FRENCH STUDENT WINS £1K BURSARY
Teenage French student wins £1k Plymouth bursary
By WILLIAM TELFORD, Business Editor, Herald
BONJOUR: French student Marion Quemeneur with Dr Suzanne S[arrow
BONJOUR: French student Marion Quemeneur with Dr Suzanne S[arrowA 17-YEAR-OLD French student has become the first recipient of a bursary set up by a Plymouth business.
Marion Quemeneur, who studies at the La Croix Rouge School in Plymouth’s twin-town Brest, has been awarded £1,000 from the Suzanne Sparrow Plymouth Language School.
Dr Suzanne Sparrow created the gift to reward French students who are using the English language while learning in the UK.
Miss Quemeneur was chosen by her English teacher Christelle Florin, also head of economics at the French school.
She said Miss Quemeneur had made regular and steady progress in her learning and supported other students.
Miss Quemeneur said: “I was excited and honoured to be awarded the first bursary from the Suzanne Sparrow school and will spend the money on books and materials, study trips, and accommodation.
“I have enjoyed my study in Plymouth, and this is a good link to support humanities and personal relationships between the schools in Plymouth and Brest.”
Philanthropic Dr Sparrow is gifting the awards annually during the next five years.
She launched the Suzanne and Bernard Sparrow Bursary Awards, partly named after her late husband, to support 17- and 18-year-olds who have made the most from their English language skills.
Dr Sparrow said: “We are the first language school in the city to create a bursary.
“The English language sector is worth over £2.1billion to the UK every year and it’s our way of putting something back, and fostering links we’ve cemented with the La Croix Rouge school since 1980.”
The Suzanne Sparrow Plymouth Language School is also sponsoring the 2016 Plymouth Words and Music Festival, which will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare.
Dr Sparrow received the 2015 Chairman’s Award for Special Contribution at the first Devon Chamber of Commerce business award.
She was also shortlisted for the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Herald Business Awards 2015.