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New year, new skills as free course launches in Berinsfield

Published 16 December 2025

A free 8-week Improving Skills programme starts in February next year especially for Berinsfield residents.

South Oxfordshire District Council is working in partnership with Abingdon & Witney College, UKAEA, National Careers Service, Enterprise Oxfordshire, DWP, Community Catalysts and Williams Jet Tenders Ltd, to provide this free training opportunity, which will cover anything from upskilling, confidence building, starting your own business and more.

In January there will be a number of drop-in events taking place with the partners and organisations running the sessions so that people can find out more before they register:

  • Wednesday 7 January, 2-4pm Berinsfield Library
  • Wednesday 7 January 5-7pm, Williams Jet Tenders Ltd
  • Tuesday 13 January 6-7pm Online via Teams
  • Wednesday 14 January, 2-4pm St Mary and St Berin Church
  • Wednesday 14 January 5-7pm, Williams Jet Tenders Ltd

This free programme is part of the Berinsfield Community Delivery Plan which is coordinated by the Garden Village team at South Oxfordshire District Council and collaborates with local partners.

The programme is an outcome of a project that focused on supporting the health and wellbeing needs of residents within Berinsfield working in partnership with Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council. The training is open to anyone from the village, aged 19 and over.

The Improving Skills programme starts on the 4 February, with one session a week at Williams Jet Tenders at Vogue Business Park in Berinsfield from 6.30-8.30pm.

Those attending can book to do all the modules available or chose individual modules that interest them. At the end of each course, attendants will receive a certificate to confirm the completion of the training.

Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson, Cabinet Member for Planning Policy, Including Garden Communities at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “I’m really pleased that we’re able to provide this training opportunity for residents in Berinsfield. We know that access to free education can be hard once you’re over 19 and that then adds to the challenges of looking for work or wanting to learn new skills and gain confidence in the workplace.

“This is just part of our continued commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in the village as part of our Garden Communities work.”

Cllr Robin Bennett ward member for Berinsfield at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “This new pilot programme demonstrates the great partnerships we have with local organisations who want to make a positive difference to the residents and local environment in Berinsfield.

“It’s great that we can offer these opportunities for free, to improve skills, knowledge and long-term prospects of residents in the village.”

Anyone interested in the Improving Skills programme can find out more on the Abingdon & Witney college website or by coming along to one of the drop-in events.

More details about the registration process for the programme will be on the Abingdon & Witney college website in the coming weeks.

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