Students and staff from the Trowbridge campus of Wiltshire College gathered at the Arc Theatre on Thursday, Decmber 6, for their annual awards evening.

Before the prizegiving began, the audience of nearly 250 heard college principal George Bright pay tribute to the winners.

He said: "Some have achieved excellence in their course of study; some have made enormous progress with us through their

commitment to the course; others have made a great contribution to the life of the college community."

One of the night's winners was Andrew Mitchell, who received the Millennium Award for Student Decorator of the Year.

Mr Mitchell was made redundant in August last year, but he has managed to complete his course and establish himself as a self-employed decorator.

He said: "It was quite hard to start with getting the business up and running and coming into college one day a week.

"It was a matter of juggling it all but it worked out in the end."

Also stepping up to receive a prize was Doug Downing, who is half way through his national diploma in public services. He received the Civic Society Award for his contribution to the community.

In June 2001 he joined the Specials, the voluntary wing of the police force. Aged 18 he was, at the time, the youngest police officer in Britain.

Since then he has devoted 80 hours each month to voluntary police work in Devizes, as well as chairing the town's Youth Group and coaching football at St Joseph's School.

He said: "I'm very pleased. It's another factor that will help me on my way to becoming a policeman."

Lorraine Cave from the college's customer services department said: "The evening was informal and relaxed. We like to make

the students the most important thing and to concentrate on them and their families."

Chairman of the Wiltshire College Corporation, Geoff Burgess, presented the 44 different awards.