Lakes College has received prestigious recognition after clinching the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, the highest national honour in higher and further education.
Based in Lillyhall, West Cumbria, the college has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to the UK’s nuclear and low carbon energy sectors, producing highly skilled technicians.
This biennial recognition has been in operation since 1994, awarded by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister and following a stringent independent review by The Royal Anniversary Trust.
The winners were announced at St James’s Palace in London on Thursday.
The prizes will be presented at a formal honours ceremony in February.
Three senior members of the college's team travelled to London for the announcement; Principal Chris Nattress, Chair of Governors Michael Priestley, and Dean of Higher Education Paul Fairclough.
Mr Nattress said: “On behalf of everyone at Lakes College I am immensely proud of our Queen’s Anniversary Prize Award.
“This award is testimony to the hard work, creativity, dedication and talent of my colleagues and our learners. A huge amount of work undertaken by so many people goes into developing and delivering the nationally recognised high quality education and training underpinning our award.
“I would like to thank all of my amazing colleagues, our learners, employers and partners who continue to support us in our first class endeavours.”
Offering his own praise, Sir Damon Buffini, Chair of The Royal Anniversary Trust, acknowledged the hard work and perseverance of the winners.
Sir Damon said: “The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education are an integral part of our national Honours system, shining a light on the groundbreaking work taking place in universities and colleges across the UK.
“All 22 Prize-winners demonstrate excellence, innovation and impact, with many tackling some of the toughest problems we as a society face today.
“They are to be commended for reaching this pinnacle of achievement in the tertiary education sector. Congratulations!”
In total, twenty-two educational institutions were honoured with awards, comprising seven colleges and fifteen universities.
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