Corinne White has managed to get herself an Erasmus term in Barcelona as part of her nursing degree and seems to be having a fabulous time.  Her photo on FaceBook is just a wee bit disturbing however.  Aaaaagh!

We were so pleased to see Naoise Davey and Seamus Fitzpatrick who called in to update us on their news.  Seamus is at school in Australia and about two feet taller than when we last saw him.  He looks very healthy and happy.  Naoise is on top of the world.  He was washing dishes for a living when the chef asked him if he'd like to move on and learn to cook.  I got an enthusiastic lesson on baking a pavlova!  Naoise is starting formal training soon and already has built up plenty of experience.  He is really excited, his dad is really chuffed and I am so delighted that he has found such a positive, giving, nurturing thing to love doing.

Marie Looking Gorgeous

Representing GLYNI at the Pride of NI Awards was our Marie O'Halloran.  She is looking fantastic, though no more waist length hair.  She moved from Shimna at Malone Integrated College and is currently studying art at Belfast Metropolitan College.  Great to see you Marie.

Distinguished Bravery Award

Decky Allister has been presented with a Distinguished Conduct Award for his rescue of three of his neighbours from a burning building earlier this year.  Decky had himself just undergone surgery on his had when he pulled a woman and two men from the burning building in the early hours of the morning.  Decky rescued me once from a smokey junior disco, when the smoke machine went wrong.  That was a very trivial episode compared with the life threatening situation he was faced with last May, but I was very pleased to see him.  I was stuck outside on a winter's night with a horde of wee people dressed only in their disco gear.  We are very, very proud of Decky.

Tanya's in Lille

I was in Oxford at the weekend and thinking about Tanya, who isn't there this year, because she is on her year out in Lille and loving it.  She returns next year to Oriel College Oxford to complete her French degree.

Ollie's Umbrella

Ollie Elsholtz has graduated in music = production, jazz and all sorts of things, and has set up his own recording label, which is going really well. It's absolutely brilliant and I hope he will call him and give us a saxephone blast next time he is home.

Liam's Scholarship

This week's headline in the MO. 'Newcastle student receives prestigious scholarship' and its our Liam Baron who has been awarded and IET FUSE scholarship, which is worth £4,000. Liam is studying MEng Engineering at Durham University and loving every minute of it. The Institute of Engineering and Technology took into account his Distinction in the International Physics Olympiad and the full marks he received in his A level physics module in making the award. IETAwards and Prizes Manager Linda Deleay said the scholarships are only awarded to the most outstanding candidates. "To be in receipt of one of these awards is a particular accolade," she added. Yahoo! (that was me, not Linda Deleay!)