Organisers of the biggest celebration of learning in the UK are on the lookout for stories of inspirational people - who have had a life changing experience through learning - for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards 2006.

Every year the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) receives over 1,000 for Adult Learners’ Week Awards, which celebrate the achievements of learners – young and old and in all their diversity - throughout the country.

Award winners are often adult learners who have had to overcome difficult circumstances or who have been doubtful in the past about the relevance of learning to their lives. However, while learning itself may have had a positive impact on people’s self-confidence, health, social life and career, receiving an award can be the impetus to even more.

Peter Fewell, an individual award winner from this year, said: “I was euphoric when I found out that I had won the NIACE Adult Learners’ Week Award. Meeting the other award winners and hearing about their remarkable achievements made me realise that no matter what our younger experiences were like or what obstacles we came up against, we were all achievers, whatever our environment, age or disabilities.”

Nomination forms are available at the NIACE website, www.niace.org.uk/alw.