THE achievements of learners in County Durham have been recognised at an awards ceremony.

Thirteen individual and three group awards were presented at the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) County Durham Lifelong Learning Awards, held at Hardwick Hall, in Sedgefield.

The awards were organised by the adult education networks, made up of community education bodies, the voluntary sector and colleges, and have the financial support of the County Durham Learning and Skills Council.

This year's awards revealed inspiring stories of people showing real determination in overcoming personal hurdles to continue learning.

They included Debi Taylor, from Forest-in-Teesdale, who has not only overcame a severe disability caused by a car crash to return to learning, but also had to spend up to five-and-a-half hours a week on public transport to attend complementary therapy courses at Bishop Auckland College.

One of the group awards went to people on the Chester-le-Street Mind Local History Course, who worked with their mental and physical health problems to successfully follow up a life-long interest in local history.

An award for a special contribution to promoting lifelong learning in County Durham went to prison officer Martin Dajoux, who has played a major role in opening up a new world of learning for female prisoners and young offenders at HMP Low Newton.

Austin McNamara, executive director of the LSC County Durham, hailed the awards night as a huge success.

He said: "The Learning and Skills Council County Durham has a remit to promoting learning and rewarding achievement and once again this year we have seen some fantastic examples of people who have overcome personal hurdles to continue learning.

"They all thoroughly deserved their awards and should act as an inspiration for anyone in County Durham thinking about returning to learning."

Individual winners of a County Durham Lifelong Learning Award for outstanding achievement and dedication to personal success through learning: Malcolm Barwick (Crook), Cliff Britton (Bishop Auckland), Lesley Downs (Peterlee), Amanda Hesslewood (Seaham), Frank Hull (Bishop Auckland), Noreen Hutchinson (Consett), Betty Jobe (Durham City), Darrell Preston (HMP Frankland), Paula Rumney (Stanley), Bill Simpson (Durham City), Debi Taylor (Forest-in-Teesdale), Ian Thompson (Shildon).

Group winners of a County Durham Lifelong Learning Award for outstanding achievement and dedication to personal success through learning: Chester-le-Street Mind Local History Course; Coundon Family ICT; Fell Local History Class.

Martin Dajoux (HMP Low Newton), won the County Durham Lifelong Learning Award for his special contribution to promoting lifelong learning in County Durham.