Inspirational Nina's passion for learning wins award

Nina left school at 16 and trained to be a chef on a catering course at Doncaster College. She left to have a child before going on to take a degree course in business computing. Now she is a college lecturer.

But in the last year of her degree, Nina started to have major health problems and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

She said: “It felt as though my whole world had collapsed around me, and the hard work that I had done over the previous years had been a waste of time and effort. But as I came to terms with my condition, I realised just because my body was failing, my brain still worked.”

She says the illness has enhanced her passion for teaching and earlier this summer she picked up the Doncaster College Adult Learners’ Week award. The awards celebrate the commitment, interest and passion that adults bring to learning. Now she is ready to start a masters degree in ICT and Education.

Close friend and college colleague Paul Beal said: “Nina is an inspiration to us all.”