LANGUAGE has brought the community closer for 25 people who learned English at the Benn Partnership Centre.
The centre celebrated the end of a nine-month programme to help non-English speakers make friends and feel less isolated.
Class members were joined by their friends and family, centre staff, volunteers and Mayor Belinda Garcia to celebrate their achievements on the English My Way programme – a course for people with little or no English language skills.
Learners wore their national dress and cooked their favorite meals for the occasion.
A week-long national campaign called Say Hip, Hip Hooray for English My Way has seen events taking place in community centres across the country, in recognition of the project’s success in teaching English to over 18,000 people since 2014.
Tutor Shirley Von Wagner said “We’re delighted to be taking part in this national campaign celebrating English My Way and everything it’s done for learners in communities across the UK. It has helped people to become less isolated, more included and more connected to the community around them.”
Aleksandra Chudka, who has been learning English at the centre, said: “I have gained independence and can now attend the doctors alone, thanks to my new skills.”
Mayor Garcia said: “The Benn Partnership Centre staff and volunteers work so hard to provide a place where the community can feel comfortable to learn. This has been clearly demonstrated by the independence the learners have gained through developing their English.”
The Benn Partnership Centre plans to run its next free English My Way course for a further 25 students. Call 01788 553033 or visit the centre in Railway Terrace to find out more.