Future astronaut Hussain urges New City College students to reach for the sky

Future astronaut Hussain Manawer presented the annual New City College ‘students of the year’ awards telling them to aim high in life.

He was special guest at this year’s awards, held at the Grange City Hotel next to the Tower of London.

The social entrepreneur has been sleeping rough on the streets and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro raising money for the homeless.

“I’m going to be the first UK-born Muslim in space,” he told the audience in urging them to aim to achieve their own dreams. “That’s pretty amazing considering I don’t come from an academic background.”

Hussain presented the 26 awards with college group principal Gerry McDonald, Tower Hamlets campus principal Alison Arnaud and Hackney campus principal Lois Fowler.

A special award went to Awal Khan who had never been to school when he arrived in Britain from Afghanistan by himself two years ago with no knowledge of English and has proved to be “a good role model”.

Other ‘student of the year’ accolades went to Hamza Mahmood for ‘business studies’, Aifa Haque for ‘Information technology’, Nahid Ahmed for ‘health and social care’ and Darren Cole for ‘English and Communications’.

The awards attracted major international sponsors from companies including the Canary Wharf Group, Clifford Chance and Hermes Investment Management.