Derby's day and a pat on the back to Reality

Usdaw's Lifelong Learning campaign, which encourages members to return to learning, is celebrating double success at a prestigious Greater Manchester awards ceremony.

Usdaw, the UK's fifth largest trade union, was delighted to scoop two accolades at the Basic Skills Learner Awards 2004, held at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. Patrick Derby, an Usdaw member from Bolton, won an individual award, while Usdaw and home shopping company Reality/Shop Direct picked up an award for their successful Employer Training Pilot.

Patrick Derby, 53, a warehouse worker at Littlewoods Croal in Blackshaw Lane, Bolton, was named the literacy winner in the trades union sector - a remarkable achievement for a man who left school with no qualifications and who only returned to learning a few years ago.

Patrick says his life has changed dramatically since being encouraged and assisted to improve his basic skills through an on-site learning centres at his workplace, which is a partnership between Usdaw, Littlewoods and Wigan and Leigh College. He has completed several literacy and reading courses and has passed the City & Guilds entry level exam.

Patrick said: "I have a hearing impairment which I considered to be an obstacle to learning - but I now realise that there is no reason for it to be. With help and encouragement from everyone associated with the learning centre, I have improved my skills and confidence greatly."

According to Hema Chevli, development worker at the Littlewoods Croal learning centre, Patrick's success is having a dramatic effect on his workplace colleagues.

"People who might have thought they were too old or who perhaps had bad experiences at school are now opening their eyes to new possibilities and that has a lot to do with them seeing Patrick's determination and achievements," said Hema. "Patrick was on cloud nine when he was told he had won the award and it has given all the Learning Reps a great buzz."

Usdaw and Reality/Shop Direct also won an award for a learning project that offers workers paid time-off to participate in a range of courses. The award is for the Employer Training Pilot that runs at five Reality/Shop Direct sites in the Greater Manchester area - Oldham, Wigan, Eccles and two in Bolton (Beehive and Thynne Street).

Working in partnership with Wigan and Leigh College, Tameside College, Oldham College and Preston College, around 200 workers have either completed or are working towards Basic Skills Certificates, National Vocational Qualifications or the European Computer Driving Licence

The Basic Skills Learner Awards 2004 were organised by the Workplace Basic Skills Network, in association with the Learning and Skills Council Greater Manchester.

Usdaw launched its Lifelong Learning campaign six years ago, with amazing success. Since then, over 8,500 members have returned to some form of learning and more than 500 learning reps have been trained up. Learning projects are up and running in over 150 workplaces, which includes projects run from 25 dedicated workplace learning centres.

Notes to Editors:

• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth largest trade union, with over 330,000 members.

• Further information about Usdaw's Lifelong Learning campaign is available online.

• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.

• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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