‘WILLING’ WIGAN MAN WINS AWARD

Posted 6 October 2003

THE OPEN MIND AND willingness to learn displayed by a Harper Adams student from Wigan, have secured a prestigious award.

Martin Roberts, 24, from Wigan, has won the 2002/03 NatWest HND Industrial Placement Award at Harper Adams University College, Shropshire.

Mr Roberts undertook a placement at exotic fruit importers Minor, Weir & Willis, of Perry Bar, Birmingham, as part of his Negotiated Studies HND Agriculture with Business course.

His achievements on placement were singled out from a shortlist of ten finalists by a panel of judges made up of Robert Nelson, NatWest’s Agricultural Manager based in Market Drayton, Bob Slater, Manager of Somerford Home Farm in Staffordshire and Professor Wynne Jones, Principal of Harper Adams.

The judges said they were impressed with Mr Roberts’ clear and positive attitude, his open mind and willingness to learn about a fast moving area of the industry. He was so successful in the role, that Minor, Weir & Willis have now offered Mr Roberts’ a permanent position.

Ifan Davies, 21, from Cefn Coch, Wales, and Tim Lovegrove, 32, from Swaffham, Norfolk, were chosen as second and third placed runners up respectively. All three men collected prizes, provided by the generous, ongoing sponsorship of the award by NatWest Bank, for which Harper Adams University College is very grateful.

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