Search for
Search for
Search forBringing skills to Dorchester
Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:00
The Workers' Educational Association was established in 1904 on the Fabian principle of education for the working classes.
It was originally geared towards increasing knowledge among industrial and manufacturing workers, but now provides a range of courses for adults on subjects ranging from art to astronomy.
Mr Thomas, aged 68, of Sutton Poyntz has been involved with the Dorchester Branch of the WEA for 15 years.
He said: "We had our centenary a couple of years ago. When it started, there was nothing beyond primary school education so people had no option to go much beyond that.
"It is very lively now in this area. In the cities, there are still a number of people needing to learn skills for work, IT in particular, and also languages for foreign workers. There's still a need for industrial workers and that's a large part of the organisation's remit there.
"In this area, it's mostly people approaching or at retirement age. For many, as it was for me, it's an opportunity to look at things that they never had the time to look at before."
The group often meets in Dorset County Museum in Dorchester for lectures on science and art, but is flexible and can move to locations that best suit the courses. Recent classes included bird watching, art history, geology, astronomy and the role of Quakers in industry.
Mr Thomas said: "We ran classes last year on the Jurassic Coast, which were tremendously successful.
"People knew nothing about geology and had no idea why the area had been established as a world heritage site. They were introduced to it and discovered they wanted to know a bit more about it.
"The courses can go deeper. We did an astronomy course a few weeks back, which ran onto a more complex course.
"We found that with the art courses as well, getting more and more in depth with analysis. There's an opportunity to get a taste for a subject and get inside it.
"We regard anyone who has been on our courses in the last couple of years as a member. When we sent a calling note out this year for our annual meeting we sent out 170 notices.
"There's quite a demand. The courses we've put on in the current session we have 30 or so on each course."
Despite demand, he said the association came dangerously near to closing this year.
"We had to put out a strong note in the annual meeting, which set out the position that we might have to fold. The problem is we have to start arranging courses for the 2009-10 session now.
"I've now got somebody shadowing me for publicity, so they know roughly what to do, and she will take over from me soon.
"We need a chairman and a treasurer. The treasurer has said he would like to give it a rest; he's done a fair whack and none of us are getting any younger, and it's got to continue.
"It's also a question of bringing in new ideas. Many of us have been in the job a long time. We've got a young tutor organiser who covers the whole of Somerset and Dorset, she's very keen and enthusiastic."
Core funding from the group comes from the Learning and Skills Council, the same Government agency that finances universities and colleges, but the day-to-day work is dependent on people who give up their free time to make it work.
"It's totally dependent on volunteers. They've even got them working in the office in Exeter.
"The volunteers are united by a sense that it's good to get out and talk to people and work with them.
"It's a very good way to keep your mind active; there's more retirement to just sitting in the garden. If you get along with congenial people, it turns into quite an interesting event."
FOR more information on courses run by the WEA, visit the website www.wea.org.uk
"Knife crime is a scourge which claims too many lives and ruins countless others." James Brokenshire, shadow home affairs minister
Comment on this story