Our Principal, Meryl Green, has been invited to Buckingham Palace this month.
She is visiting the palace to celebrate receiving a highly prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Derwen has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
This is a top business award endorsed by Her Majesty the Queen. We are one of just eight UK businesses awarded in the ‘Promoting Opportunity’ category.
The award recognises the education and vocational training we provide for young people from across the UK. We are very proud of the businesses at our on-site ‘Marketplace’. Students learn work skills in our garden centre and shop, café, restaurant, charity shop and training hotel. We also work hard to forge partnerships with national and local business ensuring external work placements for students.
Royal reception
The award will be presented to the College by Queen’s representative Shropshire Lord Lieutenant Anna Turner in September. Meanwhile, Principal Meryl Green is invited to attend a Reception at Buckingham Palace. This is hosted by HRH the Prince of Wales.
We feel privileged to have won many awards this year. Since 2021, the College has won the NASEN (National Association for Special Educational Needs) Award for ‘Best aged 16-25 provision in the UK’. We’ve also won a Natspec Award 2022 for ‘Pathways into Employment’ and an Aico Community Award for ‘College Initiative of the Year’ for opening the fabulous Vintage Advantage charity shop.
Meryl Green said: “We are having an exceptional year for awards; for our educational and care provision, and for our business ‘Marketplace’. To receive this very special award, endorsed by the Queen, during her Platinum Jubilee’ really is the icing on the cake. We are very proud to receive this distinguished award and would like to thank all our staff, students, families, and the community who support our College, our Charity and our Marketplace.”
We can’t wait to hear more about her visit to Buckingham Palace! Watch this space.