Huge drawcard for adult learning

The table will be set for cooking lessons among a range of other classes at The Ace Place in Masterton next week.

A Queen St classroom - The ACE Place - will run in Masterton next week to help celebrate Adult Learners' Week in Wairarapa.

Wairarapa REAP spokeswoman Jude McNeur, said Adult Learners' Week had been celebrated in the region for several years and the idea for a week-long "public drop-in" space, dubbed The ACE (Adult and Community Education) Place, aimed to attract education providers and prospective adult students.

"This year, we are looking to create a public drop-in space called The ACE Place. The idea behind The ACE Place is to invite all providers to use it in some way for a display, an activity or an information time to promote all ACE learning and hook new learners in to what is available," Mrs McNeur said.

"We are working on filling it up with a varied programme provided by adult community education providers, so that the public can see a wide range of the sort of adult learning happening throughout our community."

Mrs McNeur said organisers are planning a ukulele lunch which will, on Tuesday, involve council nominees who had been invited to play.

Other prospective musicians are being encouraged to "bring your ukulele and your sandwiches and eat and play and sing", she said.

There also will be a philosophy discussion with University of the Third Age (U3A) and sessions "trying out a new type of dance" like Maori action songs, Scottish and belly dancing, sewing and crafts, computers, digital literacy, weaving and philosophy, she said.

"As many adult learning providers as possible have been contacted to use the space in any way they see fit, advertising some aspect of their activity with adults," Mrs McNeur said.

Adult Learners' Week/He Tangata Matauranga runs from Monday and International Literacy Day is on September 8.

On Friday, the ACE group will also hold an awards presentation for adult learners preceded by a debate titled: 'You can teach an old dog new tricks'.

The event will run at the Frank Cody Lounge at the Masterton Town Hall from 11.30am to 1.45pm.