Dee Hocknell, Access to HE (Health and Social Care), Bridgwater College 2009-2010

Winner of the Rod Coleman Memorial Bursary 2010

Dee Hocknell, mother of 8 children and grandmother of 8, was awarded the Rod Coleman Memorial Bursary Award in December 2010 by the University of the West of England (UWE).

Prof Ron Richie, Assistant Vice Chancellor: Partnerships, Diversity and Civic Engagement, presented the award for achieving the Access to HE Diploma whilst overcoming significant difficulties.

48 year old Dee, who left school with no qualifications, worked in the Care sector whilst bringing up her children. She enrolled on the Access Course at Bridgwater College 28 years after leaving school, despite never studying anything since that time.

“I never settled at school so left early with no qualifications”, says Dee. “Soon after, I started my family who kept me quite busy. In 1993 I started working in care and loved it. I worked in Nursing and Residential homes, and recently with Adults with learning difficulties. I had always considered doing Nursing but I thought it was too late. I then heard about the Access course and with my youngest child just starting school I thought now was the time to give it a go. At this point although I had worked for sixteen years in the care sector, I hadn't even achieved my NVQ in care”.

Following successful completion of the Access course, Dee is now studying Nursing at UWE. “The Access course at Bridgwater College was the best thing I ever did”, she says. “They supported me all the way through. When I heard I had won the Rod Coleman Award I was surprised and delighted. I felt I had achieved what I set out to do, to prove that with determination and commitment it is never too late to do and be whatever you want”.

Access Tutors should contact UWE for information about how to nominate students for the Rod Coleman Bursary Award.

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