Blue Badge Guides will be Ambassadors for Lancashire

CETAD (Centre for Training and Development), Lancaster University has congratulated the achievements of five of its candidates on receiving prestigious 'Blue Badge' Awards for Lancashire from Anthony Goldstone, Chairman of North West Tourist Board.

The Blue Badge is highly regarded and nationally acknowledged in the tourism industry as the mark of excellence in tour guiding. The Awards were presented at the North West Tourist Board's first Regional Tourism Conference, attended by Tourism Minister Janet Anderson, to address the future skills issues facing the tourism industry in the region.

The five candidates, Peter Fagg, Rodney Highley, Jane Humphreys, Clare Millington and Melvin Dodd, achieved the Blue Badge Award following the completion of the NVQ Level 4 in Tour Guiding at CETAD. The decision to award the group the Blue Badge was made after a tour of Lancaster City which was assessed by representatives of the North West Tourist Guide Association including Chairperson, Kay O'Brien, Nick Brooks-Sykes, Head of Marketing at North West Tourist Board and representatives of CETAD, Lancaster University.

CETAD, Lancaster University is the only organisation in the country to deliver the NVQ Level 4 in Tour Guiding, working in partnership with the North West Tourist Board, and with funding from Lancashire Tourism Partnership.

Jane O'Brien, Director of CETAD said, 'This is the culmination of seven years work in which CETAD has developed a range of successful programmes for the tourism industry. I am thrilled that our innovative approach in supporting our NVQ candidates to meet the standards of the Blue Badge Award, has been recognised and I congratulate each and every one of them on their success.'

Presenting the Blue Badge Awards Anthony Goldstone said, 'It is vital for the Region's tourist industry that we have professional guides who can enhance the visitor experience. I am certain that the CETAD trained Blue Badge guides for Lancashire will have an important role to play in this by welcoming visitors and by becoming ambassadors for the county.'

Peter Fagg is one of the newly awarded Blue Badge guides. He adds, 'I have been a tour guide for five years, but realised I needed training to help me further my career in the industry. The training I have done with CETAD, Lancaster University has definitely helped me improve my skills and knowledge and the award of the coveted Blue Badge today is the icing on the cake.'

CETAD, Lancaster University will be delivering another Tour Guiding programme funded by the European Social Fund and the Lancashire Tourism Partnership in January 2001. The programme leads to NVQ Level 3 in Commentaries and Interpretation for Tourism and is aimed at people who are currently working as tour guides who want to build upon their skills and gain a qualification, or those who are considering working as a tour guide. Candidates can then progress to an NVQ Level 4 in Tour Guiding, after which they have the opportunity to be assessed for a Lancashire 'Blue Badge'.

CETAD has organised an Information Evening at 6.30pm on 8 January at Lancaster University for people interested in finding out more about the programme. For further details, contact Jacqueline Church at CETAD on 01524 593318.