Teesside’s the place for award winning Trevor

By Clearing

Coaching a paralympic athlete, climbing mountains to raise money for cancer research, and winning awards. Trevor Langford has achieved these and more while studying at the University of Teesside.

Trevor, 25, from Horsham, West Sussex, has just finished the second year of his BSc (Hons) degree in Sports Therapy, following his Higher National Diploma (HND) in Sport & Exercise. Trevor said: “Teesside caught my eye straight away when I was looking around at Universities. It was more impressive than other colleges. When I visited the lecturers spoke to me as a student rather than a statistic, they wanted to know about me.

“The University has first class facilities in sport and exercise, they’re second to none. And the lecturers are superb. I absolutely love living and studying in the North-East, it’s a growing part of the country. I’d consider staying on for a Masters degree after this course.”

Before moving to the North-East, Trevor was a self-employed personal trainer in Horsham, a business he started at the age of 17. And seven years on he still trains some of his old clients.

Trevor has continued in his coaching role in the Tees Valley. In addition to teaching children how to row, he is also coaching a girl from Durham with cerebral palsy and aiming to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games. This coaching takes place at Tees Barrage and is part of a qualification which focuses on people with disabilities.

Trevor has also continued his sport at the University, by joining the rowing team. The team recently took part in the British Universities’ Sports Association championships in Nottingham. Next year they aim to compete in Henley. Trevor has also joined a team fund-raising event, the 24 hour three peaks challenge, which raised £2,200 for cancer research. During the challenge, Trevor and friends climbed three mountains, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scarfield Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales.

Trevor’s achievements have now been officially recognised, as he has won the sport and recreation category of the Learning and Skill’s Council’s Celebration of Learning and Skills Awards. The awards were sponsored by FE+, a coalition of further education colleges throughout Teesside and County Durham.

Trevor added: “I was nominated by my dissertation tutor Dr Peter Olsen in recognition of the efforts I’ve applied to my studies over the last three years. Just to be nominated was very good; I’m really chuffed about it.”

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