Cash awards in memory of Aston girls killed in New Year shooting

Feb 11 2009 by Andy Richards, Birmingham Mail

ANOTHER group of young people have been given Letisha & Charlene Education Awards.

Nineteen have been presented with various cash awards of up to £2,000.

Today, Bev Thomas and Marcia Shakespeare, the mums of Charlene and Letisha, said: “We are delighted that more people have been given awards in memory of our daughters.

“It is now six years since we lost them and the pain we feel is still enormous. The awards can help people achieve their career ambitions in the future.

“The future was taken away from Letisha and Charlene, so it is good to see young people being given the opportunities they can never have.

“Choosing the latest winners has been hard work and very emotional for us. We are proud of them all and hope they will never forget the help they have been given in memory of Letisha and Charlene.

“We now look forward to hearing how they get on in future and how the awards will help them. We also want to say a big thank-you to the organisations and individuals who help us run the awards.”

The Winners

FIRST year university student SHANTAL TOMLINSON, aged 23, is studying Tourism and Business Management at the University of Central Birmingham.

Her future plans include working as a business international manager - someone who helps people find jobs in tourism.

Ambitous Shantal said she was “delighted” to have received the award which will go towards paying her university fees and buying a professional camera for assignments. “Being chosen as a winner is fantastic,” she said.

SEVENTEEN-year-old SHAMINA BEGUM, from Aston, is a student at Erdington’s Sutton Coldfield College campus. The teenager is studying for a level 3 National in Business and would like to get into accountancy when she is older. She said: “I was very pleased to hear I had won and will use the money to pay for expenses, books, a new computer and travelling to college.”

YOUNGEST winner TEVAN COHEN, aged 16, has his heart set on becoming a basketball star. The talented player from Lozells attends Lordswood Girls Sixth Form College and wants a career in the sport as a player, referee or trainer. He is currently studying for a BTEC National in Sport and re-taking his English GCSE.

He said: “I’m very proud to be a winner as I don’t want to be a burden to my mother who struggles to pay my term plus bus pass costs and buy books I need to study.”