Winners announced for Suffolk Adult Learners’ Awards 2015

The fifth annual Suffolk Adult Learners’ Awards has taken place at University Campus Suffolk.

Suffolk groups and individuals have been recognised for their hard work and outstanding achievements of adult learners’ over the past year.

A total of 12 awards were presented including Outstanding Services to Adult Education and Training in Suffolk to Mary Taylor who worked at West Suffolk College and the ‘winner of winners’, the Outstanding Learner of the Year to Reco Smith from Ipswich.

Recently retired Mary Taylor spent nearly 30 years at West Suffolk College. She is credited for being instrumental in a range of Suffolk and regional initiatives including being a founding member of the Suffolk PCDL Partnership, the Suffolk Partnership for Informal Adult Learning and Leap.

Miles Cole, Leap Project Manager, said “Mary has been a dedicated leader of adult education primarily in west Suffolk but her energy and influence has been felt across the county. In the adult education world, Mary is one of those people that everyone knows, respects and values. Mary’s real strength has always been in her natural ability to network and offer a ‘personal touch’, which has proven an asset with all of the partnership working she has initiated.”

“Mary was a ‘trailblazer’, deciding it wasn’t enough to just have adult provision running from schools, she wanted to get adult provision into the high streets, so this is what she did. Working alongside Suffolk County Council to offer free IT courses to adults and more recently working with Leap, Mary opened Centres in of Stowmarket, Sudbury, Haverhill and Mildenhall. This was the beginning of what can be seen across West Suffolk now, which has an outstanding adult education offer, not just offering leisure courses, but also community and vocational courses out of local learning centres, all of which have been specifically developed with adult learners at the heart of everything.”

Reco Smith was awarded the Outstanding Learner of the Year, sponsored by UCS, as well as being named the Inspirational Learner of the Year.

As a teenager Reco was involved in some low level anti-social behaviour and criminal activity; at the time he was also living in a children’s home. His life took a turn for the better when he was refereed to Suffolk Positive Futures to take part in some evening sports sessions. Over a six year period he attended hundreds of sessions and represented the project at several local and regional events.

Four years ago Reco, who left school with no GCSEs and previously didn’t enjoy education, studied a Sports Leadership Qualification and an OCN teamwork qualification.

Reco’s main love is football and his long term ambition is to become a full time football coach. In August 2014 he achieved the FA Level 1 coaching qualification; gaining knowledge on how to coach young people safely and how to engage them in activity as well updating his first aid and safeguarding skills. Since December the 21 year old has been working as a sports coach with Suffolk Positive Futures.

He said of winning the Outstanding Learner of the Year, “I feel a bit overwhelmed and emotional. This is the best achievement in my life, apart from having my son of course. It’s amazing. As a kid I was in the same sessions where I now work alongside the same people who coached me, it’s an honour to work alongside them.”

“I managed to turn my life around and it’s thanks to the organisations that supported me. I’d say to anyone in similar situation to how I was to keep headstrong and to believe. You can achieve anything if you believe and stay strong and battle through.”

“In my role as a sports coach I’m not happy unless I’ve managed to change something in the kids that come along, it could be a new achievement, a new skill, to push them a little further each time. My dad kept me focused, he’s my hero. Times were difficult but he was always there, despite the children’s home and the foster care; he was there in my corner to help and it’s thanks to him and Positive Futures I’ve got these awards”

Paul Knight from Positive Futures said “Compared with most young people Reco had a difficult start in life. Reco now has plans to go back in the children’s home and speak to residents about some of the life choices they may be facing having been through similar experiences himself. Reco has been determined to turn things around and get on with his life, doing something what he loves doing – coaching young people and playing sport.”

The Awards evening was presented by BBC Radio Suffolk’s Lesley Dolphin and organised by Leap with the support of University Campus Suffolk (UCS), the Suffolk Partnership for Informal Leaning (SPIAL) and Suffolk County Council.

Miles Cole, Leap Project Manager, said “These Awards celebrate the commitment shown by tutors, volunteers, providers and learners’ while demonstrating the impact adult learning has on the lives of individuals. The Awards have grown each year and now in the 5^th year are firmly established in the learning and skills calendar of Suffolk. Every year it gets more and more difficult to choose between those nominated, everyone is doing such fantastic work and these awards, are just one way this can be recognised.”

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Adult Care said “These Awards are fantastic as they demonstrate the impact adult learning has on the lives of individuals. Every year the calibre of nominations increases as everyone is doing such fantastic work in Suffolk and these awards, are one way of the ways this is recognised.”

Winners received a trophy, certificate and book tokens.

Adult Learners’ Week is a national celebration of lifelong learning; the biggest in England. To find out more visit their website.