Beacon Awards

Mark Haysom, the Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council (the LSC are responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England) attended Newham College on Thursday 29th September to present the LSC sponsored Beacon Award for "engagement with employers", this is given specifically for the work carried out by it's Centre for Innovation and Partnerships with the east end fashion industry. CiPs worked with small businesses in Newham, especially those from the Asian Fashion industry around Green Street.

CiPs developed and delivered a range of specialist advice and support services, as well as creating a number of ground breaking initiatives to support new and existing businesses, in particular the Asian business sectors in fashion and jewellery, design and retail. This included runing training programmes, business seminars, establishing local business networks, and even staging large fashion shows, which has attracted a good deal of attention from the national media.


Discussions are taking place to look at the possibility of setting up British Asian Fashion Council to continue the raising of the profile of the industry and develop close links with the British Fashion Council and London Fashion Week.

The Beacon Awards Programme, launched in 1994 by the Association of Colleges, recognises and is designed to promote the interdependence of further education colleges and business, professional and voluntary sector organisations to their mutual advantage. On presenting the award Mark Haysom said, "I am impressed with the wide range of employers and the scope of the work being undertaken at Newham College. It is very unusual to meet with colleges who are engaged with employers to this extent and would like to see more colleges engaged in this way."

The Beacon Awards recognise and reward exemplary teaching and learning practice in FE Colleges and are sponsored by many public and private sector organisations and cover areas such as Art and Design and teaching IT, Inclusive Learning and College/School Partnerships.

On receiving the award, Martin Tolhurst, former Principal of Newham College commented "The College is delighted to have won the AoC Beacon Award sponsored by the LSC for Workforce Development. This award demonstrates many of the key qualities of Newham College, and none more so than our success at meeting the needs of local businesses.

It is also a testament to the strength and wide variety of local partnerships that the College has to support such work. This work has won many awards including this Beacon Award, a Queen's Award for Enterprise for Di Gowland the CiPs director and short-listing for National Star Awards for two of the key staff who manage this programme, Samme Mian and David Reeson."

There were 26 Awards on offer this year; 308 applications were received, 56 colleges were short-listed and 23 have been selected as winners.

Newham College won two Beacon Awards in 2004 and has been shortlisted for a further 3 in 2005.