Salute as young beat the odds

30 December 2008

THE success of Newham's visually-impaired youngsters was celebrated at an awards and performance night.

Two such students from Newham Sixth Form College, Taylor Henville and Ruksana Khanum, co-presented the event at Newham Town Hall, East Ham.

The accolades were presented by ex-Olympic champion Tessa Sanderson for academic success as well as achievement in drama, mobility and life skills.

Taylor won the Pupil of the Year Award from her time at Langdon School, East Ham, where she gained ten A to C grades at GCSE. Musa Shah, of Monega Primary, Manor Park, who is registered blind, played a violin-solo piece.

There was a judo display by Liam Archer and Elijah Scullion, from Brampton Manor Secondary, East Ham. A song by Alyia Khalid concluded the evening.

Guests included Kim Bromley-Derry, Newham's Executive Director of the Children and Young People Service, and Sally Zimmermann, from the Royal National Institute for the Blind.