A FORMER Coleg Llandrillo Access to Higher Education student was recently presented with the Welsh Literacy Award and a cheque for £500.

Nicola Milner, from Llysfaen, was awarded the “Worshipful Livery Company of Wales Literacy Award” for achieving the grades needed for university whilst battling with dyslexia.

Her tutor, Holly, nominated her for the award.

She originally studied GCSEs in Maths and English - at the college’s Rhos-on-Sea and Abergele campuses respectively - before gaining a place on the Access to Higher Education (HE) - Health course at Rhos.

She is now studying adult nursing at Bangor University, which she started last September.

Before her college studies, Nicola previously worked as a carer in the community for several years.

But she had always wanted to go into the adult nursing field, so sat the required GCSEs before enrolling on the Access to HE course.

Nicola has dyslexia, which made the literacy side of the course very difficult, so she had to work twice as hard.

Not happy with just passing her units, she got distinctions across the board.

Nicola said: “I couldn’t believe it when I was told that I had won the award; I didn’t even know that Holly had entered me!

“I will use the money to buy a much-needed printer to help with my university course.

“There are so many apps now to aid dyslexics, and the university has been brilliant, even supplying me with a Dictaphone.

“I had an amazing time at college. Both my tutors and my classmates were so supportive. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support.”

Nicola would eventually like a career as a practitioner/prescriber.

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Tutor Holly Maxwell said: “We are really proud of Nicola’s achievements. She got the grades she deserved whilst at college. Considering the circumstances, this is an extremely impressive feat.”

Founded in 1993, the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales (WLCOW) promotes education, the arts, science and technology in Wales.

It is dedicated to helping young people to develop their talents and skills by means of an annual awards programme of scholarships and bursaries to students in schools, universities and technical colleges across Wales, as well as to apprentices and young people in the armed forces.

The Access to Higher Education programme is a passport to university-level study and has been provided by Coleg Llandrillo for nearly 30 years.

It is a flexible programme which is designed for adults who have few, if any, school qualifications, but who wish to prepare for university-level study.

For more information about Access to Higher Education programmes at Coleg Llandrillo, go to www.gllm.ac.uk or email enquiries.llandrillo@gllm.ac.uk.