‘Celebrating the outstanding achievements of adult learners’

The West Berkshire Learner Achievement Awards are now open for nominations.

These annual awards celebrate the success of adult learning in West Berkshire covering apprenticeships, professional, academic and vocational courses and learning programmes to support families, communities and health and wellbeing.

Please note to qualify for an award the nominee must have been engaged in learning since September 2019, aged over 19 years when they started their course and lives, works or volunteers in West Berkshire.
These annual awards celebrate the success of adult learning in West Berkshire covering apprenticeships, professional, academic and vocational courses and learning programmes to support families, communities and health and wellbeing. Please note to qualify for an award the nominee must have been engaged in learning since September 2019, aged over 19 years when they started their course and lives, works or volunteers in West Berkshire.

There are eight award categories and each winner will receive a cash prize of £100 (£250 for groups). Award winners will be invited, with a guest, to the presentation ceremony at Shaw House, Newbury on Friday, 12 November at 5.30pm.

The Learner Achievement Awards are part of Lifelong Learning Week, a national celebration of adult learning that takes place in November each year.

Organised by West Berkshire Council on behalf of the West Berkshire Community Learning Partnership, the awards are sponsored by Newbury College, West Berkshire Training Consortium, and the Newbury Community Resource Centre.

Make an online nomination here.

If you’re involved with running or managing a village hall or community building in Berkshire and have yet to hear about our charities fantastic Community Buildings Advice Service then take a look at this quick video which introduces it. In order to run and fund the service we do have to charge annual membership fees; if you’d like to find out how you can become a member please click on this webpage; https://ccberks.org.uk/our-projects/community-buildings/ or email Kate.Meads@ccberks.org.uk

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is inviting applications for grants of up to £25,000 from innovative projects that will create a long-term difference in remote rural areas of the UK. 

The PCF’s grant programme aims to empower rural communities to become more self-sufficient and viable, by funding community-led solutions. With thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the PCF aims to invest at least £500,000 each year through our grant programmes to make projects happen, particularly in hamlets, villages, and small towns. The PCF is particularly interested in receiving applications from projects in East Anglia, the north east of England, Wales and Northern Ireland in this grant round.  

The Northern Fells Group were awarded a grant by the PCF in April 2021. Libby Grahamsaid: “We’re using the funding to respond to the post-pandemic needs of our community, alongside the more than 250 volunteers who help us. Our Men in Sheds project is open three days a week and provides a safe place for men to meet to undertake a range of activities, like furniture repairs for the community. We are very grateful to the PCF for their support of our project.” The PCF’s Village Survival Guide gives inspiration as to how communities can come together to build a real future for rural Britain, covering how to set up a number of projects, from transport schemes to better broadband. 

If you have an idea for a project in your community, you can sign up to the PCF’s grants surgeries, to discuss this with the charity’s grant making team. Held every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2pm during the application period, you can book your slot at www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grants.  Applications for grants close on 17 September 2021 at midday. To find out more about the PCF’s grant programmes, including eligibility criteria and a copy of the application form, visit www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grants. You can buy a copy of the Village Survival Guide at www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/VSG