East Surrey CLP

Projects                                                                  

Merstham Community Facility Launches!

The Merstham Community Facility Trust and its many local partners gathered on the 27th April 2009 to celebrate the opening of a new community building at 44 Portland Drive in Merstham. The new facility will be a focal point for people in Merstham, helping them connect with each other, with local groups and with advice and learning opportunities. Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership worked extensively with the MCFT to support the purchase of a new ICT suite, provided through Learning and Skills Council NLDC funding and the computer equipment is now installed and will be used for community learning in Merstham.

Tracey Burrows, Merstham Community Development Worker, explained, “The shop will give local people a focal point for getting involved in the local community as well as developing their skills and interests. There are already a number of local groups, including the WEA (Workers Education Association) who are hoping to run courses here, plus residents have asked for an internet café with a buddying scheme to help others develop their IT skills.” Mark Brunt, Merstham Community Facility Trust Chairman, said, “It has taken a great deal of hard work by many members of the community over the last few years to bring this project to this day. There have been a number of setbacks along the way but we have been able to realise the goal of creating a community space that brings support and development to local residents without the need to travel to Redhill or Reigate.”

Partnership working delivers results for Merstham IT Learners

Following a very successful 10-week computer course at Furzefield School in Merstham, delivered as part of Surrey LLP's European Social Fund 'Building Bridges' project, a bid was submitted to the Merstham Millennium Trust to sustain these classes and offer further courses to local residents. The bid was successful meaning that free 8-week beginners and Improvers groups commenced in January 2008, helping learners get to grips with using a computer, word processing and using the Internet to send emails and find information. Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnership has also worked with Surrey Care Trust and Chrysalis Parenting to run well-received 'Managing Your Money' and 'Learning Through Storysacks' courses at the school.

Subsequent grant-funded IT courses ran in Merstham until early 2009, at which point the Workers Education Association agreed to take the course over.  The second WEA-funded IT course is currently taking place with further classes planned for the future.  To find out about when the next computer course begins, please contact Rebecca Court on 01483 481789.

Elvis ... Has Left the Fete!  

Over 500 people attended a Community Learning Fete presented by East Surrey Community Learning Partnership in conjunction with Family Learning Week, 2005. The event, held at Reigate College, offered more than 40 hands-on activities to families and members of the community (including a visit from Elvis!)

The event was sponsored by Surrey County Council and more than 20 members of the East Surrey Community Learning Partnership provided valuable resources such as presenters, volunteers, the venue, equipment and committee planning members. Read the full case study here.

Improving Health Outcomes in East Surrey

East Surrey CLP is pleased to partner with Connexions Surrey and secondary schools in Tandridge and Reigate & Banstead to help reduce the instances of smoking in young people. The CLP is facilitating the implementation of support groups for young smokers aged 13-19 which will help to educate, motivate and encourage young people to quit. These support groups have been successful in Western Surrey and the CLP is excited to promote their creation in the East. It is expected that the support groups will be introduced during the 2006/07 academic year.

Bright Horizons for East Surrey Students           

The East Surrey CLP broadened the horizons of secondary school students in Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge through an innovative project funded by Connexions Surrey. Fifty-three students at risk of dropping out of school created high quality films with the assistance of the East Surrey College media department.  Participants also learned about former students who followed alternative or non-traditional vocational pathways and are now successful in the workplace or further training.  Full case study...

Based on the success of the first Bright Horizons project, a second initiative took place in 2004 and involved students from six secondary schools. Participants identified careers of interest to them and interviewed employers in the field. The resulting films were included on a DVD, along with teaching strategies for approaching careers education with secondary school students. Both DVDs and instruction guide were distributed to schools throughout Surrey in 2005 for use in the PSHE curriculum.

Singing the Praises of Rhymetime

Pre-schoolers from the Redhill area are enjoying Rhymetime at Redhill Library after the East Surrey CLP provided funds to equip children with music instruments during a musical learning programme. More........

Visit Reigate & Banstead Borough Council

Visit Tandridge District Council