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Giving it a Try! Walsall's Premier Awards Sccops Rugby Hero.
13th Oct 2009
A versatile, rugby star turned ballroom dancer turned TV presenter will meet the newly crowned winners in learning achievement at a special awards ceremony next year.
Rugby hero and broadcaster, Austin Healey, will be the guest speaker at The 12th Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards on Wednesday 17 March 2010. The event is one of the major events in the work of the Walsall Lifelong Learning Alliance, the learning partnership for Walsall whose aim is to bring together industry, public bodies and training providers to widen participation in learning in the Borough.
In previous years, nominations for the Awards have been received from organisations right across Walsall including schools, training providers, companies and partner organisations. All nominations will be acknowledged as lifelong learners and the winners kept secret until announced on the night. As guest speaker at the prestigious awards, Austin is certainly in good company – previous speakers have included comediennes Ruby Wax and Jo Brand, TV Presenter and adventurer, Ben Fogle, World Cup winning footballer, Sir Geoff Hurst, Olympic athlete, Colin Jackson and ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” star, Jennie Bond.
Last year more than 120 nominations came for 28 Awards in 14 different categories sponsored by colleges, businesses, community bodies and organisations. WLLA marketing manager, Karen Donoghue, said:
“The Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards is an excellent way to recognise those individuals, companies and groups who have made an outstanding achievement towards lifelong learning be it through school, Further or Higher Education, work related courses, or leisure & hobby pursuits. Walsall really has a rich diversity of learning and achievers.”
She added:
“Securing Austin Healey as our speaker is tremendous news – he is one of English rugby's best-known characters. His extraordinary career has seen him win 50 England caps, star in two British Lions tours and play a leading role in England's most successful club ever - Leicester Tigers. He's rightly regarded as perhaps the most versatile and skilful English player ever and has won fans the world over. Taking himself completely out of his comfort zone, he took part in the 2008-9 series of Strictly Come Dancing where he worked hard to learn how to become an accomplished and entertaining dancer! Austin is now embarking on a career as a TV presenter and commentator, learning a whole new set of skills
Austin will be able to take our learner’s through his particular learning journey which certainly has been full of ups and downs – from being a tremendously successful club player to being dropped from the winning World Cup squad; to succeeding as a sportsman despite having asthma; to recovering from depression and addictions to alcohol and gambling; to being a much loved TV personality. Austin certainly has a tale to tell!”
With such a funny and fearlessspeaker, The 12th Walsall Lifelong Learning Awards is shaping up to be even bigger and better than previous years, and nomination forms will be issued in November 2009. For further information please contact Colin Robinson or Karen Donoghue at the WLLA office on 01922 714850 and by email at robinsonc@walsall.gov.uk