The Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) at Madingley Hall in Cambridge

Last month, lecturers from Cambridge University came to Southport to hold Day Courses in two different areas of interest. This was due to their long-standing association with Southport University Extension Society (SUES), which recently celebrated its 150-year anniversary. Such full day events are normally charged at £150 per student. Being particularly moved by the tragic events in Southport last year, the lecturers very kindly offered to forgo a charge for their expenses as they wished the courses to raise funds for SUES and the aim to improve the lives of local people through Southport Learning Town. Therefore, the cost to attendees on the day was just £40 a head for the full day.

The event was held in two fine meeting rooms at The Waterfront Hotel on the Promenade and over fifteen learners attended each course. The first was on poetry and was led by Dr Jenny Bavidge. This course focussed on a variety of different poets who were introduced by reading their work and then puzzling out what the poems meant to both the authors at the time and to readers today.

The second course, on literature, was offered by Dr Madge Gillies who explained that whether a person is planning to write a memoir, a spy thriller or even a historical novel, the reader needs to believe in the world they are being invited into and become part of.

Overall, the day was a great success and the courses were both interesting and enjoyable. All those attending expressed the hope that such sessions would be offered again next year. Overall, almost £1,000 was donated to Southport Learning Town through the efforts and generosity of colleagues at Cambridge University.