Please find some useful press resources below.

For media requests for a WEA spokesperson, learners with incredible impact stories, or to find out more about our work contact us: 

Eve Ragout, [email protected], Natalie Coleman, [email protected] or the team via [email protected] 

Please find our archive of press releases below.

For media requests for a WEA spokesperson, learners with incredible impact stories, or to find out more about our work contact us: 

Eve Ragout, [email protected], Natalie Coleman, [email protected] or the team via [email protected] 

27 May 2025
Kincardine commemorates Miners’ Strike 40th anniversary with unveiling of stained-glass window

10 June 2025
Cuts to adult learning will have knock-on effect for NHS waiting lists and benefits, says Workers’ Educational Association

17 June 2025
Greater Manchester tutor wins prestigious innovation award

17 June 2025
Lincoln learners celebrate local tutor’s community legacy award

15 July 2025
Fife learners create unique mental health magazine “The Voice Utopian Visions of a Mental Health Future’ for mental health service users across Scotland and UK

15 October 2025
Mayor Claire Ward champions lifelong learning at new Nottingham learning centre

24 February 2026
Lifelong Learning Labs launched to reset national approach to adult education

After our summer pause, our programme of regular member events resumes next week.  

We are reviewing the member events and would welcome any feedback from members about the programme. We plan to continue with a mix of evening and daytime sessions and different formats and we will refine the line-up as we gather your suggestions.  

Here’s what we have coming up over the next month. 
 

Tuesday, 2nd September, 5pm-6pm 
Stained glass project  
A chance to learn more about a fantastic community project led by WEA tutor and artist Kiera McLean. A group of WEA learners worked with Kiera to create a beautiful piece of stained glass art to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the miners' strike. The final artwork has been installed in Kincardine library, join us on the Zoom call to hear all about this unique project. 
Sign up here
 

Tuesday, 2nd September, 6pm-7:30pm 
Scotland Together (for members based in Scotland only) 
Scotland Together sessions are held four times a year for members based in Scotland. We come together and talk about the activities in the Local Associations across Scotland. It is also an opportunity for wider discussion about WEA and how we can best promote our work and encourage deeper engagement. The next Scotland Together meeting will be held directly after the member lecture on Tuesday 2nd September, 6pm-7:30pm. Members based in Scotland can join (or stay on) the call to attend the meeting. 
Sign up here

 
Thursday 11th September, 5pm-6pm 
Member lecture: Film Studies: Baby Flo 
When Florence Lawrence’s studio sifted through the mail from an adoring public demanding to know her name, they realised they had something very new on their hands – the first film star. Appearing in some 30 movies in the early days of cinema, Florence’s life story - from Baby Flo the Child Wonder of the stage, to The Biograph Girl, to her unhappy demise - offers a fascinating snapshot of an industry and an artform being born. It is also a stark reminder of just how quickly Hollywood forgot many of the pioneers – particularly the women – who made it all possible.
Sign up here

Thursday 18th September 5pm-6pm 
Member lecture: Democracy  
Join us for a topical lecture, following on from the International Day of Democracy. Symon Hill, a WEA tutor, will be talking to us about free speech and democracy in the UK, drawing on his own experiences of unlawful arrest, and working with human rights organisation Liberty to challenge this.
Sign up here

Tuesday 23rd September, 12:30pm-1:30pm 
Lunchtime Creativity for Wellbeing: Poetry Workshop 
Join us for a poetry workshop with WEA tutor Ione Harris on the theme of the Equinox. Come along and have a go, no experience needed. Ione delivered an extremely well received poetry workshop at our conference this year, so we're delighted she can join us to lead another workshop exclusively for WEA members.  
Sign up here

At WEA we're there for our learners every step of the way. Our small class sizes, personalised support, and programme of extra-curricular events all help learners achieve their goals and pave the way for what comes next.  

Our Learner Support team has put together a fantastic programme of events for 2025/2026. So whether a learner is hoping to move into employment, progress in their career, or undertake further study, these sessions will equip them for success.  
 

Skills for Success: Learner Workshops 

We have recently been developing an exciting new series of learner workshops, which we are calling 'Skills for Success'! These are designed to support learners to succeed on their courses, as well as to help them think about their next steps once their course is complete. Through this, we want to create space for learners on our courses to be able to make greater progress towards their personal and career goals.   

These are free and accessible to all learners online, and cover a whole range of different themes and topics including relating to career pathways, employability skills, study skills and more. Whilst there will be a strong focus on providing up-to-date and relevant information and advice, there will also be space for learners to build confidence and self-awareness, to practice key skills and to network and meet like-minded people. We will also be inviting some inspiring guest speakers along to share their knowledge and experience! 

 A few examples of the kinds of events on offer are below: 

• Progression Pathways: Working in Care 
• Progression Pathways: Working in Schools 
• Social Media for Work 
• Values to Succeed: Reflect and Reset 
• Study Smarter: Easy ways to study more effectively  

Finally, we will also be running 'Wellness Wednesday' sessions as part of this programme, which make space for learners to find out key information to support them. Watch this space for more information about these sessions! 

Once the events are live (at the beginning of September), learners can simply head to wea.org.uk/events to book onto the sessions, and join via Zoom with the link they receive by email. 

Many of you will know that WEA is a membership council - but what do we mean by that?  

As a membership council, our representative body of Council Members, predominantly elected by our Association membership, plays an important role in our governance structure. 

The WEA Council’s primary function is to promote the democratic involvement of all Association Members. In practice, it is an important stakeholder group and a forum for discussion of shared interests across England and Scotland.    

The Council – up to 28 representatives - meets three times a year and may make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on behalf of Association Members. From June 2024, WEA representatives on the Council include learners, volunteers, staff (teaching and non-teaching), and co-opted members from external organisations linked to our work, ensuring all stakeholders have a democratic voice and a transparent route to participate in the governance of the Association. 

Council appointments are four years, with the option to be renewed for a further 4 years or 8 in total. We have recently welcomed three new teaching representatives to the Council, elected by their peers. Additionally, we have also welcomed one new Local Advisory Panel Representative whose seat was uncontested. These representatives help ensure the perspectives of WEA teaching staff and LAP members are heard at the highest level, supporting WEA’s mission to empower people through adult learning.  

Our new teaching staff and LAP representatives will be the advocates for their peers on not only a local scale but also nationally. As council members, they will contribute to advocating for the WEA and developing initiatives that enhance WEA’s reach and impact. 

Introducing our new Teaching Staff representative, voted in by fellow teaching staff: 
 

Nicky Tarlton -Weatherall 
Nicky has worked for WEA for over eight years. She teaches creative art courses to adults with learning disabilities and difficulties (LLDD). You may recognise her name from previous newsletters, as we featured one of her art groups in last month's newsletter, and she also curated a fantastic learner art exhibition for our 2025 conference.  

Nicky decided to stand for council because she can be a voice for LLDD learners and can show how important these courses are. Art activities help learners manage stress and anxiety while building community skills. 
 

Irma Gough 
Irma has been a WEA tutor since 2017 - teaching is her passion and seeing learners progress and achieve is the biggest source of happiness.  

In her application, she said "I would love to bring my passion for EDI within education, propose resolutions and give suggestions. It would be a great privilege to be a part of the council team and to be the voice of teaching staff and learners, along with other stakeholders." 
 

Veronica Hyde 
Veronica has been a WEA tutor for six years. She was recently featured in our newsletters as she received an award at the WEA Awards for her innovative work on the Step into Care programme. She was also interviewed on Manchester radio station All FM about this.  

On applying for Council, Veronica said  

"I hope that in joining the council I can contribute to the campaign for the quality and breadth of inclusive learning that we offer….  

I hope my experiences help me bring balanced insight to council meetings, passion to campaigns, and ultimately the voice of the brilliant tutors I work with to the table." 
 

And our newest LAP representative: 
 

Peter Threadkell 
Peter is a long-term WEA volunteer, serving at all levels from Branch to Trustee. At the 2025 WEA Annual Conference he was awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In his application, Peter said “If elected, I would bring to the Council a lifetime’s experience of adult education, including thirty years of teaching in the maintained sector.” 
 

Thank you to Nicky, Irma, Veronica, and Peter, and all our Governance Volunteers, who so generously give us their time and expertise.   

New Trustee
We are also excited to welcome our newest Trustee Colin Finlay, who joined us formally in July. You can learn more about him and other Trustees on our website here.

If you would like to volunteer with WEA, you can find out more here.

Last month we announced a new service called WEA Learn - you can read the original article here.

Dozens of courses are now open for bookings, and we'll be adding to the programme over the coming weeks and months. Members who attend our member lectures may recognise a few familiar names in the lineup - we are initially focusing on Literature, History and Art Appreciation courses, so let's take a look at what's coming up:

History

Spotlight on… Behaving Badly through the Ages - morality, virtue and vice

From saints to sinners, explore how ideas of morality and misbehaviour have changed through history

In this fascinating course, Kate Antoniou looks at how beliefs about behaviour and morality reflect wider social and political trends.

What does it mean to be ‘good’ – and how has that changed over time? The course explores how different societies have defined and judged behaviour, what was considered proper or shameful, and how power, religion and culture shaped those views.

Examining case studies from different historical periods and places we find that morality was shaped by historical context, and ideas of virtue and vice were often used to control or challenge authority.
 

More WEA Learn history courses:

When Peace Broke Out - The Austerity Years 1945-1951 - Kate Antoniou
Discover how Britain rebuilt after war, exploring topics such as rationing and the foundations of the modern welfare state.

The Ottoman Empire - Laurie Johnston
Tracing the rise of Suleiman, the Ottoman Empire's vast reach, its eventual collapse, and the birth of modern Turkey.

Art Appreciation

Spotlight on… Weather in Art

From sunlit skies to stormy seas - and maybe even some drizzle - join WEA tutor Caroline Levisse to explore a range of artworks that feature weather as a key theme.

In this short course, we will learn how different artists and movements have represented wind, rain, sunlight, snow and more. We’ll also consider how weather has been used to reflect emotion, symbolise change, or highlight the beauty of nature.

The course will help us develop a deeper appreciation for how weather shapes artistic expression and the tools and techniques artists have used over time to represent weather in their work.

More WEA Learn Art Appreciation courses:

An Introduction to Art History - David Brindley
Discover key artists, styles and stories from across time.

An Introduction to British Art - David Brindley
Learn about key artists, ideas and styles throughout British history.

Art and the Landscape - David Brindley
Trace the development of landscape art from early Northern Renaissance backgrounds via picturesque and Impressionist interpretations to recent landscape artists such as Peter Lanyon.

An Introduction to Modern Art - Caroline Levisse
Learn about key artists, ideas and styles throughout contemporary art history.

How to look at Art - Caroline Levisse
Decode the hidden signs and symbols of paintings and learn to see art in a whole new light.

Turner, Constable and the emergence of Modern British Art - Caroline Levisse
Trace Turner's wild skies and Morris's patterned dreams in this 6-part course that will take you through the heart of British modern art.

British War Artists in the Twentieth Century - Stephen Smith
This course examines the power of art in a century of conflict, looking at how artists captured the realities and emotional impact of war through powerful, often deeply personal imagery.
 

Literature

Spotlight on… English Poetry from Shakespeare to Today

Discover how English poetry - from Shakespeare's sonnets to the voices of Emily Berry, Jack Underwood and Rachael Allen - shapes our world.

In this course, we will track the development of English poetry from Shakespeare to the contemporary. Members may recognise Joseph from his past member lectures – his talk on metaphysical poetry earlier this year was extremely well-received, so this longer course offers an excellent opportunity to delve deeper into poetry, to learn more about some of our nation’s most famous poets, as well as discovering the talented poets of today.
 

More WEA Learn Literature courses:

Exploring World Mythology - Simon Haworth
Explore myths and legends from across the globe and uncover the timeless stories that have shaped cultures, beliefs and literature.

An Introduction to American Literature - Stephen Smith
This course is a starting point for learning about American literature and will examine how American literature reflects and shapes cultural identity, historical change, and social values.

An Introduction to World Literature - Stephen Smith
Join this course to explore key writers, ideas and voices from across the globe. We’ll also look at what these stories have in common, and what they can teach us about the world today.

American Literature after 1945 - Stephen Smith
Explore post-war American voices from Kerouac to Didion, John Williams to Toni Morrison and Joy Harjo in this short literary course.

Spanish Literature after Franco - Stephen Smith
Discover key Spanish writers who emerged during Franco's rule in Spain, exploring how literature responded to his authoritarian dictatorship

Women Writers of World War 1 - Stephen Smith
Explore how World War 1 influenced women's writing in the early twentieth century, looking at writers such as Rebecca West and Vera Brittain.

An Introduction to British Poetry - Joseph Williams
Focusing on British Poetry, join this class to learn about key authors, texts and themes throughout British history.

An Introduction to World Poetry - Joseph Williams
Explore short poems from a range of cultures and countries, and begin to understand how poetry reflects different ways of seeing and living.

Like many of you, I've been appalled at the violence and rhetoric over the summer targeting people seeking refuge and asylum in the UK. At the WEA we have proudly provided ESOL and other classes to learners from migrant backgrounds, regardless of their status or where they live, and we will continue to do so. Everyone is welcome at the WEA. 

Just like schools, our politicians are returning after summer recess. Before Christmas we will likely see the publication of Post-16 Skills and Higher Education White Paper – although the contents of the paper are under wraps at the moment, we know it will likely have a substantial impact on our sector and our work. Over the next few weeks I will be attending party conferences along with colleagues to ensure lifelong and life-wide education is on the political agenda, and we will be asking for your help in that too so please keep an eye on our social media and website for more information. 

On the 2nd September the government will have its second reading of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The Bill has been introduced by the Government to accelerate its plans for reforming local and regional government. It aims to give new powers to Mayors, local government leaders and, ultimately, to local communities. Adult education, and the (ever decreasing) budget that funds it is already devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities and this bill could see the creation of more strategic authorities in charge of adult education and locally appointed Commissioners to oversee policy areas including Skills. You can find out more about the Bill here. 

Finally, last month we launched WEA Learn – our new way of accessing our vibrant history, art appreciation, and literature courses. WEA Learn will enable us to bring our broad learning offer to many more people, ensuring everyone can access our courses, regardless of postcode. WEA Learn has always been an ambition of ours, but the recent 6% cut to the Adult Skills Fund and the narrowing focus of what the Minister and the Mayors think adult education is and should be meant we had to launch much sooner than we hoped. That means there was some confusion over the summer as to which courses would be moving to WEA Learn and we’re sorry about that. Colleagues behind the scenes have been working hard to ensure many of our courses could move onto the new platform for the start of the academic year, and we'll keep growing our offer to ensure we keep bringing learning within reach.

Simon Parkinson
WEA General Secretary & CEO

As our programme of free member events has now paused for the summer, it’s a good opportunity to take a look back at the 2025 sessions so far. You may remember we tailored our 2025 programme to reflect some of the feedback and suggestions we received via our members’ survey at the start of the year.  

At that time, many members shared a strong preference for more arts and humanities talks, in particular literature and art history. Our new WEA Learn courses offer a range of literature, art appreciation and history courses with some of your favourite WEA tutors – read more here.

Varying the days and start times of the member events was another suggestion that came up in the survey. We took this on board and have now introduced a new season of monthly lunchtime events - Creativity for Wellbeing - where members can try out a creative activity led by one of our expert tutors.    

Here are some of the highlights of the year to date – remember most of our member events are recorded so you can catch up anytime by logging into the members area.

We are excited to announce the launch of WEA Learn - a new home for our History, Art Appreciation and Literature courses. 

These courses will be held online and offered via Eventbrite. Learners will still enjoy the same high-quality learning experience from the same outstanding tutors , but will be able to secure a place without having to go through the usual application process. 

We have designed WEA Learn to enable learners to book simply and easily onto their preferred courses. Having booked, learners will receive all the necessary joining information and course links to their chosen email address. 

You can expect many more courses to be added to WEA Learn over the coming weeks and months! WEA Learn can be accessed here. 
 

Why have we made this change? 

Funding rules change all the time, and with the recent 6% cut in Adult Skills Funding (ASF), we have had to adapt to support this. We are seeing an increasing trend of funding being allocated to support skills for work, to meet the needs of learners and employers within your community.  

Adult Skills Funding (ASF) course fees at WEA have remained unchanged (£3.70 for online courses and £4.20 for face-to-face courses) for several years. We have resisted the need to pass these fees on to learners for a long time, but we now face significant funding cuts and a substantial increase in our costs.  

For WEA to continue operating sustainably, we must increase hourly fees. We have researched a range of online provision and, compared to similar organisations, we still charge the lowest hourly rate. WEA Learn is a standalone service that is being tested, and we have worked to deliver it at competitive rates.


Frequently Asked Questions 

We appreciate that you may have concerns or questions about some of these changes. In the first instance, we’d like to share a list of some common questions and answers around our curriculum that may help to address some of your queries. 

Although many organisations are able to take the summer months a little easier, we’ve been full steam ahead in July ensuring we can meet the challenges after this latest round of government cuts.

At the start of the month we held our first in person event for our LAPs (Local Advisory Panels) discussing how we can influence locally and build connections to ensure our delivery is meeting local need. As devolution continues at rapid pace, it’s more important than ever that we have strong advocates for the WEA and lifelong learning within the communities we work in. I am looking forward to visiting the LAPs and other members and supporters at a number of local roadshows in the autumn.  More detail to follow. 
 
After months of hard work from the team and the trustees, I’m delighted to say that we have developed our new organisational strategy which will take us up to our 125th birthday and beyond. It sets an ambitious direction for us, ensuring both the organisation and the learning we deliver are fit to meet challenges now and in the future. 

Simon Parkinson
WEA General Secretary & CEO