A GROUNDBREAKING partnership between a Warrington charity and the borough council has held its first big event.

Thursday saw the first Family Learning Day, designed to encourage families to continue learning after school. Special events took place all over town, including libraries, community centres and colleges.

The Campaign's Regional Director, Caroline Rowley, said: "The Campaign for Learning is a national campaign to promote and encourage people to participate in learning and the Family Learning Day is our first big exercise.

"It encourages families to do one of two things, to support a learner within the family or to learn as a family."

The Day ties in with the National Year of Reading which starts this month, a Government initiative designed to promote literacy.

The charity is based in New Town House, Warrington, in offices provided by the borough council. The borough's Principal Officer for Lifelong Learning, Jean Jackson, said: "We see it as the first step along the way to a very fruitful partnership, which will reap benefits for the people of Warrington.

"The Pre-School Learning Alliance is involved, as are Warrington Collegiate and Priestley College.

"We believe lifelong learning should mean just that - from the cradle to the grave," added Jean. "As soon as it could after becoming a Unitary Authority, the council enhanced the lifelong budget by £100,000 to widen initiatives. The Chief Executive and the Director of Education are both committed to it.

"We want to show the people of Warrington that learning isn't just about school, it's about people progressing and being healthy."

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