Robbie's mum gains a degree of success

Quoted from: http://www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk

'RICHARD AULT
09:40 - 30 June 2006

The mother of Potteries pop star Robbie Williams is to take centre stage when she receives an honorary degree from Staffordshire University.Jan Williams is being honoured by the university for her good work during her 18 years of working as a counsellor and helping people deal with the affects of alcohol abuse on families.Jan also helps children who are affected by a family member's drinking.Jan said: "When I first received the letter I thought they had got the wrong address, it took quite a while to register that it was for me."
I get so much back from the work that I do, it's been so inspirational for me. It seems strange to be rewarded for doing something which gives me so much back anyway. And there are so many unsung heroes and fantastic people out there who are more deserving."I've not told Robert yet, it's taken me this long to talk myself into receiving it."I'm not a public person. I have gone public to help the Give It Sum charity cause, but otherwise I like to keep myself to myself."I'm overwhelmed by the fact that this has happened."I'm proud to be associated with Stoke-on-Trent."
Jan, a former telephone operator for the General Post Office, has two children, pop star Robbie and his older sister Sally.
Robbie was only 12 months old when Jan developed her skills for business, running the Red Lion pub in Burslem.
After living in the pub for three years, she left the business and set up her own dress shop in Little Chell, running her own business for another three years.
Once her children had grown up, Jan decided to put her experience to good use and signed up to a counselling skills course at Cauldon College.
Drawing on her own experiences working behind the bar, she specialised in dealing with people suffering from alcohol related problems. Once qualified, she began her service with the Staffordshire Alcohol Advisory Service, working with individual clients as well as in group work for over six years.
She drew on her experiences as a counsellor when helping Robbie to set up his Give It Sum fund, over which she keeps a close eye.
She is a patron of the North Staffordshire Aspergers and Autism Association, which cash from the Give It Sum fund helped to set up. Professor Christine King, Vice Chancellor of Staffordshire University, said: "These are people we are proud to be associated with, who are inspirational in their own right and who have made a real difference."'