Some adult community learning courses look set to be reinstated in Burnham-On-Sea after a major funding boost this week, however the town’s adult learning centre will not be re-opening.
Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L) has regained funding for adult and community education following a successful bid to the Education & Skills Funding Agency.
The £2.7 million which the adult education provider has secured will go towards educational and community projects in Somerset to promote skills, health and wellbeing.
“We are delighted to have won these funds back for Somerset,” SS&L Chief Executive, Susie Simon-Norris, told Burnham-On-Sea.com. “We can now start delivering much needed local education and community projects again.”
“We suffered a devastating blow last year when funds were decreased dramatically which meant closing some of our centres and losing many long standing team members but we have worked tirelessly to have these vital funds reinstated.”
“We are so pleased that people in Somerset, some of them the most vulnerable and isolated, will get the same opportunity to participate in projects that people in other counties do,” she said.
Mrs Simon-Norris paid credit to the SS&L staff who she said had been “amazing” at a very difficult and unstable time and also to their learners who had remained loyal and patient throughout the year.
“I think the lesson from this is to never give up,” Mrs Simon-Norris said. “We fought hard for the Somerset community and we’ve triumphed, so we’re now working with our partners to plan great new projects and initiatives starting in September.”
Speaking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, a spokesperson added that there are no plans to re-open the adult learning centre in Burnham-On-Sea’s Princess Street, which closed last year. However, she added that “the funds mean that we can start delivering more community projects again, both directly and through partners, and hopefully Burnham will also benefit from that.”
