Member Article

TyneMet sport student meets Prince Charles

Hannah Baxter, a student at TyneMet College, was recently invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Prince Charles.

Hannah, 18, from North Shields, studying on the Extended Diploma in Sports Science, met and spoke to Prince Charles about her role as a Social Ambassador for Catch22. She was one of 50 young people who exemplify the best in youth social action across the UK and were invited to a prestigious Buckingham Palace reception.

Catch22 is a forward looking social business, providing services that help people in tough situations to turn their lives around.

Their programmes are designed to help the people they work with to steer clear of crime or substance misuse and encourage them instead to do the best they can in school or college or to develop skills for work. Catch22 also supports people to live independently on leaving care or custody, to gain new skills and confidence as parents and play a full part in their community.

As part of their recruitment campaign for volunteers, Catch22 came to TyneMet College to give a presentation about who they were and what they do, and it was at this point that Hannah decided to get involved.

Hannah attended a two-week residential course where she met other volunteers who then all worked together to plan a social action campaign that they could deliver to engage with young people in the community.

Hannah is now a Support Leader at Catch22 and next year she will be involved in looking after and guiding the new volunteers on the two-week residential course. Still actively working in the community, Hannah was responsible for organising and running the last Sports Day at John Spence Community High School (Hannah’s old High School) and recently, along with other volunteers, has refurbished the fences, garden furniture and the grounds of a specialist care home for patients with brain injuries.

Hannah said:

“It was an honour to be chosen to be invited to Buckingham Palace for the ‘Step Up To Serve’ launch.

“I enjoyed meeting everyone at the Palace and speaking to Prince Charles was something that I will never forget - he was so positive and encouraging about our projects.

“I do believe that through my volunteering I can make a difference to other peoples’ lives, I meet new people all of the time and the projects we undertake are always great fun to do.”

Warick Stephenson, Head of Care, Sport and Leisure, TyneMet College, said:

“Hannah is an inspirational person; we are delighted to have her as one of our students!

“Hannah is now on the second year of her Sports Science course and hopes to go to university to study to become a PE Teacher - I have no doubt that the hard work and determination she demonstrates in her academic work and her commitment to helping others in the community will ensure that she achieves any goal that she sets for herself.”

“At TyneMet we try to encourage our students to get a better understanding of social responsibility and that is why organisations like Catch22 are invited to the College to meet with the students.”

For more information about Sport courses at TyneMet College, call and speak to a student advisor on 0191 229 5000, email enquiries@tynemet.ac.uk or visit www.tynemet.ac.uk/sport

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lisa Dawson .