Meet Loris, one of our inspiring learners, whose experience at High Trees has helped her grow in confidence and follow her passion for textiles. Loris started learning at High Trees in 2023. After having left school at the age of 12 in Jamaica, Loris was eager to improve her reading and writing skills. She enrolled in an Entry Level 2 English Functional Skills course and through hard work and dedication, passed all three exams in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Reflecting on her progress, Loris shared, “I wanted to go further and enrolled in a Maths Entry 3 accredited course. I found it a bit challenging, however I did not give up and managed to pass the exams. I am very proud of my achievements”.
However, Loris’ learning journey didn’t stop at academic success. Feeling more confident, Loris began to share her personal passion for crocheting with the High Trees Education team and her classmates. Loris started bringing in a beautiful variety of hand crocheted clothing including hats, skirts and tops. Additionally, all of this was completely self-taught, as Loris had started crocheting in her free time.
After Loris shared that she would love to take her learning to the next level, the Education team referred her onto a Textiles Champions course where she will be able to develop her textiles skills and meet others with similar interests. Excited about this new opportunity, Loris said, “Now, I am going to enrol in a Textile course at Art4Space. I have always enjoyed sewing and crocheting. Since I was little, I’ve been making clothes for myself and my friends—skirts, scarves, hats. I even made table runners and blankets. During the lockdown, I made face masks.”
Loris is excited about these next steps, as she dreams of turning her passion into a business, sharing, “In the future I would like to run my own business and start selling my products”. Her story is a testament to the power of learning and the doors this can open, through her hard work and support from the High Trees team, Loris is not only achieving her goals but also looking forward to a bright and creative future.