Students' outstanding community work

TWO students at the Warrington campus of Chester University have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the community.
Radio and television production student Kirsty Ashton and trainee police officer Karina Pritchard both received prizes at the University’s Valedictory ceremony after demonstrating real benefits to the community.
Kirsty received both the Santander Community Award and the Business Connection Award in recognition of her fundraising work and enterprising nature.
She has spent a huge amount of time fundraising for the “When You Wish Upon a Star” charity which raises money to grant the wishes of children with a life-threatening condition.
Kirsty was inspired to help when she was affected by an illness at a very young age and was given the opportunity by the charity to visit Lapland.
She has managed to raise £75,000 over three years – enough to send 100 very poorly children on the same magical trip to Lapland.
She has used her creative flair to develop a contact list with many high profile celebrities and businesses, set up a website and write her own book “Kirsty’s Story, My Fight Against a Condition Called Neurofibromatosis.”
She has also applied skills developed through her academic studies to support her fundraising such as speaking on radio shows and filming events to showcase her work.
Kirsty said: “If you could only see the smile it brings to a child’s face when they go up and shake the hand of the ‘real’ Santa. I’m sure you would not have a dry eye.
“I am now trying to raise £80,000 so that I can send 30 to 40 very poorly children and their families on a five day holiday to Center Parcs. I want the holiday to be filled with fun and laughter so these families can take with them some happy memories.”
Policing student Karina Pritchard was awarded the University of Chester Citizenship Award, Sponsored by Egerton House Wirral Ltd for an act of bravery or exceptional selflessness.
Karina was off duty and just two weeks into her police training at the Warrington campus, when she came across a road traffic accident while driving home one evening.
Driving along the A49 she found an overturned car with a passenger still inside, trapped around the steering column. After calling for emergency services, Karina, along with a lorry driver who had also stopped, noticed a fire ignite under the bonnet of the car and took the decision to bravely reach into the vehicle to free the woman and pull her clear.
Karina said: “It’s not something you stop to think about. We had wanted to leave her in position until the emergency services arrived to access the situation, but as soon as I saw the flames I knew we had to get her out.
“I had basic first aid training as I was a Special Constable before choosing to go into policing full-time, but I hadn’t had any training to deal with this particular kind of incident.”
She added: “It was an honour to receive the award from the University and I was very proud to have been nominated.”