How to access £30,000 North Northants Council-funded free Skills for Sustainability education courses in Wellingborough

The programme of courses hosted by Glamis Hall for All via Wellingborough Climate Action Project has been funded by North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) using a £30,000 grant from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Individuals, community organisations and small businesses can learn practical skills for life as well as enable people move closer to vocational qualifications, skills and work.

Skills for Sustainability Programme and Wellingborough Climate Action Programme co-ordinator, Marion Turner-Hawes, said: “We are very excited. It’s a culmination of many years work. It’s about how we can all live more sustainable lives. The climate emergency is a call to us all about the way we live and work. We are living beyond our means, within the Earth’s means.

“The programme is aimed at helping individuals, community organisations and small businesses to learn practical skills for life and to help people move closer to vocational qualifications, skills and work."

Autumn ‘term’ has already begun starting with a practical skills sewing course with others on offer including cooking on a budget, making eco-jewellery from waste materials and making green cleaning products.

Next term (January to March 2025) it is hoped courses on growing healthy food, setting up an allotment or garden, and repairing and upcycling furniture will take place.

People will also be able to access information sessions on energy efficiency measures.

Ms Turner-Hawes said: “This term we also launch a range of information sessions about introducing energy efficiency measures to our homes and buildings, including sessions highlighting what energy efficiency measures are available, how they work and should land in our homes, understanding insulation options, sustainable heating options and solar/wind energy generation, planning a whole house retrofit and how we might get help to fund and make these actions happen.”

“Next term we plan to offer courses that help people, keen to work in the energy efficiency retrofit sector, to better understand that sector, the jobs available, and the courses/qualifications they will need to move into the growing sector, as well as support to help people bed in their new skills when they are qualified, and encouragement to provide their services locally, and help address local Retrofit goals.

“Finally, the programme offers a course showing business and community organisations how to map their own carbon emissions and create an action plan to reduce them.

"We also have other courses that meet local community need, including introductory sessions on becoming self-employed, and learning how to lead formal training sessions.

“We are also fortunate to be working with Waendel Leisure Centre to offer a new water safety course to help improve local water safety awareness, in support of the family of Ronalds Abele who lost his life in the river this summer.”

The network of community partners will deliver 25 courses to more than 360 people with all courses free of charge to attend. Attendees of the Carbon Literacy Training, (as a nationally recognised course) can pay £10 for a certificate if they wish.

All course need to be booked http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/glamishall.