FutureLearners flying the flag around the world

We were thrilled with the great response we received to our FutureLearn flag giveaway. We received emails from enthusiastic FutureLearners from all over the world, including the United States, Kuwait, Switzerland, Italy, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Nigeria, New Zealand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, China and Guatemala! Thanks to everyone who took the time to write to us.

We’ve been in touch with the winners and will be sending flags out to you all over the coming days. We can’t wait to see them all waving.

Where will the flags be seen?

We were really touched by the emails we received. One learner will take the flag on a 310km charity cycle ride, another will wave it in the crowd at Bestival this weekend. The flag will also wave from the back of a motorhome as it travels around the United States, from a flagpole on a beach near Plymouth in the UK, on campus at the University of Pretoria and above a learning centre in an impoverished neighbourhood in Kosovo.

Why do people want to be flag bearers?

Here are excerpts from some of the emails we received. We felt that these were particularly special, and very much in keeping with our vision of ‘connecting people and ideas’, as well as encouraging the importance of free, life long learning.

“I recently retired after a 33-year career in higher education… When I announced my retirement, friends and colleagues (even my mother!) asked, ‘What will you do?’ In FutureLearn, I have found the answer: I will keep learning.” – Paula Ford, Pennsylvania, USA

“I work with people suffering and finding recovery from alcohol and substance misuse. My job is to help these people re-engage with society and their local community. For many the stigma of addiction has led to them having a feeling of worthlessness and inadequacy.

“FutureLearn courses are perfect for helping these people rebuild their confidence and engage. What is really great about these courses is their length. For some, a few hours a week is all that they can manage. For others, they really get the bit between their teeth and put massive effort into the subject by way of background reading and research. Just like our recovery programme is tailored to fit the individual’s needs, so can the FutureLearn courses. For some it may even lead to a new hope, career or hobby… The flag would be waved at all of our outside events plus displayed at our hub as a sign of learning for everyone.” – Steve Bodycomb – Locality Manager, Whole Person Recovery Programme, Maidstone, UK

“I’m a member of Grandparents for a Safe Earth in Bristol, UK. We are a group of grandparents and elders who are campaigning to stop climate change because we want to leave the world a safe place for our children and grandchildren. We are going to join the Bristol People’s Climate March on September 21. I’d like to take the flag on the march to advertise the climate course offered on FutureLearn. We need to get people who don’t understand climate change to do courses like this.”
Barry Cash, Bristol, UK.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned to our blog and social media channels to see the FutureLearn flag flying somewhere near you.