadors for National Star.”

Thank you, Tyla, Ollie, and Olly, for your dedication and exceptional care!

Read the full story: https://www.nationalstar.org/parent-praises-national-star-care-workers/

We are beyond excited to announce that our Welsh campus has been awarded the Torfaen County Borough Council Food4Growth grant of £5,000! 🌱✨ This grant will enable us to integrate sustainability into our students' education even more effectively.

"We work with young people to prepare them for adulthood, and this grant means we can provide greater learning experiences beyond the classroom," said our Curriculum Manager. "Despite requiring specialized support, our students have so much to contribute to the community." 🌟

We have fantastic plans to collaborate with local businesses to teach our students about growing their own food and sharing it within the community. These initiatives will positively impact both our students and the broader community. 🤝🥦

Stay tuned for regular updates starting in September as our students embark on their green journey! 🌿📆

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/24477963.torfaen-young-adults-disabilities-lead-sustainable-initiatives/

Students play their part in greening Torfaen with new grant Young adults with disabilities at a college are playing their part to make Torfaen more sustainable, thanks to a grant.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Exciting news! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Our very own Alice Connolly and David Richardson are gearing up for the Cheltenham Half Marathon on September 1st to raise funds for National Star! 🌟

They've been training hard and are ready to take on this challenge to support our incredible students and staff. 🙌

We need your support! Click the link ➡️ https://www.justgiving.com/page/alice-connolly-david-richardson1720770594716?newPage=true

Are you running in the Cheltenham Half Marathon? Join our fundraising team and get a National Star running bib for the day! 😄

Alice and David's Half Marathon for National Star Help Alice Connolly raise money to support National Star

Can you help us spread the word? 📢

We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help out at our Cirencester charity shop on Saturdays. Can you spare a few hours to make a difference?

Come and see us in store or visit our website, fill out out form and we will give you a call!
https://www.nationalstar.org/support-us/shop-with-us/

We’ve shared a lot about Shannon recently, especially during our latest appeal, and we’d like to highlight her incredible journey.

At just 11 years old, Shannon was hit by a car and left in a semi-coma. With no emotion or response, she was in a body brace, unable to move or speak, while medical professionals told her parents there was little chance of improvement.

Fast forward to July 2024, and Shannon is now an outspoken, cheeky young woman who communicates with the help of her AAC device—a tablet that vocalises her thoughts. During her leavers ceremony last week, she proudly shared her achievements and experiences with fellow students and the audience. True to her style, she concluded her speech with a cheeky “goodbye losers,” prompting a roar of laughter throughout the marquee! 😂🎉

We can’t wait to see what’s next for Shannon!🌟

Sadly, she is not alone; accidents like hers happen to many young people. We would greatly appreciate any donation towards our appeal to support more young people with disabilities in gaining control of their lives, just like Shannon.

https://www.nationalstar.org/support-us/appeals/shannons-story/

Thank you for your support! ❤️

As the term comes to a close, we want to extend a massive thank you to Christopher Mcewen for working with our students in Wales, Hereford, and Ullenwood. Chris has helped our learners build their confidence and improve their health and wellbeing throughout the year.

We appreciate all your hard work, Chris, and we're excited to see you again in September, bringing your amazing sessions to all our new and returning students across all campuses! 👏💪

Read more: https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/24443712.chris-mcewen-national-star-making-boxing-inclusive/

Great Britain Disability Boxing

Shoutout to our amazing learners at Hereford! They've been working hard in their citizenship sessions this term to plan and make wooden benches, which they generously donated to a local nursing home.

A massive thank you to Jewson Hereford for kindly donating the wood for this project. Our learners developed essential skills such as safety, tool usage, and functional skills. 🛠️

We are incredibly proud of our learners for their hard work and dedication. Well done! 👏

What an incredible, hot, and sunny day at our Ullenwood campus! We celebrated our leavers with three award ceremonies. 🎓

From gaining confidence and greater independence to developing communication skills and preparing for life after college, our leavers have achieved so much.

Thank you to everyone who attended and, most of all, thank you to our amazing leavers for sharing your journey with us. Make sure you keep in touch! 🌟

Today's the day for three Leavers' Ceremonies at Ullenwood! The sun is shining and the college is buzzing with excitement as we prepare to celebrate the students who have flourished during their time with us. 🌟

We had a glorious morning in the sunshine today celebrating our Leavers at National Star in Wales. ☀️

The Leavers Ceremonies are a highlight in the National Star calendar, and today was no exception.

They are, of course, bittersweet occasions too as we will miss all our 2024 Leavers. However, we are so proud of all the progress they have made during their time here.

It was wonderful to bring together students, families and staff today to celebrate their time here, and we can't wait to see what you do next!

We're so excited for today's Leavers' Ceremony at our college in Wales! It's time to celebrate and recognise the incredible achievements and accomplishments of our students during their time at National Star. 🌟

National Star student Dan had the opportunity to thank the person who has given him his own voice. Eli, a drama student, recorded more than 1,600 phrases so that Dan could have his own unique voice that represents where he comes from. Dan has promised Eli that he will use his voice for good and “always make my voice heard”.

Watch the moment Dan met Eli:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c8974yry2dwo

🎉🌟 What a fantastic morning we have had celebrating our Leavers at National Star in Hereford!

It is always such a joy to gather our wonderful students, along with their friends and family, to celebrate their achievements during their time at National Star.

This morning’s ceremony even included a hilarious sketch from Tom, Louis and Francis.

We wish all our Hereford Leavers all the very best for the future - you are all stars 🌟 Keep in touch!

Today is a very special day at our college in Hereford - we're holding our ceremony! We're excited to recognise everyone's incredible achievements and shine a light on how our leavers have developed during their time with National Star. 🌟

Despite today's very un-summery weather, we held our Summer Party event for staff and students! They enjoyed a BBQ, live music from Thrill Collins and Camilla Lewington Music, a disco, selfie station and more. Everyone had an amazing time as we celebrated their efforts as we approach the end of term. A huge thank you to the staff who worked really hard behind the scenes to organise the fun.

We’ve had a lovely few days at Ullenwood celebrating the leavers’ ball and the student reunion.

Students loved every minute of the leavers’ ball. Though live music isn’t for everyone so we also staged a quiet ball as well for students who struggle with crowds and noise.

More than 150 former students, their families and carers returned to National Star for our annual reunion. It was one of the biggest get-togethers in years and it was great to see people catching up. One parent said: “The reunion is our son’s highlight of the year.”

We love a good party!

🎉 We are thrilled to announce that National Star has won not one, but TWO awards at the Circle2Success Ltd Awards! 🏆✨ Our incredible CPD team took home the ‘Talent, Training and Development’ award, well done to the team members who were there on the night and rest of the team. In addition our inspiring CEO, Lynette Barrett, MBA, won the ‘Leadership’ award 🎉

We couldn't be prouder of our team's dedication and hard work.🌟 Read more about these achievements on our website! 👉https://www.nationalstar.org/sharing-knowledge/news/national-star-triumphs-at-circle2success-awards-2024/

We also wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate the other finalists within these categories: Adopstar Ltd, Amiosec, BPE Solicitors LLP, Caring for Communities and People, Laithwaites Wine, Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Zentano, Orchard Trust, Hewer Facilities Management and Elmrep - Copiers Printers Scanners.

A huge congratulations to our students and colleagues in Hereford who completed a static bike challenge this week to fundraise for new physio kit. One of our students has a real passion for cycling using the static bike and wanted to be able to cycle with his fellow students despite their respective disabilities.

Everyone showed great enthusiasm throughout the challenge and raised funds in the process. Well done, team!

What an amazing morning spent at our Sports Day in Wales!

We had an action-packed event featuring basketball, rope and bean bag throwing, the classic egg and spoon relay race, and so much more. Our learners showed incredible energy and enthusiasm throughout, trying their best in every event. Everyone's hard work and determination were rewarded with certificates at the end. 🏅👏

A huge well done to you all!

Some of you may remember Chris, George, and Sonny who have been working tirelessly to support the Stroud Canal Restoration Project since November. Yesterday their hard work and dedication was recognised as they were awarded the prestigious John Muir Award at the Stroud Council offices.

🏆 The John Muir Award encourages people from all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy, and care for wild places. Named after John Muir, who emigrated to America at eleven and went onto inspire the creation of the first national park system, the award is a significant achievement.

To earn this award, each student completed at least 25 hours of outdoor volunteering. Chris, George, and Sonny went above and beyond, contributing over 200 hours to the Stroud Canal Restoration Project between November 2023 and July 2024.

To achieve this award, they were required to complete the following four sections:

🚶🏼🧭Discovery: Exploring the canals, meadows, woodlands, and local rivers.

☀️☔Exploration: Experiencing the canals in all seasons and weather conditions, often braving muddy conditions.

🌳🥾Conservation: Joining regular volunteer groups to remove Himalayan balsam, mulch trees for hedgerows, pick litter, and monitor river flow.

📸📽️Sharing Experiences: Documenting and sharing their experiences with friends, family, and the wider community through a film.

Thank you to all who have been involved in this project Stroud District Council The Cotswold Canals Trust, and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust we look forward to working with you again in the new academic year.

The rainy weather did nothing to dampen students' enthusiasm for Sports Day yesterday at our Ullenwood Campus!

From boccia, to skittles, New Age Kurling, volleyball and even e-sports - there was something for everyone to get involved in.

There were also 'quieter space' events including Sports Day Story Massage, Intensive Interaction sessions, an art space, and relaxation rooms.

Participation points were awarded throughout the day for learners who took part in any activities, and were added to the overall team points for the day.

The fantastic day was rounded off with an award ceremony, hosted by our CEO Lynette Barrett. 🏆

A huge well done to all students for their enthusiasm and effort throughout the day.

🌟 Celebrating the Positive Impact of the Innowalk! 🌟

Have you ever heard of an Innowalk? The Innowalk is a dynamic, motorised medical device designed to facilitate assisted walking and movement for individuals with physical disabilities.

We have seen amazing results with our students using this technology and they love the feeling of movement that the Innowalk provides.

Our results show:
🚶‍♂️ Enhanced Mobility: Innowalk allows students to move with ease, promoting physical activity.
💪 Increased Strength: Regular use helps build muscle strength and improve overall physical health.
😊 Boosted Confidence: The ability to move freely fosters self-esteem and independence, empowering our students to reach their full potential.
👩‍🏫 Educational Engagement: With improved mobility, students can participate more actively in educational activities, enhancing their learning experience.

We are so proud of our students and grateful for the positive changes Innowalk is bringing to their lives.

Thank you to all our supporters who collectively fundraised for this specialised equipment.

Here’s to breaking barriers and achieving new heights! 🚀

Can you help us spread the word?

We're looking for a dedicated volunteer to help deliver and collect stock for our Hereford shop. You'll drive our pre-loaded van from Ullenwood (8-9am start) to Hereford and return with any stock. Must be physically fit, hold a full UK driving licence, and be available one day a week. 🚐

Join our team and make a difference! Interested? Visit our website and fill in our volunteer form: https://www.nationalstar.org/support-us/shop-with-us/

National Star calls on the new Labour government to prioritise young people with disabilities and listen to their issues and concerns. We are calling for action on fair access to further education, high-quality education, and post-college opportunities to ensure they become active and valued members of society.

Chief Executive Lynette Barrett said: ‘Sir Keir Starmer and his government face some major challenges including access to the most appropriate education and care for young people with disabilities and quality social care for when they leave education.’

‘National Star is passionate about creating a fair and equal society. That can only happen by prioritising the provision of high-quality support for people with disabilities so that they can be active citizens and lead meaningful lives. We look forward to working with the new government, and all parties, to make Britain a fairer society for everyone.’

Read more: https://www.nationalstar.org/welcomes-new-labour-government/