Wokingham

Following on from the success of Learndirect Wokingham, the service is being rolled out from October 25 to Winnersh Library in the Wokingham district making it even easier to join one of the hundreds of courses on offer.

Also, in collaboration with Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the Learndirect service is now available at Whitegrove Library in Bracknell and later this year at Crowthorne Library.

In July 2005, Wokingham District Council stepped in to prevent the loss of Learndirect in Wokingham, to allow adult learners to continue to have a dedicated base for learning within the district. The Council won the contract to deliver the Learndirect service and Wokingham Library was chosen as the base because of its excellent location and facilities. The council is leading the way across the country by hosting Learndirect in its libraries and the service has gone from strength to strength, with record enrolments.

And as a result of this success, two learndirect outreach locations were established in Woodley and Lower Earley libraries in February 2006. The service has proved so popular with local learners that a third learndirect outreach is set to be opened in Winnersh Library. Wokingham District Council has also won the contract to supply Learndirect services to Bracknell Forest Borough Council – the first outreach location recently opened at Whitegrove library and a second outreach location will be opened by the end of the year in Crowthorne Library.

Learndirect outreach allows local learners to try out learning packages and get more details on the courses on offer. Tutors are available on selected days to offer advice to learners, particularly to those who may find it difficult to get to the centre in Wokingham. Learners will be able to undertake their work at any participating library or at home, at any time and pace.

A wide range of courses are on offer, from basic literacy and numeracy skills to computing, either at a very low cost or, in many cases, free.

Cllr Dianne King, executive member for Wokingham community development, said: “It is fantastic news for our local residents that we are able to roll out the Learndirect service even further across the district. The success of the main centre in Wokingham has been instrumental in developing the service further in Woodley, Lower Earley and now Winnersh. There are so many courses on offer, many of which are free, to our residents. I hope that by providing more outreach centres, it will encourage even more people to enrol on courses.”

For more information on the Learndirect service at the Wokingham centre or any of the outreach locations, contact Wokingham Learndirect enquiries on (0118) 978 8069.

Wokingham District Council