New Directions College Awarded £10,000 Grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund for 65th Birthday Celebrations
New Directions College’s 65th anniversary events and heritage exhibition has been backed to the tune of £10,000 thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The National Lottery players’ grant allowed New Directions to commission invaluable research work by a local historian, to help identify and better explain the history of life-long learning in Reading, as well as its contribution to communities in Reading over more than six decades.
The 65th Anniversary Exhibition will be on show at Reading Museum’s Reading History and Community gallery, between 14 November and June 2024.
The partnership between New Directions and Reading Museum will also see the college host ‘Drawing on Location’ classes and ‘Takeover Days’ in the museum, as an opportunity for local communities to engage with arts and wellbeing activities run by arts and crafts tutors. The overall aim of the events is to introduce newcomers to the town, connect existing residents, and help them build social links and combat loneliness.
Andrea Wood, New Directions College Principal said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. This is set to be a marvellous celebratory exhibition of the story and impact of adult learning in Reading dating back 65 years. It will bring us to current day, where the college plays a pivotal role at the heart of our community, supporting thousands of adults to gain the skills they need for employment, further education or personal or social development.”
Cllr Ruth McEwan, Lead Councillor for Education and Public Health, said, "New Directions College's 65th Year Anniversary is a remarkable testament to the enduring spirit of lifelong learning in our community. This exhibition, made possible through the generous support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, not only celebrates the history but also paves the way for an even brighter future. It's a unique opportunity for our residents to connect, learn, and celebrate the diverse talents that make Reading such a vibrant place to live.”
New Directions College intend to celebrate the town’s local adult learning history, culture, and heritage by connecting with the local community’s diverse talent and attracting people who wouldn’t normally engage with heritage and offering training to new people.
The research funded by the National Lottery grant uncovered documents from Reading Local Studies Library (RLSL), Royal Berkshire Archives (RBA) and Reading Museum (RM), including the Ephemera Collection at the Local Studies Library to the Education Committee minutes and the photographs in the museum store establishing a comprehensive set of resources for the 19th and 20th centuries.
Complemented by local newspaper coverage for the same periods through British Newspaper Archive (BNA), the research helped to build a comprehensive picture of not only of adult education, but of the origins of New Directions College and subsequent developments and changes.
Notes to editors
About New Directions College
New Directions College is the largest ACL provider in Berkshire and is built on a 65 year history of providing adult and community learning in Reading and supports over 1600 adults across the borough. Our aim is to provide outstanding skills and community learning that meets the needs of learners, communities, and local employers. The College will be celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, and it has been an integral part of the community since 1958, by providing adult education in Reading.
Starting out as Reading Technical College in 1958 offering courses in Battle, EP Collier and Alfred Sutton Schools. These included fencing, shorthand, car maintenance and for Spring brides “special courses in cookery and needlecrafts. Becoming New Directions College in 2008 when Reading Adult and Community College and the Training Education Advice (TEA) Shop merged. In 2011 the College was rated Good by Ofsted for the first time. In Spring 2019 secured the Skills Capital Funding to create a brand-new Hospitality suite at 330 Northumberland Avenue.
In August 2020, Andrea Wood became Principal of New Directions College. Andrea is an experienced leader in local skills, education and employment policy with nearly 20 years’ experience of working in the further education sector. In March 2022, together with Ways into Work, they were successful in being awarded £130,000 in capital funding under the Getting Building Fund from the Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership.
New Directions College provide six main routes of learning:
- Apprenticeships
- Skills for life provision in Maths, English and Digital Skills
- Employment and skills courses, supporting unemployed adults move closer and into the local labour market, including adults with SEND
- Vocational education in business management at intermediate to higher levels, early years and education and training
- Community learning programmes delivered directly and through a vibrant mix of partners and subcontractors.
- Leisure learning, engaging the local community in courses in fashion and textiles, ceramics, arts and crafts and cookery
New Directions College make a great difference to the local community, to those who are most vulnerable, care leavers, those with low Maths and English skills, refugees, and people with learning disabilities. The portfolio of courses is shaped by the needs of the local community and includes courses that support individuals with getting into work, self-development, better mental health, happiness, and participation in the wider community’s life through projects.
"My journey with New Directions College started out of coincidence. I received an email from the Children’s Centre, asking if I would be interested in studying English, Maths or Childcare courses. I said yes and went to do the assessments. Even though English is not my first language I am confident enough that I want to go further and study GCSE at New Directions College". Cristina Parvu,
"New Directions has helped me gain the knowledge and skills I need to be able to move forwards and find my dream job of working with children. It also means I can make an income too which will allow me and my family to have a better life." Rebecca Howie
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.
We help protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.
We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk.
Further information
New Directions College, 330 Northumberland Avenue, Reading RG2 8DH
www.newdirectionsreading.ac.uk
All enquiries:
newdirections@reading.gov.uk, Tel.: 0345 842 0012
X: @NDC_Reading, Instagram @NewDirectionsCollege, Facebook: @NewDirectionsCollege
Further information
For further information, images and interviews please contact Rossella Kench, Marketing and Publicity Officer at New Directions College on 0118 937 2079 rossella.kench@reading.gov.uk