Pearl shines on Teesside course

After working in a bank for 20 years, mother-of-two Pearl Wolstenholme decided to aim for a major career change. So she enrolled on the University of Teesside’s BSc (Hons) Public Health & Wellbeing degree where she not only gained a First Class honours degree, but has also been awarded with an academic prize of the Best Overall Student on the course.

Pearl, 46, from Richmond in North Yorkshire, is now working for the County Durham Primary Care Trust. In her new role she is heading up an important project designed to promote road safety and reduce accidents, with a focus on road safety outside schools.

Pearl said: "I was interested in health issues but I didn't want to work in the medical field, I preferred the policy area more. I thought public health was a fascinating area and decided I wanted to focus my energy there.

"My new job is to work with a multi-agency group made up of people from many different fields, such as the police, council and fire brigade to explore the issues around road safety and how we can improve it. I'll also be exploring ways to use accident data. "It was a challenge to study and look after the children, but my family supported me, especially my mother. She really helped out with the kids and made my life a lot easier. And now Graham is studying at the University for a degree in Forensic Science and Consumer Law with a view to becoming a Trading Standards Officer.

"Just getting a degree was fantastic, but to get a First and a prize was just amazing. And now Graham has got something to work towards because I want him to get a prize in three years when he graduates!"

Pearl has two daughters, Zoë, aged 15 and Phoebe, seven, and is the first in her family to graduate from University.

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