By Julie Waters
HIS Royal Highness King Charles has congratulated determined Bangor man Taylor Fogg on his prestigious national education award.
The 18 year-old travelled to Buckingham Palace where His Majesty took time to praise him on his exceptional achievements with the help of the King’s Trust.
The King’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards celebrate the successes of those who have been helped by The Trust, and those who support them, across the United Kingdom.
Taylor scooped the national Tesco Education Award which recognises a young person who has demonstrated significant personal growth and overcome barriers to improve their future through a King’s Trust education programme.
The young man was also delighted to attend a star studded awards ceremony, hosted by Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, and was presented his award by radio host Sam Thompson and magician Steven Frayne who also joined him at the Palace.
Speaking about his award Taylor said: “Winning this King’s Trust Award means so much to me. I didn’t have an easy time during my school years, so to win an education award feels incredible.
“For a long time, I couldn’t imagine what my life would look like but now I’m excited about building my career, learning new skills and ensuring my son has a bright future.”
The awards shine a light on the inspirational stories of young people and showcases the impact of The Trust’s work building the confidence and skills needed to get into a job, education, training or self-employment.
Before The King’s Trust, Taylor was in a dark place. Years of bullying and the loss of a close friend contributed to struggles with his mental health. He rarely attended school and began turning to drugs to cope. By the age of 15, he was attending his third school and had lost hope in his future.
“I had a miserable experience at my first school and was bullied daily. Things got really difficult when I lost my friend. I was struggling with my mental health and I didn’t like the person I had become. I was in a dark place, selling my belongings to buy drugs and living in self-destruct mode.”
Around this time, Taylor was diagnosed with ADHD and introduced to The Trust’s Achieve programme. The personal development course is delivered by schools in partnership with the charity to empower students to succeed in education.
“Achieve gave me a safe space where I could open up about my mental health and how difficult things had been. Once I realised how much this helped, I tried to encourage the other boys to do the same. I found my voice and wanted to help others find theirs.
“The Achieve programme gave me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had before. I never would have imagined gaining all my qualifications and finding a subject I really enjoy.”
Taylor finished the academic year having achieved Level 2s in all subjects and having advocated the Education Minister for more funding for alternative education provisions.
Today, Taylor is enjoying the second year of his apprenticeship to become a qualified electrical engineer. He also welcomed his son to the world in autumn of 2024 and is thriving as a new dad.
“I’m in my second year of my apprenticeship now and I really love it. My job feels like a hobby to me, and I genuinely enjoy going in each day. I used to struggle with my ADHD diagnosis but now I realise it’s my superpower.”
Podcast and Hits Radio host Sam Thompson said: “Taylor is such an inspiration. He shows that ADHD can be a superpower, not a limitation. Taylor’s journey shows that with hard work, the right support and a determination never to give up, it is possible to turn things around. I am so proud of him, and I’m excited to see what his future holds.”
In the lead up to the awards ceremony, Sam Thompson interviewed Taylor on his Hits Radio show. During their conversation, the two discussed their shared experiences of going through school with undiagnosed ADHD, and the positive impact their diagnoses later had on them.
In honour of Taylor’s award win, Tesco have awarded a £6,000 Stronger Starts grant to Redburn Alternative Education Provision in Holywood, where he attends.
