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Pen Portrait

Welcome to Jenny Hughes – Careers Officer
After taking a Degree in European Community Studies at Cardiff University
specialising in EEC Law, Economics, German and Spanish, Jenny embarked on
a career in Publishing in London, initially working within the Sales and Marketing
division at Penguin Books.
She then moved to IPC Magazines, the largest cover magazine publisher in Europe,
working as a Senior Marketing Analyst, where she spent time managing projects
such as geodemographic mapping, sales forecasting and market data analysis,
and liaising with third party publishing clients such as Reed Business International.
Jenny has spent the last 20 years living in South Devon – she has worked as a
Senior Administrator at local Pre School and Primary Schools, as well as running
a property management business, and both of her children are now currently
studying at Exeter University.
She has volunteered as an EACT appointed Governor at a local secondary
school and joined the Ivybridge Community College team in 2021.
Jenny Hughes is the new
Jenny is passionate about the importance of quality careers provision for all Careers Officer at Ivybridge
students and in her spare time she enjoys music, theatre, sea swimming and Community College
teaching one to one yoga sessions.

News 7

Fundraising Success by Year 12 Students

Inspired by former student Jack Howitt and his mission to join the 2024
Paralympics, Year 12 students have been making a huge effort in their
fundraising activities.
Over the last few months, Year 12 students at Ivybridge Community
College have raised an amazing amount to support Jack Howitt’s
dream of competing in a Para-triathlon. The whole Year Group
contributed to the effort, raising a grand total of £1382, which they
presented to Jack last week in the form of a ‘Giant Cheque’.
Jack, 22, first became ill in 2016 during his last year at the College.
Whilst he was finishing Year 13, with a move to University imminent, his
symptoms were originally misdiagnosed as stress. This began a long
period of illness for Jack, with an eventual diagnosis of Stage 4 brain
cancer. Jack was given only a 3-5% chance of living more than 5 years,
and a 12-18 month average survival rate from the diagnosis.
An operation and intense course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
followed, with Jack taking up to 30 tablets a day. Although he
completed his chemotherapy in August 2020, his mental health was
suffering due to lockdown, made worse by his weight fluctuations, the
result of the extreme amount of medication he was taking.
Determined to regain control of his life, Jack bought a recumbent bike
and cycled for hours, kick-starting his need and desire to do more.
Jack has now become an inspiration to many students at the College,
visiting during Mental Health and Wellbeing Week to talk about the
difficult times he has faced and how he managed to find the drive and
resilience to test his mental and physical limits.
Jack hopes to compete at the Paris Paralympics in one years’ time, in
the Para-triathlon, whilst also completing his university studies.
Ivybridge Community College students’ fundraising activities, which
included a bake sale and competing in a triathlon, will help support
Jack with his 1-2-1 sessions in the pool, as well as go towards the
purchase of a Time Trial or Triathlon bike.
If you wish to support Jack, you can donate to his gofundme page.