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Education

Well done Gemma, you are an inspiration to us all

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A SINGLE mum of seven who left school with no qualifications is celebrating after gaining a degree from Swansea University.

Gemma Turnbull, aged 34, admits she didn’t attend school regularly as a child but now her determination to carve out a bright future for her and her family has seen her complete a BA in Humanities after studying part-time for six years through the University’s Department of Adult Continuing Education (DACE).

After leaving state education without a single GCSE, Gemma, from Pembrokeshire, fell pregnant at 16 and went on to have four children of her own, including Ruby, 11, who was born with a heart condition and 15-year-old Joe who has autism.

In 2011, wanting to secure a better life, Gemma began to explore further learning opportunities but she had to overcome further setbacks along the way.

Shortly after starting a two-year Foundation Certificate, Gemma found out that her sister’s three children were about to be moved into care.

She became the legal guardian to Leonie, Shaun and Jack, meaning she was responsible for seven children at the age of just 26.

“Life was quite bleak to be honest,” said Gemma, who is the first in her family to engage in higher education.

“At first, I worried about how I would cope being a student but I didn’t want the family to be split up.

“I wanted better for them and for them to be proud of me. I didn’t want the children to be like me, growing up with no education or no job.

“I was 26, with seven children to look after, and it was hard. I remember being asleep in the bathroom at one point at 4am after trying to do an essay all night and I was knackered – but now I’ve done it.”

Her nephew, nine-year-old Shaun, has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome which affects his behaviour, while Gemma herself was also diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia during her studies. It was during this period that her marriage broke down.

“All I ever wanted was to have the mum and dad all sat down as a family, with the children, like you see on TV,” she said.

“I know that isn’t reality sometimes but that’s what I wanted, so it was hard admitting that I’d end up being divorced like my parents. Nobody wants that.

“They haven’t got that male role model in their lives, but hopefully I can give them that and help them to have positive lives.

“I wouldn’t change anything. Life is what you make of it – you can either sink or swim. The best thing I ever did was have the children all with me under one roof. In fact, I actually cope better with seven than I did with four!”

With her graduation secured, Gemma has already set her sights on what she wants to achieve next.

“I plan to gain my Maths and English GCSE, but I’m going to get a private tutor for those. Then I hope to go on and do a PGCE before hopefully becoming a primary school teacher,” said Gemma, who is also a parent governor at Ysgol Harri Tudur in Pembroke.

“You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it and you want it badly enough. The whole experience has been really positive, especially the staff at Swansea University and their attitude towards helping me.

“If I had had teachers like that when I was at school I know I would have done a lot better – they have been amazing.

“The whole journey has made me a better mum – everything I do is for the children – and I think it is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Education

Don’t miss out on help with school essentials

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88% of those eligible have claimed their free School Essentials grant to help with costs like school uniform, shoes, bags, sports kit and equipment. Have you claimed yours?

Children of families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits, those seeking asylum and children in care can claim £125 per year to help with school costs. Because of the extra cost families might face when their children start secondary school, £200 is available for eligible pupils going into year 7. It could also mean extra funding for your school.

There’s still time to check eligibility and apply for this year’s funding now before applications close on 31 May.

You can apply every year for each of your children. Pupils from all kinds of education settings are eligible as long as they are aged 5-16. This applies to pupils in all schools and settings, including special schools and pupil referral units.

Headteacher of Ysgol Gymunedol Trimsaran, Steffan Jones, explained how the grant helps pupils at his school: “You want every child to be treated the same, and you want every child to have the same experiences. These grants do help, so that all children can get involved and enjoy their time at school, not just those who can afford it.”

The grant can be used to pay for:

  • school uniform, including coats and shoes.
  • school activities, like learning a musical instrument, sports kit and equipment for after school activities.
  • classroom essentials, like pens, pencils and bags.

Even if your child already receives a Free School Meal, you still need to check eligibility to access the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school. To find out more about the Schools Essentials Grant and to check eligibility, visit Get help with school costs | GOV.WALES

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Charity

Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter

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THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.

Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.

Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.

The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:

  • Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
  • Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
  • Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
  • Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
  • Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
  • St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April

Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.

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Education

Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024 

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THIS week, Milford Haven School celebrated the achievements of Year 11 pupils from the Class of 2023 at the Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening.

Chair of Governors Dayle Gibby opened the evening by welcoming past pupils, parents and carers and guests from the community as they joined together to proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of their past pupils. Mr Gibby said “Tonight is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate your achievements academically, and achievements that go far beyond the classroom like sporting, musical, through drama, enterprise, environmental and those that reach into the heart of community. Throughout your time here you have all showed, resilience, determination, and aspiration. With these attributes you have set yourself targets and goals to achieve, manage difficult problems and overcome unexpected events.”

The annual Aspire Celebration evening recognises the exceptional talents, dedication, and hard work demonstrated by these pupils throughout their academic journey. The evening was an enjoyable one that showcased the remarkable accomplishments of the young people, highlighting their academic excellence, leadership skills,and contributions to the school and wider community. Among the many accolades awarded were prizes for outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular participation, personal development and services to the community.

One of the highlights of the evening was the inspiring address from guest speaker and former pupil of the former Milford Haven Grammar School Ms Makala Jones. Pupils, staff and guests were captivated and inspired by her stories of cold water swimming and how joining the world renowned Blue Tits changed her life and played a big part in her accomplishments of recently swimming the English Channel completely solo. Her motivational speech, insights and personal anecdotes resonated deeply with the entire audience, encouraging them to pursue their passions fearlessly, love themselves completely and embrace opportunities that lie ahead. 

As pupils received their well-deserved awards, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment filling the room. Headteacher Ms Morris said “This evening is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our young people. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they have made on our school community. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the prize winners. I have no doubt that you will continue to excel in whatever task you choose to do next. I am personally proud of each and every one of you and wish you continued success in your future endeavours.”

For more information and a full list of prize winners please visit: www.milfordhavenschool.co.uk/aspirecelebrationevening 

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