TWO cookery students with learning difficulties who work in a Coleford café have been awarded two accolades.

Roderick Herriman, of Cinderford, and Luke Pegler, from Drybrook, were nominated by their manager at Sixteen Community Café, Amanda Zeyan, for an outstanding achievement award.

The pair also won the distinguished group award 2016.

Amanda, who is also an adult community learning tutor at Gloucestershire College, said: “I teach both Roderick and Luke cookery and during the set up of Sixteen Community Cafe I identified them as potential employees due to the fantastic progress towards independent cooking on their course.

“Both are now in paid employment and both say they now have a reason to get up in the morning.

“Roderick, who is 46 years-old, is severely autistic and Luke, who is aged 29, has learning difficulties.

“I decided to nominate them (for the awards) following a case study by Nasrin Atcha-Patel from Gloucestershire Council to demonstrate that adult learning can be effective and empowering. Adult Education holds outstanding achievement awards once a year for people that have made a great achievement through education and training.

“The awards are a fantastic achievement – I am very proud of them both.”