Award winners

Our award winners highlight the vast array of people who gain so much from learning as adults.

Their stories truly inspire all of us

They help us recognise that learning is transformational, exciting, rewarding and possible at any age, for any reason and can be for all of us.

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2024

Learning for Health Award

Inspiring Minds is delivered by mental health charity START and aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the people of Salford through the delivery of creative arts and horticulture activities. Almost 500 learners per year benefit from their person-focussed programme, enabling them to gain new skills and qualifications, and ultimately find the aspiration to lead a better life.

Inspiring Minds

Learning for Health award

Meet the winner
Susannah-Festival_of_Learning_2

2024

Learning for Health Award

Susannah’s world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with incurable metastatic cancer. Determined not to let her diagnosis control her, Susannah enrolled in the Contemporary Practice and Developing Art Practice courses at City Lit, using what she learned to explore her relationship with cancer.

Susannah Goulding

Learning for Health award

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Jackie at her desk

2023

Learning for Health Award

Jackie was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2013 and had surgery to have a stoma formed the following year. Attending support groups and courses with the WEA helped rebuild her confidence and create sense of control over her life. Jackie has since come on leaps and bounds and even set up her own group to support others in a similar position. 

Jackie Butterworth

Learning for Health Award

Meet the winner
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2022

Learning for Health Award

Joanne didn’t enjoy school, learning to read at a later age than her peers and facing additional challenges in her home life. Years later, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, she enrolled on a course to understand how she could help her family cope with her diagnosis and her perception of learning changed entirely.

Joanne Sandison

Learning for Health Award

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Head shot of male in bus driver uniform with bus in background

2021

Learning for Health Award

Following a diagnosis with a lifechanging condition, Paul started a variety of level 2 courses through the workplace learning centre, within the Bramley depot.

Paul Ackroyd

Learning for Health Award

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Female looking at male holding up batik art work

2020

Learning for Health Award

Waltham Forest Adult Learning Service has worked in partnership with Waltham Forest Social Prescribing to set up a range of creative courses in locations such as Walthamstow Wetlands, Lloyd Park and Epping Forest Visitor Centre in Chingford.

Health and Wellbeing Programme

Learning for Health Award

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Female holding up pottery work

2019

Learning for Health Award

Marie’s learning journey began when she was referred to Adult Education Wolverhampton’s Like Minds pottery course by her psychologist to help her to overcome severe depression.

Marie Smith

Learning for Health Award

Meet the winner