PRINCIPAL of Bury College Dr Helen Gilchrist is to retire from her post later this year.

Dr Gilchrist will take early retirement at the end of December after ten years in the role.

A pioneer of further education, she founded the Women Managers Network in the 1980s, to help promote female managers in further education.

Dr Gilchrist, who lives in Halifax, became the second ever female principal in the north west in 1989, spending six years at Nelson and Colne College.

Since moving to Bury College, she has presided over rising student numbers and a rapid £20million expansion of facilities.

Other highlights include the Government award of Beacon College status for the college as a provider of "outstanding education".

Dr Gilchrist is chairman of the Bury Learning Partnership, and has had a key input into the Tomlinson Report, on pupil and student qualificiations.

In 2003, she was awarded a CBE for services to education. Chairman of Bury College Governors, Mr Fred Bowen, said: "I am obviously sad that Helen is leaving Bury College but I wish her well during her retirement and offer my thanks for her hard work and dedication over the last ten years".

Dr Gilchrist said: "I hope that I have contributed to our students' successes and to the prosperity of Bury. Education and training are essential for the future and I remain passionate about how they can transform lives.

"Bury College is much more than just its principal and we have in the college a senior management team with a national reputation and staff who have achieved for the College Beacon status. The college is on course for even greater things in the future."