A BURNLEY headteacher encouraged this summer’s school leavers to become future leaders of the community at an annual prize night.

Blessed Trinity RC College head Bernadette Bleasdale revealed that she hopes at least one of her former students would become a Mayor of Burnley during her speech last night.

The evening at the Coal Clough Lane site saw last year’s GCSE students awarded for their hard work at the school.

Miss Bleasdale said: “There were many individual and personal achievements. Congratulations to all of you and to your parents, who have given their love and support throughout your five years.

“There were many memorable highlights during the year.

She added: “Four years ago our Governors had to write down their vision for our new college.

"The last paragraph says this: ‘The Governors wish to establish Blessed Trinity as a centre of Catholic lifelong learning and seek to develop it as a community of faith.

"'We will aim to serve each other, the Church, our parents and the wider community. Our aim is to ensure that all are able to realise their aspirations, respect themselves and others and grow in the love of Christ.’ “I hope that they can hear and see that what was a journey for the future is already coming to fruition – a fitting reward for all their support and unstinting hard work.”

>> Award winners

Outstanding achievements Business Studies: Nicolo Manta, Catering: Declan Parker, Art (Sponsored by KSC in memory of Percy Hobley): Imogen Horner, Music: Emily Tanner, Construction: Joseph Collins, Electronics: Timothy Swarbrick, Food Technology: Alexandra Astin, Graphics: Emily Tanner, Resistant Materials: Charlotte Kane, Textiles: Katie Stowe and Katrina Pilling, DiDA: Konrad Koltun, Engineering: Bartholomew Horgan, English: Liam Garth Jones, Health and Social Care: Nicole Sutherland, Geograph: Callum Hall, History: Emily Tanner, Sociology: Lydia Hughes, Information Technology:Courtney McLoughlin, Leisure and Tourism: Bryonie Stansfield, Mathematics: Romy Beck, Modern Foreign Languages (Sponsored by VEKA): Romy Beck, Dance: Laura Murray, Drama: Toni Heys, Media Studies: Isobel Smith, Physical Education: Melissa Mitchell, Religious Education: Melissa Boland, Science: Romy Beck.

Contribution to the Community (Sponsored by CALICO) :Holly Howorth Contribution to College Life (Sponsored by KSC): Carmela Manta Headteacher’s Award for Overcoming Adversity: Barbara Foster Progress Award: Joseph Pitman Specialist College Sports Award (Sponsored by KSC in memory of Bill Duxbury): Matthew Walker Specialist College Humanities Award (Sponsored by KSC in memory of Albert Walmsley): Rachel Dugdale Gene O’Carroll Award for Literature: Madeleine Hartley and Charlotte Kane Governors’ Award for Citizenship: Konrad Koltun