New Chairperson For Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership

Published on: 19 Sep, 2020
Updated on: 24 Sep, 2020

The Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership (SLLP) – that helps people return to learning to gain new skills, qualifications and employment – has a new person at its helm.

Anne Rouse has been appointed to chair the registered charity, taking over from Dr Derek Pollard OBE, who has retired from the post.

Anne Rouse, appoint to chair Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership.

Anne is a long-term resident of Guildford, is a partner in a small certified accountancy practice, with a passion for helping people to fulfil their potential. She was Guildford Labour party’s candidate for the Guildford constituency at the 2019 general election.

SLLP say: “Anne’s experience of education is broad, both as a lifelong learner herself and through her past role as a governor for several schools in Guildford.

“She also has a very good understanding of working in the voluntary and community sector, having formerly been the chair of another charity concerned with promoting the health, emotional well-being and safety of children and families.”

Anne has paid tribute to the work of her predecessor, Derek Pollard, who retires as the charity celebrates its 20th year of helping people across Surrey to re-engage in learning and in so doing change their lives for the better.

Anne said: “Today we face health, economic and environmental challenges never encountered in our lifetimes. Never has the role of Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership in providing for those who may have missed out on their education, or simply with to learn new skills, been more vitally important.

“The good news is that we have excellent staff supported by an enthusiastic team of trustees. I am relishing the chance to visit all of our projects, meet with those who are benefitting from our work, and to help the organisation use its talents to the full.”

In Guildford, SLLP operates a number of projects:

The Bike Project collects donated unwanted cycles from the public and other organisations and provides free skills, credited training and work experience for local jobseekers and young people to refurbish them. Good quality second-hand bikes are then sold to the local community at an affordable price, with the income helping to sustain the project.

The Earl of Wessex’s visit to The Bike Project in 2018.

Its workshop is based at Guildford Borough Council’s depot in Woking Road, with a shop at 109 Southway, Westborough.

GLADE (Guildford Learning and Development Enterprise), was set up to provide training, skills and work opportunities for jobseekers, young people and those disadvantaged through illness or mental health problems. It has the borough council’s contract for street cleaning and tidying up green spaces in Westborough and Park Barn.

Piloting a new approach to learning, its first Community Learning Centre was launched in Park Barn in 2019. Before lockdown, it has been operating on Thursdays from 10am to 2pm, offering free advice and guidance around a whole raft of issues people face in their lives. These include support with the basics of smart phones and laptop computers, feeding a family on a budget, managing money made simple, and advice on health and well-being.

For more details, click here for SLLP’s website.

Story based on a press release from Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership, with additional information from previous SLLP stories on The Guildford Dragon NEWS.