Courses studied: History, English Literature and Economics
Year: 1973–1974
“I needed a fresh start.”
When Stephen Lewis arrived at Fircroft in 1973, he was looking for a new direction.
After struggling at school and taking on an apprenticeship that wasn’t right for him, Stephen knew he needed a fresh start. Fircroft gave him the opportunity to return to education, study subjects that interested him and begin building a different future.
Finding Belief in Himself
Stephen studied History, English Literature and Economics at Fircroft.
But the experience was about more than academic subjects. He found himself in an environment where he felt valued and where staff believed in his potential.
He particularly remembers the house, the setting and the fellow students, as well as the confidence that members of staff placed in him – especially Bob Milsum.
“I felt valued and that the staff had confidence in me, especially Bob Milsum.”
That belief helped Stephen move forward and ultimately build a career in education.
From Fircroft to the Classroom
Stephen went on to become a headteacher, building a career focused on supporting children and helping them succeed in education.
His own experiences have remained an important part of his motivation.
Today, Stephen continues to work to support individuals and communities. Alongside his charity and community work, he runs a teacher training charity in The Gambia, West Africa.
He is also a director of Bwyd Cymunedol Dinbych (Denbigh Food Community) and Chair of Clwyd City of Sanctuary.
His commitment to helping others is rooted in his own experience of needing support and encouragement when he was younger.
“My career, trying to support individual children in education, in a way I didn’t get.”
A Life of Giving Back
Although Stephen is now retired from his career as a headteacher, his work supporting others continues.
Through his charity and community involvement, he is helping create opportunities for people both locally and internationally.
For Stephen, his journey has come full circle. The young man who arrived at Fircroft needing a fresh start went on to build a career dedicated to helping others find their own opportunities.
Stephen’s Advice to Future Students
Stephen’s advice to anyone considering studying at Fircroft is simple:
“Do it!”
His own experience demonstrates what can happen when someone is given the opportunity to start again and discovers that others believe in their potential.
Looking Back
When Stephen thinks about where his life might have gone without Fircroft, he finds it difficult to imagine.
“Oh my, I was a lost soul… I have no idea where or what I would have become.”
Instead, Fircroft became the beginning of a remarkable journey – from a young man looking for a second chance to a headteacher, charity worker and community leader dedicated to giving other people the opportunities and support he once needed himself.
