Although a student may have left Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form, they certainly haven’t left the College family – as alumni Amina Malik proved, in her recent return to the College!

Former student Amina Malik recently returned to Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form from Goldsmiths, University of London. She decided to come back as she wished to give something back to the College that gave her so much!

Amina joined the Level 1 Care students, to help them to create shoes out of cardboard and gaffa tape throughout the course of a one and a half day workshop. The students made shoes that in some way reflected their future hopes and ambition, using glitter, beads, feathers and glue to decorate them.

The cardboard-and-tape shoes are to be included in an exhibition in The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, all the way in London! The Old Truman Brewery is a revolutionary arts and media quarter, home to a hive of creative businesses, exclusive independent shops, galleries, markets, bars and restaurants. The students will be visiting the exhibition in May to see their fantastic creations on display!

Susan Hartley, Workplace Community Lecturer, was thrilled with Amina’s return, and the creativity and ambition that the students showed. She said, “I wanted to organise something that would inspire the girls to realise that there are lots of opportunities for them in this life, and that they do not have to ‘settle’ for the easiest option!

They really enjoyed the session, and are very excited about going to London soon. I’d just like to say a massive thank you to our former student, Amina, who selflessly gave up her time and energy to do this for us!”

Amina and the students are also going to be taking part in ‘Walk In Her Shoes’, a CARE International charity event, in which people walk 10,000 steps a day for a week to raise money to help women and girls out of poverty. They will be using their cardboard-and-tape shoes for this, and they are all looking forward to raising money and really making a difference in someone else’s life!