Today Jim met his constituent Billy Baxter to congratulate him on being awarded the Outstanding Individual Learner in the Eastern Region as part of the 20^th Adult Learner’s week 14-20^th of May. A former Staff Sergeant in the British Army, Billy tragically lost his sight after serving in the Bosnian conflict, leading to the loss of his job, home and a life he loved. St Dunstan’s, a charity dedicated to rehabilitating ex-service men and women, helped Billy look to the future.

In 2009, Billy enrolled on a National Diploma Performing Arts course at Cambridge Regional College to develop public speaking and performance skills. After bravely entering a classroom of teenagers, as a 45 year old man, Billy has achieved consistently high marks, including a distinction of 96% in his Bronze LAMDA exam. He now aims to once more enjoy army life by entertaining troops as a show-host and stand-up comedian.

Jim says ‘I was delighted to meet Billy to pass on my personal congratulations for his extraordinary achievement. It is right that his bravery and commitment to learning in the face of such adversity should be recognised in this way. He is an inspiration to others and I wish him every success using his newfound performance talents.’

You can find more about the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education at: www.niace.org.uk