Football manager Graham Taylor was sharing his career highs and lows with children from Hull's Children's University today, encouraging them to show determination during difficult times.

Following last year's topic "raising aspirations" with former England manager Kevin Keegan sharing motivational skills with pupils, the theme for the 2001 Children's University conference will be turning adversity into triumph.

At this year's event at Hull City Hall today, Graham Taylor was due to talk about his own experiences and answer questions, posed by young members of the audience, about his life in football.

Mr Taylor, who was a manager for 29 years before retiring, was also due to receive, along with Hull MP and deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, an honorary graduate award from the Children's University which provides out of school learning opportunities for primary school pupils aged seven to 11.

The successful scheme now boasts 1,000 mentors from business and the community, 40 companies which provide support and sponsorship and 60 teachers who help more than 1,000 children to learn every term.

John Buttrick, Children's University manager, said that if the Children's University could secure more funding, it may be extended in the future to develop schemes to help children in care achieve more at school.