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From
a child who hated school, Julie Higgs has beaten both drug addiction
and dyslexia to become a woman passionate about learning.
"Education
is the key to getting me well in head and body. There is no-one
telling me I've got to do it - I'm doing it because I want to,"
says Julie, from Swindon Road, Cheltenham.
Julie
joined a Moving Forwards course at her local college which boosted
her self-confidence and gave her the courage to go on to other courses
in English, maths and IT.
I
never went to school. The school inspector was always banging
on our door to make me go. Now I'm banging on the door to get
in to college.  |
| Julie
Higgs |
At
the same time, help with her previously undiagnosed dyslexia opened
up a whole new world of reading.
Having
never read a book at all, Julie has devoured the entire Harry Potter
series and is very well-known in her local library!
She
has also discovered new artistic talents which have led to some
striking interior design work at her home.
Julie
is now aiming to go on with her learning and do an art degree.
She
says: "I never went to school. The school inspector was always banging
on our door to make me go. Now I'm banging on the door to get in
to college. I feel very passionate about it."
She
is full of praise for her course tutor who gave her all the support
she needed and encouraged her to feel more confident about herself.
Now
she is using her own experiences to help other addicts on the road
to recovery by working as a volunteer for an alcohol and drugs advisory
service.
>>Back
to Adult Learners Week 2003
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