Reading Community Learning Centre

A woman who joined our English class told us:

“The Centre offers more than learning. It is warmth, support and safety.”

Your donation keeps that warmth real — heating, lighting and hot water, all rising in cost.

Every £10 keeps our utility bills in check this winter.

👉 https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/fuel-rclc

Help Us Stay Warm, Safe and Open This Winter For many refugee and vulnerable women, Reading Community Learning Centre is the warmest, safest place they visit each week. With all facilities costs soaring, your donation helps us keep our classrooms and crèche warm and comfortable this winter.

As we come to the end of another term at Reading Community Learning Centre, we want to take a moment to recognise everything our learners, tutors, staff and volunteers have achieved together.

This term, women from many different backgrounds have taken part in our English classes, sewing, ESOL literacy, digital skills, confidence-building groups, wellbeing and beauty activities and the workshops that keep our Centre thriving. For many, these classes are the first step toward independence, new friendships and feeling part of the community here in .

Inside our classrooms and Crèche, the same message comes through again and again. When women learn, connect and feel welcome, confidence grows. When women are supported, they take meaningful steps forward. When community is created intentionally, everyone benefits.

We are proud of every learner who has shown commitment, courage and curiosity this term. The energy and care in our Centre comes from the women who walk through our doors each week, ready to support one another and build something stronger together.

A heartfelt thank you to our tutors, who create safe and inclusive learning spaces. To our staff and volunteers, who keep the Centre warm, organised and welcoming. To our trustees, who guide our work with dedication. And to our partners and funders, whose support ensures women in our community can access free learning, childcare and vital services.

RCLC is built on collaboration. It is built on women lifting each other, on teams working quietly behind the scenes, and on supporters who believe in the power of learning to change lives.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this term and to all our

We look forward to welcoming our community back next term in the New Year and continuing this journey of learning, connection and celebration together.

P.S. If you would like to support our winter appeal, with our utility costs - please make a donation: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/fuel-rclc

On Saturday, we were thrilled to join Project Salama for their end-of-year Gala, and the room felt alive with purpose, pride and possibility.

From the moving and empowering words of the The Mayor of Reading, Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles, to the heartfelt address from Project Salama’s founder and CEO, Jacqueline Mukono, the evening carried a sense of strength that sits at the heart of this charity. A dancer troupe, a raffle and a DJ, along with all the guests, filled the room with colour and joy, yet the focus remained clear, the work of Project Salama changes lives, every single day.

Urgently needed funds were raised to support their mission, but the night was just as much about community, belonging and legacy. It was about building stronger squads of support. It was about reminding each other that safety, dignity and peace should be the foundation of every relationship.

Project Salama describes “Salama” as safety, security and integrity. It also speaks of peace across Swahili, Arabic, Hebrew and Sephardic traditions. That spirit was woven through the entire evening.

Thank you to everyone who made the Gala a success and for welcoming Ali and Samar to join you from Reading Community Learning Centre.

We are so proud to partner with you, to stand alongside you, and to work together toward a future where every person has the safety, support and freedom they deserve.

Here’s to the impact you make, day in and day out, and to the communities who lift each other higher.

Please can we join you again, next year?

With thanks & appreciation
Ali & Samar

Family Information Service Reading (FIS) have created a Christmas Activities page on the Family Information Service (FIS) website, the page will be updated regularly. Please use the following link to view Reading Directory | Activities in Reading over Christmas 2025 https://servicesguide.reading.gov.uk/kb5/reading/directory/advice.page?id=qv1h53Bgdmo

Childcare for parent carers who need information on childcare, holiday clubs, childminders etc for the school holiday – www.readingfis.org/childcare

servicesguide.reading.gov.uk