A FORMER Treloar College student has returned as the first ever Performing Artist in Residence of the Hampshire based college for disabled people.

Professional actress and aspiring playwright Robyn Hunt, pictured right, took up her new position at the start of this term and found herself back in her old college lodgings - but this time as a tutor. "It was rather strange returning to Gloucester House after six years away," said Robyn, 24.

"But this new role as an artist in residence is certainly a privilege, and it's a wonderful opportunity to be returning to Treloar, after all I did an awful lot of growing up here. In some ways, it seems like I haven't really been away."

Robyn, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, will be delivering a series of drama workshops to six groups of students, aiming to help them express and empower themselves through performance art.

The results of her first creative work with the students will be performed during the annual Arts Week, (March 7-13) at the college, which recently became the first college of its type in the country to receive Beacon College status from the government's Department for Education and Skills.

Robyn said: "As an artist, I am itching to create new art with Treloar College students. I want to work with young disabled people who will face many of the same things that I faced once I left Treloar.

"I am looking forward to sharing my craft, while at the same time gaining more experience in teaching.

"I hope people will come along to see us perform some short sketches during Arts Week - it would mean a lot to us to have the support."

Robyn was educated at both Treloar School at Upper Froyle and Treloar College at nearby Holybourne during the 1990s, and went on to graduate with a degree in English from Plymouth University.

"I promptly headed to the city to seek my fortune as an actor, ask anyone who knew me back then - it was all I ever talked about," said Robyn.

Her dream came true when she was employed as a company actor at the theatre Workshop in Edinburgh - Europe's first inclusive theatre company.

Not that it was all plain sailing: "At the same time as being involved with such a pioneering company we still encountered a good deal of hostility towards the notion of inclusive theatre. I take a hard line on that. We are not a problem to be solved, we are a diversity to be engaged with.

"If people deny our right to be represented on stage, our right as artists to comment upon society, our right to create theatre, our right to make a living, then they are in effect denouncing our very existence," said Robyn.

In her professional career Robyn has been involved in 15 productions ranging from small intimate plays to large-scale touring pieces such as Oh What a Lovely War.

"Most recently we performed Brecht's political satire The Threepenny Opera - the first time it has been performed using an entire cast of professional disabled actors," said Robyn, who is currently writing a play, set to be performed during the Edinburgh Festival.