Happy campus! 200 students have cause to celebrate

CELEBRATIONS for (clockwise from front left) Hayley Probert, Zoe Williamson, Thahera Begum, Ashley Barnes, Kayley Lowe and Daniel Brooks

NEARLY 200 University Campus Oldham (UCO) students are celebrating their final results - and 27 of them have chalked up “firsts”.

The top performers included Daniel Brooks (20) from Hollinwood who received a first class BSc (hons) in social sciences, and classmate Zoe Williamson (33) from Royton, who got a first after juggling her studies with caring for her three children.

Daniel, who hopes to move on to a masters degree in social work, said: “It’s not quite sunk in yet. I am still a bit shaky.”

Zoe, who plans to do a masters at Huddersfield University, explained: “Four years ago I decided to apply for an access course at Oldham College and then I came here. It is something I have always wanted to do.

“It was quite difficult because the children demand a lot of attention. I just had to make a time for them and a time for studying. I tried to keep the two separate.”

The UCO graduation ceremony will be at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on July 16, starting with a town centre parade from 10.30am.

Historian Sir Ian Kershaw from Oldham and former Oldham College governor Cyril Bamford will receive honorary degrees.