The stars of the screen and stage may have their hands imprinted on the streets of Hollywood, but at CONEL a 'wall of fame' celebrates the achievements of former students.

On Tuesday 27 September, Governors, staff and students at CONEL (the College of North East London) gathered in the College reception to watch as Sharon Grant (Chair of the Commission for Patient  & Public Involvement in Health and widow of Bernie Grant MP) unveiled a collection including Bernie Grant, MC Shystie, Garth Crooks and Jessie Wallace.

The crowd then preceded across the student canteen, to where Sharon Grant cut the ribbon and officially opened the new Lounge, a place where students can relax and socialize, read magazines and play a variety of computer games. Unveiling of new resources didn't stop here the Student Mentor Centre was also officially opened.

Sharon Grant said, "Bernie valued education enormously. He recognised that knowledge was indeed power, and took his own education and that of others very seriously. I know he would have been proud to have been included here today as a symbol of, I hope, much more than fame. Like the other people featured here, Bernie is an example of what can be achieved by any local young person, whatever their background if they are prepared to study."

The Centre was the brainchild of Principal, Paul Head. Often students don't come to us [the teaching staff and senior managers] when they are experiencing difficulties with their studies - not in the very early stages when they are new to the CONEL environment anyway. They feel more comfortable confiding in their friends and classmates. We believe that by providing them with a centre in which to work with Mentors (from their peer groups) will help them to overcome difficulties with assignments and course work. If this doesn't help the mentors will be able to reassure them that they are not the only students finding a subject tricky, and gently persuade them that it is OK to ask their teachers for help.

About The College of North East London (CONEL)

CONEL has around 12,000 full-time and part-time students and approximately 1,000 staff on several sites including the Tottenham Centre, Tottenham Green Centre, Heron House and the Middlesex University Campus in Enfield. CONEL offer cutting edge facilities and inspirational study environments including excellent Information Communication Technology (ICT), a conference and exams hall and an open access advice and guidance centre.

For more information contact:

Alex Louis or Fenella Brown
Communications and Marketing
Tottenham Centre
High Road
London
N15 4RU

Telephone 020 8442 3113

Visit our website at www.conel.ac.uk