In this group you'll find a collection of aspiring student and alumni stories. If you want to share your journey with us, or feel you have an acheivement to shout about to help motivate others, email ou-stories@open.ac.uk
Young head teacher's unconventional career path
Gareth Morris, head teacher of Flash Ley Primary School in Staffordshire, openly says that as a youngster he was “not desperately into school” and “didn’t turn up much either”. It is his experience of primary and secondary education that has helped shape his own approach to teaching and inspiring youngsters.
“First and foremost, teaching is about mutual respect,” says the father of two. “It is also about making sure the curriculum is exciting and interesting. It’s about having a level of connection between lessons so there are elements that link from one subject to another.
“We have also adopted the mantra of ‘believe to achieve’. Yes, we want academic excellence, but we want children to have an indomitable belief in themselves. It’s about respect, aspiration and interest – and getting children involved in the learning and getting teachers to make the most of their talents and being confident in their abilities.”
This philosophy contrasts with his experience of school, when after gaining four GCSEs he couldn’t wait to join the Army. His military career, though, was brought to an abrupt end when he suffered a knee injury. It was at that point he realised he needed qualifications or face the prospect of a lifetime working in dead-end jobs. He studied A Levels in History and English before going to Staffordshire University where he studied history and international relations.
Next he gained a PGCE teaching qualification, and then took a year out to study GCSE maths. While studying, he also earned “a stack of cash” in a sales job but felt unfulfilled and wanted to do something more worthwhile. I was then that he spotted a job as a teaching assistant and found his calling.
In the meantime, Gareth was also commissioned as an officer at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and later became a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army. In 2004, he was faced with the tough choice between his teaching and Army careers when he was called up to serve in Basra.
Gareth said: “I resigned my commission, because being a teacher isn’t the sort of job that you can go away and leave for nine months. I did want to go because I was an infantry officer and most of my platoon was going out there. In the end realised it would have got in the way of my teaching career, so decided to stay.”
Having chosen his vocation, Gareth worked his way up the ranks to become a deputy head at a school in Cheshire before moving back to his native Staffordshire in September last year. On top of his heavy workload, including preparing for two Ofsted inspections, Gareth has studied three modules for his Open University Master of Education (Leadership and Management), as well as his National Qualification for Headship (NPQH) professional qualification.
“As one of the youngest heads in the country, I have found it is experience rather than age that is important,” he says. “I have come in and got seven years’ experience in a range of environments and didn’t have any pre-conceived notions about how education was. All can see is how it should be. It can be quite peculiar sitting at meetings with other heads who are 10 or 15 years older than me, but it is important that they see me for the professional I am rather than how old am.”
Update - It is now four years since Gareth became head teacher. He is currently still in the postion at Flash Ley Primary School.
At 32, OU postgraduate student Gareth Morris is one of the youngest head teachers in the country. However, the path to the top of his profession has been an unconventional one… Gareth Morris, head teacher of Flash Ley Primary School in Staffordshire, openly says that as a youngster he was “not desperately into school” and “didn’t turn up much ...
OU students win second place at the RCN Student Nurse of the Year Awards 2012
Orla Mathews and Barry Magee, two nursing students with the OU in Ireland, were awarded at the Nurse of the Year event at the Culloden Hotel, Belfast, on 14 June 2012, to highlight the excellence within nursing in Northern Ireland.
Orla and Barry were nominated for the award in recognition of their research into the patient experience of young people with mental health problems in acute and mental health services. Inspired by their own experiences of caring for young people and realising a need for an examination into how nurses respond to young people with mental health problems, Orla and Barry, through their extensive six-month research project, were able to define key skills and knowledge that will enable practitioners to better meet the needs of this patient group.
Their nominator said: "Orla and Barry have demonstrated exceptional practice, knowledge and enthusiasm in caring for patients, especially those young, vulnerable individuals who are increasing in numbers."
They are continuing their research in the voluntary mental health setting and through their participation in the Guiding Light research project, aimed at finding ways to meet the holistic needs of service users.
John D’Arcy, the Director of the OU in Ireland, said: "This award is a fantastic achievement for our student nurses, Orla and Barry, and speaks volumes about the quality of students at the Open University in Ireland".
Pictured from left to right are Linda Johnston, Barry Magee, Orla Matthews and Janice Smyth.
Two OU students in Ireland were named joint runners up in the RCN (Royal College of Nursing Northern Ireland) Student Nurse of the Year Award 2012 for their research into the patient experience of young people with mental health problems. Orla Mathews and Barry Magee, two nursing students with the OU in Ireland, were awarded at the Nurse of the Year event at the Culloden ...
Four OU students swap studies for the Olympics this summer
Four OU students have qualified for London 2012 and will have the honour of competing for Great Britain this summer.
The four Olympians – hockey player Alex Danson, synchronised swimmer Katie Dawkins, badminton player Imogen Bankier and cyclist Dani King – are all undergraduates at the OU and combine high level sporting excellence with the dedication of distance learning.
From business studies to politics and from sport to religion, the students are all utilising the OU’s flexible study methods, combined with the tough training regime required for competing at the highest level in their chosen discipline.
Alex Danson, a forward in the ladies GB hockey team, is nearing completion of an Open Degree and aims to become a teacher in the future.
'After lots of hard work I hope eventually to pick up my OU degree – in some way that will feel a bit like a podium moment'
Alex, whose team is ranked fourth in the world, has managed to fit her studies around her training, although now she admits the training is becoming more concentrated.
“Being a full-time sports woman is extremely demanding and in a different way studying with the OU is challenging too, but the tutor support is great and studying is something I really enjoy. After lots of hard work I hope eventually to pick up my OU degree – in some way that will feel a bit like a podium moment.
“The biggest thing that sport has taught me is to manage my time and that has helped with my studies. Being in a team it is even more important because nobody is going to wait for you if you’re late and you have to get things done.”
Swimmer Katie Dawkins, 23, has qualified for the GB synchronised team and will compete at the Aquatics Centre, fulfilling a lifelong dream. The Bristol-born swimmer is doing the Foundation Degree in Sport, Health and Fitness.
'I enjoy studying through the Open Uni as it gives me a focus outside of my badminton, and I enjoy learning while I have some time away from training'
She trains from 7am to 5pm and fits in her OU study at evenings and weekends. Talking of her selection to the Olympic synchro squad, Katie said: “It felt amazing and a little unreal when I got selected! All the hard work of the last five years has paid off and I am officially going to compete at a home Olympics. So exciting!”
Katie says she wants to compete in synchro for as long as possible and then I would like to become a primary teacher as I love children.
“I think being a sportswoman does help with study, I’m an organised person so I definitely think this helps as I like to have a plan for everything.”
Glaswegian badminton player Imogen Bankier, 24, is studying for a BA in Social Sciences with Politics and is studying with The Open University in Scotland. A player since the age of seven, she has qualified for the 2012 Olympics in the mixed doubles with Chris Adcock, with whom she won silver at the World Championships in 2011.
Imogen, who is preparing for the Games at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, said: "I enjoy studying through the Open Uni as it gives me a focus outside of my badminton, and I enjoy learning while I have some time away from training."
'Universities play a vital role'
Cyclist Dani King – part of GB sprint pursuit team, is currently working towards a BA in Business Studies with the OU. She says universities play a “vital” role in providing technical support and inspiring people to “go on to be the best they can”.
The national, European and World Team Pursuit Cycling Champion is aiming for gold for Great Britain at 2012.
OU Director of Students Will Swann congratulated all the athletes, saying: “We are very proud that four Open University students are representing their nation at the Olympics. Every OU student needs real determination to succeed, balancing their studies with the rest of their lives. Alex, Katie, Imogen and Dani are great ambassadors for their university and their country.”
The Open University has a number of high achieving sports people currently studying, with professional footballers, power lifters and cross country skiers among its undergraduates. A new sport-themed course has also launched this year, a BSc (Hons) in Sports, Fitness & Coaching, which expands the existing Foundation Degree in Sport & Fitness to full honours.
Four OU students have qualified for London 2012 and will have the honour of competing for Great Britain this summer. The four Olympians – hockey player Alex Danson, synchronised swimmer Katie Dawkins, badminton player Imogen Bankier and cyclist Dani King – are all undergraduates at the OU and combine high level sporting excellence with the dedication of distance learning. From ...
Early inspirational student Olga Camm dies aged 93
Olga was a great ambassador for the OU and has played a role in supporting and promoting the university for many years as well as encouraging countless numbers to study. It was for this contribution she was awarded an honorary Master of The Open University in 2009 at the age of 90.
Olga became a student in 1971 and promptly established contact with other students. This early informal social group later became the official Open University Students Association. In the late 1970s, Olga tried to bring about a similar federation of OU graduates but was not immediately successful. She did not, however, give up. In 1986, Olga became Chairman of the Steering Group which was set up to explore the creation of a graduates’ association. Olga was elected as the first Chairman of the new AOUG in 1989.
Since then she has inspired numerous people to study at the OU and subsequently work with or stay in touch with their University graduates’ association. Furthermore, Olga has been instrumental in many of the association’s landmark achievements, including the first editions of the association’s publications OMEGA and Journal. Olga has also represented OU graduates on University Council for five years and the University externally in many different forums.
Read an interview with Olga
The Inspirational honorary graduate and alumna Olga Camm has died aged 93. She was one of the university’s earliest students and part of the Association of Open University Graduates (AOUG). The group still run today alongside The Open University’s own Alumni Association. Olga was a great ambassador for the OU and has played a role in supporting and promoting the ...
Introduced to OU study in prison, Stephen turns his life around...
Stephen Pitt was introduced to OU study while serving time in prison for armed robbery. On his release he picked up study again, which gave him focus and helped turn his life around. Graduating in 2012, he tells his story...
Stephen Pitt was introduced to OU study while serving time in prison for armed robbery. On his release he picked up study again, which gave him focus and helped turn his life around. Graduating in 2012, he tells his story... 3.466665 Average: 3.5 (15 votes)
From marketing director to primary school teacher (and author of a sporting heroes book)
Declan Gane graduated from the OU in 2010 and says his degree is helping him change careers - from marketer to school teacher – as well as transforming his lifestyle. And not only does he have a new job, he’s also the author of a book offering top tips to children from sporting heroes.
Declan, now a father of three living in West London, signed up for a four year BSc Computing & Informatics course at Plymouth Polytechnic after sixth form but confesses to having “no burning desire to read computing” and was lured into the workplace after two years.
Many years later, having built up a career in the live events sector, he moved into a marketing role and took various Chartered Institute of Marketing exams and attended evening classes based at Thames Valley University in Ealing. And in 1998 he won a DTi Scholarship to attend an intensive marketing course at the IVEY Business School, Western University, London, Ontario – Canada’s equivalent of Harvard.
In 2007 he embarked on an OU degree “because I could”. He adds: “I could study as and when I had time to do so, balancing work and family life, and choose from a huge variety of subject areas that matched my broad areas of interest, and taking modules where one’s ability to cram for exams was not the measure of the learning.”
Declan’s OU studies – as well as seven years’ coaching mini rugby at Richmond FC – have led to a complete career change from marketing director to primary school teacher.
“My studies at the OU have impacted hugely on my career, in that I am in the midst of changing careers completely. My honours degree allowed me to join the Graduate Teachers Programme, a one year on-the-job re-training programme for mature students.
'It’s a total lifestyle change that would not have been open to me without an OU degree'
“So from jetting into and out of the world’s industrial fairgrounds, I am now strolling down the road to teach my class of seven and eight-year-olds the ins and outs of maths and English with a bit of mini rugby, ancient Egyptians, Last Night of the Proms, making magnets, blogging and a lot more thrown in too. It’s a total lifestyle change that would not have been open to me without an OU degree.”
As well as being in the midst of a career change, Declan has also embarked on a project with a sporting theme. Heavily involved in junior rugby, at a coaching and managerial level, Declan saw his own son Louis’ potential as a player and team leader and wanted advice on how to coach him to be a future England captain.
An Amazon search proved far from fruitful with the only the only books available on coaching for sporting leadership aimed at adults. So Declan and Louis decided to approach real sporting captains for their tips and advice and get advice first hand.
Soon, advice from big sporting names started to roll in and Declan thought it wasteful not to share it with others, and planned to compile the advice into a book. And now, with the Olympics just around the corner, Declan’s book So You Want to be Captain? has just been published for aspiring young sports people, with a proportion of profits being donated to Sports Relief.
Declan added: “We didn’t really set out with the intention of compiling the captains’ top tips to put into a book. However, with nearly 50 great pieces of advice from some of the best captains in the world, So You Want to be Captain?, can now be shared with lots of aspiring young sports-people, not just Louis.”
COMPETITION!!!
Platform has a copy of Declan’s book – So You Want to be a Captain? – up for grabs.
For your chance to win the book and an OU goodie bag, tell us what you’re looking forward to about the forthcoming Olympics. Will you be attending, watching on TV or planning a themed event?
Share your thoughts in the comments section below this competition (to comment on Platform you'll need to be logged in with your OU username and password, or you can comment via Facebook below too) and then email platform-competitions@open.ac.uk with the subject header Captain comp' and include your full name and address. You'll need to comment below AND email us to qualifiy for entry.
All entries will be entered into a prize draw and the winner picked at random on 1 July 2012.
Terms and conditions
This competition opens on 16/05/12 and closes on 01/07/12. Prizes must be taken as offered and are not transferable or exchangeable for a cash equivalent. Only one entry per person. This competition is open to all except members of The Open University's Communications Unit. Entries must be received by 01 July 2012. The promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries that are incomplete, illegible, corrupted or fail to reach the promoter by the relevant closing date for any reason. The winners will be drawn and notified within 28 days of the competition closing. The name and home town of the winner will be published on Platform. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Declan Gane graduated from the OU in 2010 and says his degree is helping him change careers - from marketer to school teacher – as well as transforming his lifestyle. And not only does he have a new job, he’s also the author of a book offering top tips to children from sporting heroes. “Gaining a degree with the OU laid to rest any remaining nagging doubts ...
Don't let dyslexia hold you back
Julia Sudbury graduated from the OU in March 2012. Here, talking while in the midst of her degree ceremony at the Barbican, London, she explains how the OU helped her challenge the misconception that she was stupid at school, gave her support for her dyslexia and how she worked hard and grew her confidence to graduate with a first.
Julia Sudbury graduated from the OU in March 2012. Here, talking while in the midst of her degree ceremony at the Barbican, London, she explains how the OU helped her challenge the misconception that she was stupid at school, gave her support for her dyslexia and how she worked hard and grew her confidence to graduate with a first. 3.5 Average: 3.5 (4 votes)
Video: How the OU saved my life
During her graduation, Samantha Lucas explains how choosing OU study over drugs literally saved her life...
She says: "I chose the OU because I was a drug addict and didn’t want to study in a formal way at a brick uni. A year into my studies I realised I could not give them my full attention while I remained on drugs, so would have to choose. The OU won and now I have an honours degree and have gained an immeasurable amount of confidence from my studies. Six years down the line I’m still clean and have managed to get a job which I adore. It may be a touch dramatic to say that the OU saved my life but I firmly believe it to be true!"
During her graduation, Samantha Lucas explains how choosing OU study over drugs literally saved her life... She says: "I chose the OU because I was a drug addict and didn’t want to study in a formal way at a brick uni. A year into my studies I realised I could not give them my full attention while I remained on drugs, so would have to choose. The OU won and now I have an honours ...
OU student's learning philosophy leads to an award
OU student Barbara Keenan has scooped a prestigious award as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2012 for her dedication to lifelong learning while living with Motor Neurone Disease.
Barbara, 64, from Lincoln, has been on a learning journey spanning 27 years – gaining a degree and a Masters – and continues to do so despite living with Motor Neurone Disease. And her dedication and commitment to improving her life through learning is being recognised with a Regional Senior Learner Award as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2012, which takes place from 12 to 18 May.
Relishing even more educational challenges, Barbara is continuing to study modules which will earn her a BSc degree in Maths, and has so far completed a Level 3 social sciences course and two maths courses, all through the OU.
Barbara’s infectious enthusiasm for life and learning has even spurred one of her OU tutors on to study for a Masters degree in maths himself. Tutor Mark Hobbs said: “I have found Barbara to be an inspiration and a great role model for adult learning.”
Barbara added: “The Open University is a wonderful institution giving, as it does, a second chance for many who may not have been able to take a university degree straight from school.”
David Hughes, NIACE Chief Executive, said: “Every one of our award winners, for this year’s Adult Learners’ Week, illustrates how learning can help people to change their lives, make them feel part of their community and help support them in their future. Barbara’s life has improved because of her commitment, enthusiasm and ambition. I hope that others will be inspired by this story and see the role that learning can play to help them get a better life.”
OU student Barbara Keenan has scooped a prestigious award as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2012 for her dedication to lifelong learning while living with Motor Neurone Disease. Barbara, 64, from Lincoln, has been on a learning journey spanning 27 years – gaining a degree and a Masters – and continues to do so despite living with Motor Neurone Disease. And her dedication and ...
Graduate Ruth is 'more than a mum'
Ruth proved she’s more than a mum by juggling OU study, raising a child and working as a teacher.
Graduating from the OU’s Barbican ceremony in March 2012 with a Masters in Education to help her role as a teacher, Ruth is now working on a website - More Than a Mum - aiming to offer support and encouragement to those who want to celebrate being a mum and a woman.
Here Ruth shares her story...
Hello, my name is Ruth and I am ‘More than a Mum’! This is both the name of the website I jointly run and the ethos by which I live my life. I do not undervalue the role of mother; becoming a Mum was the most amazing, life changing and worthwhile thing that I have done so far, but I do want to feel that as well as being a mum, I am an individual and my OU study has helped me in this.
The message behind our website is that you can be a brilliant mum and rediscover yourself as a woman. My OU study is one of the things that lead me to this way of thinking; it gave me something for myself and helped me to rediscover who I was behind the nappies, baby sick and sleepless nights!
I recently graduated with a Masters in Education – most of which I studied for since the birth of my daughter in 2009. When I told people I was studying with a small baby people made comments like: “How do you find the time?” or “I couldn’t do that” but for me it was the studying which kept me going through a lot of the difficult times. It allowed me to be a stay-at-home-mum which was what I wanted to be, without losing touch with my previous life.
I started my OU study before I was a parent and completed my first module in 2007. I wanted to do my Masters via part-time, distance learning to fit around my work as a teacher, so the OU with its promise to “enable people to achieve their career and life goals studying at times and in places to suit them” was a natural choice. I passed my first module, although finding the time to study whilst working full-time was difficult. With hindsight this had more to do my own willingness to sacrifice free-time than an actual lack of time!
I was subsequently promoted and took a break in my studies. Another brilliant aspect to study with the OU is its flexibility. I considered cashing in the module rather than holding on to it, wondering when I would ever get time to complete an entire Masters, but in the end I decided to hold fire for a while.
My daughter was born in March 2009 and by September 2009 I had started another module. I decided not to return to work but didn’t want to lose touch with my career and I wanted to have something other than babies to talk about. I wanted to feel like a person again, as well as someone’s mother.
Of the three modules for my MEd, the one that I completed whilst my daughter was a baby was my most successful and I gained a distinction. I studied while my daughter napped and used evenings and weekends when I had assignments due. I could fit an incredible amount into an hour nap; I think time-management becomes an art form once you are a parent! But it wasn’t just time management which enabled me to study well at this time it was also the fact that I enjoyed the challenge of studying. Parenting a small child was physically exhausting, but my OU study stretched me and stimulated my ‘baby-brain’.
I completed my final module last year and with my two- and- a -half -year- old no longer napping, and whilst working part-time, finding time became more of a challenge, but unlike my first module where I had resented the study for taking up my precious me-time, I now saw my study as me-time.
Being a parent really helped me to study flexibly; both as a motivator and because of new found time-management skills. I used studying to keep in touch with work, but you could also explore a new direction. My experience of studying with the OU helped me to develop the concept of ‘More than a Mum’ as it made me realise that having something else to anchor my identity to other than my role as a mum, improved my self-esteem.
I would recommend studying with the OU to anyone who wants to study, particularly if you need a more flexible approach than most universities offer. But especially I would recommend studying with the OU to parents. The supportive and motivating tutors and tutorials, the ability to design a course which perfectly fits you, in content and time, and the network of other students just like you is brilliant.
Do you have a "More than a Mum" story that you would like to tell Ruth? If so, please feel free to email her or comment on this article.
April 2012
Ruth proved she’s more than a mum by juggling OU study, raising a child and working as a teacher. Graduating from the OU’s Barbican ceremony in March 2012 with a Masters in Education to help her role as a teacher, Ruth is now working on a website - More Than a Mum - aiming to offer support and encouragement to those who want to celebrate being a mum and a ...
Me, the Law and the Liar - one student's story on why they took up legal studies
Frances Perlman (pictured) has signed up for a law degree with the OU and hopes to work in citizen's rights, when she qualifies. But what inspired her to court the law? Here she shares her inspiration...
Mr. W studied his plump, white fingers and said to them: “You must have imagined it. I never told you to leave.”
“But you did!” I protested. “How can you deny it?”
He shook his head. “Can we just get on with the work?” he asked.
“No, we can’t,” I said. “I need that letter from you.”
“I am certainly not giving you a letter,” he said. “You are the one who is choosing to leave. I never told you to go.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was blatantly lying. How dare he? Only last Friday, just before I had gone home, Mr. W had told me that for health reasons he could no longer go on with his project. He asked me to think over the weekend when would be a good date for me to leave, and reassured me that he would give me an excellent reference as well as the necessary letter. The conversation had gone on for about fifteen minutes, and now he was denying that it had ever taken place.
Let me explain the situation at this point. This exchange did not take place in the UK but in a part of the world where I had been residing for a number of years. In that country, if an employer doesn’t give a leaving employee a letter stating that he or she is being released on good terms, the employee could find himself unable to get another job and almost certainly be denied unemployment benefits. Nobody would wish to find themselves in such a predicament, and I was a single mother with two children.
'But I had never actually considered that the law could protect me... Not that long ago, employers could get away with murder. They can’t anymore'
I suspect that over the weekend Mr. W had changed his mind about my leaving, began to panic that he wouldn’t find anyone to replace me who knew the work so well, and was hoping to frighten me into staying. Underhand, spiteful and deceitful, but the truth is, I had seen flashes of that side of him over the years. It just never affected me personally.
I said no more to Mr. W then, and he probably thought he had won, but I was already planning to contact a lawyer as soon as I left the office. I had never had much to do with lawyers, but this one had helped with a matter to do with my flat, and he had seemed okay. As soon as I was outside in the street after work, I called him.
“Frances. Can’t talk long,” he said.
“Just give me a minute,” I pleaded, though actually expecting long, drawn out conversations and expensive visits to his office.
“Fire away.”
So I told the lawyer what had taken place with Mr. W, summing it up as best as I could.
“Nothing to worry about,” he said. “The law’s on your side. He has to give you the letter. You’ve been there longer than a year.” Now that I hadn’t expected.
“The law’s on my side?” I repeated.
“Yes. Got to go. Bye.”
The law was on my side. These were the words I kept hearing on the way home. Mr. W couldn’t cheat me and get away with it. I had the backing of the law. Where would I have been without it?
Up until then, though I had a vague interest in legal matters, I mainly saw it through TV dramas, the kind where when lawyers aren’t captivating the jury with scintillating summations they are eyeing one another lasciviously at meetings. =I also knew that lawyers came in handy with prenups.
But I had never actually considered that the law could protect me. I started to remember things I had heard from people who belonged to the generation before me. “The boss wanted me to sleep with him or he would fire me. I was afraid of starving. What could I do?” “I couldn’t refuse to work 24 hour shifts. I had a wife and kids to support.”
Not that long ago, employers could get away with murder. They can’t anymore. I went back to work the following day and told Mr. W that if he didn’t give me the letter I would take legal action. He must have known the law because he didn’t try to argue with me. I got the letter.
And then, when I had the opportunity to return to the UK and decided to study with the OU, I didn’t hesitate when it came to choosing a subject. It would be the law. I really hope I have the privilege one day of being able to reassure someone “The law is on your side”.
What inspired you to study?
Frances Perlman (pictured) has signed up for a law degree with the OU and hopes to work in citizen's rights, when she qualifies. But what inspired her to court the law? Here she shares her inspiration... I stared, I gaped, and I am sure that my eyes in that dim study were balls of dark fury. He was lying. Mr. W studied his plump, white fingers and said to them: ...
As mum graduates from the OU, son picks up the baton
Jennie Grant graduated with a music degree and will go on to do an MA at Oxford. Meanwhile, her 17-year-old son Alex is picking up the OU baton and working towards a degree in maths and computing.
Jennie graduated at the Barbican, London, on 30 March 2012, accompanied by her family, including son Alex who got to see what an OU graduation is like, ahead of his own in years to come.
Jennie Grant graduated with a music degree and will go on to do an MA at Oxford. Meanwhile, her 17-year-old son Alex is picking up the OU baton and working towards a degree in maths and computing. Jennie graduated at the Barbican, London, on 30 March 2012, accompanied by her family, including son Alex who got to see what an OU graduation is like, ahead of his own in years to ...
From poverty stricken cleaner to science teacher and Head of Year
Karen Williams got more than she bargained for when she started studying with The Open University. Struggling to raise three small children and working as a cleaner, she turned her life around with an OU degree and is now Head of Year at a school in North Wales and in a long term relationship a fellow student after falling in love at OU summer school.
After seeing an advert in a newspaper, Karen signed up for OU study in 1991 and graduated with a BSc Open in 1999. But she came away from the OU with more than just a qualification.
“The first day that I arrived in summer school at Westfield College in London I met Mark. He was standing chatting to another student and I asked him for a light (we were both smokers in those days). We just stood chatting in the August sunshine then we went and had a drink in the bar. Over the following seven days we stuck together like glue.”
And years later they’re still an item, with Mark Ferrari set to graduate later this year.
“Mark decided to do a degree with the OU when he was chatting to a friend about wasted opportunities and his friend said ‘it’s not too late to get a degree if you study with the Open University’” explains Karen.
“So Mark investigated and decided on the Arts Foundation Course. When Mark had been studying for three years with the OU he had to abandon his degree in favour of re-training to open a recording studio. It was only two years ago that he was able to pick up where he left off and he will finally graduate at the end of this year.”
'The OU completely changed every aspect of my life'
Karen confesses the OU has changed her life and she’s come a long way since she first began. Undertaking a PGCE after her OU degree Karen’s job as a cleaner is long behind her and she now works as a science teacher and Head of Year in a North Wales school.
“The OU completely changed every aspect of my life. When I started in 1991 I was a cleaner in an old people’s home. I was stuck in a marriage that I had committed to in my teens. My mum Frances had just died and I thought my life would be spent unfulfilled and full of disappointments. The only positive aspect of my life at that time were my three children aged five, seven and nine.
“When I started studying I knew that I had found something for me. My husband was not happy with me studying as he thought it would be a waste of time and when I returned from summer school I knew that my marriage had to end.
“It was difficult for a while but after six months things started to settle down and me and Mark decided to embark on a relationship.
“As soon as I graduated in December 1999 I applied for a teacher training course at Bangor University. I completed my PGCE in July 2001 and by the September I was teaching science. It was like a miracle had happened! I had found my vocation in life. Three years ago I was promoted to Head of Year.”
But her journey hasn’t been an easy one.
“Sometimes my friends would say ‘what the hell are you doing, studying for so long? Why are you doing it?’. I used to question myself and I always came to the same conclusion. It was the only way out of the crippling poverty I was in, what else would I do? So I slogged on and on and finally eight years after embarking on the most rewarding journey and gaining a fabulous education, I finished.
“I could only have done it because of the financial awards that I was granted. Even on my graduation I wrote to the OU explaining that I couldn’t afford to attend my graduation ceremony. They funded the train journey for me and my three children and hired the gown for me. I am the biggest advocate of the OU and I seriously cannot thank the organisation enough.”
So what’s next for Karen?
“Now my career is sorted out I am going to do a writing course with the OU. I write short stories as a hobby and I would like to learn how to improve. Also I am a big fan of the OU’s open learning platform, so I’m still gleaning knowledge from this wonderful organisation.”
Karen Williams got more than she bargained for when she started studying with The Open University. Struggling to raise three small children and working as a cleaner, she turned her life around with an OU degree and is now Head of Year at a school in North Wales and in a long term relationship a fellow student after falling in love at OU summer school. “I chose the OU ...
Want to know how to juggle OU study and life in general? Alex explains...
Alex Wood, 40, did a law degree with the OU to prepare for retirement from the police force. She endured a break up, a new relationship, a house move, relocation, promotion and the birth of two children during her six years of study. And she graduated at nine months' pregnant with her third child at the Barbican degree ceremony in March 2012. Here's her story...
Find out more:
Alex Wood, 40, did a law degree with the OU to prepare for retirement from the police force. She endured a break up, a new relationship, a house move, relocation, promotion and the birth of two children during her six years of study. And she graduated at nine months' pregnant with her third child at the Barbican degree ceremony in March 2012. Here's her story... Find out ...
Former Olympic cyclist and OU graduate on why sport and art can coexist
Caroline Boyle has competed in cycling events in two Olympic Games but now the Open University graduate – who’s currently studying Latin – faces a new challenge, to find a career which combines her sporty experience and classical qualifications.
But the difficulty she now faces, is carving a career out of her unique combination of skills. “My life experience is diametrically opposed to my academic qualifications. It will be a real challenge to find a profession which will accommodate what I have to offer particularly as my personnel circumstances restrict me to distance learning. But I am equally passionate about both sport and the arts and I want if I can to help diffuse the tension between the two which the forthcoming Olympics has undoubtedly spotlighted. There seems to be a myth that art and sport cannot coexist in harmony but for me they are inextricably linked.”
When Caroline left school she went to work at the local shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness. Along with many of her peers she studied towards a foundation degree in Engineering. “I found school pretty uninspiring which is perhaps why I opted for an apprenticeship underpinned by the subjects I had found more challenging.
"Likewise, it was this nascent desire to be pushed beyond my comfort zone that led me enter a triathlon when I was 20 on a borrowed bike … and I won it. I’d been a county level swimmer and middle distance runner in my teens, but surprisingly I posted the fastest time in the cycling element of the event. Instead of being average at three sports I decided to try to excel at one and chose to focus on cycling. So after finishing my apprenticeship I gave up my job to train full time.”
And the training paid off. Caroline had a fantastic cycling career under her maiden name of Alexander, competing in the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000 and in the first ever mountain bike race in the Commonwealth Games in 2002. She also excelled in the World Cup finishing second overall on two occasions and won the European Championships. But the Olympic medal she coveted so much eluded her as she encountered mechanical problems in both Atlanta and Sydney, as well as crashing heavily in the 1996 Olympic road race.
Representing Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, she finished fifth in the road race and was cruelly denied victory in the mountain bike event when a slashed tyre forced her to withdraw despite having built up a commanding lead. “It was one of the few times in my sporting career that I’d managed to peak on the right day – an art form in its self!
'The OU was a great option for many of us here on the Furness peninsula when the shipyard downsized so I feel a certain degree of loyalty. In fact I can’t praise the OU enough'
"I had started to think about life after cycling and because I’d always been interested in antiquity, I had begun studying with the OU, initially to convert my foundation degree from Engineering to Humanities. I soon discovered that training and study really complemented each other, as the latter gave me something else to focus on, and helped me to keep my mind agile while my body was recovering.
“Scotland allowed me complete autonomy over my Commonwealth Games preparation, the bulk of which was spent at high altitude, and I had won a number of international races both on and off road in the build up, therefore I knew I was close to my best physically as well as mentally. A few days before my event Paula Radcliffe, who had so often been the bridesmaid, won the Commonwealth title, an achievement which I considered significant – I truly believed it would be my turn too!”
For the first year after she retired Caroline continued to train while studying 120 points with the OU. “Although I didn’t race I wanted to keep my options open and be fit enough to compete if I decided to make a comeback. The following year earning a living intervened and I only managed 60 points at Level 3 instead of the 120 I’d intended. Kids were the next obstacle to academia, Felicity in the summer of 2006 and Penelope at the close of 2009, before I finally took up the reins again in 2010 and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Humanities with Classical Studies and Literature in 2011. “
“Next on the agenda is postgraduate study," she added. "However, sadly the OU’s MA in Classical Studies is problematic for me as the most heavily weighted assignment is due in at the end of the school holidays - two young children and 60 points at postgraduate level is an excluded combination for me! The powers that be threw me a lifeline when they decided to postpone the final presentation of A860 until 2013 by which time Penelope will be old enough to go to Kindergarten, but whether further study in this field will enhance my employment prospects is open to debate.
“The OU is a fantastic institution and I’ll be loathed to go elsewhere. It’s reliable, superbly organised and you know exactly what you’re getting, plus I’ve had some fantastic support from my tutors. It was a great option for many of us here on the Furness peninsula when the shipyard downsized so I feel a certain degree of loyalty. In fact I can’t praise the OU enough, I’ve had such a positive experience. So much so that I decided to sign up for A397 Continuing classical Latin in 2012. Although a mere 30 pointer it has been quite an undertaking given that I had no previous Latin until last summer when I embarked on a correspondence course! But then I do like a challenge!”
Caroline will be attending London 2012’s mountain biking events, to enjoy the sport and meet up with friends who still race.
Caroline Boyle has competed in cycling events in two Olympic Games but now the Open University graduate – who’s currently studying Latin – faces a new challenge, to find a career which combines her sporty experience and classical qualifications. “The skills I gained as an athlete are directly transferable to study – discipline, drive and the ...
Coping with ME and two OU degrees...
Marion Grenfell-Essam, 28, from Essex, has had ME since she was just 12 years old which means the smallest of tasks leave her utterly exhausted. But she’s found comfort in OU study, the flexibility of which allows her to work around her symptoms, and she plans on “studying for the rest of my life if I can.”
Forced to drop out of studying for a BSc in Applied Psychology at Cardiff University, Marion was overcome with depression. At the time, her mum was (and still is) studying towards a BSc in Psychology with the OU and “decided to bully me into finding an interest,” says Marion.
“She knew I had always expressed an interest in learning more about web design so she pestered me into signing up for T183 Design and the Web. That was the autumn of 2006 and I haven't looked back.”
“Certainly my intention with the BSc in Computing is to give myself the skills to be able to work from home on computing and web design projects. The BSc in Mathematics and Statistics is mostly for fun,” she says of working towards two degrees.
Support from tutors
“I think the thing I like most about OU study is the freedom; both the freedom when studying a particular course to go at the speed that suits me but also the freedom to choose what to study. I've always been interested in learning almost for its own sake so the ability to choose from numerous subjects is wonderful.
“I've found almost universal support from my tutors. When I've been having problems with the TMA deadlines they are always happy to give advice about my best options and the teaching quality has been excellent both in the year long and short courses.
Marion has had ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) for 16 years and she’s learned to deal with the symptoms.
“The main symptom is fatigue. Joint and muscle pain is common, with visible twitching of muscles being relatively rare. Perhaps the most frustrating set of symptoms are the cognitive symptoms: problems with short-term memory, concentration and maintaining attention. Sufferers often complain of brain fog - the inability to focus properly.
'Perhaps the greatest support the OU gives me is home exams. I simply could never have completed any course with an exam if I had had to go to an exam centre'
“Most sufferers will experience headaches with many having to deal with migraines - basically headaches but with additional components: flashing light or auras, neck pain, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, nausea even to the point of vomiting and skin sensitivity so that even light bed clothes can feel like someone is gripping their hand hard around your skin. Basically when it gets really bad your only option is go and lie down or lie propped up in a dark, quiet room.”
With day-to-day activities like eating and dressing making her tired, Marion sleeps a lot, but she can be awake in the early hours of the morning. So it’s the complete flexibility of OU study that allows her to work at her own pace and in short bursts if necessary, with support for her additional needs via the university's services for disabled students.
“Because I can't plan my good days and my bad weeks I can't always stick to the timetable. My tutors are always very supportive about giving me extensions if I think that a couple of extra weeks might make the difference between a partial TMA and no TMA. I find reading 12 size font just a little bit too small to be comfortable for me so the ability to read my Unit texts as pdfs where I can zoom to a size that works for me is great.
'Sometimes you just can't talk to your family and friends about what you're dealing with but you need to talk to someone and the other students on the forum always understand what you're facing'
“Where I want to read from the unit but would struggle to hold it open the OU provide me with comb-bound books so that they lie flat on my lap or table so I don't get hand strain keeping the book flattened to read. The use of iTMAs is a big bonus as it means I don't have to try and hand write anything with my sore muscles. At the tutorials my Learning Support team make sure I have a ground floor room close to the entrance so that I can easily walk the distance with the help of my walking stick.
“Perhaps the greatest support the OU gives me is home exams. I simply could never have completed any course with an exam if I had had to go to an exam centre. I can sit where I always sit to study with the light and noise levels set to my preferences and with my body supported to avoid muscle strain.
"I'm allowed 30 minutes of rest breaks so I tend to take at least two breaks of 10 minutes each and sometimes a third of the remaining 10 minutes depending on how tired I am and how the questions work out. I can use these 10 minutes simply to close my eyes and stop for 10 minutes or I can shift my papers and lie down on my sofa and catch 10 minutes sleep if need be.
“Because of the eye strain the OU provides me with large print exam papers on pink paper to avoid the glare off a white page.”
Reassurance that you're not alone
Marion’s an active member of the OUSA and Platform forums, which she finds “an enormous support”.
“Sometimes you just can't talk to your family and friends about what you're dealing with but you need to talk to someone and the other students on the forum always understand what you're facing. Even if they haven't gone through it themselves they usually have some sensible advice and often all that is really needed is the reassurance that you're not alone with having to deal with the consequences of this disease.”
Aside from study, Marion likes to read, watch TV shows from crime to sci-fi and has recently discovered blogging.
“Since January this year I've been feeling more hopeful for the future and felt that my brain state allowed me to at least string some sentences together. So I started by reading some of the blogs listed on Platform and when I felt I'd got a feel for it I took the plunge and wrote my first post.
“It allows me to crow about small accomplishments - like sleeping for nine hours and not two hours or 12 hours. It allows me to moan about the migraines or rave about a new book or TV show.
“With the short-term memory issues that go with ME it is generally impossible for me to remember what happened to me last week certainly not any further back and it is very easy to lose track of time between events. The ability to go back re-read posts to discover what I've been doing for the last three weeks or two months ago is a very useful by-product of keeping a blog.”
Marion Grenfell-Essam, 28, from Essex, has had ME since she was just 12 years old which means the smallest of tasks leave her utterly exhausted. But she’s found comfort in OU study, the flexibility of which allows her to work around her symptoms, and she plans on “studying for the rest of my life if I can.” Forced to drop out of studying for a BSc in Applied Psychology at ...
Downton Abbey actor declares OU 'a national treasure'
You might recognise actor Kevin Doyle as the character Molesley in the hit TV period drama Downton Abbey. But what you probably don’t know is that Kevin completed his final OU essay on the politics of The Holocaust while playing the role of a Nazi Death Camp Commandant. Having since graduated with a BA in History, he describes the OU as a "national treasure".
Kevin graduated with a honours degree in history in 2009, the culmination of years of studying while working as a theatre, film and TV actor.
“I'd known about the OU for some time, both through its advertising in the press as well as acting colleagues I'd come across who'd also studied with the OU. But it wasn't until I was into my early 40s that I decided the time was right to give it a go.”
Believing he didn’t have a need for other forms of mental stimulation - over and above Shakespeare in the theatre and concentrating on a busy acting career – and with only one A Level, Kevin admits he didn’t think he could cope with the intellectual demands of a degree course.
'There isn't anyone chivvying you along, you have to take responsibility and do it yourself'
“The change in attitude came about when my career shifted from predominantly theatre work, where the working day is long and all-consuming, to doing more TV and film work. This work requires long days also, but there tends to be a lot more hanging around, and once The Guardian has been read there follows lots of twiddling of thumbs.
“I felt it was important to choose a subject that was away from my day to day reading of scripts and so avoided English and opted instead for history. I read a lot of history books recreationally and reckoned it wouldn't be too much of a shock. The way the humanities modules are laid out also made it very easy to pick and choose one's way through the course - so I could go from the Enlightenment one year to the theories and practices of Total War the next - the fact that I was doing the choosing rather than it being determined for me made the whole experience really enjoyable – it was much easier to get excited about the work.
“The flip side to this self-determination, however, is that one does need to be disciplined about getting the work done, there isn't anyone chivvying you along, you have to take responsibility and do it yourself.”
'I have always been a great advocate of the OU. Its flexibility, its embrace of new technologies... have made it, in my opinion, a national treasure'
Concerned about the potential impact his workload would have on his study, Kevin took advantage of course material being sent out early and tried to get a few weeks ahead, should his work schedule slip. Most recently Kevin has played the Crawley family’s servant Joseph Molesley in the period drama Downton Abbey, but he’s also starred in Holby City, The Lakes, Midsomer Murders, Silent Witness and Casualty to name a few.
“It was also fantastically useful to have the option of the 30 point module when I knew that the year ahead was going to be particularly heavy work-wise. I remember also using this option when we were planning a house move and it really took the pressure off, as I knew that time was going to be very limited but I didn't want to drop the study completely.”
And does Kevin have plans for further study?
“I toyed with idea of doing further study after I graduated, but unlike some friends who have gone on to do MAs with the OU, I don't think I have the brain or the discipline to go further; that's a whole different league of self discipline.
“Even though it's had no direct impact on my career (as it was never intended to), I have always been a great advocate of the OU. Its flexibility, its embrace of new technologies to enable interaction with tutors and fellow students, its relatively low cost, its availability to those with little or no experience of further education, have made it, in my opinion, a national treasure.”
Kevin has just started work on the third series of Downton Abbey, with filming at Highclere Castle in Newbury.
“All is going well,” he says, “Although because I live in Yorkshire I seem to spend quite a lot of time on trains. Mmm, there's a thought - perhaps I need something to while away the time on those long journeys to Downton - maybe I should get my Honours degree....?”
You might recognise actor Kevin Doyle as the character Molesley in the hit TV period drama Downton Abbey. But what you probably don’t know is that Kevin completed his final OU essay on the politics of The Holocaust while playing the role of a Nazi Death Camp Commandant. Having since graduated with a BA in History, he describes the OU as a "national treasure". ...
OU 'completely changed my life' says author Julia Crouch
Julia Crouch started her career as director and playwright, retrained as a graphic designer to work from home and raise children and, after two creative writing courses with The Open University and support from her tutors, is now working full time as a writer and published author. Would she recommend OU study? “Absolutely,” she says, “the courses have completely changed my life.” Here, she talks to Platform and offers some tips to budding writers...
Little did Julia realise that when she stumbled on a magazine flyer advertising short courses with The Open University that it would lead to a professional writing career. With her third and youngest child at school, Julia had found herself at a crossroads.
“Having not written any fiction (apart from my picture books and plays) since I was a child, I had no idea where to start, or whether I was going to be any good at it. So I thought the A174 presented an ideal opportunity to find out.
"The commitment in terms of time and money was at just the right level for putting my toe in the water.
After a drama degree at Bristol University, Julia’s professional life started as a theatre director and playwright, but children changed that and she needed to work from home. She retrained at a local FE College and spent 10 years as a graphic/website designer but it was during an MA in Sequential Illustration at the University of Brighton that Julia realised she preferred writing over drawing.
'I think the major thing I took away with me was the ability to treat my writing seriously and to carve out time to do it'
“A174 was an ideal introduction and A215 taught me so much about the technical side of writing, as well as firing off all sorts of creative possibilities and opening up my reading and my critical thinking. I think the major thing I took away with me was the ability to treat my writing seriously and to carve out time to do it. The tutors were marvellous, and particularly good at giving me the confidence I so badly needed.
“The courses have completely changed my life - two years after completing A215, I had finished my second novel and got an agent and a three book deal with a major publisher, as well as a whole host of foreign sales. I was able to give up my other work and now I write full time, in between talking, reading and lecturing at festivals and courses.”
Julia says encouragement from her tutors played a key role in boosting her confidence and it was the suggestion to enter National Novel Writing Month – a scheme to write a whole novel in one month, without looking back at what you’ve written - that really set her going.
'The courses have completely changed my life - two years after completing A215, I had finished my second novel and got an agent and a three book deal with a major publisher'
“My A215 tutor John O'Donoghue suggested it to me, and I realised that, like A174, it presented a great, low-commitment way of finding out if I could write long fiction - just one month of heavy duty sprint – 1,700 words every day for the whole month of November.
“The idea is you never go back and read what you've written and you never edit - you just put your head down and write until, 50,000 words later, you have reached the very quick and dirty end of your story. After my second NaNoWriMo sprint, I spent a year editing what I had produced, and that formed the basis of my first published novel, Cuckoo.”
Julia’s second book, Every Vow You Break, is about to hit the shelves and she’s currently working hard on her third, mostly from a shed in the bottom of her Brighton garden.
"I now also have a much more varied life, with many more outings both on book business and for research and what I call 'feeding my beast' - living a life that nourishes my writing.
"I hope I'll get another book deal after this one (I'm shortly due to deliver the third out of the three) and that I can carry on writing books well into my dotage.”
Would Julia recommend OU study to others?
“Of course! Absolutely and unreservedly. Whether to get professional qualifications or to follow or develop an interest, it's a fantastic way of fitting study around a life. Particularly if that life involves a lot of evenings in on your own while your children sleep!”
Here, Julia offers her tips to other writers:
- It's contradictory really - you have to have self-belief and a thick skin, but you also have to be able to accept and respond to criticism without getting defensive.
- You'll never have anything to edit until you have written it. So write first, THEN go back and edit. Never, ever let anyone see your work until you are happy with it. Then be prepared to change it again and again.
- I suppose the nutshell of that is be serious about your work, but don't be precious about it.
- Write every day. Read widely. Read fiction, read books about writing.
- Make sure you get enough exercise. Make sure you get out and see the world.
- The other thing to bear in mind is that EVERYONE I have met in publishing has been lovely. They are there to nurture and encourage good work. When you're on the outside looking in, it's easy to demonise those you see as the gatekeepers between you and publication. But they are there for a good reason. Listen to what they say.
You can find out more about Julia and her work at: juliacrouch.co.uk
Julia Crouch started her career as director and playwright, retrained as a graphic designer to work from home and raise children and, after two creative writing courses with The Open University and support from her tutors, is now working full time as a writer and published author. Would she recommend OU study? “Absolutely,” she says, “the courses have completely changed my ...
From travelling family to OU graduate to bestselling author...
Roxy Freeman grew up in a travelling family and learned to milk goats, ride horses, dance and forage for food. And then she stumbled on academia, which opened up a whole new world. Now an OU graduate and journalist with a bestselling memoir, Roxy talks to Platform about her journey...
“I grew up on the road, my family was always on the move and education was not a priority. I learned a lot of things growing up in a traveling family. But my skills were practical not academic. I could cook, milk goats, ride horses, look after babies and children, dance and forage for food.
“I value the lessons I learned as a child and they have helped me get on in life, but I craved more. I started my formal education at the age of 22. The first year was a struggle but learning for the first time was a revelation. It felt like someone had switched my brain on for the first time.
Roxy tried traditional university before she found the OU but couldn’t get along with the inflexible hours, the travel to campus and the inability to fit work around a rigid study plan.
“The timetable made it impossible for me to work at all. I had no financial support what so ever and lived a 40 minute drive away from the campus. I realised that there was no way I could support myself if I continued with the course. I couldn’t fulfill my study dreams, but I wasn’t ready to throw them away either, so started looking for an alternative option, something that would work around a part time job and was a bit more flexible. The OU sounded ideal. I found a course online and within just a few weeks received my first bundle of study material.”
Roxy studied for a BA in European Studies but confesses to not having a career plan when she started out. Little did she realise that her OU degree would help discover a passion for writing and open the door to a career in journalism.
'I found that changing my scenery often gave my studies an extra boost. None of my friends attending traditional universities had that freedom, and none of them graduated debt free like I did!'
“I wanted to know more about the continent I called home and the modules sounded interesting. I studied history, economics, governance and politics and did a diploma in Spanish language. By the time I graduated I knew I loved writing and research so I went on to do an NCTJ (National Council for Training of Journalists) certificate in journalism at a local college.”
But her OU journey wasn’t all plain sailing – it’s no mean feat studying in isolation and spending summers revising when your friends are enjoying holidays. But it was worth it, says Roxy.
“My OU study had its highs and its lows. It takes a hell of a lot of determination and dedication to complete a degree, especially when you’re doing most of it on your own. Sometimes it felt like an uphill battle, but I was lucky to have some excellent tutors that I could call or email when things got tough.
“My exams always seemed to fall at the end of summer, so when my friends were all enjoying their holidays and going to festivals I was locked away with a pile of books. But it also offered a lot of freedom. I spent a few months of every year abroad, I’d do some extra shifts at work and then pile all my books into my car and go to Ireland, France or Spain and stay with family or friends. I found that changing my scenery often gave my studies an extra boost. None of my friends attending traditional universities had that freedom, and none of them graduated debt free like I did!”
'Getting a degree gave me confidence in my writing and confidence in myself, without those things I would never have written my book'
Roxy gained new contacts following the article including an editor from Simon and Schuster who spotted the potential in both her writing and her personal story.
“A year later I completed my book, Little Gypsy: A Life of Freedom, a Time of Secrets. It went straight into the bestseller’s charts and has had some great reviews. Getting a degree gave me confidence in my writing and confidence in myself, without those things I would never have written my book.”
Roxy has also written on issues that travelers and gypsies face and hopes to help dispel some of the negative stereotypes.
“But I don’t want to only write about my life and experiences,” she says. “I love to write and I think a good writer can write about anything. One of my main passions is cooking and I love to write about food. I recently started a food blog, I love documenting my foodie exploits and sharing some of my foraging experiences.
What’s next for Roxy? She’s busy with journalism and writing and aspired to be a food writer one day, but for now she’s content to simply see what happens next.
“Little Gypsy caused quite a whirlwind, and six months after its release my life is only just settling down again. I’m not sure about embarking on another book just yet but when the inspiration takes me I’ll get to work.”
Find out more
Roxy Freeman grew up in a travelling family and learned to milk goats, ride horses, dance and forage for food. And then she stumbled on academia, which opened up a whole new world. Now an OU graduate and journalist with a bestselling memoir, Roxy talks to Platform about her journey... “I grew up on the road, my family was always on the move and education was not a priority. I learned a ...
OU student Nicci chosen to carry the Olympic Torch
Action for Children worker Nicci was selected by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) after being nominated by her manager, Eve Chinnery.
Nicci is looking forward to her Olympic role, which will see her carry the torch along a part of the 70-day Olympic Torchbearer Relay around the UK. Nicci said: "I don't know where I will be carrying it yet, but I have been told I will have it on May 27th somewhere between Swansea and Aberystwyth. It could be anywhere on the route, but I hope it's close to home!"
She added that when she received the confirmation email from LOCOG, she couldn't believe it. “I was gobsmacked but absolutely delighted to be chosen as I thought the chances of actually being picked were so minimal. I couldn't be more pleased.”
The keen runner has raised hundreds of pounds for charity by completing the Cardiff Half Marathon and is set to compete in this year’s London Marathon. Eve Chinnery, Action for Children Service Manager, said: “Nicci thoroughly deserves to take part in this historic sporting event. She is a hardworking and dedicated member of the team at Powys Community Support Service and also dedicates her spare time to the disabled children outside of working hours, as well as studying for an Open University degree and bringing up to two teenage sons.”
Nicci certainly has some exciting times ahead. “2012 is going to be a good year with my Graduation, the London Marathon and of course being a torch bearer which I am very honoured to be doing, and to top it all I was one of the lucky people to get Olympic tickets so will be going to the stadium with my sons to watch the Athletics on 10th August too.”
With such a busy lifestyle the OU’s study path was the best option for Nicci who is currently studying for an Open Degree.
“I am very excited to be attending my graduation ceremony in the Barbican at the end of March! I really enjoyed my studies with the OU, I like the flexibility, the support was excellent and I could fit it in around everything else to suit my schedule. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.”
Find out more:
OU student Nicci Shrimpton has been selected as one of the 8,000 runners who will be carrying the Olympic torch on its nationwide tour ahead of the games in London. She was chosen for her work with disabled children as well as many extra fundraising efforts for a variety of charities. Action for Children worker Nicci was selected by the London Organising ...
