The Wessex Arts Theatre at Alton College was packed out on March 6 for the annual Alton College Foundation Excellence Awards Night.

Representatives from local businesses, charities and organisations, as well as staff, supporters and students of the college and their families, all enjoyed the evening of celebrations.

This year 20 scholarships for excellence were awarded to students studying a range of subjects including business, economics, digital media and engineering.

The scholarship scheme has been run for 23 years by the Alton College Foundation, a charity based at Alton College which works with staff to celebrate the excellence of students and fundraise for other equipment and resources needed by the college.

Alton College Foundation managing director Trevor Heley said: “Even after 23 years of awarding scholarships I am always pleased to see that both applicants and selected scholars continue to be great ambassadors for Alton College.

“This year we introduced two new scholarships to the selection on offer - a scholarship for drawing, sponsored by Mrs Rosemary Andreae and aimed at supporting the excellent A-level art students who come to the college to join the wonderful art department, and two scholarships sponsored by the Ellis Campbell Foundation for the space technologies programme, an exciting new programme introduced this year at the college.

“We are truly grateful that these, and other long-term sponsors, enable us to award such a wide range of scholarships.”

The Alton College Foundation was established in 1999 to help the college provide facilities and equipment that could not otherwise be provided from government funds.

Since its creation it has raised £750,000 to buy equipment for the college, create a quiet garden for students, provide a minibus for the college, award scholarships to 440 students, and provide bursaries and grants of more than £145,000 since 2010. It operates totally independently of the college.