WEA Annual Review

LEARNING FOR LIFE WEA West Midlands Annual Review

2008/09

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WEA West Midlands Annual Review 2008/09

www.westmidlands.wea.org.uk

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Contents 2008/09

CONTENTS2008/09

04 06 08 10 12

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Chairs Report Our Course Provision

Strand Pages Strand Pages

Branches information/Contact details

Second Chance to Learn

Community Involvement

18Treasurer’s Report

1614

Strand PagesCultural Studies

Educational Projects

Educational ProjectsEducational Projects Funding

Partnerships

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A Few Words from our Chair


202008/09 has been a busy and important year for the WEA in the West Midlands. In February staff and volunteers attended the Campaign Alliance for Lifelong Learning lobby at Parliament. The campaign had attracted record numbers of letters to Westminster and the day was successful in high-lighting the demand and need for adult education. The campaign must go on. Richard Bolsin, WEA General Secretary, has urged that members question prospec-tive parliamentary candidates on their personal and their party’s commitment to adult learning. In 1903 the WEA saw education and the pursuit of “really useful knowledge “as essential in the creation of an educated democracy and a ‘tolerable society’. This is as true to-day as it was then. In the West Midlands we have been working with partners such as Primary Care Trusts to deliver health programmes in local communities. These health pro-grammes were presented at the WEA Biennial Confer-ence held recently in Glasgow by staff from the new office in Stoke- on -Trent long with those from the Tan-drusti project in Dudley. It was the first time that the conference had been held in Scotland and it provided an opportunity for delegates to hear some excellent speakers and to look at work done across the whole of the WEA. Recently a new exercise centre was opened in

Stoke to support the health and family learning pro-grammes in the area. The opening was well attended by learners and partners. Also this year a new I.C.T. suite was opened in Rugeley. In this brilliantly equipped area the WEA provide much valued tuition, within the Miners’ Centre- a community run facility. These devel-opments depend on the expertise of the West Midlands staff in finding the partners and finance needed to pro-vide learning opportunities across society. My thanks to them all. In the West Midlands branches and volunteers have continued to promote a variety of courses, rang-ing from; issues in Modern Politics and the Portrayal of Romance in Art, to the disciplines of Latin. But to organise programmes requires time and commitment from WEA members - a commitment to branch affairs and to the Regional Committee (which provides gover-nance) and an input into the development of all WEA provision. To the people who travel and contribute to the WEA at local, regional and national level I extend my sincere thanks. The WEA is its members so we should endeavour to make our contribution and strengthen its democracy. Your voice, your ideas, your views are vital to the well being of the Association. If you are reading and would like to be involved with the WEA; please think about joining, you would be most welcome.

But what of the coming year? In common with oth-er national organisations there will be difficulties in this financial climate. However, the association with its long involvement with adult education and its wide ranging but targeted provision to all sec-tors of society regardless of gender, age or race, is well placed to maintain its position as a well re-spected and important education provider in the 21st century.

Laura Whinray Laura Whinray is a member of the Newcastle and Wolstanton Branch and lives in Staffordshire Moor-lands. She has served on the Regional Committee prior to her election as Chair. Laura’s background and lifelong interest is education.

Laura Whinray Regional Chair, WEA West Midlands – November 2009

“The WEA is it’s members so we should endeavour to make our contribution and strengthen its democracy.”

Chair’s Report 2008/09

60%

19.7

%

20.3%

Our Course Provision In the West Midlands we work in a large and varied region and try to ensure we address this diversity through three strands of educational provision. Our courses are divided into three curricu-lum strands; Second Chance to Learn, Community Involvement and Cultural Studies. We recognise that adults get into learning for dif-ferent reasons. It is a second chance for many adults who have few – if any qualifications. Therefore, we provide lots of opportunities for people to develop their literacy, numeracy and English language skills and to gain nationally recognised qualifications. For most Sec-ond Chance learners ‘getting a job’ and/or gaining a qualification is an important reason for joining the course; as well as gaining confidence and self-esteem. Community Involvement is a draw for many educationally dis-advantaged learners eager to develop skills and knowledge in ar-eas such as health improvement, trade unionism and information technology. In our learner survey, three quarters of these learners

saw ‘good health and wellbeing’ as a very important or important reason behind joining the course. Finally our cultural studies strand embraces the ‘love of learning for its own sake’ and attracts people to a range of courses studying a wide variety of subjects. All these learners felt ‘building subject knowledge’ was a ‘very important or important reason for joining; also important were social reasons and health and wellbeing. Our Cultural Studies courses are open to all but the remainder are aimed at those who have had few previous educational opportu-nities and experience social and economic deprivation. The WEA is a ‘college without walls’ and our courses take place in hundreds of local venues offering our learners somewhere local, convenient and familiar. Usually we work in partnership with other locally-based organisations; this provides a familiar way in for peo-ple and enables them to benefit by support from the WEA and the partner organisation. We have a presence across the region in the

inner cities, towns and rural areas. However we try to concentrate our resources where they are most needed in particular in socially disadvantaged areas where we feel we can make a difference. In 202008/09 36% of WEA learners were members of Black and Minority Ethnic groups; 46% were resident in socially and economi-cally deprived wards and 34% declared a disability. Currently the region has agreed to concentrate on particular curriculum priorities where we feel we have expertise and can meet known need. These are locally based community health education programmes (mainly around physical activity and exercise), Second Chance and wider cultural education such as history, art, literature and sustainabil-ity. We also maintain significant ICT programmes and trade union learning.

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Our Course Provision 2008/09

“The WEA is a ‘college without walls’ and our courses take place in hundreds of local venues offering our learners somewhere local, convenient

and familiar.”

Enrolments by EducationalStrand 2008/09

Second Chance to Learn 2341

Community Involvement 6925

Cultural Studies 2277

Enrolments by Local Authority 2008/09

Peter Caldwell, Regional Director WEA West Midlands – November 2009


07

1

2

12

8

11

4

13

7

9 10

35

6

Herefordshire 969

Worcestershire 1022

Sandwell 922

Telford and Wrekin

Dudley 2596

Birmingham 1420

Staffordshire 942

Coventry 598

Wolverhampton

Walsall 37

Stoke on Trent 1593

Warwickshire 73

Shropshire 113

697

745

Enrolments by Local Authority 2008/09

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2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

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Second Chance to Learn

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Aston learner wins awardWest Midlands learner, Razuiai Bibi, won the Olive Cordell ‘Learner of the Year Award’ for her outstanding achievement. In January 2008, she attended a WEA Everyday Maths class in Aston, Birmingham. Since then, Razuiai has progressed on to two more nu-meracy courses and is now studying for a childcare qualification involving three hun-dred hours of voluntary work in school.

Return to Learn 20th anniversaryIn February UNISON (the public service union) organised a celebration at the House of Commons for the twentieth anniversary of Return to Learn (R2L), a popular course for their members. R2L originated in WEA West Midlands and thousands of UNISON mem-bers have successfully completed it.

224 gain national qualificationsCongratulations to these WEA learners who successfully passed national tests in literacy or numeracy. This is proving a first step back into formal education and this year many are progressing in their studies.

1 -One of our WEA learners with a tutor.

Second Chance to Learn 2008/09

“I feel I have my privacy back as I don’t need an interpreter to see the doctor.”ESOL Learner

“Fantastic all tutors have conducted themselves professionally.” Partner Organisation

“I can help my niece with fractions and decimals which I could never do before.” Numeracy learner

2008/09 Highlights

Second Chance to Learn: Subject Areas by Enrolments 202008/09

83%of learners see

gaining basic skills as ‘very important’ reason

for joining.

Razuiai Bibi won the Olive Cordell Skills for Life Learner of the Year Award. Ra-zuiai’s tutor Alison Clamp says, “Razuiai puts all of us to shame! Other learners, and myself, are inspired by her dedication. When others feel they cannot put time to a task they look at how Razuiai manages her time and realise they can do it. ”

100%of learners see self

esteem and confidence building as an ‘important’ reason for joining a WEA

course.


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83%of learners from the Second chance to

Learn state getting a job as a ‘very impor-tant’ reason for join-

ing a WEA course

2 Photo from left - Razuiai Bibi, Alison Clamp, Maureen Russell Programme Area Manager WEA and Peter Caldwell, Regional Director WEA.

Why learners join a WEA course

1180 ESOL*

534 Numeracy

456 Literacy

119

52

Award Winning Learner 2008/09

* English for speakers of other languages

Other

Study Skills

“I always thought I wasn’t very clever, but Return to Learn has really showed me how well I can study. It’s given me a passion for learning - I just want more! I started off really nervous and worried about the standard of my work, but we were all in the same boat together, and we’ve learned and im-proved together. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Cath Oughton, Learner

Community Involvement

The region’s health improvement work goes from strength to strengthWe are confident that we have a powerful and distinctive approach to health education and aim to establish it across the region. In addition to our well known Tandrusti project in Dudley, programmes are established in Stoke on Trent and beginning in Worcestershire.

Minister visits development education projectMike Foster Parliamentary, Under Secretary of State at the Department for International De-velopment, opened a display at Birmingham library of a textile collage produced to highlight poverty issues in African countries and action the UK Government is taking to help reduce poverty.

Successful bid to Empowerment FundWEA succeeded in a bid designed by West Midlands WEA to the Department for Commu-nities and Local Government for a three year project to develop the themes of active citizen-ship and ‘having a greater say in local decision making’ amongst learners on our community involvement programmes.

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3 . CHEST, Community Health Education In Stoke-on-Trent project worked with WEA’s learners to train and run the Potters ‘Arf marathon.

96%of learners saw self esteem

and confidence building as a either ‘very important’ or

‘important’ reason for joining a WEA course.

Community Invovlment 2008/09

2008/09 Highlights

78%of learners saw ‘good health

and well being’ as a ‘very important or important’ reason for joining the

course.


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Community Involvement: Subject Areas by Enrolments 2008/09

Marie Willets has been a volunteer on the Tandrusti project. Marie has been with the Tandrusti, health education project for several years now. She regularly attends the Community Gym and finds the class to be helpful to her physical, emotional and social well being and development. Marie offered to volunteer for Tandrusti to support elderly isolated people and to help them to increase their health awareness and support them with their emotional health as a contribuing factor to other health problems. Now a trained walk leader, she takes out community groups for health walks regularly around Dudley as well as being proac-tive in recruitment and supporting tutors with health improvement monitoring.

96%4

1399 ICT

2322 Physical Activity

809 Craft, Creative Arts and Design

560 Trade Unions

488 Health

487 Communications

241 Child Development

619 Other

Marie Willets- Community Health Champion 2008/09.

“The communication we have with the WEA whether it is via email or phone, it is always excellent.”Partner Organisation

“I know more about healthy snacking as opposed to sweets/biscuits.” Family Fitness Learner

“The tutor was excellent; he made the work seem very easy. The class had a very supportive atmo-sphere.” ICT Learner

Community Health Champion 2008/09

5 Swimming for the first time: Learners on the WEA Tandrusti Health Education Project im-proving their health and fitness by taking part in Tandrusti Swim at their local leisure centre.

“I attend 3 WEA health education classes at 3 dif-ferent venues; this is the best thing that could have happened in our area.” Health Education Learner

Cultural Studies

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2008/09 Highlights

Tawney CentenaryLast November 70 WEA students and staff celebrat-ed the centenary of the first tutorial class. Tutorial classes met weekly for three years and provided an opportunity for groups like miners, potters and office workers to study in-depth with an expert tutor.

WEA and museums service in partnershipIn spring our Hereford Branch developed a new venture of workshops organised in conjunction with Herefordshire Council. These allowed the public to see items from the museum’s collection that are not usually on show, with explanations from their cura-tors. Around twenty students discovered subjects as varied as fossils, edged weapons, textile conserva-tion and ceramics.

Raymond Williams’s biographer addresses WEA schoolA keynote speaker at the May 2009 Raymond Wil-liams Memorial Foundation School was Professor Dai Smith who has recently published a biography of Williams. Williams played a leading part in develop-ing ‘cultural studies’ and had a long association with adult education, including the WEA.

Cultural Studies 2008/09

“The WEA tutors meet the needs of our learners exceptionally well.” Partner Organisation

“The WEA course has revitalised me into learning again, and I now want to do more courses.”Family History Learner

6 Iron bridge, Telford

“I left school in 1942 at the age of 16 and worked for a short time in the Post Office, and then in the Ministry of Labour as a temporary telephonist and typist. In 1944 1 joined the W.E.A. Joint Committee Class in Literature. It was very successful and I found the members very friendly. We studied English authors like Shaw, Hardy and Gals-worthy, who certainly didn’t appear in the school syllabus. From there we moved to European literature and then American Literature, par-ticularly Faulkner and Dos Passos. I joined the Leek WEA branch and participated in planning the courses, worrying about whether they would recruit enough students to be viable. (I have been Treasurer, later Secretary and finally - now that I am 83 - I find that I am the Chair-man of branch! I also enjoyed Summer Schools at Oxford and Cambridge in the for-ties. There I met Raymond Williams and attended his class on Modern Poetry.In 1952, I decided I wanted to go to college. A tutor suggested that I apply to Keele; I had to do two exam papers and a rigorous interview. Eventually, Keele accepted me. This was a turning point in my life. The

fact that I had been attending W.E.A. classes since 1944 stood in my favour. For my Degree, I chose to study English and Greek at Principal Level, and Biology and Historical Theology at Subsidiary Level, and I eventually gained my Degree. I found my studies very useful for my ca-reer teaching in Junior Schools and later when I joined Westwood High School in Leek to teach English, Classical Studies, History and R.E. In the early 80’s I joined a WEA Joint Committee Course in the History of Art and Architecture which I am attending 29 years later and still finding new and exciting things to learn! So I owe a great debt of gratitude to the W.E.A., Oxford and Keele Universities and the Wedg-wood Memorial College at Barlaston. Adult Education has enriched my life, and introduced me to many friends. I whole heartedly believe in education for life.”


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Subject Areas by Enrolments 2008/09

100%All learners felt ‘building subject knowledge’ as a ‘very important or impor-tant reason for joining.

75%of learners saw ‘good

health and well being’ as a ‘very important or im-

portant’ reason for joining the course.

Lifelong Learner

Why learners join a WEA course

623

343

771

92

138

80

71

63

96

History

Literature

Craft, Creative Arts and Design

Health and Social Care

Science

Performing Arts

Philosophy

Politics

Other

7 Audrey Rider, Lifelong Learner . Audrey Rider, Chair WEA Leek Branch

Educational Projects

In 2008/9 we were awarded funding from the BIG Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme to run an organic gardening project in partnership with Hillside Herbs Nursery (part of St. Thomas’s Community Network, Dudley). Project work included outreach activities to engage local residents and providng them with an opportunity to learn about organic gardening in a structured adult education context. Within their course local people learnt about the principles and practice of organic gardening; from selecting tools and materials, sowing seeds to harvesting crops in order to enable them to grow their own food produce. One learner said “I came on this course to learn how to garden organically, which I have done, and now I’m interested in studying science!” Lucy Wilkins (Project Manager) said “Educational projects enable us to provide affordable provision whilst meeting the needs of local communities”. In addition to Lottery funding to deliver the courses, project funding was se-cured from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS). Project work has included the production of an information pack, including model teaching resources, and delivery of staff development sessions with a view to transfer-ring organic gardening programmes to other parts of the region.

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Educational Projects 2008/09

Organic Gardening in Dudley

“Educational projects enable us to provide affordable provision whilst meeting the needs

of local communities.”

8 A demonstration of organic gardening in practise in Dudley.

1.

Government priorities for adult education affect how much money we have available to offer the kind of programmes in the community that make the WEA unique. We therefore depend on alternative sources of funding to provide af-fordable provision whilst meeting the needs of local communities. We have been successful in providing a range of projects, programmes and activities across the West Midlands. This section is designed to showcase some of the project work that has been developed in the region.

Our Development Education in Adult Learning (DEAL) proj-ect was supported by funding from the Department for Interna-tional Development (DFID). The aim was to raise awareness of development issues for adults on community education pro-grammes in Birmingham. Project work included designing and piloting a learning programme among African Caribbean elders using art, literacy and ICT to raise awareness of development issues through the study of African and African-Caribbean Heritage. One group of learners planned and produced a textile col-lage to help raise awareness of poverty issues in African coun-tries and what the UK Government is doing to help reduce poverty. The collage was subsequently exhibited for members of the general public at selected libraries within Birmingham. Another group shared experiences of migration and re-searched DFID’s work within developing countries through a series of study visits including Birmingham Central Library. Following their research learners worked on self defined proj-ects, such as the history of the Fairtrade Foundation. Samples of coursework were then uploaded to a website hosted by the Central Library.

“I have learnt about global issues that really affect us all, even though I am thousands of miles away from them. I understand that through Fairtrade a better deal is offered to farmers to help them trade to get out of poverty. Better trading could mean smarter farming, employing workers, in-come to send children to school and to buy them medicine if they become sick.”

Quote from Eunice Campbell, WEA Learner


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Development Education

9 Birmingham CentralLibrary staff with WEA learners carrying out research.

2.

- Development Awareness Fund Major Grants Scheme supporting the integration of develop-ment education in Trade Union studies pro-grammes; delivered in partnership with Ban-ner Theatre Company. - Development Awareness Fund Mini Grants scheme to support projects raising awareness of development issues among adults in Bir-mingham.

- Connecting Communities Plus funding for an action research project to identify health needs in Dudley. - Quality Part Time Work Initiative to sup-port current and potential WEA part time management staff - Empowerment Fund to provide the nec-essary skills, knowledge and confidence to enable adults to influence local decision making processes.

Two year Parenting Fund grant to deliver parenting education programmes in Bir-mingham through a ‘Supporting Parenting through Adult and Community Education’ (SPACE) project.

The region’s core funding comes from our contribution to the WEA National Associa-tion’s contract with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

Service Level Agreement to deliver health education and physical activity programmes within health deprived communities in Dudley Borough.

Project to promote community cohesion through English for Speakers of Other Lan-guages (ESOL) with funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Independent evaluation research of the 4 Real Life project commissioned by Birmingham and Solihull Connexions.

One year grant to develop sewing/tex-tiles learning programmes with embed-ded English for speakers of other lan-guages in Foleshill, Coventry.

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Educational Projects : Funding Partnerships


Educational Projects: Funding Partnerships 2008/09

Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities funding to deliver a range of community based ‘first steps’ learn-ing programmes to educationally disad-vantaged adults in and around Stoke-on-Trent.

We wish to acknowledge the financial support for educational projects received from the following organisations during academic year 2008/09.

CITY OF STOKE-ON -TRENT COUNCIL

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CONNEXIONS BIRMINGHAM AND SOLIHULL

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

DFID (Department for International Development)

DUDLEY COUNCIL

EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSON

HEART OF ENGLANDCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION

LEARNING AND SKILLSCOUNCIL

Community Gym project delivering health education and physical activity pro-grammes in Dudley.

A project to embed electronic learning with-in selected curriculum areas through the Capital Motivating E-Learning (CaMeL) pro-gramme, supported by the National Insitute of Adult Continuing Education. -

Supporting the development and delivery of liberal adult education programmes in inner city areas within Birmingham.

Service Level Agreement to deliver health education and physical activity programmes within health deprived communities in Stoke-on-Trent.

Service Level Agreement to deliver ‘taster’ educational programmes and activities in community settings.

Funding from Sandwell Council included:- Working Neighbourhoods Fund - Family Learning Impact Fund (FLiF) - Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities Fund.

LSIS STEM Emerging Practice fund-ing to hold staff development events aimed at disseminating good practice in the design and delivery of collab-orative organic horticulture provisons.

Awards for All Lottery funding to design and pilot organic gardening education pro-grammes to enable people to grow their own organic food produce in Dudley.

Grant funding via Worcestershire Partner-ship’s Health Improvement Fund to develop and deliver a two year health education project encouraging adults to participate in healthy lifestyle programmes

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BIG LOTTERY FUND

Grant funding to develop a project designed to improve the quality of life of older people through Signalong programmes in Herefordshire and Worcestershire

LSIS BIG LOTTERY FUNDReaching Communities programme: -Tandrusti; a 3 year health and well being project targeted at Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities within deprived wards of Dudley - Community Health Education in Stoke-on-Trent (CHEST); a 3 year project to deliver health education and physical activity pro-grammes in health deprived wards.

NHS DUDLEY PRIMARY CARE TRUST

NHS STOKE-ON -TRENT

NIACE

SANDWELL COUNCIL STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

TELFORD AND WREKIN COUNCIL Service Level Agreement to design and deliver educational programmes in disad-vantaged communities.

THE CROFT TRUST THE RAYNE FOUNDATION

WORCESTERSHIRE PARTNERSHIP

(Learning and Skills Improvement Service)

Treasurer’s Report This report focuses on the annual accounts for the year ended 31 July 2009 and the issues that arise. Although accounts are prepared for the Region, these are part of the organisation-wide accounts prepared by the WEA on common principles; they are draft accounts, in the sense that they may be altered as a consequence of preparing the final Association accounts.OverallOnce again, we have come close to a balanced budget. Over-all, we have achieved a small deficit of £13,565. However, we have achieved a small surplus on unrestricted funds of £6,192 and a deficit on restricted funds of £19,757. This follows a simi-lar pattern to last year. IncomeDuring the past year, our income has again risen from £1,867,655 to £2,110,628. Our allocation from the LSC core grant amounted to £1,356,595, a 7.3% increase on last year. Restricted grants income has continued to grow from £288,650 to £464,256, evidencing the continued success of our income generation strategy. ExpenditureOur increase in income has been matched by an increased level of expenditure, which has increased to £2,124,193 from £1,870,955. Most of this increase is on direct costs of our ac-tivities, although there has been some increase in our support and management costs.

The year aheadLooking ahead we have a number of challenges, which through the efforts of our staff team I am confident we will address suc-cessfully. It is clear that to achieve both our financial and edu-cational targets related to our LSC income, we will need a mini-mum of 12 learners per class. This sits somewhere between the LSC guidance and our own historic practice. The challenge of assumed fee income is one that will not go away. Unless we have funder’s who are prepared to meet the full cost of edu-cational programmes, this is something that will remain. The culture of paying for our education as consumers, rather than society committing to the education of its people holds strong sway in all major political parties in the current climate. We have to recognise that to meet our financial objectives, learn-ers will only have free courses where a funder pays. This will mean higher fee levels and some courses being brought into fee paying for the first time. In terms of our reliance on LSC funding, we have continued to see an increase in income from other sources, but this is very much a gradual process. We also need to consider ways in which we gain a larger share of the Association’s LSC allocation. Future development: we will need to consider how we structure our curriculum offer in order to generate new resources, including researching new areas, such as Continuing Professional Development. We will seek to sustain our branch based programme, second chance and health work and look at ways to restructure and strengthen our community learning work.

Overall, given the current position in the economy we should be cautious about our expectations. While the recession has been around us for a while, there is a general expectation in the voluntary sector that 2011 will be the point at which fund-ing will be most severely affected. With new funding frame-works and the possibility of a new government bringing fresh policies, we are entering a world that looks more un-stable than the past period, one that will bring challenges but also opportunities.

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Treasurer’s Report 2008/09

Cliff Allum Cliff Allum is Chief Executive Officer, Skillshare In-ternational. He has been involved in the WEA as a volunteer for many years.

“Looking ahead we have a number of challenges, which through the efforts of our staff team I am confident we will

address successfully.”

Cliff Allum, Regional Treasurer WEA West Midlands – November 2009

“I joined the WEA six years ago when I retired from work. First, doing a computer course and then becoming a volunteer helping Stuart Lea with his special needs computer group. I find it very rewarding working with the students on a one to one basis and have built up a good rapport with them all. Getting the Wendy Fenn Award is just the ‘icing on the cake’.”

Wendy Fenn Award Winner: Brenda Cross

This annual award acknowledges and celebrates the role of volunteers within the region. It is awarded in memory Wendy Fenn, a UNISON member, who was one of the region’s first Voluntary Educational Advisers and member of our Regional Committee.

Wendy Fenn Award

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Branches Information 2008/09

Branches Information / Contact DetailsWEA branches are local voluntary organisations of WEA members who plan and organise courses, supported by a Programme Area Manager. Some branches also organise additional activities such as field trips and theatre visits and also promote the cause of adult education in their area. Branch members also take part in the WEA’s democratic organisation and some serve on the Regional Committee. The West Midlands Region has the following Branches.

Aldridge

Alrewas

Burton on Trent

Cannock Wood

Ewyas Harold

Hereford

Kenilworth

Kidderminster

Ledbury

Leek

Longton and Potteries

Newcastle and Wolstanton

Walsall Trade Union

Wolverhampton

Any enquiries regarding Branches should be directed to West Midlands Regional Office in the first instance.

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Contact Details 2008/09

West Midlands Regional Office4th floor, Lancaster House 67 Newhall StreetBirmingham B3 1NQ

Tel: 0121 237 8120 Fax: 0121 237 8121Email: [email protected]

Stoke on Trent OfficeWEA Stoke Office Unit 11 Vale Park Enterprise CentrePort Vale Football ClubHamil RoadBurslemStoke on Trent ST6 1AW

Tel: 01782 831911 Fax: 01782 831911Email: [email protected]

Black CountryWEA West Bromwich Study Centre West Bromwich Community CentreGayton RoadWest Bromwich B71 1QS

Tel: 07827256110Email: [email protected]

Coventry & WarwickshireWEA Coventry Study Centre St Pauls Church Rooms346 Foleshill RoadCoventry CV6 5AJ

Tel: 02476 666 625 Email: [email protected]

Herefordshire & WorcestershireWEA Worcester Study Centre Angel CentreAngel PlaceWorcesterWorcestershire WR1 3QN

Tel: 01905 330123 Fax: 01905 330 099Email: [email protected]

ShropshireWEA Telford Study Centre High StreetMadeleyTelfordShropshire TF7 5AU


Staffordshire WEA Rugeley Study Centre Lea Hall Miners’ Welfare ClubSandy LaneRugeleyStaffordshire WS15 2LB


WEA WEST MIDLANDS STUDY CENTRES (For Birmingham and Solihull, please contact West Midlands Regional Office) WEA WEST MIDLANDS OFFICES

Photographic Credits

The following persons are credited for the images used in this document:

Health Event photograph (page 5) - Siddique HussainPotters Arf photograph (page 10) - Mike RawlinsAll other photographs in document - Homer Creative

Workers’ Educational AssociationRegistered office: 70 Clifton Street, London, EC2A 4HB

The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239), and a company limited

by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910)

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