National Star

National Star National Star works to realise the aspirations of people with complex disabilities.

Could 2027 be your year to take on the London Marathon and make every mile matter? 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️Ballot entries are now open. ...
26/04/2026

Could 2027 be your year to take on the London Marathon and make every mile matter? 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Ballot entries are now open. Apply for a charity place with National Star and help support young people with disabilities to achieve their goals.

Whether it’s your first marathon or your next challenge, we’ll support you every step of the way.

Register your interest: https://www.nationalstar.org/support-us/london-marathon-2027/

25/04/2026

We had an amazing time at our Sunrise Walk 2026, and here is a recap of the morning!

A massive thank you to the 220 walkers for setting their early alarms, heading out to see a stunning sunrise and for taking part in this year’s Sunrise Walk. 🌄 👣

🔗Register your interest now for April 2027 (date TBC): https://bit.ly/4sIsw9B

Are you a company interested in sponsoring the Sunrise Walk next year? We would love to hear from you. Get in touch with our Fundraising Team at fundraising@nationalstar.org

Wear It Green Day is back this June and we’re going bigger, greener and louder than ever before. 💚What started as a stud...
24/04/2026

Wear It Green Day is back this June and we’re going bigger, greener and louder than ever before. 💚

What started as a student-led fundraiser has grown into a celebration of inclusion, creativity and community, raising vital funds for our charity.

We’re inviting students, schools, colleges, businesses and organisations to choose a day in June to go green and get involved. Our official Wear It Green Day is Wednesday 24 June, but you can take part on any day that works for you.

Wear green socks, ties, wigs or dresses. Bake green treats. Decorate your classroom or office. Get creative!

Every £2 donated helps us provide vital funds for young people with complex disabilities.

Register your interest today: https://www.nationalstar.org/wear-green-day/

🎉Today is the big day🎉Our new charity shop in Gloucester City Centre has officially opened its doors to the public, and ...
23/04/2026

🎉Today is the big day🎉

Our new charity shop in Gloucester City Centre has officially opened its doors to the public, and it's been great to see the community already loving it!

A massive well done to the charity retail team, this is an amazing achievement and you should all be very proud of all the hard work you have contributed towards making this shop what it is. 💚

Come and view our donated range of clothes, bestselling novels, value-for-money toys, must-have home accessories, and more at:

📍 23A St Aldate Street, Gloucester GL1 1RU
🕰️ Monday to Saturday 9am - 4.30pm (excluding Bank Holidays)

If you would like to volunteer at one of National Star’s charity shops, we would love to hear from you. To find out more about this opportunity, click the link: https://www.nationalstar.org/support-us/shop-with-us/

Your support will help young people with complex disabilities to achieve their aspirations. We hope to see you at our charity shops soon ✨

Gloucester BID Shop Gloucester

Learner voice is a central part of what we do at National Star. Our students recently took part in a focus group hosted ...
22/04/2026

Learner voice is a central part of what we do at National Star. Our students recently took part in a focus group hosted by the Parent and Carer Alliance C.I.C with the Council for Disabled Children helping shape a response to the government’s SEND White Paper.

The session, which was hosted at the Barnwood Trust, was designed to ensure children and young people with disabilities were included in the consultation process.

The session focused on accountability, understanding entitlements, and ensuring services are transparent when things go well – and when they do not.

Our learners spoke with clarity and honesty about what matters most. They highlighted the need for the right support to live and learn, feel safe, have access to adapted information, and be recognised as individuals with their own identity. They also emphasised the importance of skilled staff, strong relationships, and feeling genuinely valued.

Discussions explored key areas of support, including mental health, therapy, assessments, specialist equipment, and opportunities beyond the classroom. Learners stressed the importance of choice, particularly when it comes to therapists and support that meets their needs.

A strong theme throughout was the importance of communication. Learners said positive outcomes come from professionals working together, keeping them informed, and making changes with care.

Student Rose said: ‘It’s not easy to understand people like me unless I have my voice heard about what can be difficult. Just reading about us does not give an accurate view, we need a voice to be able to communicate what works best for us.

These insights will now be shared with the government, helping influence future SEND provision.

A bright future forecast for budding weather presenter Joe 📺 ✨ As Joe enters his final year at National Star, he has bee...
21/04/2026

A bright future forecast for budding weather presenter Joe 📺 ✨

As Joe enters his final year at National Star, he has been exploring what life after college could look like in his Life Skills, Planning for My Future, and Speech and Language Therapy sessions. Joe shared his love for media, especially watching daily weather forecasts which led to an exciting opportunity to visit BBC Points West and meet Ian Fergusson, to learn more about what goes into presenting the weather!

With support from his Personalised Learning Coordinator and Speech and Language Therapist, Joe prepared thoughtful questions and gained the confidence to meet new people and pursue his interests. The experience boosted his communication skills, and the next day, Joe proudly shared his BBC trip with his Life Skills group, a huge milestone for him.

We are so proud of Joe for stepping out of his comfort zone and working on his preparation for adulthood. Stay tuned for National Star's very own weather reports coming soon... 🎥

National Star in Hereford, Worcester and Wales are taking part in Tesco's Stronger Starts project, and the date has been...
20/04/2026

National Star in Hereford, Worcester and Wales are taking part in Tesco's Stronger Starts project, and the date has been extended to support us by voting! ✨

With your help, we could receive up to £1,500. Customers are invited to vote in their local Tesco, using a blue token to select their preferred project – ensuring local communities can have their say in how funding is distributed to the three groups.

📍 Find a shop to vote in:
- Hereford (including superstores and express shops)
- Worcester (including superstores and express shops)
- Pontypool Superstore, Wales

By supporting National Star, you’re helping young people with disabilities achieve their goals. Get down to Tesco and vote before the end of April, every blue token helps.

18/04/2026

Are you coming to our Open Day at today to find out more about our SEND offering in Worcestershire?

Here’s how to find us from the All Saints building 🗺️

📍Copenhagen St, Worcester, WR1 2HB

Last term, National Star in Hereford held their Reverse Jobs Fair, giving students the opportunity to talk with employer...
17/04/2026

Last term, National Star in Hereford held their Reverse Jobs Fair, giving students the opportunity to talk with employers and gain communication and confidence skills. 🌟

A traditional Job Fair can feel a daunting experience for many but through reversing the experience our students hosted their own stall in familiar surroundings to meet with visiting employers and share and gather information to help them towards their career aspirations, as well as practicing their employability skills.

Many students in Hereford have worked on internal placements at college such as Tuck Shop, Gardening and Maintenance, and the library, as well as on external placements such as childcare, hair and beauty, hospitality and more! These placements will support their career development and provide them with work experience that will help with their preparation for adulthood.

👏 A massive well done to all our learners who got involved!

If you are an employer in Hereford who may have work opportunities for our students, please email cwatson-cumbes@nationalstar.org

Axiom.pictures Wyvern Business Systems Herefordshire FA Halo Leisure Passion First Aid Limited

A brilliant celebration at our Worcester campus 👏Our Staff and Learner Awards recognised the people who make a differenc...
16/04/2026

A brilliant celebration at our Worcester campus 👏

Our Staff and Learner Awards recognised the people who make a difference every day.

For our staff awards, it was all about peer recognition. Team members nominated each other, with winners receiving the most votes – making it even more meaningful to be recognised by colleagues.

Our learner awards were just as special, with staff nominating learners and recognising their progress, achievements and efforts throughout the term.

It’s not too late to book onto our Open Day on Saturday 18 April – come and see it for yourself. https://www.nationalstar.org/events/worcester-open-days/

National Star student Kate has dreams of becoming an engineer, and has been working on an exciting work placement with M...
16/04/2026

National Star student Kate has dreams of becoming an engineer, and has been working on an exciting work placement with Mira Showers as part of our Work Outcomes for Personal Development programme.🌟

Both briefing and designing, Kate has worked on a tailored project creating an accessible showerhead that will support her to live more independently, as well as giving her real experience in the engineering world that she can carry into her life after college.

Want to hear more about how work placements support students in preparation for adulthood? Tune into BBC News Points West between 6.30-7pm to watch Kate and fellow student Chris speak further about this in the BBC studio.

On Sunday we held our and we can finally reveal that you raised over £18,000!🎉A massive thank you to each and every on...
15/04/2026

On Sunday we held our and we can finally reveal that you raised over £18,000!🎉

A massive thank you to each and every one of our walkers, this is an amazing achievement! The money raised will support young adults with disabilities to live independent lives, and will help to provide the equipment and resources needed for them to achieve their goals. 💫

A huge well done to the Fundraising Team for organising such a fantastic event, we can't wait to do it all again next year. 🌄

Want to join us next year? Register your interest now for April 2027 (date TBC): https://bit.ly/47YkSRg

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About National Star

At National Star, we’re driven by our vision for a world in which people with disabilities are able to realise their potential as equal and active citizens in control of their lives. This sits at the heart of everything we do, from the personalised and world-class learning we provide via National Star College to training, specialist services and our work in the wider community.