A local college hosted their annual awards ceremony at bet365 Stadium last night (Tuesday 16 June).

During the awards ceremony, the achievements and contributions of students and employers at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) Newcastle College were celebrated.

Over 30 awards were presented to students for outstanding achievements during their time at NSCG, with a range of categories including academic and creative studies, vocational studies, skills and technology subjects and apprenticeships.

The event was attended by the award winners and their families, NSCG staff and governors, partner employers and special guests Adam Jogee, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, and iconic Stoke City player Terry Conroy, who helped in presenting the awards.

Shelley Brown, Deputy Principal of NSCG said, "Tonight was about celebrating people. We heard some remarkable stories of talent, resilience and ambition and every award winner should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.

"As a college, we are privileged to work with learners and employers who continually inspire us and events like this provide a wonderful opportunity to recognise their successes and thank the staff, families and partners who help make those successes possible.

"A special thanks to the bet365 Stadium team along with all our sponsors, for helping to create such a fantastic atmosphere and event."

Ahead of the ceremony, guests enjoyed a sit-down meal and a live music performance (image via NSCG)

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Amongst student successes, three awards were also given to celebrate local employers with the Best New Employer 2026 award going to Honeycomb Group for their collaborative ethos, proactive engagement and genuine passion for developing future talent.

A spokesperson for NSCG said: "Continuing to demonstrate a strong commitment to nurturing talent and embedding meaningful learning opportunities within the workplace, their approach reflects genuine investment in both their apprentice and the wider success of the apprenticeship programme."

To further highlight their strong employer partnerships, awards were sponsored by a variety of organisations including Pearson, Keele University, the University of Staffordshire, the University of Derby, UCLAN, Can Print, Trenton Construction, Stoke City, Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Institute of Technology, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Drayton Beaumont and Newcastle Borough Council.

To start the evening guests enjoyed a sit-down meal and a performance of Put Your Records On by Level 3 Music students Rufus Hubbard and Brodie Fleetwood, followed by the awards ceremony which was compèred by Deputy Principal of NSCG Shelley Brown.

 The awards ceremony commenced with the Academic Awards.

The A Level Humanities Award went to Sophie Dale, a highly accomplished historian and gifted essayist, who impressed staff with her ability to analyse complex information, construct thoughtful and convincing arguments and engage critically with a wide range of historical perspectives and debates. She now moves on to study History at Trinity College, Oxford.

This was followed by the Creative Awards which saw Molly Fernyhough celebrated for the Performing Arts Award. Her outstanding portfolio, commitment and industry experience have secured her a place at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study Production Arts.

Over 30 awards were presented to students for outstanding achievements (image via NSCG)

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In the Professional Studies category, the Business, Travel & Accounting Award was given to Harry Harding.

Harry's remarkable journey throughout NSCG along with his perseverance, resilience and determination to succeed have led to him conditional offers to study Psychology from both his chosen universities: Keele University and the University of Staffordshire.

Thanks to her dedicated, hardworking and highly driven approach to college life, the Gordon Banks Award for Sporting Excellence was presented to Matilda Atherton-Gater.

Successfully balancing her studies in Photography and Digital Imaging alongside an impressive sporting career across both cricket and hockey, Matilda will now take her talents oversees to Australia, where she will continue both playing and coaching cricket.

The final awards to be announced were in the prestigious Principal's Awards category, which saw two students recognised for their determination, ambition and resilience this academic year.

This year the accolades were awarded to vocational student Alexia Chambers-Dean and academic student Daryan Othman.

A spokesperson for NSCG said: "Alexia has shown consistent commitment, resilience and professional growth throughout her journey and is now preparing to progress to the University of Staffordshire to study Primary Education, with the clear ambition of becoming a primary school teacher.

"Recognised as an exceptionally talented and academically driven student with a strong passion for engineering, Daryan is set to progress to study Engineering at Mansfield College, University of Oxford and is an outstanding example of a student whose academic excellence is matched by genuine intellectual curiosity and ambition."

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To find out more about NSCG, visit the website here.