WEA Annual Review 11-12

For us, as a Region, probably the most significant has been the change in our Director. We were very sad when Ann Walker left us to take up her promotion to the position of Association Director for Education earlier this year. We congratulate Ann on this promotion and thank her wholeheartedly for the amazing job she did during her time with us. She guided us through several very turbulent and difficult times and became a friend to us all. She continues to serve the Association well and we know that she is only an e-mail or phone call away although I am sure she would prefer that we all used more up to date technology and followed her on Twitter and read her blogs!

I was lucky enough to be fully involved in the appointment of Ann’s successor. There was a very strong field of candidates both from within and outside the WEA but I am sure that we have made the best possible choice with Fiona Parr. Fiona joined us from North West Region in June and was already quite well known to us through our inter-Regional meetings. She is already bringing fresh ideas to our Region and we are all enjoying working with her. I know she has made an effort to get out and about around the Region and make herself known to you all – quite a difficult task in our large, widely dispersed area. I know you will all want me to extend a warm welcome to Fiona and if you haven’t already met her I’m sure you will soon.

Another new face is that of Ruth Spellman, who was appointed as the Association’s Chief Executive Officer earlier this year. We are not used to this title and Ruth herself has said that she is quite happy to be known as either CEO or General Secretary. Many of us met Ruth when she visited us in June. As part of her induction she visited all nine Regions and we were the first. We had no difficulty in making a very good impression when we

presented aspects of our programme to her in Leeds and Sheffield. Some of us were also able to meet with her on a more social level and have been pleased that she is very keen to progress the excellent programme of Adult Education that the WEA delivers throughout the country. She is also eager to advance the national profile of our work and extend the partnership work that we do. One of her first innovations has been the introduction of a National WEA Award Ceremony, the first of which took place on November the 7th at the Houses of Parliament. She is also in discussions with other highly regarded education providers to ascertain whether we may be mutually beneficial in the work that we do.

One of the most exciting events this year has been the Region’s move to new premises in Leeds. Not that we went far – you can see the old office from the new one! This has been tremendously beneficial to all who work in our Regional Office and served to confirm that we have no idea how they ever managed to operate in the old one’s very cramped and difficultly accessed space. The proximity of the new office meant that all the staff were able to continue working with us. Everyone who works in the Regional Office are to be congratulated on the efficient way in which the move was carried out – I was amazed, when visiting one week after the move, that everything was neatly packed away and everyone looked as if they had worked there forever! These new premises have also provided us with a meeting room, The Mansbridge Suite, which we are already putting to good use for Regional meetings, tutor meetings and Association gatherings.

You may remember ‘New Look,’ as the complete overhaul of the Association was called. This was necessary to make the Association more financially viable and was an opportunity to look critically at the way we work. It has taken some time to be completely embedded and some residual problems still remain. However, there is one aspect of this change that I believe, contrary to my original thoughts, has proved very effective. That is the introduction of the Membership, Volunteering and Marketing Director (Peter Templeton) and the committee that he heads. I am a member of this committee and really believe that it is giving the members and volunteers a voice which they were lacking previously. There has been a great deal of work carried out on providing our volunteers with relevant information - Governor and Branch Guidelines for example - and all of our members have been given the opportunity to respond to a membership survey. This directorship is really trying to listen to and consult across the whole Association. It is also looking, along with Ruth Spellman, at how we may improve our national profile.

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the AGM where, you will be pleased to learn, we are at last able to extend voting rights to all of our members.

Lindy GresswellRegional Chair

Another year has passed with many changes having taken place

again. There have been changes throughout the Association but we in

Yorkshire and Humber have seen some quite

significant ones this year.

Annual Review 11 - 12

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This report is additional to the Workers’ Educational Association’s Annual Report and the Treasurer’s financial report for the Yorkshire and Humber region.

A number of significant changes have taken place over the year as a result of New Look1 including changes to the region’s Regional Management team: Ann Walker (previously Education Director for the region) was appointed has the Director for Education for the Association, and we congratulate her and wish her all the best. We know she will do a superb job in helping to shape WEA’s new vision, mission and values. Nicky Reed, previously Regional Education Manager working in the North West area of the region, also moved to a new association post for Curriculum Development and Tutor Engagement and again we wish her all the best in her new role.

Jol Miskin and Trish Land were appointed as Regional Education Managers and together with Deb Collins acted as interim Regional Directors overseeing all aspects of the region’s education and operational management for a short period until the region appointed its new Education Director, Fiona Parr, who took up post in June 2012.

Jol, Debs and Trish would like to take this opportunity to offer thanks to the Regional Officers and Executive Committee, led by our conscientious and hardworking Chair, Lindy Gresswell for all their support and guidance during this period.

Members of the Regional and Finance committees take their roles and responsibilities very seriously and give freely of their time as do our branch officers and volunteers – their work is commendable and more than

proves the central and key role played by volunteers in the governance of the WEA.

The changes have been difficult for everyone involved and the region is immensely grateful for volunteers’ hard work and commitment and for staff members’ continued dedication to keeping the show on the road and making sure that courses ran and made a difference for all students.

The region welcomed Fiona Parr as our new Education Director. Fiona has many years’ experience working with the WEA, not least in her role as Regional Education Manager in the North West region. She is bringing fresh ideas to the region as well as leading on Student Services policy and practice nationally for the Association.

Volunteers and staff organised 2,149 courses with 27,220 enrolments received. Subjects offered are wide ranging and organised in community based venues to meet the needs and interests of individual students and community groups and organisations. These included arts, crafts and creative arts and design, humanities, family learning, literacy and numeracy, politics, computing and project working - Inclusive Archaeology Education project, Community Interpreting, Health Champions in Wakefield and Community Learning Champions in Doncaster. All shining examples of our commitment to effective partnership working.

Much of the region’s work is developed with a range of targeted priority student groups and communities:l 44% of students live in disadvantaged post code areasl over 52% were classified as fee remitted students

Regional ReportThank you for reading this year’s Annual Review and thanks also to the many contributions volunteers and staff have made to the report. The stories give a flavour of some of the region’s varied, innovative and inspiring work that has taken place during 2011-12.

1 New Look is an Association wide cost saving project to include changes to both staffing and finance structures.


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l 21.4% were from black and minority ethnic communities l 32.7% declared a physical disability l 18.5% declared a learning disabilityl And almost 50% of students started the course with a below level 2 qualification.

Overall our success rates stands at 91.9% and our attendance is just over 80%. We are looking to make improvements in both these areas over the coming year.

There are many examples of vibrant, high quality adult education in the region. Here are a few and other shining examples can be found in the report that follows.

The Open Door Hate and Mate Crime group has been nominated for the Times Educational Supplements FE Award for Outstanding Achievement to the Community after learning with the WEA.

The group produced a cutting edge, hard hitting DVD about hate/mate Crime and how it affects people with a learning disability; adults with a learning disability talk candidly about how they have been affected by hate crime. The DVD has received high acclaim locally and is being used by several local organisations as part of their safeguarding training. The film can be seen at following link: http://youtu.be/z_VJdAuYmKw

This is the second time in two years that outstanding tutor Mark Goodwin has been shortlisted for a TES Award and we wish him and the students all the best - whatever the outcome they have done themselves and the WEA proud.

Julie Harrison has been selected as the WEA Yorkshire and Humber individual Award Winner in recognition of her own commitment to learning and for raising the aspirations of others to get involved and take part in learning.

Skills for Life learners in Batley who have a dedication and passion for learning were awarded both an individual and group award from the Kirklees Adult Learners Award. Mary Day and the group are shining examples of how education can and does change lives.

Skills for Life learners in Batley, who have a dedication and passion for learning, were awarded both an individual and group award from the Kirklees Adult Learners Award. Mary Day and the group are shining examples of how education can and does change lives.

These stories, and those that follow, are testament to all that has been achieved in another good year’s work.

The year ahead will be testing as the Government’s austerity measures kick in. These may well affect the WEA itself and they most certainly will affect many adults in the communities in which we work.

Our task is to rise to the challenges we and more importantly they face.

Our vision is crystal clear:

“A better world, equal, democratic and just; through adult education the WEA challenges and inspires individuals, communities and society”Keep this at the centre of our thinking and actions and we won’t go far wrong.

My thanks to all our supporters

Thank you.

Trish LandRegional Education Manager

Community Interpreting comes to Wakefield and offered a shining example of what a community can achieve when people come together to address their issues, concerns and common interests in a united and supportive way.The Community Interpreting group comprised of a diverse group of learners to include members from Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, Portugal and Poland, all coming together to develop the skills they need to help their own communities face up to life in a new country.

Under the inspirational leadership of course tutor Justyna Wilczewska, the group is learning how to use its multi-lingual skills to speak on behalf of others whose knowledge of English is limited. Each member has been learning how to become an advocate for their specific group, developing a knowledge of the jargon and vocabulary that go hand-in-hand with housing, health and work-related benefits, things that we take in our day-to-day stride but which seem like climbing Everest to newcomers.

Take Din, for example, who is currently organising a project for a children’s charity that will help young asylum seekers and refugees. She is using her knowledge of Urdu, Farsi, Pashto and Dari both as a volunteer and as a community interpreter. Like Mirek, who has a background in law and is able to help members of his community understand the complex vocabulary that our legal system is wrapped up in.

I must say more about Justyna, the tutor. She has gained an ‘excellent’ grade in her Observation of her Teaching and Learning practice and has numerous strengths that make her stand out as a tutor: high expectations, good management, inclusive learning, and the skills and determination to encourage full participation through what I call ‘enrichment activities and the development of a shared voice’.

The social capital being demonstrated here helps communities to grow stronger, to achieve better health, education and lower crime rates. These learners, through the tutor and the course, are all helping other organisations, often in deprived areas, to spread their resources more widely, so that communities can be healthier, happier and more productive. From a small course, specific help to others grows exponentially. Who knows how far they will reach?

Christine SharmanOrganiser for Wakefield and Leeds

It was celebration time in May when more than 30 learners from WEA literacy, and dressmaking and design courses came together at Huddersfield’s Crosland Moor Learning Centre.

Learners were presented with WEA Certificates of Achievement in recognition of their progress and achievement in Dressmaking and Design learners and those on the literacy course were presented with OCR Level 1 Certificates in Literacy.

Joining in and presenting the certificates were course tutors Amarjit Sahota, (dressmaking and design), and Judith Boardman, (literacy). Judith said:

“We had a really successful presentation evening. Lots of people came and Amarjit and I presented our learners with their well-earned

Community Interpreting in Wakefield

Justyna WilczewskaWEA Tutor


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certificates. Totally impromptu, three of my learners stood up and talked about how the course and the learning centre had helped them”.

It was a great social, family event and the learners were very proud of their achievements and all are continuing their studies with the WEA.

Dory GlynnOrganiser for Huddersfield

Celebration Three great events have taken place in Wakefield during the summer term:

Health Champions, Yourself, Your Future and Self Help for Life.

Championing healthy living is at the heart of the modern day WEA and the people of Wakefield will benefit from a two year project that has raised health awareness in three areas of the city.The aim of the project was not only to raise awareness but to encourage people to make positive changes to their lives to help improve their health and wellbeing.

Over 600 joined in 95 taster activities, which included:l ‘stress-busting’ through aromatherapy, yoga and relaxationl getting into the garden and discovering woodland craft and flower arrangingl putting together healthy menus while cooking on a budgetl developing assertiveness and building self-confidence

What followed then was 2/3 short courses in each of the three districts where over 50 people learned more about healthy families, how better health builds stronger communities and a whole range of other issues linked to improving health.

The project then launched four specially designed 60-hour Health Champion courses that gave 40 learners a real insight

into a range of health-related issues. Each course used a selection of OCN accredited units at levels one, two and three, but learners were not confined to a classroom: for one hour a week over a 12 week period they went out on placement, an ideal way in which to marry the theory to the practice and increase their knowledge and in so doing give them the confidence to share this with family, friends and their own communities.

The communities that took part in the project were Airedale and Ferry Fryston, central Wakefield and Eastmoor, and Kinsley and Fitzwilliam, and at Wakefield Town Hall representatives from partner organisations, health professionals, and the local authority came together to applaud learners when certificates were presented to those who had successfully completed the short courses and those that had become accredited the Health Champions. The Celebration event was funded by the Primary Care trust and the Local Authority.

Trish Hollies Organiser for Wakefield and District

Christine Sharman Organiser for Wakefield and Leeds

30 learners from the Health Champions and Helping in Schools accredited courses were invited to this full day event in Wakefield.

The event was led by University lecturers and supported by WEA

tutors and staff.

The morning theme was ‘Thinking Outside the Box,’ with lots of fun and creative activities. After a wonderful buffet lunch, the afternoon session gave participants the opportunity to hear about potential progression routes and hear from former WEA Helping in Schools learner Cathy Thomas who is in the final year of her degree and considering progressing to a Masters degree.

Yourself, Your FutureCelebrating partnership work with the University of Leeds

Health Champions: Three Areas Project

Celebration Time in Wakefield

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WEA tutor, Chris Summers, created a safe and welcoming environment for adults to engage with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques.Two senior doctors suggested that people could be educated to use these techniques, in times of stress, away from a therapeutic background. The project was funded by the Wakefield Primary Care Trust and the WEA was given the task of writing and delivering a programme of activities. The NHS Mental Health Trust was particularly interested in promoting the use of CBT as a key approach in promoting self- help and the tutor was keen to increase learners’ progress in a number of different ways such as diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation, guided visualisations and some NLP techniques. The aim of the project included: l to introduce self-help techniques l to show how engaging with adult education can make a positive impact on the health and well-being on those taking part l to take part in a research project and thereby identify implications for policy and practice in the areas of mental health and adult education The following provides a summary of the key findings from the study “Situated Resilience through Mental Health Adult Community Learning” by Dr Lydia Lewis, funded by the University Of Leicester College of Social Science Knowledge Exchange Post Doctorate Fellowship. The WEA helped with the study design and fieldwork by providing over 50% of participants for the research from Self Help for Life project. Many of the participants had withdrawn from social life and the course provided an opportunity to re-engage and reconnect with others. A safe learning environment was created characterised by building trust and friendships and a space to share personal experiences in a non-judgemental way. Some participants in the self-help classes also recounted how this had helped them to find peace of mind or achieve emotional security.

The research suggests that, “through providing mutual understanding and recognition, or emotional connectivity, the WEA was therefore helping people to combat feelings of isolation.”Evident from the focus group activity was the importance of having a safe space to tell of socially taboo experiences, which included suicide attempts and domestic violence as well as alcohol misuse. Participants were given an opportunity to talk about personal feelings in a safe, non-judgemental and trusting atmosphere was seen by many participants as being ‘therapeutic and cathartic’.Overall the Self Help for Life Project has been an exceptional success over the last five years. Learner feedback suggests that almost everyone who completed the course was able to successfully exceed their own personal learning outcomes in areas of reduced stress, increased confidence and a more positive and productive attitude towards themselves and their society. Christine SharmanOrganiser for Wakefield and Leeds

andTrish HolliesOrganiser for Wakefield and District

Self Help forLife Project Wakefield

Chris SummersWEA Tutor

Funded by Wakefield PCT


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Mary Day - Individual Skills for Life Learner of the Year, Kirklees Adult Learner Awards 2012.


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Mary is a dedicated mother who even now continues to take on the responsibility of caring for her own parents, this remarkable woman is a stalwart of her community. In the morning and afternoon she works as the school’s crossing attendant, in between she’s the school’s lunchtime supervisor, and in the evening she becomes leader of her local Brownies, and organiser for the Poppy Appeal. It was the school that triggered the idea of Mary attending classes with the WEA. Times were changing and she felt that to move with them she ought to attend adult literacy classes, to update her skills and work towards the level 2 qualification valued by her employer. Where many others can take enrolling for adult education in their stride, for Mary this was a momentous step. But she took it and it became a life changing experience, with her soon realising the huge importance that studying had for her; she felt confidence grow and skills develop. She says: “It made me realise I can do something when I always thought I was a nobody.”Mary spent three terms focusing on her literacy studies when the opportunity came up to attend WEA numeracy classes - she jumped at the chance to take on a new challenge. Her hard work

and dedication paid off this summer when she passed her Level 1 National Numeracy test. She narrowly missed her Level 2 Literacy, but is determined to go back and this time make sure she gets the qualification.If it had not been for the WEA, she says, she may never have realised just what can be done to open those doors that always seem locked. She says: “Now I’m mixing with more people and I’m not as shy as I was. When I went on stage to collect my Adult Learner award I felt so nervous, but was very proud to be there and show what I can achieve.”If Mary is the star of the show then she is fortunate to have a quite remarkable supporting cast at Batley Central Children’s Centre. This vibrant, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual Skills for Life group has a dedication and passion for learning that was also recognised in the Kirklees Adult Learner Awards. Like Mary, everyone in the group has had to acknowledge the barriers they have faced to getting involved in adult learning, and then work on climbing, side-stepping and removing those obstacles and barriers in order to be able to focus on their own learning. But students in the group can now recognise the impact of their personal learning on their families and local

community. Some members of the group are already active volunteers or work in schools, and coming to the class has directly affected their interaction with the children with whom they work. The group’s learning experiences and improved literacy skills have boosted their confidence enormously, which has enabled them to put themselves forward to help others. This new found confidence has not gone unnoticed: one learner was approached to be a governor of her children’s school, something of an honour in any local community.The main motivation for the group to attain literacy qualifications is to enable them to help others in either a voluntary or paid capacity. They need good literacy skills to be able to help in schools, and see the Level 2 qualification as a stepping stone into a Teaching Assistant post or to going on to a teaching assistant course. One student is now working in a school and another has applied for a place on the NVQ 2 Childcare with Kirklees College. Many in the group continue to work towards the new Functional Skills English qualification with the WEA.Rose FarrarOrgansier for Kirklees

About the Skills for Life Programme, Kirklees The Skills for Life programme in Kirklees continues to develop nicely with new courses delivered.

Raising the profile of the WEA as a Skills for Life provider in Kirklees has taken hard work and determination on the part of the Organisers, and the additional expertise of Dory Glynn as the Organiser focused in the South Kirklees area has really boosted the

local WEA provision. A core team of dedicated tutors has been established, two of whom received ‘Outstanding’ at OTL. New recruits have joined the WEA tutor team, bringing energy and experience, and the two new Consolidated Tutors have been on

hand for invaluable support and expertise. Partners’ on-going help with free venues, creche access and recruitment have been essential to the building of a successful Skills for Life programme. We are looking forward to a strong and successful programme

for students in Kirklees for 2012-13.

Batley Central Children’s Centre Skills for Life Group of the Year, Kirklees Adult Learner Awards 2012.

Down the years the WEA has helped change the lives of so many people and 59-year-old Mary Day is most certainly one of them.

Students on the pilot WEA/City of York Council course Participate! studied the nitty-gritty of how local services in York actually work: the administration of local hospitals and police; the role of the voluntary sector in the city; the specifics of local politics etc, as well as major ‘bigger’ issues, expertly outlined, discussed and debated in a variety of settings. In addition, local experts and existing activists were invited as guest speakers at many of the sessions. Homework included students attending council and other meetings. A great deal of work was put into this flagship pilot by WEA partners, City of York Council, particularly by Kay Bailey and colleagues, building on expertise gained from previous ‘Take Part’ partnership work with the WEA. Students also enjoyed prestige ‘classroom’ venues such as the council chambers in the Guildhall, whilst access to the course was widened, not just by qualifying as a WEA fee waiver, but by free places generously offered via council bursaries.But Participate! was only made possible by the tremendous research and preparation undertaken by Alan Bruce, the WEA tutor behind the whole idea. He comments: “First a confession, ‘Participate’ is something of a personal indulgence. After 35 years as an academic, local government officer and regeneration consultant, I still believe that most people can be encouraged to take an interest in and a responsibility for local government, politics and public services.”Initial learner feedback reveals a variety of individual outcomes:“It is really helpful to realise that these people in charge are just like us! Most people we met are approachable and happy to explain.”“I feel that I would have the confidence to perhaps be chair or

secretary of our residents’ association. I also understand better how things work.”Students also discussed how they now feel empowered to work to improve neighbourhood governance, to get involved in local bids and to get involved in school governance. The course has not been completed that long, but learners are keeping in touch for mutual support, event and activity information, and hopefully to track individual progress as they begin to make an impact on the civic life of their communities.Two further pilots are already at the advanced planning stage in partnership with East Riding and Sheffield councils, with courses to run in 2013. So watch this space. Or, if you’re in the East Riding or Sheffield areas, Participate!Alan BruceWEA Tutor

Steven BlockleyOrganiser for North Yorkshire

Day School on Leonardo da VinciHow to use events to promote the WEA and attract new learners was shown by the Beverley branch which discovered that Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery was to hold an exhibition of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, loaned from the Queen’s Collection. It promoted a special day school with former WEA organiser Valerie Thornhill and Professor John Wilton-Ely who, using illustrated talks, discussed the genius of the great Italian artist as a forerunner to the exhibition. Over 30 students came along, and for some this was their first experience of the WEA. This is a really good example of how to attract new faces and promote our work.

Encouraging Participation in York“I have stood for council and will do again, but now I really want to win as I feel I know how I can make a contribution.”

“We might not get the Council to do what we want, but at least we will be confident of getting them to explain themselves.”

How many of us actually participate? In surveys, around 70% of people say they are interested in politics, local government and public services, but only 4-5% are actively involved (NCVO, Participation: trends, facts and figures: An NCVO Almanac 2011). But whilst trying to encourage more participation, governments have also made local structures and public services increasingly complicated. At the same time, political participation and trust continues to decline.


Together we drafted a healthy cooking programme to address these needs and the Zest for Life project was born. Because it was felt that each group should consist of no more than 5 people, special funding was needed. We were very fortunate in securing an NHS Voluntary Sector Services grant of just over £12,500 for one year from 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2013.

The Zest for Life programme consists of 10 weekly sessions to be delivered on 4 separate occasions in 3 areas of the East Riding (Hornsea, Bridlington and Driffield). Each session will be held in the daytime and will last 4 hours. The morning will be spent cooking a healthy savoury dish that the learners will eat for lunch together as a group. In the afternoon, people will prepare a healthy dessert they can take home for tea.

On the Zest for Life programme, participants will not only learn what constitutes a healthy diet and how diet affects mental and physical health, they will also learn to choose the right ingredients, to read food labels, to understand recipes, to use basic maths (eg weighing, portion size, value for money), to use appliances safely,

to use different methods of cooking, about food hygiene and about what will freeze.

A strong collaborative partnership has developed between the occupational therapists and the WEA organiser. The first three months of the Zest for Life project focused on planning and preparation, to ensure a smooth and effective delivery of the programme with a planned start date of September 2012. Already, occupational therapists in other parts of the East Riding are asking the WEA to replicate the Zest for Life programme in their area!

Nicole HeadleyOrganiser for Hull and East Riding

A partnership between: WEA NHS East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull and East Yorkshire Mind

On 26 May, the Goole branch celebrated its Silver Jubilee at the Lowther Hotel in Goole. Around fifty members and tutors, past and present, attended the event and enjoyed meeting up again. Jean Kitchen, branch secretary, said: ‘I am very pleased that

everyone had a very enjoyable afternoon. Lovely weather, great food and everyone was impressed by the venue.’ We wish the Goole branch another 25 years of success!

A Zest for Life Cookery Project

Goole Branch Silver

Jubilee

In early March 2012, Nicole Headley, organiser for Hull and East Riding, was approached by a local occupational therapist, Kate Garland, of the Humber Mental Health Trust, and Amy Alexander, of Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, who were together looking for educational provision for their service users. They had identified that people suffering from a variety of mental health difficulties tended to have a very unhealthy diet, due to the side effects of their medication and their having to manage the negative symptoms of mental health issues, such as loss of motivation, poor self-care and low self-esteem. Consequently their diet consisted mainly of convenience foods high in carbohydrates and lacking in healthy nutritious ingredients, resulting in excessive weight gain and long term negative impact on their general health. In addition they often found themselves very isolated and in need of social interaction and peer support.


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Members of Barrowcliff Residents’ Assocation in Scarborough are proud to show off their certificates, gained after successfully completing a WEA

Positive Communication and Meeting Skills course. Tutor Karen Rowe was delighted that the group had learned so much and were already putting their improved skills into practice in residents’ meetings and working as

volunteers in the community.

Thanks to Groundwork for help with support funding for the course and to Matthew Joseph from Scarborough Borough Council Regeneration Team for working in close partnership with the WEA to develop such a positive

course. An excellent example of community engagement and involvement.

Residents’ Assocation, Barrowcliff, Scarborough

Learners received certificates and badges to show they are now members of the Institute for Community Reporters.

The learners were workers at the Jenny Ruth Workshop which provides work opportunities for adults with learning difficulties, and we run a course there called Communication Skills.

Earlier this year some people from the Institute worked with the communications group to teach them new skills and allow them to produce some short videos.

You can see some of their work here http://communityreporter.co.uk/videos/jonah-goes-ghana-fishy-tale.

Helen WiddowsenOrganiser for Harrogate & Richmondshire

I started working with the WEA as a volunteer in January. I had been out of work for some time due to ill health and wanted to up-date my skills and gain experience in order to eventually return to employment. I have attended classes on the Helping in Schools and Helping with Special Educational Needs in Primary Schools courses to provide support to students. My role has consisted of providing advice on writing in an academic style, researching information and encouraging and motivating students. I have recently completed a UFA Award Level 4 Course in Mentoring and have been able to use some of my new skills with the WEA.

I have found the WEA very welcoming and the tutors that I have worked with have been extremely supportive. They have endeavoured to ensure that I have been given relevant experience to provide me with the skills required to progress to employment. I have enjoyed my role immensely and have found it very rewarding. I returned to education myself as a mature student and can relate to the anxieties and concerns that many students have. I appreciate how the right support at the right time can be invaluable to students and feedback from the classes that I have attended has confirmed this.

I am continuing my volunteering role this term. My aim now is to return to work in a support role, either in study skills or mentoring and, to this end, I have just started the Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector course at Level 4. I am especially grateful to Diane Quinney for the support she has given me which has encouraged me to pursue my ambitions.


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A Celebration Event

Catherine reports: “We have a range of ages, from 19 - 88 years! I try to run a relaxed and fun course”.The students are taught slab-building, coiling, pinching & modelling techniques over the first few weeks, building up their skills & confidence. One gentleman was only accompanying his wife, as a support worker, and has now decided to have a go himself, as he saw it was such fun and what fabulous work can be achieved. The course caters for Special Needs Students with Mental Health issues and Carers, as well as retired people

looking for an interest. From an initial - ‘I can’t do this, but I’ll have a go’ - some lovely work is produced, each student working at their own pace. The interaction of people and the camaraderie and support of each other often blossoms. Not only does it provide time out from home, students often say it’s good for their hands - the feel of the lovely soft clay between their fingers - and they surprise themselves with their dexterity and ability to produce a super piece.Some of my students showed their work at the Cawood Craft Show this summer.

One lady showed a large medieval type tile and the local Vicar asked to buy it. Although our work is not normally for sale, he donated £50 to the Church Fund.She was so thrilled by this, so proud and when I heard, I thought this is the joy of teaching! The course is now full but demand for places is so high that a waiting list of prospective new learners has been compiled, with a view to offering an additional course at the Centre later in the year. Julia ThompsonOrganiser for Selby & Goole

Ceramics at Selby Carers’ Centre

This course, run in partnership with Selby Carers’ Centre, provides opportunities for a range of target groups within the Selby area to learn how to design and make items using clay. The group is taught by experienced ceramics tutor Catherine Boyne-Whitelegg, who previously taught for the North Yorkshire Adult Education Service.

Castaway Dance is a performance group for adults with learning difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions, facilitated by Castaway’s Artistic Director and WEA tutor Anna Webb. The group offers a rich mix of inclusive, creative opportunities for people with a range of abilities

and needs, enabling people to find physical expression, express their individuality, develop skills and make connections with others.

The Castaway Dance group are a dedicated and passionate group of performers with a growing reputation for the quality of their work, which is devised by the members themselves and explores their own personal stories, interests, feelings and aspirations.

Many members have stayed with the group for several years with much personal growth, achievement and transformation experienced along the way. Each term sees a new project with new opportunities and challenges. Last term saw the group work with two visiting professional artistes, dance artiste Chemaine Cooke and double bass musician Seth Bennett, alongside group

leader Anna Webb. The project explored live music and dance in improvisation for the first time. Dance group member Jeremiah Cooper said “the live music was quite an emotional experience. When we listen to the music we try to dance with it and dance alongside it.” The group also toured with their work for the first time. They performed their piece, Stones and Stories, in both indoor and outdoor spaces, with an element of intermingling and interacting with their audiences. They performed at several prestigious regional venues including The Hepworth Wakefield; Mind the Gap Studios Bradford, where they also worked for half of the project; and Junction Theatre Goole. Group member Alex Brown said “it has felt like branching out to new audiences that have never seen us before.” Group member Mark Sanderson said “it felt good to be out in the fresh air” and Emma Wales said “I’ve felt active and free.”The project was a catalyst to pushing the creative boundaries of the group’s dance developments further, raising their game and widening their vision in so many ways. Julia ThompsonOrganiser for Selby & Goole

Castaway Dance


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Many of us can only wonder at what deaf people experience as they live within their own sounds of silence, but since January this year the WEA in Sheffield has been running a deaf literacy course with a difference….and it’s making a big difference to the lives of deaf people in the city. British sign language (BSL) is used as a communication mode to teach literacy, not only in English, but also in BSL. People born deaf, or becoming deaf at an early stage, have great difficulty in learning a language compared to their hearing counterparts. Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) have difficulty understanding English and academic research shows the reading age for deaf school leavers is less than nine-years-old. This is because deaf children cannot access spoken and written English as effectively as those that can hear.

The National Deaf Children’s Society estimated that in England 64.5% of deaf children failed to achieve the government’s benchmark of five GCSEs at grade A to C (including Maths and English) during 2010.

Deaf people daily continue to have difficulty understanding both spoken and written English and miss out on essential, everyday information that others pick up through the normal media channels.

The aims of the course in Sheffield have been to encourage deaf learners to acquire bilingual skills and become confident in using both BSL and English. To teach those skills you have to have a very skilful tutor and this course has had one. Not only that, but he too is deaf.

As one learner had this to say/signed: “I am so glad I went to the WEA. Everyone is deaf. The tutor is deaf. Here I can learn more because we all use BSL. Before I was at a college for a literacy class, I was the only deaf person. I had a communication support worker. I am not sure if she relayed full information from the hearing tutor or the hearing students to me. I really felt down. Here at the WEA class it is so different and I am really happy.”

Steve GibsonWEA Tutor

From a WEA employability skills course run with adults with learning disabilities at the Ad Pro project in Rotherham.By Dianne Harper, Ad Pro Centre Manager.

Janine has moderate learning disabilities and started training at AD-PRO in 2009, where she worked on the Project 400 (gardening scheme) and with Adventure Print (basic office skills and print finish).

Janine enrolled on a WEA Literacy course and gained an Entry level 1 qualification in Reading and Writing.

Janine did 3 work placements supported by the project, the first at Barnardo’s Charity Shop, then with a dog grooming and walking service, followed by work in a council run kitchen.

Janine then enrolled on a WEA Employability Skills course, held every Thursday morning at Ad Pro. She worked on building her CV, pre-interviewing skills, confidence building and job searching. Before Janine joined the course her confidence and self esteem were very low. The course has given Janine the skills and the self-belief to apply for jobs online and to have the confidence to attend interviews. This has led to Janine being successful in getting a 16 hrs per week, permanent job in catering at a residential care home. Janine says that she really enjoys going to work and earning money and that this had made her feel independent.

Deaf Literacy Class

A Success Story


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ESOL students sold their wonderful food to help two worthy causes: the first one is the Ruth Hayman Trust, which provides grants for ESOL learners who cannot afford the basic costs of learning English; and secondly the Nether Edge Primary school, where these learners have their own English Class.For this academic year, the ESOL for Women class based at Nether Edge Primary School has been learning English through the topic of ‘Community News’. To help the learners enhance their English skills they have achieved two community projects. Before Christmas the learners interviewed their local counsellor, Qurban Hussain. Although they all speak Urdu, including the counsellor, they asked him questions in English and he gave his replies in English.

This proved a successful activity for the learners and so, to continue with the ‘community’ theme, we looked at ‘putting back into the local community’. Whilst we were discussing how we could help others who don’t receive free English classes, the school were organising their Spring Fair. So as a group, the ladies decided to have a stall at the fair and organised who was going to bring what food to the stall, such as pakoras, samosas, sweet and savoury rice, and how much each should be sold for. They also designed signs to indicate the prices. It was wonderful to see the learners helping others, doing something they enjoy and participating within the school and local community. These learners appreciate that they are entitled to free English lessons and they really wanted to help those who are not so fortunate.

The Together Women Project (TWP) is a registered charity that offers support to women offenders. The aim of the project is to support women in breaking out of the cycle of offending in which so many can become trapped and to help women tackle the reasons that they commit crimes.The WEA and TWP have formed a partnership in Rotherham to offer adult education courses to a targeted group of women who are under the probation service. The women are signposted to courses by their case worker. A pilot 7 week course (14 hours in total) was

organised, called Building Confidence and Self Esteem. A member of staff from the project was present in the sessions at all times and the venue was provided free of charge. Eleven women enrolled on the course which went very well with all the learners being actively involved. Learners have commented that they have been able to share and talk through experiences with others who have been in the same situation as themselves. They have felt safe in the learning environment, which was created solely for them, and the time went very quickly when they attended the sessions.

Gill LawrenceOrganiser for Rotherham

Over the summer there have been changes to staffing in Barnsley.David Sutton-Jones (pictured right) has been appointed as Organiser for the Barnsley area and has been working hard to get to grips with the different communities, partners and managing the Barnsley programme.

Maxine TurnerCourse Programme Worker

Rotherham Branch has welcomed two new volunteers this year.

Tony Broughton and Kathy Lambert have both been attendees on WEA courses and have brought great

enthusiasm to the Branch meetings, getting involved with all aspects of the Branch and contributing

to all the meetings as well as volunteering as classroom support workers in several

courses. The Branch really appreciates their involvement.

The Best Pakora and Samosa Sale in Sheffield!

New Partnership in RotherhamWith the Probation Service Together Women Project


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Thanks to the efforts of the Branch Committee, Tutors and Students, we saw a growth of 40% in student fees and activity from 2010/11 for our growing cultural studies programme.On Monday evenings we enjoyed exploring Studies in Medieval Europe, terms 2 and 3 with Yorkshire tutor Simon Tomson. On Wednesday afternoons, French Conversation continued to go well, with increased numbers, with Blandine Dibdin. To add variety, we also held 3 half-day schools: in early October Simon Tomson on Anglo-Saxon Yorkshire Churches… to compare with our own St Peter’s part Anglo Saxon Church; Rachel Holland from Doncaster gave us a well illustrated journey through Summer Seaside Art; and we held a Wednesday afternoon 2 hour session “Holiday French Brush Up” which, held on 30 May, was a happy way to end our studies for the year.Our single venue, Wilderspin National School”, Queen Street in central Barton, which we moved into several

years ago, continues to be excellent; one tutor saying it is the best adult education venue he has used. Run by a registered charity, it is a visitor centre and museum with some rooms to let, mainly in a ground floor annexe to the rear, with good free off-street parking. For more details see www.wilderspinschool.org.uk. Of course our rents, and use of their café business to cater for our day schools, provide income for them to keep going.In the coming year our cultural studies in the Winter Term are: French Conversation; Spanish Music; the History of the Roman Empire in Europe and Beyond; and an afternoon on Stone Circles.

Ursula VickertonBarton Branch

As the Local Authority chose to close The Education Centre where we had met for over 20 years, we were forced to look around for a new venue that ticked all the boxes on the WEA Premises Schedule! Eventually, we came up with The Central Hall in Grimsby, which fitted the bill. It is one of the few remaining buildings of any architectural interest left in the town. It is run by a Charitable Trust and as such recognises our charitable status and allows us preferential rates of hiring. The building has an annual footfall of over 60,000 people per year and we were quick to unfurl our Branch banners in the most prominent places to attract the public’s attention.Our weekday courses have been well-attended: in the Autumn we started 6 courses to run over 3 years to cover the period from Pre-History; to the Romans; onto The Anglo-Saxons; then to the Normans; and rounding off with The Middle Ages. This has proved very popular, with good numbers. Our course tutor is Dr Simon Tomson, who is a working Archaeologist and presents the course from that perspective. Our

Jazz course is in its 17th year and still very much enjoyed by all. Iran; Past, Present and Future proved to be very proactive, with students bringing in newspaper cuttings and being fully engaged with the unfolding events in that country. The tutor, Josephine Clark, kept everyone on the ball with the day’s feed from Iran via TV & the internet! Our regular Railway course continues with an enthusiastic and most knowledgeable group, who are great fun to be with.The 6 Saturday Afternoon Lectures were attended by nearly 300 and covered a variety of subjects. These included: Pots and Potters, an Overview of Roman and Medieval Pottery; Lincolnshire Farm Buildings, the Past, the Present and do they have a Future?; Music around the Humber, Those Mysterious Stones - discovering prehistoric stone circles in Britain - totally transfixed our audience. As to The R.A.F. in Lincolnshire - well, as this was ‘Bomber County’ we expected good numbers but unfortunately we had

to postpone because of snow and our 70+ became 40+ in the end - but it was enthusiastically received. These occasions provide the Branch with an excellent opportunity to tell an audience not usually involved with the WEA all about the organisation, its aims and objectives.David EgertonGrimsby Branch

Grimsby BranchThis year saw The Grimsby Branch move to a new home after more than 20 years stay at the old one; a big wrench. The branch was also very active with its Cultural Offer, both with Weekday Courses and Saturday Afternoon Lectures.

Barton Branch


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During 2011/12, the WEA was awarded Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) funding in Doncaster to run a Community Learning Champions course. This enabled us to engage 8 students who were either active in their communities or wanted to become more active as volunteers. They learned how to identify barriers to engagement and consider strategies to involve hard-to-reach people in their local areas. They also undertook a research project about their own community and made presentations on this to the whole class.The impact of this course has resulted in our having 8 active volunteer Community Learning Champions in Doncaster, who are equipped with the confidence and

skills to promote the work of the WEA within their local communities. We were delighted that Lindy Gresswell and Jol Miskin were able to attend the celebration event to present the certificates and share their personal experiences of volunteering and working with the WEA.

Sheila SmithOrganiser for Doncaster

Julie Harrison was awarded a Yorkshire & Humber Regional Adult Learner Award in 2012, sponsored by Northern College. This was in recognition of her commitment to learning and to raising aspiration with others in her community through her voluntary work in Doncaster.

Yorkshire & Humber Regional Adult Learner

Award

Community Learning Champions

The staff team from Doncaster attended the Awards Ceremony at the Tiled Hall, Leeds, to see Julie receive her award from Rommi Smith.


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Doncaster Branch enjoyed another year of interesting and stimulating cultural studies courses. Sarah Holland delivered the popular ‘Place Detective’ courses, which saw groups discover more about the history and heritage of cities in the Autumn term and of high days and holidays in the New Year term. Each meeting combined digital presentations with ‘hands on’ source segments and lively discussions. The Branch also said farewell to Sarah, who had been the Secretary of the Doncaster Branch for ten years. Members of the branch thanked Sarah for all her hard work and wished her well with all her current and future ventures, hoping she would continue to feature as a branch tutor.In addition, Rachel Holland taught art history courses in Doncaster, Bawtry and Sprotbrough. These courses explored aspects of art as diverse as French Impressionism and commercial art. Illustrated with slides, the sessions proved thought-provoking and generated discussion. In addition, the summer gallery visits were popular and brought together members of the different groups.Sheila SmithOrganiser for Doncaster

Doncaster Branch

The partnership with Foresight is going from strength to strength, with over 300 learners enrolling on our range of courses this year. Some of the projects set by the tutors had excellent results and the work completed was of a high standard. Nicky Dillerstone, tutor of Makes for the Home, Arts & Crafts and Tactile Art:

“As I have worked for the WEA at Foresight for several years now, I can appreciate that the workshops are not all about being creative, but also that these are times when friendships are formed, ideas shared and pride in finished work can be celebrated. I have seen people develop their creative abilities and take home completed work that they are really proud of, but mostly I can see that people enjoy the workshops as safe, sociable, fun ways of achieving.

‘Fish piece’ is a mixed media artwork designed and produced solely by Adam Gray. Adam is registered blind with very little vision and always has strong ideas about what he wants to make. He needs a volunteer with him for the trickier bits but is always determined to complete an unusual piece of artwork. He enjoys the social aspect of the workshops and enjoys the banter, usually contributing corny jokes.

Brenda’s mixed media piece is just one in a long line of quality artworks produced by Brenda Miall, usually along with her friend Shirley. They have strong ideas about what they want to make and, whilst they look to me for guidance, they very much drive the work and always finish to a high standard. Theirs is a friendship formed and sustained by Foresight.”

Lauren FarmerOrganiser for North/North East Lincs

North & North EastLincolnshire


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Since its inception in 1903, the WEA has been committed to the concept of social purpose education in one form or another. Social purpose education can be defined as learning which reaches beyond the classroom to engage with the issues of the day. The Learning for Community Involvement (LfCI) project continues the proud tradition of WEA initiatives which link the classroom with politics, social issues and current affairs. Over a six month period to March 2012, 20 tutors in the Yorkshire and Humber region developed and piloted social purpose education sessions. The LfCI project provided tutors with the resources and space to review and enhance their current curriculum and in particular embed issues such as poverty, women’s rights and the environment into their teaching practice. Examples of the LfCI sessions developed included:l Everyday Economicsl Work – For Love or Money?l Does Art Have a Social Purpose?l Caring About Your Local Environmentl Yoga – A Question of Social Morality

The short LfCI pilot sessions had a substantial impact and comments from students who took part in the pilots included:

“Helped me sort out my ideas – I now want more” - Everyday Economics participant

“Put my own views into action. Use my own ideas for painting, especially with issues involved with adversity” - Art through Adversity participant

“Engage with community groups, and campaigns, from a more informed position. Less likely to have rings run round me” - Everyday Economics participant

As with all short-term projects the challenge is to sustain the LfCI project’s benefits into the future. It’s clear that more WEA tutors need the opportunity to embed social purpose education into their courses. The LfCI project has been an important step in the right direction but there remains much work still to be done.Matt LivingstoneRegional Educational Projects Co-ordinator

Social Purpose Education in Action

“I learnt to give more weight to the views of others which may or may not coincide with my own. To appreciate that we all see things differently depending upon our life experiences” Local to Global participant

WEA Inclusive Archaeology Education ProjectPositive Learning Experiences: Digability ProjectVictoria Beauchamp and Nicola Thorpe - Project Workers


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25 students with learning disabilities, coming from 3 learning groups, came together in June 2012 to undertake a range of experimental archaeology activities at Heeley City Farm in Sheffield.The students made clay coil pottery and copied ancient decoration techniques seen on real artefacts which had been studied as part of the course. The students also had a go at spinning wool, which had come direct from the Soay sheep on the farm. They mastered the technique of frame weaving, and some even attempted the difficult task of tablet weaving. The

students then also helped to daub the walls of the life-sized, Iron Age roundhouse built on the grounds of the farm. They mixed the daub (which is part water, part clay and part straw) with their feet, and then applied the daub to the roundhouse walls. All of these activities generated lots of discussion about what life might have been like in the past, and gave them tangible experiences on which to base their opinions. One learner was so impressed by the experience he decided to return to the farm as a volunteer!The Digability Project made a film of the experimental activities, together with interviews with the students, support workers and volunteers. It can be found at http://youtu.be/qJijOxjDpS4.

Rotherham, Barnsley & Doncaster Digability Groups: Year OneExperimental Archaeology at Heeley City Farm

Details of the other activities undertaken by the Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster students, as part of their Digability course, including a simulated dig at Sheffield Manor Lodge and a tour of Brodsworth Hall and Gardens can be found on the projectwebsite: http://digability.wordpress.com/

Nine students with physical impairments, who came from

two partner day service centres in Leeds, participated in

a two-day excavation at one of their centres. The activity

was supported by two volunteers from a local archaeology

society: South Leeds Archaeology.

The field activity was adapted to enable the students, many of

whom were wheelchair or walking frame users, to undertake

the excavation work and the subsequent finds processing and

surveying activities. Students used swan-necked hoes, as

well as trowels, to excavate a small test pit. They discovered a

varied assemblage of 19th and 20th century artefacts, believed

to originate from the back-to-back terrace housing that occupied

the site prior to the construction of their day centre.

One of the students, an ex-policeman, recalled the temporary

use of the site as a police car park when he served as an

officer at the neighbouring Dewsbury Road Police Station.

Another learner, who was once a builder and bricklayer, used

his knowledge to identify the brick debris found during the

excavations, and even helped the tutor provenance a complete

brick found to a nearby brick manufacturers, ‘Johnson & Wroe’.

The intention is to make a permanent display of the excavation

findings at the day centre, so the students can share their

knowledge and experiences with other clients who use the

centre.The Digability Project made a film of the excavations, together

with interviews with the students, support workers and

volunteers. It can be found at http://youtu.be/rccUF2VuhA0.

Leeds Digability Group: Year OneArchaeological Excavation

Details of the other activities undertaken by the Leeds students, as part of their Digability course, including a Human Osteology

workshop at Leeds Discovery Museum and building recording at Kirkstall Abbey, can be found on the project

website: http://digability.wordpress.com/


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Ten students from Grimsby were granted access to private land by the landowner to look at the remains of the officer quarters at Goxhill Airfield. This was the students’ final field visit, having already carried out surveys at Mayflower Wood and Chase Hill. The students demonstrated how much they had learnt by taking charge of the equipment and setting it up themselves. Each learner had a task and knew what to do. The students began by identifying all the hazards on the site and marking them with hazard tape, such as old air raid shelters, a crumbling water tower and an old water tank. They then carried out a survey of the water tank, measuring its size, taking levels and drawing details of the brickwork that remains. These were then sent to the Historic Environment Record in Grimsby and will form part of the site’s official record. “It has really improved my confidence, I can do this.” said one student. The centre manager, Paul Silvester, commented, “This kind of archaeological learning/experience helps to break down the perception that people with disability have barriers; these are broken down by this excellent learning opportunity.”Details of the other activities undertaken by the Grimsby students, as part of their Digability course, are available at: http://digability.wordpress.com/

Grimsby Digability Group: Year OneSurvey and Levelling at Goxhill

The Sheffield students were involved in Staveley History Society’s community excavation at Staveley Hall in Derbyshire, under the direction of Mike McCoy. After finding

out all about the work of an archaeologist in the classroom,

learners were delighted to take part in a ‘live’ excavation. Working on a road surface that ran close to the old hall, they

were able to find oyster shell, glass bottles, clay pipes and pottery dating to the 18th century.

The learners amazed themselves by what they were able to do.

Building on their knowledge gained from 20 hours of classroom

sessions, they were able to recognise the materials of the objects they were finding and suggest what some of the objects

could have been for. One student said, “I didn’t know I was so patient,” as he carefully unearthed the base of an 18th century wine bottle.The group also participated in visits to Conisbrough Castle, Sheffield Manor, Heeley City Farm, Doncaster Museum and Brodsworth Hall. The centre manager declared the project to be ‘a great success:

the learners involved were so excited when they returned with their certificates. The field trips were also very popular and enjoyed by all who took part. Step inside Conisbrough Castle and what can you find? A sink and two toilets.’

Details of the other activities undertaken by the Sheffield students, as part of their Digability course, as well as volunteer comments, can be found at: http://digability.wordpress.com/

Sheffield Digability Group: Year OneDigging a midden

Six students, together with their support workers, had the

opportunity to visit and survey the standing and buried remains

at Thornton Abbey. This was everyone’s first visit to this local

heritage site. They were astounded by the level of preservation

of the gatehouse, especially in comparison to the church

complex. They learned how to identify and map earthworks, an

archaeological term for the lumps-and-bumps of buried features.

They successfully identified dried water courses and the outlines

of ruined buildings. The students even studied the local flora

and thought about how the monastic community used plants for

medicines as well as food.Students then had the opportunity to climb to the top of the

gatehouse, some overcoming their fears to do so. They were

struck by how defensive the gatehouse appeared, with its arrow-

slit windows and exterior barbican.

The students made sketches and notes from their visit, and were

inspired to research the site further in the subsequent classroom

sessions.The tutor said he felt privileged to open-up such a valuable local

heritage site to his students, and upon completion of their course,

the students were given a list of other local sites to visit.

“I enjoyed meeting like-minded people and learning about local

history I would otherwise have not known about,” commented

one learner.

Scunthorpe Digability Group: Year OneWalk-over Survey of Thornton Abbey

Details of the other activities undertaken by the Scunthorpe students, as part of their Digability course, including an artefact handling

session at North Lincolnshire Museum, can be found on the project website: http://digability.wordpress.com/


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On 16 June 2012, Jill Hopkins, a Life Drawing Tutor in Barnsley,

sadly passed away. Jill let us know last August that she would not be able to deliver the autumn term course, as she had cancer. We did not know how seriously ill Jill was at the time.

Jill had worked for the WEA for approximately 8 years, teaching Life Drawing to WEA students at The Cooper Art Gallery, Barnsley. All the students held Jill in high regard and respected her talents as an artist.

Although Jill lived in Derbyshire, she travelled to Barnsley each week to deliver the Life Drawing class, which she loved, and she had great respect for the group members and their talents. It was known that Jill would sleep in her Sheffield studio when the weather was predicted to be bad, so that she could make it to the class the following day and not to let her students down.She will be sadly missed by all who knew her and we send our condolences to her family.

Maxine TurnerCourse Programme Worker

After discussions with key governance and management within the WEA it was decided that the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Office would move from its historical premises at 6 Woodhouse Square to a newly re-furbished office within the Joseph’s Well Complex nearby.In the months prior to the move, key Regional staff were working tirelessly alongside Association colleagues to organise the refurbishment of the new premises, clear out the nooks and crannies of the old office and organise all the financial and technical aspects of moving such a large administrative and financial team.

Gill Dean was often spotted in the Woodhouse Square Premises covered in dust from time spent crawling in cupboards and under the eaves of the building trying to clear out and catalogue old documents.

Documentation of historical importance that was found within the old office was sent to the West Yorkshire Archive Service for permanent storage as part of the WEA collection.

On the day, the majority of staff arrived in the new office to unpack, while a small number of staff remained in the old premises to co-ordinate the move.

“Until the telephone company managed to transfer the telephone number across to the new building, the phones in the old office kept ringing as the answering machine was damaged. I had to answer every call, tell them that we were closed and refer enquiries to the Sheffield Learning Centre. It was quite a task to deal with enquiries professionally while crawling on hands and knees under desks removing cables!”

Jaimie Scully, Administrator

The removal company commented on the military precision of the move that only resulted in around 1 day of downtime.

Four months on, the positive effects of moving into a custom built open plan space are being felt by Regional Office staff. Our new meeting room ‘The Mansbridge Suite’ now plays host to large Regional and Association Meetings and events and staff members feel much more confident about welcoming guests when they visit.

The Region would like to thank John Nixon and David Morris in particular for their outstanding efforts towards getting the Regional Office re-located, and the WEA Trustees for committing the funds to make it all possible.Jaimie ScullyAdministrator

Jill Hopkins

Yorkshire & Humber Regional Office Relocates!

On 13 July 2012 the WEA Yorkshire & Humber Regional Office re-located from premises it had occupied for nearly forty years.

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WEA Annual Review 11-12

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