On Friday, 6 November, Greg Hands returned to Kensington and Chelsea College for a further meeting with the Principal.
When the House of Commons is not sitting, it is customary for Members of Parliament to spend Fridays out and about in their constituencies, and this Friday was no different for Greg Hands, Member of Parliament for Chelsea & Fulham. In addition to holding his regular constituency surgery at Fulham Library, Greg returned to Kensington and Chelsea College for a meeting with Chief Executive Officer and Principal, Mr Mark Brickley, and Mr Naraindra Maharaj, chairman of governors of the College.
Kensington and Chelsea College is a Further Education establishment with two main sites, one in Hortensia Road, Chelsea, and the other in Wormington Road in Kensington. The College offers a wide range of academic and vocational courses and extensive support services, not only for 16-18 year olds, but also for adult learners.
Over the past year, students from Kensington and Chelsea College have won national awards, taken part in public exhibitions, and even sold their designs in Fenwick and Fortnum and Mason, for example. The College also has an apprenticeship programme, which has seen students trained by the V&A Museum, Historic Royal Palaces, and Hemingway Design, among other prestigious employers.
Greg Hands was invited to visit the College again in part to discuss the recent announcement of its proposals for forming a strategic alliance with the City of Westminster College and the College of North West London in an effort to deliver the highest quality education and training opportunities for students.
Speaking after this visit, Greg Hands said: “I would like to thank Principal Mark Brickley for inviting me back to Kensington and Chelsea College, and I’m pleased to see their continued excellence in areas such as fashion and millinery, as well as progress being made in other areas since my last visit in February. In fact, I was amazed to find out that people like Lady Gaga and Angelina Jolie have worn clothes designed by students in my constituency of Chelsea & Fulham.
“In particular, however, I was interested to hear of the College’s plans for forming a strategic partnership with the City of Westminster College and the College of North West London, as well as Mr Brickley’s efforts to forge international partnerships. I look forward to visiting the College again in the future.”