Shrewsbury College graduates celebrate by hearing tales of royals from William's media advisor

More than 100 students donned caps and gowns and walked from The Square to St Chad’s Church to celebrate their achievements.

James Holt, 36, originally from Shrewsbury, was invited to speak at the ceremony on Friday as a former student of the college, having studied, English, Politics and Spanish A-Levels in 1998.

He then went onto university to study journalism and started working for the Midlands News Association at the Shrewsbury Chronicle as a reporter in 2004 during which time he was one of only a few British journalists to be able to travel to Basra, Iraq, to cover the war efforts.

Mr Holt won a national award for his reporting and then moved to Severn Radio as news anchor. His career continued when he moved to London and started working for the Liberal Democrats as a press officer before eventually becoming a special adviser in the cabinet office and then working in Number 10 during the Coalition.

This year, Mr Holt started a new role as a media adviser at Kensington Palace, working with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

He said: “I genuinely don’t know where I got my love of politics and journalism from. But it was supercharged and defined here at college in Shrewsbury.

“I’d been at school at Mary Webb in Pontesbury, and then came to college where people from all over the county came together, all with different experiences and ambitions. I got my first real taste of the vibrancy of what people can do and have to offer. I fell in love with politics and debate and argument and learning.

“I was never academic in the purest sense, but I love learning from experience and from other people. And for many of you, today is the beginning - as it’s outside the classroom where you can really excel.”

Principal of Shrewsbury Colleges Group James Staniforth also gave a formal address to the students.

He said: “You have gained qualifications in a range of areas that are really important to our local economy and important to developing Shrewsbury and Shropshire into a fantastic place to work. But you’ve also displayed the behaviours employers are looking for, like resilience and confidence.

Contribution

“When I think of the work you have done and the journey you have been on to ready you for the next stage of your life, I can see you have displayed all these behaviours.

“You are really well informed and you are better employees as you enter the employment market, ready to make an important contribution and you can take confidence in that to go onto even greater success in the future.

“And when you do, think back fondly to your time with us. Congratulations to you all, we are extremely proud of you.”

A group of accounting students were celebrating after three years of studying.

Kayleigh Hook, 31, said: “I feel really proud, I really struggled in the last year so to actually finish was amazing.

“We’ve all come a long way, and done it while juggling full time jobs and families.”

As part of the ceremony, student Adam Mazan, 21, from Market Drayton, was awarded the annual HE Student of the Year Award by Governor Michael Wilmot before the chairman of governors Gordon Channon, thanked everyone for coming and taking part and the event closed.

Student Bryony McCarry, from Shrewsbury, finished a Level 4 course in childrens and adolescent counselling.

The 35-year-old is now going on to do a counselling foundation degree.

She said: “I’m really excited and proud, it’s been hard work but really enjoyable.”

A group of education degree students were celebrating taking pictures before the parade.

Charlotte Mclean, from Telford, said they had spend two years together and were all very proud.

The 32-year-old said: “We all work full time and have families so we’re all in it together.”

Nicole Worsley, 25, added: “We’re all going back to do the top up, we’re all good friends now and go on nights out together.”