A CWMBRAN pensioner, who was one of the first people to enrol with the Open University, is encouraging others to sign up as the organisation celebrates its 40th anniversity this year.

Sam Boyd, 92, agreed to be one of the organisation's guinea pigs when he signed up to complete two foundation courses in 1971, before graduating with a social science degree in 1977, aged 57.

Having left school at 14 with no qualifications, Mr Boyd, who is originally from Belfast, struggled to find employment before getting a job as a kitchen boy in a restaurant.

He later became an apprentice fitter working in a shipyard before moving to Risca in 1963, where he started work for the British Steel Corporation at Llanwern steelworks.

It was then he decided to further his education and try something different.

An active trade unionist from an early age, he was always interested in politics so he answered the Open University's call for prospective students.

He said: "I was really rather late in life to begin a change in career but I took advantage of the opportunity. It was a hard slog - I was working and engaged.

"The Open University is a great way to further education for those who haven't had the opportunity to get it and who were born and grew up in difficult economic times.

"The way is still open for students who may have found it difficult to raise the funds for the usual way into education.

"They can still find employment and still stay in the game."

His qualification helped him leave the steelworks to take up a job in the firm's personnel department in Cardiff.

There he stayed until he was made redundant in 1981. He then went on to work with young people at a youth opportunities scheme until he retired in 1984.

Mr Boyd and other Open University alumni who started in 1971 were invited to celebrate its anniversary at an event at its campus in Milton Keynes on Tuesday.