Staff and students who are visually impaired welcomed over 150 guests on Saturday for our annual Celebration Day. The event recognises the outstanding achievements of our students and music, inspiration and pride filled the day.

Disability advocate Melissa Johns, known for her roles in Coronation Street, Grantchester and BBC’s LIFE gave a powerful keynote speech, sharing her personal journey and the importance of representation and inclusion for disabled people on and off screen.

A musical showcase kicked off the day with several students performing for one final time at NCW. It was a poignant and proud moment for the performers, staff and families alike.

The community gathered for a celebratory lunch in the dining room, followed by students and staff performing an energetic rock concert in the recently refurbished youth club.

In the afternoon, guests explored a variety of student showcases around the school, seeiing the wide range of work produced throughout the year. These displays demonstrated student achievement and the creative, accessible ways our curriculum supports learners with a vision impairment.

We welcomed back former student Eddy Eyad, who left NCW exactly ten years ago. 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.

Honoured Guests

We were 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 and 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.

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 We equip 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 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.