Brooks Newmark visits Braintree College Riverside Club

Braintree College Riverside Club extended a warm welcome to local MP Brooks Newmark when he made a special visit to the College.Braintree College Riverside Club extended a warm welcome to local MP Brooks Newmark when he made a special visit to the College. Mr Newmark met with members of the Club and Senior Managers at the College to offer support in the continuing campaign to find alternative funding sources for the courses the College offers to the Riverside Club.

The plight of the Club was first highlighted over a year ago when it was announced that the Learning and Skills Council was reprioritising its funding areas in response to Government priorities. As a result the College will not be able to continue to fund the Club's courses in the same way as previously.

Mr Newmark said: "The Riverside Club plays an important role in not only providing Further Education for the elderly in Braintree, but equally importantly the Club offers the opportunity to be part of the wider community in Braintree. Traditionally Braintree College has done an excellent job in bringing together both young people and senior citizens on the College campus. I will do my utmost to ensure that this tradition which goes back to 1974 will continue forward to the future. I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Further Education to find out why support for groups such as the Riverside Club is declining."

Principal of the College Jacquie Watts said: "We know the Riverside Club is one of the few college and community partnerships of this type nationally. We are very proud of this and we are concerned to do all we possibly can to keep the Club going. However, we do have to be pragmatic and intend to consider all the alternatives with a view to finding a solution that works for everyone. The College is still considering every possible option including sponsorship, member fundraising, increased contributions from members, additional support from public sector bodies or developing courses that meet the funding criteria. It is a disappointment to us that our extensive sponsorship campaign has had such little success to date, but we have not given up trying."

Braintree College is inviting the public, businesses and organisations in the Braintree District to work in partnership with itself and the Riverside Club to help ensure the continuation of the Club's educational activities at the College.

If you would like to join with Braintree College in partnership please contact us on 01376 321711 or email: mkinniburgh@braintree.ac.uk

Photo:Brooks Newmark visits Braintree College Riverside Club