Author: Emma Wilde

Stoke on Trent College, in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council is inviting residents to improve their numeracy skills ahead of the festive season, by hopping aboard the Stoke By Numbers Bus this week. From Tuesday 3 December to Friday 6 December, the bus can be found in the City Centre (Hanley) from 9:30am until 4:30pm.

Christmas is an important time to budget effectively, and completing a Stoke By Numbers numeracy course will provide skills to help with budgeting and number confidence whilst enjoying this special time of year.

Stoke By Numbers is part of the government’s £560 million national programme, Multiply, which aims to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK by offering flexible and free training. As part of the programme free numeracy training courses are being delivered across Stoke-on-Trent. With six delivery partners for the project, courses are available at a variety of locations.

Representatives from the partners will be on hand on the Stoke By Numbers bus throughout the week, so visitors can receive expert advice and find the right course for them. Visitors to the bus will also receive a goody bag and be able to engage in some number-based fun activity. There is plenty for everyone to takeaway, from top tips to useful tools and interactive problem solvers.

Antoinette Lythgoe, Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO at Stoke on Trent College who lead the marketing activity for the Stoke By Numbers programme said:

“We are delighted to have the Number Bus returning to Stoke-on-Trent, just in time for the festive season. This is a vital time of year, when numeracy skills are crucial to ensure you are budgeting correctly and taking advantage of any discounts or savings when Christmas shopping.

“We are encouraging residents of the city to hop aboard and find out how we can help and support them to improve their number confidence.

She added;

“You may not realise how important Maths is for everyday life. Whether budgeting for your weekly shop, helping children with homework or wanting to improve your job prospects, the free training offered through Stoke By Numbers can help anyone in Stoke-on-Trent to boost their numeracy skills.”

Cllr Sarah Jane Colclough, Cabinet Member for Education and Anti-Poverty at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said:

“I am very pleased to see the Stoke By Numbers Bus is making a welcome return to the city centre.

 “Improving numeracy skills is beneficial to everyday life, as so many of our day to day tasks involving use maths. With shopping and budgeting so important at this time of year with Christmas fast approaching, the free advice and activities the bus is offering could not be more timely.

 “I know it’s an extremely busy time of year but I encourage residents to make use of this free support and gain some expert advice on everything financial as we look forward to the festive season.”

To find out more about Stoke By Numbers, and find a free training location near you visit www.stokebynumbers.co.uk.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

 

Stoke by Numbers, part of the government’s new £560 million national programme, Multiply, which aims to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK.

The programme is a partnership across the city by Stoke on Trent College and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, with training courses being delivered by six learning providers across the city.

Partners include: Stoke on Trent College, Acacia Training, Acorn Training, Pathway Group, Potteries Moneywise and Adult Community Learning (ACL) at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.

For more information, contact Claire Williams, Director of Marketing, PR and Communications at Stoke on Trent College: claire.williams@stokecoll.ac.uk

Susanne David, a full-time Fashion Lecturer at Gower College Swansea, is proving that kindness and creativity can make a tangible difference in the lives of the homeless. In addition to her demanding teaching role, Susanne has set herself a challenge that goes beyond the classroom – to knit 365 hats, one for each day of the year, for those in need.

Her journey began on a freezing January morning as she sat in her car, struggling to defrost the windscreen and warm up before heading to work. As she sat shivering, a news report on the radio caught her attention – a proposal to fine homeless individuals up to £2,500 for rough sleeping. Susanne was outraged at the idea that homelessness could be treated as a crime. The freezing cold and the thought of those spending the night on the streets triggered an idea: Susanne could use her talent in textiles to make a difference.

Having recently received a circular knitting machine as a Christmas gift, she decided to put it to good use by embarking on a ‘Year of Kindness’ challenge: knitting 365 hats for the homeless. With the goal in mind, she took to social media to share her pledge, and support quickly began to pour in. Family, friends and colleagues asked how they could help, and Susanne set up an Amazon wish list for wool donations. Soon, her doorstep was flooded with deliveries of wool from generous supporters.

In a heartfelt gesture, Susanne has labelled each of the hats with the name of the person who donated the wool, as well as a special message reminding the recipient that they matter.

This December, Susanne will deliver her collection of 365 hats to Matthew’s House in Swansea, an organization committed to providing unconditional hospitality to some of the city’s most vulnerable individuals, including those facing homelessness, mental health struggles, and addiction. Matthew’s House is dedicated to delivering hope and compassion to those in need, with their motto: “Hope can change lives, it can refresh and refocus us, and that’s why we try our very best to deliver it.”

Matthew’s House is a charitable project initiative of The Hill Church Charity.

Susanne has been documenting her journey throughout the pledge on social media, inspiring others to follow her lead and contribute. You can follow her progress and see her work at:

Facebook: facebook.com/365hatsforthehomeless
Instagram: instagram.com/365hatsforthehomeless

She is thrilled to see her project come to life as the festive season approaches. The hats will be distributed as gifts to the guests of Matthew’s House, bringing warmth and care to those who need it most during the cold winter months.

Over 150 higher education students from Gower College Swansea have celebrated their success at a special graduation ceremony at Swansea Arena.

They were there to celebrate their achievements in a wide range of higher-level courses including business and accounting, applied computing, teaching, engineering, leadership and management, health and social care, and childcare.  

The College works in partnership with a number of universities to deliver higher level programmes including Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of South Wales, Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

“I was delighted to welcome everyone to Swansea Arena to celebrate the academic achievements of all of our higher education students,” says Principal Kelly Fountain.

“Our higher education ceremony is a real highlight of the College calendar, an opportunity for our HE students, many of whom juggle their studies with family life and work commitments, to celebrate together and reflect on all their hard work and the dedication they have given to their courses.

“As a College, we are committed to ensuring these learners graduate with the skills and knowledge that they need for a successful future career, and we work very closely with all of our industry partners and our partner universities to ensure our HE offer reflects the skills needed within the region.

“We wish all of our students every success in the next step of their careers.”

At the graduation event, the College was honoured to award a special Certificate of Fellowship to former student Rocío Cifuentes MBE, who is the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.

Before starting as Commissioner, Rocío was the Chief Executive of the charity Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST) Wales, a charity she helped to set up in 2005.

As well as running EYST, Rocío also served on the Wales Committee for the Equality and Human Rights Commission and chaired the Welsh Refugee Coalition. She has also taught in a college, worked in youth homelessness and set up a charity for young people with mixed abilities, including disabilities, called Mixtup.

The evening was an opportunity for current and former students to showcase their talents. The College’s jazz band provided the arrival entertainment and the opening performance was by alumni Penelope George, who followed up her A Levels at the College with a scholarship to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

More than 125 students from Selby College’s University Centre graduated as part of a prestigious Graduation Ceremony at Selby Abbey, on Friday 15^th November 2024.

Marking their special day, the graduates were joined by family and friends, as well as their tutors and support staff from the University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group.

Special guests including Councillor Linda Bayram, Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and her Consort, Charlie Bayram and Gareth Morton, Headteacher at the Rubicon Centre, also joined the celebrations.

Representatives from the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group’s University Centre’s awarding bodies were also in attendance, including Gwyneth Allatt from the University of Huddersfield and Lynne Braham from the University of Hull.

Keynote speaker and Member of Parliament for Selby, Keir Mather MP, delivered an inspirational speech to graduates, acknowledging the hard work and resilience they’ve shown throughout their studies.

Sharing his experience of becoming the UK’s youngest Member of Parliament when he was appointed at the age of 25, Keir encouraged them always to be ambitious and take control of their destinies as they embark on their next steps.

Sam Wright, Principal and Chief Executive at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, also praised the graduates for their outstanding achievements, saying: “Our graduates have invested considerable time and energy into gaining their degree-level qualifications, with many carrying out their studies alongside their careers or raising a family. This is no mean feat, which is why it’s so special to be able to celebrate these remarkable achievements alongside graduates’ loved ones and special guests in the spectacular backdrop of Selby Abbey. I hope they feel incredibly proud of themselves.”

Following this, Performing Arts students from the University Centre delivered breathtaking performances of a range of songs from West End musicals.

The graduates were then invited up to the stage by Stephen Mulligan, Head of Higher Education at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group to be presented with their certificates by Vice Chair of Governors, Martyn Shaw.

Amongst those graduating were mother and daughter Gemma and Ellie Anstee, with Gemma achieving a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Top-Up) degree and Ellie graduating with a Higher National Certificate in Business.

Validated by some of the region’s most well-established universities, the graduates were awarded a range of Foundation Degrees, Full Degrees, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, Top-Up Degrees, Professional Qualifications and Teacher Training Qualifications.

These degree-level programmes are delivered through the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group’s University Centre and cover a range of subjects, including Animal Management, Art & Design, Business, Construction, Childhood Studies, Digital Technologies, Education, Engineering, Health & Wellbeing, Music, Performing Arts, Public Services, Social Science, Sport and more.

Results of the latest National Student Survey revealed that the University Centre placed significantly higher than the national average in a range of areas, including quality of teaching, learning opportunities, academic support and assessments.

This comes as Selby College celebrates 40 years of educating the local community, which has seen it provide learning and training opportunities for learners aged 15 right up to 70+.

Applications for the University Centre’s wide range of programmes are now open for September 2025.

Construction student at Castleford College, Alfie Parratt, has been commended for the exceptional progress he has made throughout his studies at the Youthbuild UK’s Young Builder of the Year Awards 2024.

Alfie was commended in the 14-18 category and was one of ten finalists at the prestigious awards ceremony, which was held at the House of Commons on Wednesday 20^th November 2024.

Hosted by the Youthbuild UK’s Honorary President, Sir John Hayes MP, the awards celebrate the achievements of young people who have succeeded in training or gaining employment in the construction industry despite having to overcome a range of challenges.

Alfie has struggled with dyslexia from an early age, but he’s not let this stop him from pursuing his passion for construction, progressing from a Multi Skills Level 1 Construction programme to a Level 1 Diploma in Bricklaying.

Alfie said: “I was overwhelmed to be commended for such a highly regarded award in the construction industry. The bricklaying workshop at College is my happy place and I really enjoy being able to work with others and learn from them, as well as share my knowledge. That is why I would like to own my own Construction business one day.”

Alfie’s Tutor, Christopher Leaf, said: “It was an honour to be able to join Alfie and his family at the Young Build of the Year Awards at the House of Commons. Watching him develop both personally and academically has been nothing short of amazing and seeing him collect his award is the icing on the cake. Alfie is the first student from Castleford College to be a finalist in the Youthbuild UK’s Young Builder of the Year Awards and I hope this inspires our current and prospective students to always pursue their passion, no matter what hurdles they may face.”

Since starting on a Multi Skills Level 1 Construction programme, Alfie has gone above and beyond to expand his knowledge and hone his bricklaying skills.

Alfie’s Inclusion Practitioner at Castleford College, Phil Evans, said: “Alfie was incredibly shy when I first met him, so it’s brilliant to see the progress he has made on his journey. He’s come out of his shell and built his social and academic skills and has achieved significant personal milestones such as passing his driving test. Being commended for the Young Builder of the Year Award is another string to his bow and highlights how far he has come since starting at the College.”

In addition to his personal achievements, Alfie has also taken on various bricklaying jobs, further honing his skills and gaining practical experience which has improved his technique and boosted his confidence in his abilities.

Students at Stoke on Trent College have been getting exclusive insight into the digital and creative sector this week, as part of Discover! Creative Careers Week, a flagship event organised as part of a programme that inspires 11-18 year olds to consider the creative industries for their career choices.

Creative Careers Week has been an opportunity for students to learn new skills, gain exposure to the industry and network with employers and those working within the digital & creative industries. Local creative organisations, Carse & Waterman and Inspired Film & Video have been inspiring students through video presentations, helping them develop their skills, including filming techniques, gaining valuable exposure to the creative process of filming and videography.

Students were also thrilled to hear from CyberKiln who met with T Level Coding students with a session designed to bring attention to what employers are looking for across the creative and digital sector. They were also joined by Tim Copsey, from the British Film Institute (BFI), who offered advice and first-hand insights into the British film industry. Tim spoke about the BFI’s residential programmes, motivating students to explore future careers in the creative industries.

Tim Copsey from the British Film Institute said:

“The BFI offer a variety of courses for 16 to 19-year-olds to develop specialist skills and build a career in the film industry.

“These include; props & art department, cinematography, editing and post-production, film festival programming and audience development, curation and archiving, production management, visual effects and hair, wigs, makeup and prosthetics. On these courses you’ll work closely with leading industry professionals, use industry standard equipment and gain a unique insight into the filmmaking business.”

Michael McDonald, Business Development Director at Inspired Film & Video said:

“We all consume more and more digital content each day and brands, educators and individuals have all become broadcasters.  

Someone is needed to make this content. The work Stoke on Trent College is doing to develop these skills is vital if the area is to remain competitive. These are the skills of now and the future.”

Antoinette Lythgoe, Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Creative Careers Week is a fantastic opportunity for our digital and creative learners to get an insight into the media industry from local and national professionals.

“We are delighted that one of our Skills Pledge Partners Carse & Waterman has shown further support for this focussed week of activity and that Inspired Film & Video, who recently produced our splendid new promotional video have also embraced the opportunity to inspire our learners.

The visit from Tim from the British Film Institute has shown learners that there is also a very attainable career route to the top of the country’s film industry.”

This week has thousands of encounters across the country, designed to support more young people, particularly those facing the greatest disadvantage, in accessing information about careers in the creative industries.

In a bid to tackle skills shortages and to widen the pool of talent the creative industries attract, Discover! Creative Careers week is an opportunity for employers to lift the lid on jobs and pathways in the creative sectors. Through in-person events including workshops at workplaces and schools, as well as virtual opportunities, employers have been inspiring the next generation of filmmakers, product designers, TV producers, advertisers, animators and dancers, amongst other key creative professionals.

Mary Rose, Programme Lead for Discover! Creative Careers said “The UK’s creative industries are world-leading and I want to thank everyone for getting involved in Discover! Creative Careers Week and for sharing their expertise in their sectors with students. Engagement with industry is so important for ensuring we can create a diverse pipeline of talent entering the creative workforce and plug the current skills gaps that impact the sector, particularly by linking education to industry in their own regional area.

“This year’s Discover! Creative Careers Week is set to be a fantastic success thanks to the organisations that have worked with us to provide excellent work experience opportunities and industry encounters for young people across the country. These encounters are invaluable to debunking misconceptions about the sector and underlining that people from all backgrounds can and should consider the creative industries for their careers. We know that encounters in the workplace have a huge impact on young people in terms of considering a career in the creative industries.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, who support the programme said: “Our world-leading cultural industries offer young people a broad range of exciting professional opportunities that allow them to explore their creative interests, whatever they may be. I hope this year’s Discover! Creative Careers Week will not only inspire the next generation of creatives from across England but also offer them pathways to meaningful, long-term careers in our industry.”

 

Ends.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For media enquiries, contact:

Rebecca.seaford@plmr.co.uk

+447496354018

ABOUT DISCOVER! CREATIVE CAREERS

Discover Creative Careers is an industry-led programme that is working to ensure there is a larger and more diverse intake of talent via a broader range of routes into the creative industries.

It is currently funded by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, with additional support from Arts Council England and is being delivered by ScreenSkills, in partnership with more than 25 organisations representing the creative industries.