HILLINGDON resident Joanne Matthews is celebrating winning the Return to Learning prize at the annual Festival of Learning awards.

They took place at the City Lit Institute of Adult Learning yesterday on Monday (5). 

Joanne was nominated by members of Hillingdon’s Adult and Community Learning team for her hard work, dedication and commitment to lifelong learning.

She has overcome dyslexia and mental health to gain qualifications in English, maths, computing, mentoring and health and social care.

Joanne also volunteers twice a week as a crisis mental health mentor at the Look Ahead charity in Whitechapel. 

She said: “Every day’s a learning day and since I’ve been studying, I’ve learnt so much about diversity and met all sorts of people from different backgrounds.”