A WGC man who gave up a hefty salary to work in the charity sector has graduated with an Open University (OU) degree.

Will Davis was awarded a BSc (Hons) in International Studies at a ceremony in Ely on Saturday.

Mr Davis, of Hardings, Panshanger, previously earned �75,000 a year working in IT.

But in 2008, after three years of OU study, he quit his role, which he described as “ethically bereft,” to focus on his education.

As well as studying, Mr Davis has also volunteered for a number of charities over the past two years, including Oxfam and Fairtrade.

The 45-year-old now works part time as a support worker for the homeless charity Crisis.

Speaking to the Welwyn Hatfield Times, he said: “The OU has helped me reach my goal of doing a job that allows me to make a tangible improvement to the lives of others.

“I am grateful to the OU for the opportunities that gaining a degree brings and the knowledge and insight I gained through the courses I undertook.”

Based in Milton Keynes, the OU is the only higher education institute in the country that is dedicated to distance learning.

The university currently has around 150,000 undergraduate and more than 30,000 postgraduate students.