South West Region

The South West is the longest WEA region covering over 300 miles from end to end (Gloucester to Penzance).  Provision is delivered in a wide range of venues - in village halls, community centres, schools and in some cases public houses!  We also work with UNISON to offer sessions to support workers in the NHS, universities and local authorities.

Participants from any of our six areas will be welcome to join our Learning Revolution.

• Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset
• Devon and Cornwall
• Gloucestershire
• Somerset
• Swindon and Wiltshire
• West of England

The Revolution has already started in Swindon where ideas for Learning Circles include discussing good parenting whilst exercising the dogs, a “Stitch and Bitch” group and exploring Seligman’s ideas of authentic happiness!  Swindon Circles can also be offered a free “visiting tutor” for cross cultural courses in Indian arts.

We hope to make a partnership with Windmill Hill City Farm - an independent community project seeking to meet the needs of local people in South Bristol.  A group of Somali women will have the opportunity to practice their English skills whilst teaching a bit of their native language.

In Exeter much of the current provision is for members of socially and economically deprived communities, and we hope to engage these and other learners.

In Somerset and Dorset most of the courses are arranged by volunteers in Branches and Groups, the Learning Revolution is an opportunity to attract new volunteers to revitalise the WEA here.

We are hoping that a group of Plymouth volunteers will jump aboard in the New Year and that we may have some Sign Language Circles starting in Cornwall.

So come and join us wherever you are – that’s where the Revolution will be!

Contact:Christine Mottram  cmottram@wea.org.uk Tel:  01823 275919