NATIONAL STAR COLLEGE
An independent registered charity providing specialist education and training for young people with physical disabilities or acquired brain injuries. 160 full time students from across the UK, aged 16 to 25.
"I first visited the National Star College in 1986, invited by Myrtle Barter, the then Head of Art, who had brought a group of her students to visit my exhibition at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum where I gave an informal talk and tour round the paintings. There was an immediate rapport. The students were so warm and outgoing, I didn't have to work at igniting their enthusiasm, it was as if they reached out to me. Though buzzing with energy and exciting ideas the Art Department was at that time housed in a terrapin hut so it was with enormous pleasure that in 1991 I had the honour of laying the date stone for the new Creative Arts Department which was opened by the Queen a year later. In 1990 we had organised another exhibition at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum called ''Star Art' where we exhibited students work along with generous dontations by artists, architects and fashion designers etc such as Sir Hugh Casson, Sir Richard Rogers, Patrick Hughes, Beryl Cook, Jean Muir and Carel Weight who kindly travelled down to open the exhibition. The College has gone on from strength to strength having recently received two beacon Awards, the first of which was gained by the work of students in the art department who had designed and made the tiles for a beautiful mosaic fountain now situated outside the Pathology department of Cheltenham General Hospital. Rob, their first full-time student of photography, won the Telegraphs national open photography competition for images for their racing calander in 2003. they now have five full-time photography students and many more parrt-time. later this year the Art Department are taking a group of 19 students (in wheelchairs!!) to New York to look at galleries, museums and architecture."
Artist and Patron of the College P J Crook was thrilled to officially open extensions to two student residences in October. Supporters of the College, including representatives from Charitable Trusts and Businesses, were joined at the event by College Governors and students. PJ Crook and her husband Richard have been supporters of the College for over 18 years. "It is a terrific honour for me to open these wonderful buildings which are such a contrast to facilities at the College when I first became involved over 18 years ago. I wish much happiness and joy to students, as they make these places their home," said PJ..........
from Stargazer - Newsletter of the National Star College