Athlone set to mark week-long Adult Learners Festival 2010

Co Westmeath VEC's Adult and Community Education Service is hosting a number of events to mark the fourth annual nationwide Adult Learners' Festival which takes place next week from Monday, February 22 to Friday, February 26. This festival, which celebrates adult learning, marks the achievements of adult learners and showcases the work of adult education providers. Westmeath's festival kicks off on Tuesday with an Open Day in the Further Education Centre, Unit 2 Midlands Gateway Park, Kilbeggan. This newly-opened centre is home to Youthreach students and plans are afoot to get new programmes up and running. Members of staff from Westmeath VEC's Back to Education Initiative, Adult Literacy, Community Education and Guidance Service will be there on the day to give information on education opportunities for adults. Anyone in the area is welcome to drop in between 11am and 2pm to look around the centre, meet the staff and have a cup of tea. On Wednesday, February 24, the Adult Education Centre, Pearse Street, Athlone, will host a 'Bring a Friend Day' from 10am-3pm when VEC students will be encouraged to bring a friend to the centre. There will be practical demonstrations where people can get a taste into what further education classes are like. Information will be provided on all our programmes. Participants work will be showcased throughout the centre. Everyone is welcome. The following day, Thursday, will mark the launch of Westmeath VEC's Adult and Community Education Annual Report 2009. One of the highlights of this report will be the news that over 6,000 adult learners benefited from learning opportunities with Westmeath VEC in the last year! The week-long celebration will have its finale on Friday, February 26, when South Westmeath Adult Learning Programmes hold their award ceremony to celebrate the achievement of their students and in particular to mark the achievement of the first students in Westmeath to receive FETAC Level 1 Certificates. Some 15 students will be presented with this award. Westmeath VEC's Adult and Community Education Service's Cinema Advertising campaign. It will run in both Athlone and Mullingar Cinemas in screens 1 and 2 from Friday, February 12, to Friday, March 12.