Nick Herbert supports day for adults with learning disabilities

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert attended a special day for adults with learning difficulties at Rydon Community College in Storrington on Saturday (14 July) to see the courses on offer for them.

The ‘Adult Education Taster Day' was organised by West Sussex Learning Links, a charity founded in 1997 with the aim of supporting people with learning disabilities to attend mainstream adult education and leisure courses with volunteer buddies.

The day saw over 100 people with learning disabilities given the opportunity to try a range of different activities including African drumming, drama, first aid, art, cookery, computing, craft and keep fit.

West Sussex Learning Links has been holding the event each year since 2002 to provide attendees with a taster of the activities and courses that they could enjoy by taking part in adult education programmes.

The event is supported by West Sussex Adult Education Service who provide all of the financial costs, including travel for the students.

In its ten years, West Sussex Learning Links has supported hundreds of partnerships to attend mainstream adult education and raised more than £600,000 towards this. 

Mr Herbert was introduced to the students and volunteers by Project Co-Ordinator Pippa Davies.  After seeing each course in action, including taking part in the African drums course, he was presented with a Learning Links polo shirt.

The MP said: "I really enjoyed meeting the students and seeing them take part in the courses with such enthusiasm.

"I pay tribute to the Learning Links and its volunteers who work so hard to provide opportunities for people who could otherwise so easily be excluded from mainstream courses and society."

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