Tree surgeon’s support branch
A Sunderland teenager’s dream is alive and kicking thanks to his kind-hearted former teacher who helped him access support.
Lewis Hodgson, 17, has his sights set on a career as a tree surgeon in Australia or Canada.
But, the weekly expense of paying £15 in bus fares in a four-hour daily round trip from his Pennywell home to East Durham College was proving too much.
The financial burden on Lewis meant he considered quitting the course, leaving behind his dream job.
Academy 360 teacher Colin Kinvig heard of former pupil Lewis’ struggle and contacted the Sunderland Boys’ Fund for financial help to meet the cost of travelling to his arboriculture course at the college’s Houghall campus.
The Sunderland Boys’ Fund approved Lewis’ application drawn up with Mr Kinvig and is covering his transport costs with a £60 monthly grant running until July.
It means Lewis can complete his course and gain the first qualifications he needs to pursue his dream career.
Lewis, said: “I found out about tree surgery at school when one of the lecturers from college came in and I thought ‘that’s the job for me’.
“Mr Kinvig told me about the fund which has taken the pressure off for me to get to college every day.
“Spending all my money on bus fares meant I had nothing to spend on food during the day. I don’t like having to borrow money, I want to be able to pay my way in life and be self-sufficient.
“If Mr Kinvig hadn’t got me the funding from the boys’ fund, I was going to knock college on the head.”
Mr Kinvig, Lewis’ head of year while at Academy 360, said: “We kept in touch with Lewis after his GCSEs, he really knuckled down to work in his final year to get five GCSEs.
“I put a bid in for Lewis to the Sunderland Boys’ Fund to help him and his mam out to cover his bus fares every month.
“If he can get his qualifications then there’s no reason why Lewis can’t make a successful career for himself. There’s a world of opportunity for him and we all think it’s fantastic the way he is applying himself to pursue his dream career.”
Ian Thompson, chairman of the Sunderland Boys’ Fund, said: “The trustees were delighted to support Lewis. His determination, through personal challenges, to achieve his dream of employment is commendable and indicated to the trustees that his application was a very worthwhile one.”
“I was going to knock college on the head” LEWIS HODGSON