WIRRAL Met College student and mother-of-eight, Frances McLavey overcame depression and anxiety to go back to study.

Frances, aged 40, from Birkenhead, has won a top prize in the national 'Learning Works' awards. The awards are designed to celebrate national Adult Learners Week which took place during May 1999.

After taking a City and Guilds communications course, Frances gained a GCSE grade A in English.

As a result of these new skills she started as a part-time care assistant in a nursing home.

Frances wanted to improve her knowledge and skills so that she could give the best care she could and applied to join a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Care programme, which she has now just completed.

Her next step will be considering an application for nurse training, something that said she previously would not have thought possible "in a million years".

Anyone interested in following Frances's footsteps can find out about what Wirral Metropolitan College can offer you, details of their courses can be obtained by ringing the Student Services Centre on 551-7450.

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