It was with mixed feelings that many of us farewelled W4. It had been home to our courses for many years. Members had shared learning experiences there as well as meeting and sustaining new friendships. We had come to enjoy sharing what had been ‘The Centre’ with the young people and teachers of the Benalla Flexible Learning Centre. The building had effectively become a community learning hub offering programs for young people and older people.
Brad Hearn from the Flexible Learning Centre called in after the final session of Armchair History to say farewell and spoke of the way in which students at the Flexible Learning Centre had benefitted from seeing older people coming to W4 so keen to keep learning
Brad Hearn from the Flexible Learning Centre called in after the final session of Armchair History to say farewell and spoke of the way in which students at the Flexible Learning Centre had benefitted from seeing older people coming to W4 so keen to keep learning
Brad also explained that the Flexible Learning Centre would like to mark our farewell, offering their services as baristas in providing a coffee morning. The only group still to use W4 was the Politics class. The farewell event was soon organised with Terry Case, and towards the end of the final Politics class in W4 Michelle Ramage, Brad Hearn, and students served coffee accompanied by pikelets and biscuits cooked at the centre by participants in their program.
Michelle spoke about the Flexible Learning Centre, then two students spoke of their appreciation of the support they have received at the Flexible Learning Centre and their hopes for the future. Terry Case followed on, wishing the students well for the future and thanking the FLC for providing a fitting celebration to mark the end of our time in W4.
A few days later, the packing began, the moving trucks arrived, and W4 was emptied out ready for refurbishment by the expanding Flexible Learning Centre.
As reports in this newsletter suggest, our new meeting room in Fawckner Drive is now in use and, resilient beings that we are, we are already enjoying our time there. But we will always have fond memories of W4!
Bev Lee
As reports in this newsletter suggest, our new meeting room in Fawckner Drive is now in use and, resilient beings that we are, we are already enjoying our time there. But we will always have fond memories of W4!
Bev Lee
