HEROES and champions of education and training across Cumbria were honoured last night at the 2018 Golden Apple Awards.

Hundreds of guests gathered in Carlisle on World Teachers’ Day for the annual awards.

Winners were unveiled at a glittering event at Carlisle Racecourse staged by Newsquest Cumbria, publisher of The Mail, in partnership with the University of Cumbria and Centre of Nuclear Excellence.

Ken McEwan, director of the Centre of Nuclear Excellence, said: “The Centre of Nuclear Excellence is delighted to be an associate partner of the Golden Apple Awards 2018 and we are extremely proud to support this fantastic way of recognising and championing the unsung heroes amongst our education and learning providers.

“Development of our people, of all ages and abilities, is key to building the workforce we need for the future and this needs to be appreciated and celebrated wherever it can.

“Cumbria is a ‘heartland’ for skills and education development and by sustaining and promoting this we can support opportunities for our young people and even attract others to live and work here too.”

Former broadcaster and journalist Julie Clayton was host for the evening and had the job of revealing the winners.

Entries were judged by a panel made up of retired Penrith headteacher Nigel Pattinson, Signy Henderson from the University of Cumbria, Paddy Gorrill from the Centre of Nuclear Excellence, and Natalie Chapples, education and skills reporter at The Mail.

* See Monday’s Mail for a full round-up of the evening.