30 January 2004
Stage is set for Susan's award
College tutor Susan Wallin has won the Cedric Hardwicke award for arts for her work with the Side by side group which has raised the profile of the arts for people with learning difficulties.
The group puts on regular performances and has also appeared along side top stars at the Edinburgh Fringe festival with plans to raise £17,000 to go there this year. The judges said the young people who formed the group were a credit to Mrs Wallin's commitment. Mrs Wallin, a tutor at Stourbridge College, said she was thrilled with the award, which reflected the hard work o£ the students.
The group has won a number of festival awards and Mrs Wallin has also received some very special awards of her own. The drama lecturer was chosen by a national newspaper to receive one of its Jubilee Hero Medals after it launched a search to find unsung heroes in the community. She is also a member of Time's Delights, a group of entertainers which performs at venues in and around the Black Country.