SATURDAY May 11 is the start of Adult Learners' Week Festival.

This year sees the 10th anniversary of the national campaign, which is promoted through NIACE, the national organisation for Adult Learning.

Here in Blackburn with Darwen the borough council will host its best learning festival yet.

Adult Learners' Week aims to raise awareness of the learning opportunities for all adults. The council's lifelong learning team co-ordinates the festival with a variety of taster sessions offered free throughout the week across the borough.

Blackburn College will kick off Adult Learners' Week with a sponsored abseil and will hold a host of activities.

The opening of the festival, on Saturday May 11, will start at 11.00am at Market Avenue, with the Blackburn with Darwen 2nd Brass Band sounding the acclamation of the start of "the learning journey".

Activities on offer through the week include water colour painting, drawing with charcoal and spinning a potter's wheel.

People are also invited to surf the net with internet laptops available. And in the market cooks will be preparing -- and cooking -- their own recipes.

Linked to this event is the National Campaign for Basic Skills. The basic skills campaign has included a variety of "Gremlin" adverts promoted on national TV. Launch day sees the start of Blackburn with Darwen aiming to become a GFZ -- Gremlin Free Zone. Gremlin characters will be about the town distributing the 'Get On' campaign material.

Other activities on the day include:

Lord Square: "The Retail Experience" a taster session "The other side of the Counter" 10.00am - 4.00pm.

Blackburn Cathedral: 1.00pm - 3.00pm "Learn the Ropes." Find out what goes on in a belfry.

Blackburn College, Fielden Street: 10.00am -2.00pm. Sponsored abseil.

Roman Road Library: Adult / child websites

Ever wanted to know what life in Victorian times was like? Join the Lancashire Living Workshop -- pick up point in Market Avenue at 12.30 pm.

The full programme is available from the following participating venues:

Blackburn Town Hall, Nightsafe, Darwen Town Hall, North Blackburn Youth Project, Libraries, BBC reception and Learning Zone Access points, The Volunteers Bureau Community Centres, Blackburn College, Blackburn Museum and Art, Adult Education Centres, Day Centres, St Mary's College, The Women's Resource Centre, Bootstrap Enterprises Ltd, Council for Voluntary Services, The Women's Centre.

Or contact the festival hotline -- Lifelong Learning Office 841052.