BWAFU member Laura Harrison, who has worked for Hovis Nottingham for a number of years, has taken the opportunity offered by the BFAWU to take up union learning. Laura has been attending English courses for the last year on the Hovis Nottingham site delivered by Leicester College. She has successfully passed her level 1 English exam and is now working towards the level 2. The confidence Laura has gained from attending English courses is phenomenal and has helped her in a professional and personal capacity. She has gained confidence in dealing more effectively with work problems but it has also helped her in coping with demanding family life. 

Laura is a young mum having to take care of her five year old daughter. Every time her daughter had a problem at school Laura needed to deal with it on her own by taking a day’s holiday or a few hours off work to go into school. Getting time off from work or the holiday at short notice can sometimes be very hard and stressful. But Since Laura has taken English classes and passed her English course at level 1, she now has the confidence to deal with it in writing instead of taking annual leave to go to school. 

Laura now can deal much better with the challenges of being in full time employment and a young mum thanks to her commitment and incredible progress through her learning journey offered and supported by union learning.

Janet Goodwin, BWAVU Project Worker in Yorkshire and Midlands said:

I am so pleased that the union has given Laura the confidence she needed, not just in work life but in her personal life too. Laura now has the thirst for knowledge and she is continuing to study. When I see Laura it always reminds me how important union learning is and what a huge positive impact it can have on peoples working and personal lives. Well done Laura again on passing your English level 1 and good luck in working towards your level 2. 

Tony Hardy, ULR and Hovis Branch Secretary said:

For every session of the course that Laura attended, we saw her confidence grow and she is now able to do so much more. She is a much more confident person and her qualification has helped her with her work when she processes orders for safety footwear and PPE.

Laura Harrison added:

Since passing the English course my confidence has grown and I am less apprehensive about approaching  people with work related issues. This has come from the group discussions and talks we did in the English lessons.

My reading and writing have improved a lot and I am now confident in helping my daughter with her homework. People have also noticed that my messages and emails are more formal and I will write “it is” rather than “it’s”. Our tutor (Ruth Braker) from Leicester College was absolutely brilliant.