TV and radio presenter Philippa Forrester is giving her backing to the UK's largest festival of learning - Adult Learners' Week - which takes place from 9th to 15th May 2009.

Coordinated by NIACE - the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education - Adult Learners' Week encourages all adults to think about taking up learning.

Forrester returned to learning as an adult to study a degree in Ecology and Conservation - gaining a First - at Birkbeck College in London, while she continued to present Tomorrow's World.

She said: "I chose Ecology because I am passionate about the whole subject. It turned a corner in my career. It allowed doors to be opened to me that had previously been closed. It gave me the extra knowledge and skills that boosted my confidence.

Potentially talking herself out of a job, she added: "Learning is one of the best parts of living. It is just so much more interesting than sitting in front of the TV night after night.”

All over the country thousands of Adult Learners' Week events will take place attracting tens of thousands of people. These activities cover a whole range of learning taster-sessions including courses for IT, maths and literacy, to more specialist activities including, Be Nice to Bees, Buddha's Birthday and Tudor Skills and Sonnet Reading.

These learning events give people the chance to have a close look at the type of learning opportunities that are available, whatever and however they want to learn.

Rachel Thomson, Senior Campaigns Officer at NIACE, said: "Learning as an adult is good for your health, your self-esteem and your employability, so don't miss out on the opportunities available."

Find out more about what's on offer at niace.org.uk/ALW/2009.