Three Bradford College students have won prestigious awards for completing courses and progressing into higher education after overcoming difficulties and personal issues.

The Helena Kennedy Foundation awards annual bursaries to students who overcome significant personal and financial hardship and progressed into higher education.

This year, the foundation awarded £1,500 bursaries to deserving students to assist with their studies.

Asif Qadir, Victoria Lester and Wasim Ahmed fought off stiff competition to win the awards, which they will be presented with at a ceremony at the House of Lords in autumn.

Nick Bryne, assistant director of Learner Services, said: “The college was very pleased to receive many excellent applications for the HKF Awards.

“It was a difficult task finding the most deserving cases to submit on our behalf. I think it is a real reward for all involved that three of our students have received such recognition for their efforts.

“I hope that the bursaries will prove invaluable in their future studies.”

Miss Lester studied a humanities and social science access to higher education course after returning to college at the age of 30.

She left school at 15 as a ‘drop out’ and relocated to Bradford, but was routinely bullied.

She spent the next ten years working to pay the bills and look after her children.

She was worried about helping them with homework and started reading their text books when they were in bed.

Urged by her son to enrol on a college course, she has now accepted a place on an English and history course at Leeds Trinity University.

Mr Qadir completed the same course, having left school with no qualifications. He experienced difficulties throughout his teenage years, nursing his mother through a long and painful terminal illness.

During the illness and after her death, he became sole carer for his family. He enrolled as a full-time student and threw himself into his studies while holding down a job to support his family.

He now plans to study a degree in marketing at the University of Bradford, making him the first generation of his family to study at university.

Mr Ahmed completed his A-Level studies in government and politics, sociology, business studies and geography at Bradford College Sixth Form Centre.

Having made the difficult decision to leave home aged 17, Wasim has had to overcome significant emotional and financial challenges.

While studying full-time and working part-time to support himself, Wasim was elected as Student Council chairman and juggled his priorities to complete his A-Level studies.

He hopes to progress to The School of Oriental and African Studies to study geography and politics.

The college has also selected the ten best award applicants and rewarded them with £100 each before putting five forward for the HKF Award.

Michele Sutton, college principal and chief executive, said: “We are delighted to learn that three of our students have won awards.

“This is the second time that we have entered more than one student, and the fourth year in a row that we have had winners.

“The award of bursaries will be of great assistance to the successful students as they progress into higher education. We wish them good luck in the next stage of their careers.”