Jo Brand visits Brighton’s Cityclean depot

By Jenni Davidson

Comedian Jo Brand visited a group of adult learners at Cityclean’s household waste and recycling depot in Hollingdean this afternoon (Wednesday 6 March).

The learners have all taken courses at Cityclean’s Learning Resource Centre.

Brand entertained the audience with anecdotes about her family and life as a comedian before taking questions from the floor.

She told listeners that being a comic was a “lovely job”, but from time to time she did get abuse.

“You have to learn to have a bit of a thick skin,” she said.

However, she added: “I would never, ever moan about my job because I realise I’m in a very privileged position.”

Brand expressed support for adult education, especially for those who had not benefited from school when they were younger.

“It’s one of life’s great pleasures reading to your kids, isn’t it?” she said.

A range of courses is on offer to employees of Cityclean and CityParks, including literacy, numeracy, basic IT, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and French.

The training is provided in collaboration with the GMB union, Learndirect, Central Sussex College and Sussex Downs College.

Union Learning Representative Wes Lee Emond, who organised the visit, said that the courses had improved communication with management, increased job satisfaction and cut down on sick leave.

The Learning Resource Centre will celebrate its tenth anniversary in May.

It has won a number of awards and several students have won Brighton and Hove City Council Adult Learner of the Year awards.

Jo Brand is not the first celebrity to visit the depot. Other high profile figures who have been to talk to the learners there include Louis de Bernières, Julie Walters and Jeremy Paxman.