Are you passionate about lifelong learning and committed to strengthening your community? This spring, WEA members will elect two new trustees to join our board - and you could be one of them. 

Trustees play a central role in WEA’s governance, helping guide the organisation’s strategy, ensuring we meet our charitable objectives, and championing the needs of learners across England and Scotland. 

Nominations for the 2026 Trustee Elections opened on 24 April and close on 29 May, followed by a member voting period from 8–17 June. 

Election results will be announced at the WEA Conference on 18 June 2026. 

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the future of a respected educational charity and help shape our long-term direction. 

What we’re looking for 

We welcome nominations from all WEA Association Members.

However, we have identified a particular need for candidates who can demonstrate recent and relevant experience in one or more of the following priority areas: 

• Scottish education oversight (for example, current or recent involvement in inspection, regulation, funding or system leadership) or senior leadership within the Scottish voluntary sector.
• Accountancy or financial management, with up-to-date knowledge of financial governance, reporting and controls 

This experience is important to ensure the Board maintains the necessary expertise to effectively oversee the charity’s activities and financial stewardship. 

Recent experience should be substantive and at an appropriate level of responsibility (e.g. senior leadership, governance, regulatory, or professional practice). Candidates must be able to apply their knowledge at a strategic level, contributing to collective decision-making and effective governance. 

We are therefore prioritising candidates who can demonstrate this. 

All nominees will be invited to interview before going forward to election. 

Time commitment 

Trustees are expected to serve on at least one committee, with an overall time commitment of approximately four board meetings per year, plus reading and preparation 

Our commitment to inclusive leadership 

WEA is committed to building a board that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We particularly welcome nominations from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. 

Your insights can help ensure the WEA continues to deliver high-quality, life‑changing adult education. 

Eligibility 

To stand for election or to vote, you must be a WEA Association Member. 

If you're unsure whether you are eligible, contact the Governance Team via [email protected] 

How to apply 

Ready to step forward? 

Submit your self-nomination using our online form: WEA elections for trustees 2026

We’d advise all potential candidates read the trustee role description. Our Articles & Regulations are linked for information. 

If you have questions or need assistance, the Governance team is here to help: [email protected] 

This May why not come along to one of our exclusive member events online.  

As part of our New Voices series, Dr Susie Bennett from the University of Glasgow will be delivering a talk about her research into male mental health and suicide prevention.  

We are also marking the 100th anniversary of the General Strike by inviting Dr Dan Edmonds from Royal Holloway, University of London, to deliver a lecture on the Strike’s history and impact. 

 Also this month, make a difference by taking part in one of the campaigns we are supporting: 

• Find out more about our Lifelong Learning Labs and add your story to help us create a new blueprint for Lifelong Learning
• Write a diary entry for the Mass Observation archive to add your voice to this unique and significant collection of everyday experience 
• Be part of the Million Acts of Hope campaign and celebrate the people making a difference in your community
• Or join our Story Club to make new connections and support the National Year of Reading. 

Friday 8th May, 11am: Lifelong Learning Labs
Tuesday 12th May, 1pm: Mass Observation Day: Diary Writing Workshop 
Thursday 14th May, 5pm: Male mental health and suicide prevention 
Tuesday 19th May, 1pm: Creativity for Wellbeing: A Million Acts of Hope 
Thursday 21st May, 5pm: 100th Anniversary of the General Strike 
Tuesday 26th May, 5pm: Story Club: Solidarity  

A look back at our April programme 

April was Citizen Science month;  WEA tutor Rob Bray delivered a double bill of talks specifically on the topic  - an introduction to citizen science at the start of April and a session going into Citizen Science in more depth at the end of the month.  

Member feedback :'Such an interesting lecturer & good delivery of many projects - thank you’ 
 

We also enjoyed a talk by WEA tutor Atinuke Dawodu, looking at the research into human memory carried out by American psychologist Professor Elizabeth Loftus. The research found that the language used to frame questions can affect people's recollections of events. The example given was people being shown a clip of a car crash and being asked to estimate how fast the car was going, where different words were used to describe the impact, e.g smashed, bumped, hit. There was some lively debate both in the Zoom chat and afterwards on the validity of this experiment. Scientific methodology and how researches design experiments to control for different factors would be a fascinating follow up - watch this space!  

Member feedback: 'Thanks for this informative and eye opening lecture.'
 

Continuing our support of the National Year of Reading initiative, we scheduled three literature-related sessions. First was a talk by WEA tutor James Clarke about John Steinbeck's classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath. It seemed fitting that the talk touched on the way the novel shows solidarity, migration, and community, as these are all themes of our upcoming Story Clubs. 

Member feedback: Thank you, James, an interesting look at a powerful book' 

We held our informal Story Club: Plan and Chat session in April, where members could make their suggestions for stories with a theme of solidarity. Our members put forward an excellent range of books and films - here are just a few of the recommendations: A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Hungry Hill by Daphne du Maurier and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes.  

Member feedback: 'An excellent session.  Thank you very much, everyone.' 

For World Book Night we commissioned WEA tutor Mark Crees to deliver a series of poetry readings and talk about their significance. Mark chose to read poems by a range of poets, including Philip Larkin, Emily Dickenson, William Barnes and Tony Harrison.  

Member feedback: 'Wonderful lecture.  I love the poems. I shall read more poetry.  Thanks a million' 

Lastly, for this month's Creativity for Wellbeing session, we welcomed WEA tutor Jaynie Clark to deliver a papercraft session to create a woven paper heart decoration. I enjoyed following along - my first attempt didn't quite go to plan, but the nice thing about the activity was that you could unweave the paper and re-try!  

How to join our member events    

Sign up via Zoom and you’ll be sent an invitation with a joining link. You don’t need to install any software – you can join from your browser, but there is also the option to use the dedicated Zoom app if you prefer.     

Once you join, you can choose whether to have your camera on or off. All members are muted, but you can ask questions or make comments in the chat. Join and leave any time during the session, so why not choose a topic that you like the sound of and drop in to see what you think.    

We know that the regular Thursday slot doesn’t suit everyone, so we are varying the times and days of the week from time to time. If you would like to send us feedback on the programme or the scheduling we’d love to hear from you – suggestions always welcome! 

Local Elections  

On Thursday 7th May, local elections are being held across the country.  Local elections decide things that affect your everyday life like social care, housing, roads, schools and even your bin collection. But most people aren’t really sure how they actually work. 

WEA Learn has commissioned a short course on Tuesday 5th May to break it all down in a simple, easy-to-follow way. You’ll learn how local elections are run, who can stand as a candidate, how people campaign in your area, and what really happens on voting day. We’ll also look at how votes are counted and how the people who win go on to make decisions in your community. 

This WEA Learn course is the first to offer Pay What You Can pricing, with a minimum spend of just £1. Those who are able and willing to pay it forward for others also have the option of adding a small solidarity payment. Every booking and every contribution, big or small, will directly enable us to reach more people and deepen our impact.

Earlier in April, the WEA Council launched a nominations process for the following Council representatives: 

• Learners (5 seats)
• Volunteers (10 seats, 4 held and 6 for nomination)  
• Non-Teaching Staff (3 seats) 

We’re pleased to share the results of the nominations and elections for the above seats on Council:  

Learner seats (as a result of the April 2026 election): 

• Maria Curtin
• Maryam Muneer
• Claire Buss
• Farzad Noori
• Sanaz Ashrafzadeh Shimi 

Volunteer seats (uncontested): 

• Rosalind Pugh
• Maria Skoumpopoulou
• Mark Ord 

Non-Teaching staff seats (uncontested): 

• Misbah Ayub
• Zeenat Elaheebux 

We hope you’ll join us in congratulating those who will be taking up their Council roles from June 2026! 

Nominations process 

We received 3 eligible nominations for the role of Volunteer representative by the published deadline. We also received 2 nominations for non-teaching Staff representatives. As there were more seats than nominees, the nominations were not contested and there was therefore no need to undertake an election process for these seats. 

Learner representatives had contested seats and elections were held in this category from 13 April to 26 April. As a result we are happy to confirm the above 5 learner representatives. 

All appointments to Council are subject to endorsement by the Governance & Nominations committee before being approved by Trustees.   

Next steps 

All remaining vacancies on the Council will be publicised again in the next nominations round. 

The governance team wishes to thank everyone who contacted them about standing, who nominated someone they know or themselves, and all the eligible learners who voted in the Learner election. Representation on the Council is vital to the ongoing democracy and success of WEA 

If you are currently volunteering for WEA or if you are a staff member in a non-teaching role, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] if you would like to find out more about standing for one of the remaining council seats, ahead of the next nominations round. 

Looking ahead to April we have another bumper collection of member events coming up. 

April is Citizen Science month, so we have commissioned a double bill of lectures from WEA tutor Rob Bray. The first gave us an introduction to citizen science (if you missed it, it will be in our members area to watch again soon!),, and then we’ll take a more in depth look at a couple of popular Citizen science projects. Continuing the science theme, we also have a talk about the work of Dr Elizabeth Loftus, whose research into memory raised questions about the reliability of witness testimony and recovered memories.  

WEA is proud to support the National Year of Reading, and we have scheduled several book-related events this month. First, we have our Story Club plan and chat on the theme of Solidarity. James Clarke will deliver a lecture about American author John Steinbeck. This will focus on The Grapes of Wrath; an award winning novel that also happens to fit well with many of our upcoming Story Clubs themes. Finally we are hosting an event on World Book Night, when Mark Crees will be performing for us again.  

Lastly April's Creativity for Wellbeing session is an arts and crafts event with WEA tutor Jayne Clark - all you need is a pair of scissors and a couple of sheets of paper. Come along and have a go! 

April events and their booking links:

Thursday 9th April, 5pm: Women in Science: Professor Loftus 
Thursday 16th April, 5pm: John Steinbeck: The Grapes of Wrath  
Friday 17th April, 5pm: Story Club - Solidarity: Plan and Chat 
Tuesday 21st April, 12:30pm: Creativity for Wellbeing: Arts and Crafts 
Thursday 23rd April, 1pm: World Book Night 
Thursday 30th April, 5pm: Citizen Science in greater depth 
 

Looking back at our member events in March  

We held six member events in March - did you join us for any? We’d love to hear what you thought. You can always share your feedback with us in the Zoom Chat during each session or by emailing [email protected].    
 

Story Club: Wellbeing  - plan and chat 
We set this session up in response to member feedback from the first Story Club. It was an informal event to share suggestions for the next Story Club and connect with other members.  We will be adding Plan and Chat sessions before each of the four remaining Story Clubs.  
‘A great way of bringing WEA members together. Thank you’   

Public debates and ethics  
Bettina Lange talked to us about the challenges of public debates and gave some tips on having meaningful, civil discussions.  
‘Brilliant presentation. Given me many new tools to participate in my town.’ 
‘Fascinating, Bettina.  So refreshingly clear.  Thank you.’ 

Diego Rivera and Mexican Muralism  
Caroline Levisse delivered a fascinating lecture about the work of Mexican artist Diego Rivera. She will be running a longer course on Mexican Muralism for WEA Learn later in the year for those who want to explore the topic in greater depth. 
‘What a wonderful lecture and loved all the paintings and murals. Thank you so much.’ 
‘An exciting subject. Thank you for bringing this Art to life.  More to explore.’ 

Intertwined: Women's History through textiles  
To mark Women's history month we invited Ali Warren to talk to us about women's history through textiles. From the Bayeaux Tapestry, to Elizabeth Parker, from the Suffragettes to Greenham Common, this is a topic that deserves more attention.  
‘Such an important part of our history. Thank you.’ 
‘Thank you so much for a really interesting, informative and wonderful lecture.’ 

Creativity for Wellbeing: Poetry workshop: Spring Equinox  
This month's Creativity for Wellbeing session was a poetry workshop where we wrote poems to celebrate the return of longer, brighter days. 
‘Absolutely lovely workshop’ 
‘it’s been wonderful thank you Ione and all you talented folk lifted my spirits’   

Story Club: Wellbeing  
The second Story Club looked at stories relating to wellbeing. WEA tutor Ione Harris brought along two poems to spark discussion – ‘Sometimes’ by Sheenagh Pugh and ‘Hokusai Say’s by Roger S Keyes. Our members debated questions such as ‘How do the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives shape our sense of well-being?’  

How to join our member events    

Sign up via Zoom and you’ll be sent an invitation with a joining link. You don’t need to install any software – you can join from your browser, but there is also the option to use the dedicated Zoom app if you prefer.     

Once you join, you can choose whether to have your camera on or off. All members are muted, but you can ask questions or make comments in the chat. Join and leave any time during the session, so why not choose a topic that you like the sound of and drop in to see what you think.    

We know that the regular Thursday slot doesn’t suit everyone, so we are varying the times and days of the week from time to time. If you would like to send us feedback on the programme or the scheduling we’d love to hear from you – suggestions always welcome! 

Trustee Elections Launch 24 April  

This spring, WEA members will elect two new Trustees to join our Board. 

The Board of Trustees is WEA’s governing body, providing oversight and strategic direction while ensuring legal obligations and charitable objectives are met. 

Nominations open on 24 April and close on 29 May, with voting to follow from 8–17 June. Results will be announced at the WEA Conference on 18 June.  

We’re particularly encouraging nominations from members with experience in:  

• Scottish Education Oversight
• Accountancy or Financial Management 

Trustees are expected to serve on a committee, and all nominees will be interviewed before going forward to election. 

The time commitment is around four Board meetings a year, plus preparation.  

A full Trustee Role Description and our Articles & Regulations will be shared in the launch on 24 April.  

If you’d like to learn more or have questions in the meantime, contact [email protected].

March was Free Will Month, but WEA's partnership with Farewill means that we can offer our members free wills any month of the year. 

Farewill offers a trusted will-writing service; you can create a legally binding will in minutes, for free.  

Regardless of your circumstances, planning for the future is about protecting your loved ones. It is also your chance to shape the world you’ll leave behind. Leaving a gift to a charity close to your heart costs nothing now but means everything later.  

You can make a real, lasting difference, funding vital work for generations to come - like the longstanding WEA supporter Olive who remembered the WEA in her will, leaving a legacy gift to help others find pleasure in lifelong learning. Olive returned to learning in later life, studying a part-time degree in Education that enabled her to embark on a career in teaching. Her kindness is now bringing Quick Reads books to all of our Learning Hubs, making a lasting impact by supporting literacy and encouraging connections through reading in the National Year of Reading and beyond.   

We will share more about the impact of this generous legacy donation in upcoming newsletters; the books are printed and distributed just ahead of World Book Night, 23rd April, so will be available in our Learning Hubs in the coming weeks.    

Learn more about Farewill and create your free will here.

We might look divided right now, but across the UK millions of people are showing up for each other in their neighbourhoods and communities every single day. 

But these stories often go unheard. Which is why charities and voluntary organisations across the UK are coming together to celebrate and inspire A Million Acts of Hope.  

At WEA, we will be joining organisations across the country to take part in a week of action from 13th May - 20th May. 

The Million Acts of Hope website suggests lots of ways to get involved – here are a few ideas: 

• Write about what or who gives you hope - post your message online or add it to a community ‘Hope Wall’ or ‘Hope Tree’.
• Thank people who are making a difference in your community.
• Attend a community event.
• Have a chat with a neighbour you don't know very well.
• Spell out the word ‘Hope’ and take a photo and tag @1mActsOfHope on Facebook or Instagram. 

How we are supporting our members to take part 

Our Creativity for Wellbeing session in May will focus on creating acts of hope in our own communities. During the session we will write or draw a message to celebrate someone who is making our local community a better place – who would you like to thank? From the volunteers at the food bank, to the neighbour who pops in for a chat to brighten your day, this can be anyone who is making your community a better place. 

When you're finished you can share this directly, or if there is a ‘Hope Wall’ or ‘Hope Tree’ in your area, you can add it there. But first, why not take a picture and share it online too by tagging @1mActsOfHope on Facebook or Instagram

Our members event will be held on Tuesday 19th May - further details to follow in the next member newsletter and in the regular member lecture emails closer to the time.