Blind teenager Declan clears barriers to win award

Declan Grimshaw, 17, was handed the honour at a ceremony in London on Monday night.

The Blackburn College student, who used to attend Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, picked up the special achievement award for overcoming his difficulties and passing all of his GCSEs last summer.

Declan’s mum Jennifer Sumner said her son had never let his challenges get in the way.

She said: “I am so incredibly proud of Declan and so are the rest of the family.

“I want to thank Angela Frain, who was Declan’s support worker, for sticking with him through his education.

“She has been like a rod of iron between all of us and has always pushed Declan to do whatever he wanted.

“He has worked so hard to achieve what he has and he is very deserving.

“He just gets on with things. We have always brought him up telling him his disability did not define him and it doesn’t need to stop you for achieving things.”

Declan achieved C grades in history and maths and D grades in science, English, catering and geography.

He was registered blind when he was six-months-old and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was eight.

Mrs Sumner said he particularly enjoyed history and achieved a B in one of his papers.

Declan said: “I want to thank my nana, grandad, mum, dad, Mrs Frain and all staff at DACA who have supported me.”

He is now studying at Blackburn College on the Get Set course which supports vulnerable young people via a life skills programme.

As part of this he volunteers at Blackburn Foodbank.

She said: “The foodbank staff are already looking into offering him a paid role. He absolutely loves it and it is giving him his first taste of working.”

David Cane, interim headteacher and history teacher at DACA, said: “We are incredibly proud of Declan.

“Despite numerous difficulties, Declan has achieved a great deal academically and has grown into a very independent and resilient young adult who is a credit to us and his family.”