Dewsbury students honoured with historic awards

Local students deemed to be '˜outstanding' by their tutors at Kirklees College have been presented with an historic award.

This year 24 students were chosen to receive Armytage Awards, named after a Victorian benefactor who set up a fund to support the education of Huddersfield’s poor.

The college’s top performers attended a presentation evening at Landings 72 restaurant and were given a cash prize of £100 each.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Among the winners were Amelia Gray, from Cleckheaton, who is studying horse management, and Dewsbury hairdressing students Laura Johnson and Paige Kitchen. Yasir Javaid, an electrical engineering apprentice from Ravensthorpe, health and social care student Chelsea Hales, of Birstall, creative media production student Matthew Whyman, from Heckmondwike, Dewsbury’s Harrelson Varley and Birstall’s Siobhan Widdop, who are undertaking art and design diplomas, and Dewsbury hair and beauty trainee Kelly Sykes were also recognised for their commitment to their studie

“Awards were presented to learners who have achieved well academically, overcome difficult circumstances or made a significant contribution to college and fellow students,” said principal Peter McCann“Just 24 award winners were selected by their tutors from a college with thousands of students, so it is a real achievement for them to be nominated. I am proud and honoured we are able to recognise these outstanding students and their amazing success.”

The Armytage Awards were historically known as Armytage’s Technical School Endowment and the fund has evolved over the centuries. It was originally a bequest made by Thomas Armytage for the purchase of firewood for poor families, before becoming a bursary in 1879 to allow young men to train as dyers and weavers to enable them to work in the textile industry. It was later transferred to Huddersfield Technical College until its merger with Dewsbury College in 2008, when trustees allowed students from the Dewsbury and Batley areas to become eligible for the awards.

Students who received awards were:-

Amelia Gray, Cleckheaton: Extended Diploma in Horse Management

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Yasir Javaid, Ravensthorpe: Level One, Two and Three Electrical Apprenticeship

Laura Johnson, Dewsbury: Hairdressing Level One

Paige Kitchen, Dewsbury: Hairdressing Level One

Chelsea Scales, Birstall: Health and Social Care Level Two

Kelly Sykes, Dewsbury: Hair and Beauty Level E3

Harrelson Varley, Dewsbury: Diploma in Art and Design, Level One

Matthew Whyman, Heckmondwike: Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production

Siobhan Widdop, Birstall: Extended Diploma in Art and Design (Fashion)