Loreto College was very happy to host a lunchtime double-presentation by Sir Howard Bernstein on Tuesday 9th February 2010 in the Conference Room. The first presentation was of a Princess Diana Award to a college student, Laurie Williams, for her excellence as a role model. The second was a new Beacon Award, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Award for the Successful Delivery of Advanced Level courses, of which Loreto College was the first recipient.

Ann Clynch welcomed Sir Howard and spoke about his tremendous influence on the regeneration of Manchester. She thanked him for taking time out of his hectic and demanding schedule to visit the college.

Sir Howard said that he was very happy to visit the college to celebrate its success. He spoke about the changing landscape of the city and Loreto: in the past thirty years both had undergone tremendous transformation. The one constant, however, had been the people of the city: they were resilient, entrepreneurial - a key asset. The Manchester experience showed that a successful strategy was rooted in the community, the people and their institutions. Sir Howard said that he felt he had been able to build on this strength in his work and that he saw Loreto as a major, stable and longstanding institution.

And the transformation and change had not stopped. A further development within the next few weeks would be the final decision to transfer the MMU campus close to Loreto, making it even easier for people to access higher education. Manchester was already a city that prided itself upon the excellence of its educational provision which the MMU move would further consolidate. It would promote and propel Manchester forward as the most successful city in Europe.

Sir Howard presented the Diana Award to Laurie Williams. Laurie has been playing wheelchair basketball for the Manchester Mavericks for the past four years. Last summer she began the grade one coaching course which means she is now able to coach the under 15s team. Laurie's hard work and perseverance within basketball meant that last year she was one of the youngest members selected for the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Team which went on to win the Bronze Medal in the Women's European Championships in August 2009. Laurie has also participated in running a summer school for local children. This involved teaching them about wheelchair basketball and letting them experience disability sport. Within college she is a member of the Justice and Peace group which has raised awareness about fair trade, the death penalty and supported the "Hope not Hate" campaign.

Sir Howard presented the DCSF Award to C. McCann, Assistant Principal: Curriculum, on behalf of the college.

Ann Clynch thanked Sir Howard for his time and commitment to Loreto. She said that having spent thirty-two years working in Manchester she understood the positive impact that the regeneration and re-building made possible by Sir Howard's policies could have on the people of Manchester. It was Sir Howard's vision and courage that had enabled and made possible the city's renewal.