Stewart, a 19-year-old care worker from Walsden in Todmorden, will be attending an awards ceremony in Westminster on Tuesday 31 January with his tutor Gill Legowski, where he will receive a trophy and £50 book token and find out whether he is overall Learner of the Year.

Last year, with no qualifications behind him, Stewart, who works at Mill Reed Lodge Nursing home in Todmorden, signed up for a work-based learning course level 1 in Care with Calderdale College. An assessment by the college’s learning support team identified that Stewart had dyslexic tendencies and attention deficit problems.

“We tried various ways for Stewart to study and, after many frustrating sessions, settled into a pattern”, explained tutor Gill. “Stewart would read through the workbook before my weekly visit and then we would read the main points again together. Stewart would give me verbal answers to the questions and I would write them in a notebook for him to copy into his workbook. We began to make some progress though it was slow going”.

Then, as a result of watching a television documentary on the effects of diet on learning, Gill suggested that they carry out an experiment together.

“We agreed that, for two weeks initially, Stewart would change his diet of burgers, chips, pizza, sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks to one where he ate fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and lean meat and drank more water”, said Gill. “The difference that this made was unbelievable – he was like a different person.

“The first session we had after a two-week break lasted for well over an hour. Stewart’s confidence had increased so much that he wrote his own notes without help. He didn’t realise how long we had worked or how much he had got through until I had to stop him so that he could get back to work. Stewart finally completed his programme in October, two months before his deadline. I am so proud of him for not giving up and for working through all his problems to achieve his goal. He thoroughly deserves this award and the recognition that it brings.”

Stewart is continuing his studies with a level 2 NVQ in Care. “Cutting down on junk food improved my concentration and I found that I had more energy”, he said. “It’s made a huge difference and I’m trying to keep up the good habits. I couldn’t have got this award without Gill’s help and it’s going to be a great day in London."