IT’S a double celebration for a North East art college after two long serving members of staff were named in the Queen’s New Years Honours list.

Cleveland College of Art & Design head of higher education development Christine Goult and course leader Andrea Goodwill are to be honoured at Buckingham Palace after being appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for their services to education.

The awards mark a hat-trick of nominations for the internationally renowned college after The Northern School of Art curriculum manager Margaret Mineham was honoured with an MBE in 2010.

Christine, 58, of Redcar, who has worked at the college for the past 27 years, said: “When I first saw the Government stamped envelope come through the door I thought I’d been called up for jury duty.

“Even after I’d opened the letter, read it then re-read it again, I still couldn’t take it all in and had to pass it across to my husband to confirm what it actually said.

“It’s all still sinking in but I’m incredibly flattered and extremely touched to be recognised in this way.

“I came to The Northern School of Art in 1985 and never expected to be still here 27 years later but there is something magical about this place and I am so proud to receive an award for doing a job that I love.”

Sworn to secrecy Christine knows that her friends and family will get a similar surprise when the list of honours is published in the London Gazette on December 29.

“My husband and my daughter know but that’s it,” said Christine.

“I’m really looking forward to going to the palace with them, meeting the Queen and enjoying the whole cultural aspect of the experience as well.”

College principal Martin Raby, who nominated Christine for the award, added: “Christine led The Northern School of Art’s recent integrated Quality and Enhancement Review and her dedication and attention to detail were the key reasons that we achieved an excellent outcome with judgements of confidence and reliance.

“She is that rare combination of a friendly, approachable and supportive line manager who has a keen intellect and is firm but fair.

“This makes her both an outstanding member of staff and someone whose shoes will be very difficult to fill on her impending retirement.”

After 21 years of service course leader Andrea Goodwill will also be celebrating her much deserved nomination.

Andrea’s view that everyone can achieve has helped numerous students with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities, or who have been excluded from school, realise their goal of an education.

Already the recipient of an AoC Beacon Award for developing and implementing a programme of work to meet learners needs, Andrea was also put forward for her MBE by the principal.

“Given her mix of students Andrea has an enormous amount of patience and provides a supportive yet challenging environment relevant to each individual learner,” said Mr Raby.

“The list of young people that she has helped achieve is endless: some have gone on to university to become teachers and one of her former students, who dropped out of school age 13, is now one of Britain’s most up and coming young artists exhibiting all over the world.

“This is all down to Andrea’s endless enthusiasm, her dedication and commitment to the college and her learners to whom she is an excellent role model and mentor.”

Andrea, 46, of Marske-by-the-Sea, added: “I was really overwhelmed to receive the letter telling me that I had been nominated for an MBE – it was a total surprise.

“Working at The Northern School of Art is fantastic. I was actually a student here myself at 16 and it changed my life.

“For the first time I believed in myself and now I want young people to have what I had and believe in themselves.

“The best thing in the world is being able to share knowledge and skills, to see young people gain confidence and achieve their potential and importantly to feel that it is ok to be themselves on a creative and personal level.”