England’s Adult Learners’ Week began yesterday with the national awards ceremony in the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London. Other national and regional ceremonies are taking place across the UK, including one in Stormont in Northern Ireland today.

Yesterday’s event was inspirational, uplifting and moving. It was a privilege to be there.

Short films were shown about individual award winners. Each one was a celebration of people’s resilience and capacity to turn their lives around, often against almost overwhelming odds, when they made the most of adult education opportunities. Winners talked about their experiences of dealing with all sorts of problems such as alcohol and drug dependency, criminal behaviour, abusive relationships, homelessness, disability and difficulties with reading and writing.

Some winners talked about being ‘reborn’ and most wanted to give ‘something back’.  All had the confidence to be interviewed live on stage in a packed auditorium, which is no mean…