Once again students from the secondary schools and colleges in Bassetlaw have been recognised for their courage and determination to succeed against odds that would be daunting to most people. The awards ceremony was held at a luncheon in the Masonic Hall in Worksop on Monday 24th June and attended by 65 people, including councillors, Rotarians as well as students, their families and teachers. Students are nominated for these awards for a variety of reasons, such as: acts of bravery, being obliged to live alone, caring for terminally ill parents, living with illness and all manner of issues which make life more of a struggle for them.
Presentations this year were made to students from schools in the Bassetlaw area who had been nominated for showing enormous effort in overcoming the type of difficulties that life sometimes throws at people. There were those who were living with a variety of symptoms, which included: Marfans Syndrome and High Myopia, Autism, seizures resulting at times in broken bones, chronic asthma causing frequent and lengthy hospital admissions, as well as heart problems necessitating several operations, not to mention suffering dreadfully from the cold to the point of having blue lips because of the resulting poor circulation. The district chairman of Rotary District 1220, Doctor Cheryle Berry MBE, who presented the awards along with councillor Deborah Merryweather, chairman of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “These young people are absolutely amazing and it is truly humbling to hear their stories and all the things they have achieved in spite of great difficulties”. She went on to explain that it is a wonderful opportunity to congratulate them and thank their teachers and families for the support and encouragement they give every day.
Pauline Crawshaw of the Rotary Club of Worksop Dukeries, who organises this annual event on behalf of the three clubs in the Bassetlaw area, said: “All these brave students have shown courage in dealing with all kinds of adversity, keeping a positive attitude and being a great example to others. They deserve our recognition and respect.”