PIONEERING sports stars, a young entrepreneur and the former District Commander for police in Bradford are among the honorary graduates at the next Bradford College graduations.

The graduation ceremonies take place in the Life Centre, Wapping Road, tomorrow and Wednesday, and as well as over 1,000 college students graduating, five honorary fellowships will be handed out.

An Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour that the college can give to recognise their service or support to the college, city or district of Bradford.

Those getting the accolade this year are:

Ruth Caswell - An award-winning costumier, fashion designer and designer maker from Keighley who taught Costume and Textiles on the degree programmes within the School of Art and Design at Bradford College from 1986 until 1997 and has worked on Oscar winning films including Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love.

Ikram Butt - The first British Asian Muslim to represent England at either code of rugby. He has played rugby league for Leeds, Featherstone, Huddersfield, and London Broncos and was capped for England. He is the CEO for the British Asian Rugby Association, which aims to provide positive role models, break down cultural and religious barriers and promote community cohesion.

Saima Hussain - The first Muslim female to play rugby league for Yorkshire and England, and has helped smash preconceptions about race and gender in sport. She now works a sports development officer in Bradford.

Simon Atkin - The Keighley-born former Chief Superintendent of West Yorkshire Police and college alumnus.

Emily Cummins - An award-winning inventor and entrepreneur from Keighley. who invented the ‘sustainable’ fridge which is used across much of southern Africa and was the youngest person ever to win a Sustainable Design Award. Still only 29, she is also involved in a business that has become the biggest provider of diabetes prevention services in the UK.

Of the 1,100 graduating students, 546 will be picking up Bachelor awards, of which 18 per cent are firsts.

The College is also making 211 postgraduate awards - Masters, PGCE and PGDip.

Bradford College Group Chief Executive Officer Andy Welsh said: “We are delighted to confer honorary fellowships on such a distinguished group of people.

“They have all excelled in their own field and are excellent role models for our students staff and we look forward to the contribution they will make to the College.”

There are five graduation ceremonies over the two days.