In need of help with your valentine message
Research shows around £22 million is spent on Valentines Day flowers and according to Royal Mail, over 12 million Valentine’s cards are posted every year.
More people than ever before are breaking away from the norm and sending cards to their pets, children and grandparents. Moreover, with the electronic age well and truly upon us, half of all mobile users expect Valentine text messages from loved ones.
For some people in Northern Ireland, sending that special Valentine’s message can be stressful because they are not confident with their reading and writing skills. If you want to brush up on your Essential Skills, there are free courses offered by the Department for Employment and Learning and delivered through Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland. The Department’s Essential Skills programme has already helped over 27,000 adults to improve their reading, writing and maths skills since the inception of the widely recognised ‘Gremlins’ campaign in 2003.
Deirdre McGill, Head of the Essential Skills branch in the Department for Employment and Learning said:
“Some people may choose to buy a flashy gift for Valentine’s Day but many will agree that a message from a loved one will leave a lasting impression. By brushing up on your literacy skills, you could soon be writing a very special message to someone you care about. Some adults with literacy and numeracy problems may also fear taking their partner out for a Valentine’s meal, as they may have problems with reading the menu or understanding the bill. They may even order food that they don’t want or have trouble counting the money that is needed to pay for the meal, which many spoil their whole evening.
All you have to do is call the FREEPHONE number 0800 660800 and a trained adviser will be on hand to offer free advice and support and direct you to the nearest FREE reading, writing and maths course in your area, continued Deirdre. You can also text “Press” to 60900 to receive details of available Essential Skills courses in your area.”
There is no deadline as to when you can join, so why not sign up to your local Further Education college now. Courses are FREE, so there are no excuses for not coming along. You can even work towards a qualification, happy in the knowledge that, with your new skills you can start to write the perfect Valentine’s message for a loved one.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Essential Skills campaign began in April 2003.
2. Information regarding adult literacy and numeracy courses can be obtained by calling the free phone number 0800 660 800.
3. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.