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Traders are doing it for themselves

Traders from Birkenhead Market have set up a 'Learning Shop' to help boost core skills and work-based learning in the area.

The initiative was developed with help from the Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for the retail sector, and funding from the Learning Skills Council.

The Learning Shop was built in the historic covered market by the traders themselves, and is run in partnership with Wirral Metropolitan College. It aims to provide the local community with advice, guidance and skills development in everything from first aid and IT to English, Maths and NVQs in retail and merchandising.

Danny Doyle, Marketing Manager for the 300 indoor and outdoor stalls, believes it is this broad community benefit that makes the scheme so important: "Most of the traders have little formal education and yet all have wanted to develop further skills and learning for themselves and their community. Thanks to the invaluable support from Skillsmart Retail and the funding body, we have managed to turn the Learning Shop into an amazing and accessible service that will be a win-win situation for all involved."

The Learning Shop is to be opened by Frank Field MP on the 26th May 2005.

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