New College Worcester was thrilled to welcome over 150 guests on Saturday for our annual Celebration Day, an event dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements of our students. The day was filled with music, inspiration, pride—and the joy of bringing our NCW community together.
We were honoured to be joined by a very special guest: actress and disability advocate Melissa Johns, known for her roles in Coronation Street, Grantchester and BBC’s LIFE. Melissa gave a powerful keynote speech, sharing her personal journey and the importance of representation and inclusion for disabled people both on and off screen.
Celebration Day began with a musical showcase, where several students—including this year’s leavers—performed for one final time at NCW. It was a poignant and proud moment for the performers, staff, and families alike.
The community then gathered for a celebratory lunch in the dining room, followed by an energetic rock concert performed by students and staff in our recently refurbished youth club.
In the afternoon, guests explored a variety of student showcases around the school, where they could see the wide range of work produced throughout the year. These displays demonstrated not only student achievement, but also the creative, accessible ways our curriculum supports learners with a vision impairment.
We were proud to welcome back former NCW student Eddy Eyad, who left NCW exactly ten years ago to the day. Eddy studied here from 2012–2015 and went on to graduate with a First-Class degree in Business from the University of Birmingham. He has since built a successful career in financial services and consulting, while also releasing music under the name shy ink, achieving over 10 million streams on Spotify.
Eddy has been an important voice in NCW’s national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of specialist schools, and we were thrilled to welcome him back.
Honoured Guests
We were delighted to be joined by several distinguished guests, including:
The Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Mrs Beatrice Grant
The High Sheriff of Worcestershire, Ian Smith
The Mayor and Mayoress of Worcester, Matthew Lamb and Zoe Cookson
NCW Patron Lord Richard Faulkner
Alastair Tulloch, representing the Vinchel Foundation
Tony Ginman and Stephen Thomas, current and past Masters of the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers
The Vinchel Foundation has generously supported NCW over the past two years, funding the refurbishment of two classrooms and our Sixth Form accommodation, making a significant difference to the learning and living environment for our students.
The Worshipful Company of Lightmongers are long-standing supporters of the College, providing generous annual donations. Their Charitable Trust supports educational settings that help those with sensory impairments, and we are proud to be one of their chosen schools alongside Mary Hare School for deaf children.
Rachel Perks, Principal of NCW, shared her pride in the students and gratitude for the incredible support shown by the community:
“We are delighted that once again, we have brought the NCW community together to celebrate the amazing achievements of our wonderful students. The College prides itself on providing opportunities for all and maximising educational and life outcomes for all vision impaired children, and equipping each student with skills for life that result in them being independent, self-confident, and able to lead productive and fulfilled lives. We are very thankful that families, guests, and speakers came from all over the UK to celebrate our brilliant students.”
The day ended with a prize-giving ceremony honouring individual student achievements, and a special send-off for our NCW Leavers, all of whom are moving on to higher education, including university and college placements. We couldn’t be prouder of their achievements and wish them all continued success.
