Latest news with #EasternEducationGroup
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Mildenhall mum-of-seven achieves midwifery university dream
A mum-of-seven will follow her childhood dream of becoming a midwife after returning to college to better her Porter, 38, from Mildenhall, Suffolk, left school with grades she said "weren't very good" and went on to work jobs in hairdressing and the Covid pandemic she decided she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life and had always wanted to become a taking various courses through the Eastern Education Group, she has passed and will go on to study at the University of Suffolk which she said she "could not believe". "I never thought I was clever enough to be a midwife," Ms Porter said."But I always say to my kids that as long as you set your mind to something, you can be anything you want to be. Pilots and doctors are human just like you."But then I wasn't following the advice I was giving to them. "So, I decided to go back to college and give it everything I've got."I was looking after my seven children (aged between two and 16), working in a pub a couple of nights a week and studying between 04:00 and 07:00 – before the kids got up – and at weekends."It was a struggle - but I kept at it. I never quit," she said. In 2023 Ms Porter spoke with the team at West Suffolk College's learning centre in Thetford, Norfolk, who helped her find a route back into then completed four functional skills qualifications in 12 months and a health-related access course at the Eastern Education Group's University and Professional Development Centre in Bury St midwifery degree will take three years and she added the thought of graduating left her "emotional"."My message to others is that you can always find a way – you just need to look for it," she Evans, the head of Personal and Professional Learning at the West Suffolk College centre in Thetford, said Ms Porter had been "a superb student who is a total inspiration". Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Mother-of-seven secures place on midwifery course after returning to education
Emily Porter, 38, of Mildenhall, Suffolk, said she never thought she was 'clever enough to be a midwife'. But she said she always told her children that 'as long as you set your mind to something, you can be anything you want to be', and decided to follow her own advice. She has now secured a place to study a three-year midwifery degree at the University of Suffolk, having been to college and completed qualifications. Emily Porter returned to education (Eastern Education Group/PA) Ms Porter, whose children are aged between two and 16, completed four functional skills qualifications and a health-related access course. She did this at the West Suffolk College learning centre in Thetford, Norfolk and at Eastern and Education Group's University and Professional Development Centre in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. 'I never thought I was clever enough to be a midwife,' said Ms Porter. 'But I always say to my kids that as long as you set your mind to something, you can be anything you want to be. 'Pilots and doctors are human just like you. 'But then I wasn't following the advice I was giving to them. 'So I decided to go back to college and give it everything I've got. 'I was looking after my seven children, working in a pub a couple of nights a week and studying between 4am and 7am, before the kids got up, and at weekends. Emily Porter with staff from the West Suffolk College centre in Thetford, Suzanne Connolly (left) and Ian Evans (right) (Eastern Education Group/ PA) 'It was a struggle but I kept at it. I never quit.' She said her message to others is 'you can always find a way – you just need to look for it'. 'I've always been so insecure in my ability in education,' said Ms Porter. 'But when you want something so bad you go above and beyond. 'I'm lucky to have such a good support network. I have so many cheerleaders in my corner. 'I'm blown away (by the prospect of going to university). 'I might have a bit of imposter syndrome at the start, but once I'm in there, the only way is up and the only thing to do is complete the degree. 'I sometimes sit there and think about graduating. It makes me emotional.' She said she left school with grades 'that weren't very good' but decided, just after the Covid-19 pandemic, that she wanted 'to do something that means something and makes a difference'. She had an interest in becoming a midwife and researched how she could achieve this. She said the college support was 'amazing', adding: 'They have gone out of their way to help me and you are set up not to fail. 'Now I think that I can take the world on.' Ian Evans, head of personal and professional learning at the West Suffolk College centre in Thetford, said: 'Emily has been a superb student who is a total inspiration. 'We are thrilled to have been able to support her as she follows her dreams of becoming a midwife.'
Western Telegraph
5 days ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Mother-of-seven secures place on midwifery course after returning to education
Emily Porter, 38, of Mildenhall, Suffolk, said she never thought she was 'clever enough to be a midwife'. But she said she always told her children that 'as long as you set your mind to something, you can be anything you want to be', and decided to follow her own advice. She has now secured a place to study a three-year midwifery degree at the University of Suffolk, having been to college and completed qualifications. Emily Porter returned to education (Eastern Education Group/PA) Ms Porter, whose children are aged between two and 16, completed four functional skills qualifications and a health-related access course. She did this at the West Suffolk College learning centre in Thetford, Norfolk and at Eastern and Education Group's University and Professional Development Centre in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. 'I never thought I was clever enough to be a midwife,' said Ms Porter. 'But I always say to my kids that as long as you set your mind to something, you can be anything you want to be. 'Pilots and doctors are human just like you. 'But then I wasn't following the advice I was giving to them. 'So I decided to go back to college and give it everything I've got. 'I was looking after my seven children, working in a pub a couple of nights a week and studying between 4am and 7am, before the kids got up, and at weekends. Emily Porter with staff from the West Suffolk College centre in Thetford, Suzanne Connolly (left) and Ian Evans (right) (Eastern Education Group/ PA) 'It was a struggle but I kept at it. I never quit.' She said her message to others is 'you can always find a way – you just need to look for it'. 'I've always been so insecure in my ability in education,' said Ms Porter. 'But when you want something so bad you go above and beyond. 'I'm lucky to have such a good support network. I have so many cheerleaders in my corner. 'I'm blown away (by the prospect of going to university). 'I might have a bit of imposter syndrome at the start, but once I'm in there, the only way is up and the only thing to do is complete the degree. 'I sometimes sit there and think about graduating. It makes me emotional.' She said she left school with grades 'that weren't very good' but decided, just after the Covid-19 pandemic, that she wanted 'to do something that means something and makes a difference'. She had an interest in becoming a midwife and researched how she could achieve this. She said the college support was 'amazing', adding: 'They have gone out of their way to help me and you are set up not to fail. 'Now I think that I can take the world on.' Ian Evans, head of personal and professional learning at the West Suffolk College centre in Thetford, said: 'Emily has been a superb student who is a total inspiration. 'We are thrilled to have been able to support her as she follows her dreams of becoming a midwife.'
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Needham Market student says he is helping teenagers escape crime
After moving to the UK from Zimbabwe in 2022, DJ Mudziviri started "hanging around with the wrong groups" and doing things he "can't mention".But, three years on, he says he is now helping steer others away from crime, drugs, and gang violence, having left behind what he describes as a "horrific" way of summer, the 18-year-old from Needham Market founded Better Youth UK - to give teenagers with limited opportunities the chance to make money trying to make a difference to the lives of young people, DJ won a community champion award from the Eastern Education Group, which runs Suffolk One, where he studies. "It felt amazing and it was a very happy moment for me. I was jumping and me and the family celebrated," said the health and social care student."I was really happy because people hadn't seen that side of me because they had a bad interpretation of me, so, I am very, very grateful." DJ and his team identify young people who may require support through their outreach programme, which sees them visit cities across the says he then provides them with an opportunity."I say, 'If you were to make the same amount of money you're making illegally, legally, would you choose the legal way?', and they always say 'yes'," he said."They want money quick, but they don't know who to reach out to in order to make a legal income."We actually help young people and give them more opportunities to express themselves." Those who decide to take up DJ's offer of a life away from drugs and gang violence are tasked with selling the Better Youth UK copy costs £10, with £6 going to the person who sells it. The remaining £4 is put back into funding more outreach programmes and and his team also offer mental health support and hold monthly workshops to inspire people to set up their own have helped a young woman set up as a hairdresser and another become the boss of her own nail business."Whilst out working they are working for themselves," said DJ."The benefit is they are not looking behind their back for the police trying to nick them or the competition that might steal their products."They can work without fear of harm or prosecution." 'Real life stories' DJ, who moved to the UK with his "proud" mum Anna, says he started the organisation with "a lot" of his own money – but he says he was "determined" to provide the younger generation with a way out."I was having sleepless nights trying to design the website," he said."But I set it up because I didn't want other young people to go through [what I had] - because the things I saw were very horrific."Following the success of Better Youth UK's first award-winning year, DJ is now looking towards the future."We want to go into schools and hold talks, because young people don't like listening to a 30-year-old man who has no experience [of youth crime]", he said."They want real life stories with people who have been through it."I am not the solution, but I am part of the solution to help reduce these issues among young people." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
