Enillydd Gwobr Dysgwr y Flwyddyn Cymru'n Dod yn Ail yn Rownd Derfynol y Deyrnas Unedig!

Enillodd Lorna Hughes, cyn-fyfyrwraig o Goleg Llandrillo, y wobr Mynediad i Addysg Uwch (AU), sef 'Dysgwr y Flwyddyn am Gyflawniad Academaidd Rhagorol'. Fe'i cyflwynwyd iddi, ynghyd â gwobr ariannol, gan Victor Morgan, rheolwr Mynediad i Addysg Uwch yn Agored Cymru, y corff dyfarnu i ddarparwyr addysg a hyfforddiant yng Nghymru.

Fel mater o drefn, mae enillydd y wobr hon bob blwyddyn yn gymwys i ymgiprys am y wobr ar lefel y Deyrnas Unedig, sef Gwobr Keith Fletcher. Enwyd Lorna'n ail yn y gystadleuaeth hon, gan ddod o fewn trwch blewyn i guro Charlotte Triolaire o Goleg Lancaster a Morecambe. Roedd hon yn gamp aruthrol o ystyried bod pob Asiantaeth Dilysu Mynediad (AVA) yn Lloegr, yn ogystal ag yng Nghymru, wedi enwebu dysgwyr ar gyfer y wobr hon a oedd yn agored i rai o bob cwr o'r Deyrnas Unedig.

Unwaith eto, a hithau bellach yn ei hunfed flwyddyn ar ddeg, denodd y gystadleuaeth genedlaethol hon a gynhelir er cof am Keith Fletcher, a arferai weithio i Goleg Agored Rhanbarth y De Orllewin ac a oedd ar dân dros Fynediad i AU, griw o ymgeiswyr rhagorol.

Dywedodd Victor Morgan: "Llongyfarchiadau i bawb a gymerodd ran, ond yn enwedig i Lorna. Mae'r gamp hon yn glod i'r ddysgwraig, ac i aelodau'r tîm Mynediad i AU yng Ngholeg Llandrillo am ddarparu amgylchedd a phrofiadau sy'n ei gwneud yn bosibl i'w dysgwyr ffynnu.

"Bob blwyddyn, byddwn yn cydnabod ac yn dathlu llwyddiannau anhygoel y myfyrwyr Mynediad i Addysg Uwch drwy gyflwyno gwobrau i'r goreuon. Yn aml, bydd y dysgwyr wedi goresgyn heriau sylweddol er mwyn ennill y cymwysterau a gwireddu eu breuddwyd o fynd ymlaen i addysg uwch. Rhydd ein gwobrau gyfle i gydnabod a gwobrwyo dysgwyr ysbrydoledig am eu hymroddiad i ddysgu."

Bellach, mae Lorna, sy'n hanu o'r Alban, y byw yng Nglan Conwy gyda'i gŵr, ei dwy ferch sydd yn eu harddegau a llu o gathod a chŵn!

Doedd Lorna ddim eisiau bod yn nyrs erioed. A dweud y gwir, astudiodd Ieithoedd yn y Brifysgol a bu'n gyfieithydd am nifer o flynyddoedd. Ond, ar ôl dod yn fam a gofalu am ei thad, sylweddolodd Lorna yr hoffai ddilyn gyrfa mewn maes arall, sef nyrsio.

Credai ei bod yn rhy hwyr ac nad oedd fawr o obaith y byddai'n cael ei derbyn ar gwrs prifysgol. Fodd bynnag, wrth i'w phlant dyfu a dod yn fwy annibynnol, cryfhaodd ei hawydd i fod yn nyrs. "Ro'n i'n dweud a dweud wrthyf fy hun mai rŵan oedd yr amser, neu 'fyddwn i byth yn rhoi cynnig arni a byth yn gwybod a fyddwn yn llwyddo", meddai Lorna.

Felly, cofrestrodd ar y cwrs Mynediad i Addysg Uwch yn ei choleg lleol, sef Coleg Llandrillo. Ychwanegodd Lorna: "Ro'n i wrth fy modd ar y cwrs Mynediad yn Llandrillo, ac roedd fy nhiwtor, Holly, mor gefnogol ac chalonogol. Ar y pryd, roeddwn yn hanner cant oed ac yn meddwl bod fy oedran yn rhwystr, ond helpodd Holly fi i sylweddoli nad oedd hynny'n wir o gwbl."

Cafodd Lorna ragoriaeth yn ei holl unedau a'i henwi'n Ddysgwr Mynediad y Flwyddyn Coleg Llandrillo. Fe'i derbyniwyd ar y cwrs Nyrsio Oedolion ym Mhrifysgol Bangor: "Mi wnes ddechrau dilyn fy nghwrs gradd fis Medi 2021 ac rydw i mor falch ‘mod i wedi cwblhau'r cwrs Mynediad gan ei fod wedi fy mharatoi'n dda iawn ar gyfer bywyd academaidd. Rŵan, rydw i'n mwynhau fy nghwrs gradd a'm lleoliadau nyrsio ac yn edrych ymlaen at yrfa'n nyrsio ar ddiwedd y tair blynedd," meddai Lorna.

Dywedodd tiwtor Lorna, Holly Maxwell, a enwebodd Lorna ar gyfer y wobr yn y lle cyntaf: "Roedd Lorna'n fyfyrwraig ardderchog ar y cwrs Mynediad i AU ym maes Gofal Iechyd. Daeth i fod yn gynrychiolydd y cwrs a rhoddodd gefnogaeth academaidd ac emosiynol i'w chyd-fyfyrwyr pan gawsant eu gorfodi i weithio ar-lein oherwydd COVID-19. Roedd gwaith Lorna'n ardderchog ac roedd safon y gwaith hwnnw wastad yn benigamp."

Mae'r rhaglen Mynediad i Addysg Uwch yn agor y drws i fynd ymlaen i brifysgol ac mae Coleg Llandrillo wedi bod yn cynnig y rhaglen hon ers bron i 30 mlynedd. Mae’n rhaglen hyblyg sydd wedi'i llunio ar gyfer oedolion nad ydynt wedi ennill llawer o gymwysterau yn yr ysgol ond sy'n dymuno paratoi ar gyfer astudio ar lefel prifysgol.

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am raglenni Mynediad i Addysg Uwch yng Ngholeg Llandrillo, ewch i www.gllm.ac.uk neu ffoniwch y tîm Gwasanaethau i Ddysgwyr ar 01492 542 338.

E-bost: ymholiadau.llandrillo@gllm.ac.uk

Coleg Llandrillo ex-student Lorna Hughes won the Access to Higher Education (HE) ‘Learner of the Year Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement’, which was presented to her - along with a cash prize – by Victor Morgan, Access to HE manager at Agored Cymru, Welsh awarding body for education and training providers in Wales.

The annual winner of this acclaimed award automatically qualifies for the UK student prize: the Keith Fletcher award. Lorna was named runner-up in this competition, just missing out to Charlotte Triolaire of Lancaster and Morecambe College. This is an impressive achievement given that every Access Validating Agency (AVA) in England, as well as Wales, nominated learners for this UK-wide award.

Now in its 11^th year, the national student prize - in memory of Keith Fletcher, formerly of Open College South West Region and a keen advocate of Access to HE - once again produced a group of excellent candidates.

Victor Morgan said: “Congratulations to everyone involved, but especially to Lorna. These achievements are testament to the learner, but also to the Access to HE team at Coleg Llandrillo for providing an environment and experience through which their learners can truly flourish.

“Each year, we recognise and celebrate the amazing achievements of Access to Higher Education learners with our prestigious learner of the year awards. Often, learners have overcome major challenges in their life to gain qualifications and fulfil their aspirations of going onto higher education. Our award provides an opportunity to acknowledge and reward inspirational learners for their commitment to learning.”

Originally from Scotland, Lorna now lives in Glan Conwy with her husband, two teenage girls and a menagerie of cats and dogs!

Lorna didn’t always want to be a nurse. In fact, she read Languages at University and went on to work as a translator for many years. But, after becoming a mother and caring for her father, Lorna realised that there was something else she desired for her life and career: nursing.

She believed it was too late, that her chances of being accepted on to the university course were slim, however, as her children were growing up and becoming more independent, the desire to pursue a career in nursing grew. “I kept saying to myself, it really is now or never and if you don’t try, you’ll never know”, said Lorna.

So, she enrolled on the Access to Higher Education course at her local college, Coleg Llandrillo. Lorna continued: “I loved the Access course at Llandrillo, and my tutor Holly was so supportive and encouraging. I was 50 by this point and thought my age was probably a hindrance, but Holly helped me to see that this was not the case at all.”

Lorna gained all graded units at distinction level and was also named the Coleg Llandrillo internal Access Learner of the Year. Lorna was accepted onto the Adult Nursing course at Bangor University: “I started my degree in September 2021 and I’m so glad I did the Access course as it’s prepared me really well for academic life. Now I’m loving my degree course and my nursing placements and looking forward to a career in nursing at the end of the three years,” said Lorna.

Lorna’s tutor Holly Maxwell – who initially nominated Lorna for the award - said: “Lorna was an excellent student on the Access to HE Healthcare course. She became the course rep and provided both academic and emotional support to her peers when learners were forced to work online due to COVID-19. Lorna’s work was excellent and always completed to an exemplary standard.”

The Access to Higher Education programme is a passport to university-level study and has been provided by Coleg Llandrillo for nearly 30 years. It is a flexible programme which is designed for adults who have few, if any, school qualifications, but who wish to prepare for university-level study.

For more information about Access to Higher Education programmes at Coleg Llandrillo, go to www.gllm.ac.uk or call the college’s Learner Services team on 01492 542 338.

Email: enquiries.llandrillo@gllm.ac.uk

Coleg Llandrillo ex-student Lorna Hughes won the Access to Higher Education (HE) ‘Learner of the Year Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement’, which was presented to her - along with a cash prize – by Victor Morgan, Access to HE manager at Agored Cymru, Welsh awarding body for education and training providers in Wales.

The annual winner of this acclaimed award automatically qualifies for the UK student prize: the Keith Fletcher award. Lorna was named runner-up in this competition, just missing out to Charlotte Triolaire of Lancaster and Morecambe College. This is an impressive achievement given that every Access Validating Agency (AVA) in England, as well as Wales, nominated learners for this UK-wide award.

Now in its 11^th year, the national student prize - in memory of Keith Fletcher, formerly of Open College South West Region and a keen advocate of Access to HE - once again produced a group of excellent candidates.

Victor Morgan said: “Congratulations to everyone involved, but especially to Lorna. These achievements are testament to the learner, but also to the Access to HE team at Coleg Llandrillo for providing an environment and experience through which their learners can truly flourish.

“Each year, we recognise and celebrate the amazing achievements of Access to Higher Education learners with our prestigious learner of the year awards. Often, learners have overcome major challenges in their life to gain qualifications and fulfil their aspirations of going onto higher education. Our award provides an opportunity to acknowledge and reward inspirational learners for their commitment to learning.”

Originally from Scotland, Lorna now lives in Glan Conwy with her husband, two teenage girls and a menagerie of cats and dogs!

Lorna didn’t always want to be a nurse. In fact, she read Languages at University and went on to work as a translator for many years. But, after becoming a mother and caring for her father, Lorna realised that there was something else she desired for her life and career: nursing.

She believed it was too late, that her chances of being accepted on to the university course were slim, however, as her children were growing up and becoming more independent, the desire to pursue a career in nursing grew. “I kept saying to myself, it really is now or never and if you don’t try, you’ll never know”, said Lorna.

So, she enrolled on the Access to Higher Education course at her local college, Coleg Llandrillo. Lorna continued: “I loved the Access course at Llandrillo, and my tutor Holly was so supportive and encouraging. I was 50 by this point and thought my age was probably a hindrance, but Holly helped me to see that this was not the case at all.”

Lorna gained all graded units at distinction level and was also named the Coleg Llandrillo internal Access Learner of the Year. Lorna was accepted onto the Adult Nursing course at Bangor University: “I started my degree in September 2021 and I’m so glad I did the Access course as it’s prepared me really well for academic life. Now I’m loving my degree course and my nursing placements and looking forward to a career in nursing at the end of the three years,” said Lorna.

Lorna’s tutor Holly Maxwell – who initially nominated Lorna for the award - said: “Lorna was an excellent student on the Access to HE Healthcare course. She became the course rep and provided both academic and emotional support to her peers when learners were forced to work online due to COVID-19. Lorna’s work was excellent and always completed to an exemplary standard.”

The Access to Higher Education programme is a passport to university-level study and has been provided by Coleg Llandrillo for nearly 30 years. It is a flexible programme which is designed for adults who have few, if any, school qualifications, but who wish to prepare for university-level study.

For more information about Access to Higher Education programmes at Coleg Llandrillo, go to www.gllm.ac.uk or call the college’s Learner Services team on 01492 542 338.

Email: enquiries.llandrillo@gllm.ac.uk