by CAROLINE COOLEY

A woman with severe learning difficulties and physical disabilities has been rewarded for helping other people with special needs.

Dawn Harmes of Woodlands Drive, Stanmore, has been attending music workshops for adults with learning difficulties at Greenhill College in Harrow, for a number of years and was nominated by them for a national adult learners award. She picked up one of only two individual prizes awarded last week.

The 35-year-old was presented with a certificate from the National Institution for Adults and Continuing Education, a leading voice in adult learning, at the college workshop on Friday, to the delight and the pride of her workshop colleagues, who clapped and cheered for her.

Alan Kingshott, who runs the Friday morning workshops at the college in Lowlands Road, explained: "I realised two years ago I could do with an extra pair of hands during the sessions and chose Dawn, who was one of my students, to help.

"She has been a terrific voluntary assistant. There are normally twelve in the class, which can be quite a handful, and while I'm playing the guitar she helps the others."

Alan thought Dawn would make a good candidate for the awards because of the progress she had made, for her enthusiasm, and for encouraging other members of the group.

Greenhill is linked with a number of schools and centres for special needs in Harrow and runs a number of full and part-time courses for people with special needs.

Les Coombes, the college's head of adult and continuing education, said there had been a record number of nominations this year and explained that the criteria for the award were very strict.

A nominee's quality of life had to have been improved through learning and he or she had to have contributed to the learning of others.

Alan described the positive effects of the workshops, in which Dawn had demonstrated a flair.

"It helps develop co-ordination and build self-esteem," he said. "Dawn has an incredible ear for music. She can pick out a tune on the piano very quickly, and has a lovely voice."

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