Tag a Tile at Swarthmore Education Centre.

Sally Cooper (@sallycatriona)  writes about one of Leeds’ lesser known educational establishments, and the unique and quite beautiful “tag a tile” campaign to repair the roof.

Swarthmore Education Centre always feels like a kind of refuge to me. Having lived most of my life in Leeds it is a place I have returned to time and again in the pursuit of learning for the sake of learning.

Courses I have taken at the centre range from Tai Chi through to Pottery, and for a short while I also volunteered as a classroom assistant on the adult education classes. None of these learning or volunteering experiences have ever led to something that I have made money from; instead I have always gained something less tangible, but in my opinion just as worthwhile. As someone prone to periodic gloomy spells the act of enrolling on a course brings a new impetus to get out in the world and gain a fresh perspective.

The centre was founded in 1909 by members of the Quaker movement. These people believed that education should not be confined to the schoolroom and that there is a value to learning for anyone of any age, background, colour or creed. Those running the centre today have fully embraced this ethos and I honestly believe that it is a place where anyone can feel welcome. It is inclusive in a very real way, offering teaching in life skills, crafts, health and fitness and all manner of things that are inevitably being pushed to the side-lines in these times of austerity. I say inevitably because when funds are short we are forced to justify training by giving it a quantifiable value and sometimes the benefit of learning a new skill or way of thinking is hard to explain in monetary terms.

Like many organisations the Swarthmore centre is currently short of funds for repairs and there is an ongoing appeal to raise £100 000 to repair the roof.

When browsing the other day I saw on their website that as part of these efforts there is now an opportunity to donate a small sum of money in exchange for the opportunity to tag a tile.

Basically, you pay your money, then you write or draw your everlasting message or image on a roof tile that will go into the roof once the work starts. Your words won’t be seen, as the tiles will be placed with the bare side upwards, but you will know that your words are there. This seems to me to reflect the ethos of the centre perfectly.

The launch event for the tag-a-tile initiative was held on Friday 13 July, and attended by Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn, a firm supporter of education for all and therefore for Swarthmore. There were plenty of others there too

If you would like to contribute to the funds or tag your own tile for the new roof then you need to get in touch with them before 20 July.

For those who want to know what I wrote, this is it:

In memory of Dad; who passionately believed in the value of learning and who knew that education is for everyone.

Gus Cooper

25/7/46 – 4/2/02