From today’s Ottawa Sun, further comment on the CanWEA/AWEA “study” (which will go down in communications history as how NOT to dispel negative ideas about your industry), and another call for a proper, independent, REAL study of the health issues that can result from the constant noise and vibration from industrial wind turbines, sited too close to homes.

To fully satisfy the public, the province should commission an independent study to find out if there are any health effects related to wind turbines.

Recently, an industry-funded review concluded that the sound coming from wind turbines is not harming the public’s health. Dr. David Colby, the acting medical officer of health for Chatham-Kent, was one of seven members of a “five-star, internationally known” panel that reviewed “substantial” existing scientific literature on wind turbine sound and possible health effects for the Canadian and American wind energy associations.

The panel determined the sound wind turbines make isn’t any different from what can be heard in a typical urban environment, Dr. Colby said.

“And they’re not loud,” he said. “There’s really no plausible mechanism that they could cause health effects and there’s no evidence that they do.”

While the review will certainly allow the public an opportunity to look at more literature on the issue, an independent study commissioned by the province is what is really needed to ease public concerns. The study needs to gather up-to-date data from individuals living near wind turbines and investigate the health effects being reported.

Colby’s statement to Sun Media that “there’s no evidence to indicate that money should be wasted on such a study, which will never satisfy people anyway” is a weak defence.

Health issues are being reported by some individuals living near wind turbines. Because the technology is relatively new to Ontario, the government needs to undertake a study now so that data can be gathered from the past two or three years in areas where the turbines have been in use.

Dr. Colby says the “unrestricted study” was conducted with no limitations on panel members and that the associations did not instruct them to ignore any findings or to come to any particular conclusions. That’s refreshing to hear, but an independent health study by the province is a relevant and necessary step for an industry that is so new to Ontario.

As this green technology takes off across the province, the public needs to be reassured there are no health risks associated with it.

You can see the editorial here.

http://www.ottawasun.com/comment/editorial/2009/12/29/12288691-sun.html

To get in touch with the North Gower Wind Action Group directly, email chubbsworth@yahoo.com or mail messages/donations to P O Box 485 North Gower  Ontario K0A 2T0

Hello,

this blog is the result of an action point from a regional project team meeting for the Workers’ Educational Association for the East Midlands.

I am sure that the region’s project owners will be in touch soon to sign up as contributing members of this blog. If it’s not here then it’s not happening.

In the meantime, have a merry Christmas and well deserved break,

Alan,

Area 6 Organiser, Nottingham

Very exiting news today via email – Area 6 office have won a bid to stage an action painting event here in St Anns, Nottingham.

The event is slated to happen on Saturday February 13th and features Nottingham Contemporary artist Chris Lewis Jones demonstrating and discussing action painting and the works of Jackson Pollock. More to follow on this as they happen. The event will also be filmed in partnership with the Broadway Cinema.
The third very important partner for this event is the venue, The Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, St Anns, Nottingham NG3 4NB

The event is free to all so get the date in your diary now!

For more information about Nottinghamshire Loves

Learning please visit http://www.nccesb.org.uk/nottinghamshire-loves-learning/

I really like this song, but I am in no way a Smiths aficionado. I only own a couple of their records, and I think I’m slightly younger than those music fans that had a deep and meaningful relationship with their band as they traversed their awkward teenage years. (A combination of hip-hop and indie pop helped me through that time personally, but that’s another story…) As such, I don’t have an extreme and possessive sense of ownership about the Smiths, as seems to be the case with many people of a certain age. But, as I said, I really like this song. This one and ‘This Charming Man’ are my favourite Smiths songs, if that counts for anything: although probably not, as I haven’t heard all of their songs and therefore can’t really state much of a watertight opinion on them as a whole.

This is some kind of reissue single; I presume that the original came out on Rough Trade at some point before 1993? The reason for the reissue seems to be as a promotional device for the Best… compilation that’s none-too-subtly advertised on the rear sleeve. It must be nice for major labels to press up thousands of copies of a record purely to promote another record. It compares strangely to my own experiences of pressing up one thousand records at maximum and finding it to be an incredibly difficult, time-consuming and somewhat stressful job. (But ultimately very fulfilling – even if hundreds of records still reside in my attic waiting for the very slow sales to continue rolling in…)

I’m sure there is an essay or two to be written about the Smiths’ artwork, with its many stills from films of the ’50s and ’60s. A psychology student could no doubt read all kinds of meanings into the significance of the stills as regards their connections with the music. For me, they just look nice, and make me want to see some cool old movies. This one is from Blow Up, is it not? That’s an odd movie. Before explaining the significance of the film in terms of the Smiths’ music, can somebody first explain the meaning of the mime-tennis scene at the end of the film, please?

December 9th ~ Nottingham Contemporary

Lindsey and I were charmed to be invited to join the Area Curriculum Team for the Region. The meetings seem to be held at arts venues all across the East Midlands. This December it was the turn of Nottingham Contemporary to play host and what a mixed experience it turned out to be.

Top marks for the gallery space and the fantastic carrot cake. Slightly less than top marks for the friendly and helpful welcome from the front of house staff.

The meeting was concerned with two main points. Firstly a review of the recent New Walk exhibition in Leicester. The second main point was a discussion and review of a proposed new peer support programme (or PSP as I like to think of it because that kind of thing amuses me!) aimed at informal peer learning for tutors. The programme is due to be piloted soon so I am not going to go into any great detail, suffice to say that it looks very exciting and I for one will be watching its progression very closely. A quick round table with the Area 6 tutors was well received so the very best of luck to the PSP pilot and soon may it go mainstream.

STOP THE PRESS
Just heard from Martin that the pilot is a Peer Training Programme NOT a Peer Support Programme – sadly this makes my notion of PSP redundant however it is much better news for tutors as training beats support hands down!

Alan

Mary and Mike discuss the day

January sees the coming of the new decade. It also sees the coming of the new brochure for the WEA here in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire. This is essential reading for anyone who is considering learning something new next term.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on the paper version you can always download it in pdf format from our resources page.

Happy reading!

To make all our readers out there know there are some courses advertised in NG (5)   NG (3)  NG (15)  Magazine from one of our very own tutors, Bob Massey!  NG Magazine is delivered to every household in Nottingham City and is published by Nottingham City Council. Details to follow!

WEA East Midlands Region Annual Conference 2009
30^th November

A truly inspiring moment occurred at yesterday’s East Midland’s WEA conference. After all of the seminars and workshops, addresses and networking a brief spell of quiet celebration descended.

The photograph below shows WEA volunteer Ivor Moon being presented with a set of photos reflecting his seventy years service with the WEA by Regional Secretary Mike Attwell . Yes you did read that correctly. 70 years service.

This outstanding contribution to the organisation was also recognised earlier this year in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in the form of a MBE. Ivor Moon won his award for voluntary service to adult education and to the community in East Midlands.

To serve for seventy years is some feat and I for one take inspiration from this.

(Photo credit: Steven Horsley)

The new brochure listing WEA courses in and around Nottingham from January 2010 is now available. Copies are being sent out to anyone who enrolled on a course with us between January and December of this year. If you have not been on a course with us during 2009 you can pick up a copy at any of our centres from Monday 7 December (see our ‘Partners’ page).

This is just a quick reminder that although term officially ends this week, Friday 4 December, there are still a few courses with some hours to make up. If any of your courses have been affected by the flood situation at Greenway we will be giving you a call later this week to let you know if there are sessions running next week.

 Courses start again on Monday 11 January 2010, so remember to pre-book a place on your favourite course to avoid disappointment. Click here to find out more about our pre-enrolment sessions in early January:

I’m just back from visiting Greenway and its a bad news situation – but with a silver good news lining.

Greenway will continue to be closed next week. With a lucky break in the weather the centre will be reopen and ready for course sessions on Monday 7th December. Work has begun on clearing the mess left but the torrential rain pouring through the crèche ceiling and I gather that the electricians are also being kept busy.

The silver lining is that once compleated the work on the roof will ensure a happy, dry and warm centre for many years to come. We wish Wendy and her team the very warmest regards during this difficult time and look forward to returning to Greenway in the near future.

If you are due to attend a course at the Greenway this coming week then you should be contacted by telephone either by Caroline, Lindsey or Alan from the office or your course tutor.

If you are in any confusion or doubt please phone Caroline on 0115 985 8203

Alan,
Friday afternoon

We can not stress how important it is to shred confidential papers.

 If confidential papers i.e people’s name and personal details was not shredded the papers could get into the wrong hands and could result in a number of unpleasant  issues for the individual concerned…

So don’t forget the golden rule to shred those papers!

That’s why in Area 6 staff  are always happy smiling while we are shredding paper work!!

We respect your privacy and are active in protecting it.

Pre-enrol on your favourite WEA course to avoid disappointment.

We are running three drop in sessions to make enrolment easier for you.

10:00 to 12:30 Tuesday 5^th January 2010 Bakersfield & Neighbourhood Community Centre (BANCA)

10:00 to 12:30 Wednesday 6^th January 2010 Greenway Community Centre

10:00 to 12:30 Thursday 7^th January 2010 Sycamore Community Centre Café

We look forward to helping you beat the rush.

No appointment necessary.

As Eid falls on Friday 27th November Shamim’s Friday morning Computer Workshop class at the Greenway Centre has been postponed.

The 10am-12noon session will take place on Thursday 3 December instead.

May we wish all of the learners  Eid Murbank.

Alan

The scaffolding is going up on the Greenway Centre.
Every time we cancelled the youth group because of rain coming in through the roof, someone has said,  

‘Oh, it’s always leaked, Miss!’

But by early November, rain was coming in to the reception lounge as well as the crèche, halls and even the digital music studio. In spite of this we are pleased to say we have only closed for classes one day this term.

The City Council have now commissioned a completely new roof, so we can go ahead developing a wider range of classes and activities for the future.
Wendy
(Greenway Community Centre)

Wea has an upcoming event for Innovations in Volunteering.  This will be a packed full eventful day.
The event will showcase a Varity of cutting edge initiatives, including projects on active citizenship, overcoming digital exclusion and the development of learning champions and learning revolutionaries’.
The event is relevant to anyone interested in the contribution made by volunteers on informal adult education.

Fees
£15 WEA Members
£50 for non Members

To book a place please contact Teresa Mosley on 0115 9628400 or you can email tfmosley@wea.org.uk

The Event will be taking place as follows:
 Monday 30th November 2009
10.30am – 3pm at the Conference Centre
University Park
Nottingham

The Workers’ Educational Association in Area 6 benefits from twelve tutors. In recognition of their sterling work we invest in our tutors in an ongoing basis.  On Thursday 10^th December 2009 our tutors are invited to a special event devised to offer them the opportunity to shape the future of tutor delivery in Area 6. 

WEA Tutor Event
Thursday 10th December
The Sycamore Community Centre
9.30am – 12.45pm
Lunch will be provided

An introduction to community interpreting in community and public services. The course will prepare members of local linguistic minority communities for relevant voluntary work. Learners must be fluent in English and in a language of one of the local linguistic minority communities. Postal pre-enrolment essential.

Tutor: Harminderjeet Johal
Fee: £63.80 (concessions A £57.40, B Free)
Venue: The Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham, NG3 4NB
Date: Thursday 1–3pm, 11 meetings from 14 January 2010

Contact: Caroline Keep
WEA, Unit 2, Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham NG3 4NB
Telephone: 0115 985 8203 Email: ckeep@wea.org.uk

Develop your computer skills in a variety of software packages such as MS Word, Excel and Access. Topics to be covered include word processing, databases, spreadsheets, file management, e-mail, internet, CD Roms, using peripherals and other items.

Tutor: Harminderjeet Johal
Fee: £58 (concessions A £52.20, B Free)
Venue: ACNA Training Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road ,Nottingham, NG3 4NB
Date: Tuesday 1–3pm, 10 meetings from 12 January 2010

Contact: Caroline Keep
WEA, Unit 2, Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham NG3 4NB
Telephone: 0115 985 8203 Email: ckeep@wea.org.uk

This course aims to improve listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in English and to prepare learners to take City & Guilds ESOL assessment in these four skills.

Tutor:  Zarifa Handley
Fee: £48 (concession B Free)
Venue: The Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham, NG3 4NB
Date: Tuesday Noon–2pm, 12 meetings from 12 January 2010

Contact: Caroline Keep
WEA, Unit 2, Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham NG3 4NB
Telephone: 0115 985 8203 Email: ckeep@wea.org.uk