May 2008

The Connect Learning Centre at St Helens has been presented with a special award to recognise the centre’s excellence in offering support and guidance to a learner suffering from mental illness. Steve Kendall and Thomas Power (centre tutors) were presented the award for mental health awareness by the Lady Mayor of St. Helens, Councillor Sheila Seddon.

The learner, Lady Sherwood, who recommended the centre for the award, felt that she had been treated as a normal person at the centre. As a sufferer of a mental illness she had always felt that people looked down on her and that she was treated as a second class citizen. However, neither Steve nor Tom had treated Lady Sherwood any differently once they knew of her condition, which Lady Sherwood found such a refreshing change.

Lady Sherwood is still a current learner at the centre and is progressing extremely well through the learndirect courses. She has gained her level 1 and 2 qualifications in both Maths and English as well as also gaining her level 2 (ECDL).

Pictured (l to r): Tom Power, the Lady Mayor of St. Helens, Lady Sherwood and Steve Kendall