PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Tuesday, April 25, at 10.45am for 11.00am, at Tolbooth Museum, Castle Street (meet at Town House, Union St door)

An intriguing mix of poison, crime, punishment, thriller novels, disguises and medieval murderers is set to make this year’s Adult Learners’ Week one of the most exciting to date!

In keeping with this year’s local theme of crime, North-east author Stuart MacBride, who penned the gripping crime thriller “Cold Granite”, set in the Granite City, will launch the packed programme of events on Tuesday.

He will visit the Tolbooth Museum to unveil the diary of fun Adult Learners Week events.

The nation’s biggest festival of learning runs from May 20 to 26, 2006.

The week aims to encourage adults of all ages to try something new – whether you are a young parent keen to learn new skills to help with future job prospects or a senior citizen who would like to take up a new hobby and meet new people.

In the North-east, a host of education providers have once again joined forces to offer an imaginative programme of exciting “Wicked Week” activities that are designed to give local folk a taste of the type of classes that are available in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

As well as local authorities, colleges, universities, community education centres and First in Aberdeen, Grampian Police are also involved this year, for the first time.

All the events are FREE of charge and are open to everyone, especially those who would not normally consider taking up a learning opportunity.

With so many events on offer in Aberdeen and across the North-east, there is sure to be something that appeals to everyone, whether it is working out Who Done IT at a computer based mystery session, discovering more about the art of disguise, attending talks on the history of Crime and Punishment or learning to climb a wall!

Highlights include:

· Who Done IT? at Aberdeen College – a computer based mystery session!

· What’s Your Poison at Aberdeen College – a cocktail-making demonstration!

· How to write a thriller in an hour, at Aberdeen Central Library and Cove Library – join writer Bill Kirkton for an amusing session

· The Art of Disguise at Aberdeen College – with hairdressing and beauty students

· Crime prevention sessions – with Grampian Police

· WANTED at Powis Community Centre – make your own WANTED poster using digital photography

· How to scale a wall at RGU – introductory session to rock climbing

· Crime and Punishment in Aberdeen at Central Library – fascinating display from the library archives, including last speeches and dying confessions!

· IS your garden in a criminal state? at the Scottish Agricultural College – tips to sort out gardening problems

· Crime and Punishment through the ages at Huntly Learning Centre

There is also a Wicked Week crime quiz on offer at most centres involved in Adult Learners’ Week and Aberdeen College is also holding its Open Day from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, May 20, to kickstart the week.

The diary – which will available on Aberdeen College’s website at www.abcol.ac.uk – will feature details of all the events along with contact details for the various partners. Posters promoting the various events have also been put up all over the North-east.

Shoppers can also find out more about adult learning opportunities while they’re doing the weekly shop as First Aberdeen’s Learning Bus will be stationed at various supermarkets throughout the week.

The mobile classroom, which is usually based at First’s King Street depot, will also offer shoppers and passers-by the chance to try out digital photography and have a go on the computer.

Instructors from Aberdeen College’s outreach team will be on hand to help you create a selection of recipes, design greetings cards, learn how to make posters, create a calendar or learn how to print all your address labels for postcards before you go on holiday!

The First Learning Bus will be calling at:

· Monday, May 22: Banchory, Bellfield Car Park (10am to 1pm) / Sainsbury's Berryden, Aberdeen (2pm to 5pm)

· Tuesday, May 23: Stonehaven, Market Square (am) / Sainsbury's, Garthdee (pm)

· Wednesday, May 24: Ellon, Market Street Car Park (am) / Asda, Bridge of Don (pm)

· Thursday, May 25: Somerfield, Westhill (am) / Asda, Beach Boulevard, Aberdeen (pm)

· Friday, May 26: Inverurie, The Square Car Park (am) / Asda, Dyce, Aberdeen (pm)

Representatives from Careers Scotland and Community Education will be on board throughout the week to answer any questions on local classes, university courses, career opportunities and funding.

For more information on the Learning Bus, please call 0800 027 0405.

The partners who make up the North-east Scottish Adult Learning Partnership (SALP) Campaigns Committee are Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen College, Aberdeenshire Council, Banff and Buchan College, Careers Scotland, First, Scottish Agricultural College, Robert Gordon University, University of Aberdeen and Grampian Police.

Rhonda Fraser, Marketing and Media Manager at Aberdeen College and chairman of the Campaigns Committee, said: “The whole ethos of Adult Learners' Week is for institutions to engage with their community and raise awareness of the learning opportunities available to them.

“Aberdeen College, like many others, has supported the campaign for many years, but by combining efforts again this year, we have been able to put a bigger focus on Adult Learners' Week throughout the area and have encouraged others to become involved.

“We are also excited about the Wicked Week theme this year as this has proved to be extremely popular elsewhere in the country and we hope it will attract lots of people, whether they are new to adult learning or are keen to develop more skills.”

Stuart MacBride, whose next novel, “Dying Light”, is published next month, said he was delighted to be involved with Adult Learners’ Week. He will also discuss his work at an evening at the Central Library on Thursday, May 25.

“I’m very happy to be part of Adult Learners’ Week 2006, it’s good to be able to do something positive for Aberdeen, I’ve used it as a backdrop to Cold Granite and Dying Light, and the next four books will be set here too, so I feel I owe the city a lot,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to the evening at the central Library next month and I hope the week will inspire lots of people to take up a new hobby or learn a new skill, whether it’s creative writing or something completely different.”

ADULT LEARNERS’ WEEK 2006 - MAY 20-26

Adult Learners' Week is a UK wide annual celebration of learning which brings together learners, education, training providers and broadcasters, in an effort to reach those who do not traditionally participate in learning.

Over the years, Adult Learners’ Week has changed from a promotion of learning to a week-long celebration, which aims to celebrate the positive role that learning can play in changing people’s lives; stimulate participation among those who don’t think learning is for them; and improve access to local information, advice and guidance to support learning.

The Scottish Adult Learning Partnership (SALP) is responsible for organising and co-ordinating Adult Learners’ Week in Scotland. SALP is an independent voluntary body of stakeholders who come together to develop a coherent approach for community based adult learning in Scotland.

For more information on Adult Learners' Week in Scotland, contact the Scottish Adult Learning Partnership by phone on 0131 220 5567 or log on to www.alws.org.uk or www.salp.org.uk