Fircroft College of Adult Education in Selly Oak was honoured to be paid a visit by one of its former students this week - the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Chauhdry Rashid.

The Lord Mayor was a student at the College in the 1980s and was fascinated to see how much the College had changed since then. The Lord Mayor, accompanied by his wife Lady Mayoress Shafait Begum, were shown the new teaching block with IT suite and library, as well as the on-site crèche for students with young children. He was also pleased to hear the College had recently been awarded Beacon Status and received a Grade 1 outstanding Ofsted inspection report.

He says, "Coming to Fircroft College gave me a new lease of life. With my family's blessing I was resident at the College - living here meant I could concentrate on my work without getting distracted. I took some of my essays from Fircroft to my interview at Wolverhampton University and they were so impressed they gave me an unconditional offer on the spot. I'm so proud that my old college is now a Beacon College".

The Lord Mayor will be also hosting a Civic Reception for Fircroft College at the Council House in January to celebrate its centenary in 2009. Fircroft Principal Fiona Larden says, "We are all so very proud that one of our model students is now the Lord Mayor, especially coming into our centenary year."