UNISON East Midlands Education & Training

12/01/2026

Derbyshire Branch Secretary, Martin Porter, launches UNISON Year of Green Activity from onboard Greenpeace's Witness boat. A little windy, but a brilliant message. Unison College

07/01/2026

It's UNISON Year of Green Activity and what a hero we have to wish us well!

Chris Packham, tv presenter and wildlife champion is urging is on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4dVp0S874

Sign up here for the official launch event: https://www.unison.org.uk/events/unison-year-of-green-activity-official-launch-event/?utm_campaign=Copy%20of%20Activist%207%20Jan%20-%20for%20staff&utm_content=Sign%20up%20to%20the%20Year%20of%20Green%20Activity%20launch%20event&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Communications

https://www.unison.org.uk/2026-unison-year-of-green-activity/

06/01/2026

Our Lincolnshire '6 Book Challenge' is now underway. If you are a Lincolnshire member and would like to be a 'Reading Champion' to run it in your workplace get in touch via: https://eastmidlands.unison.org.uk/learning-lincs/

Below are just some of the 700 books Champions will be able to give out!

05/01/2026

This year is the 100th anniversary of the 1926 General Strike. As part of this history, the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Labour History Society are organising a talk on 7 February in Nottingham.

Non-members are welcome.

10/12/2025

We are pleased to say that members received £6,877 in learning grants during 2025.

27/11/2025

Great news from Lincolnshire where our ULRs have secured £3000 of funding to run 3 projects that support literacy, numeracy and IT across the county. If YOU are a Lincolnshire member, you can help!

The first of these will be to recruit UNISON 'Reading Champions' in workplaces to encourage members to get reading. Each Champion will be given Reading Ahead Diaries and Certificates as well as a good selection of books.

If you would like to be a Reading Champion, please visit: https://eastmidlands.unison.org.uk/learning-lincs/

What's Reading Ahead? https://readingagency.org.uk/get-reading/our-programmes-and-campaigns/reading-ahead/

Lincs Police Unison Branch Unison Lincolnshire Health Branch

20/11/2025

Welcome to our new UNISON East Midlands ULRs who completed their training this week!

17/10/2025

Welcome to our newest Union Learning Reps who completed their training in Northampton this week. Really looking forward to see how all their brilliant plans go. Good luck!

23/09/2025

Financial Wellbeing Week is coming! Join us this November for a packed programme of webinars to help you get to grips with your finances, now and in the future.

* NHS Pensions Explained
* Making the Most of Your UNISON Membership
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* Basic Maths: Money Maths
* UNISON Debtline: Payplan
* Our relationship with money
* Every Penny Counts

Find out more and sign up here: https://learning.unison.org.uk/financial-wellbeing-week-2025/

17/07/2025

Our Union Learning Reps (ULRs) in Northants work together as 'UNISON Northants Learning' to put on courses for members across the county. Last night was our second 'Critical Bleed' course which was delivered by a UNISON ULR (and Paramedic). These sessions are even more important due to the increase in knife crime in the area.

22 UNISON members from the NHS, Local Authorities, and Police attended, and the Northants Learning team funded a Critical Bleed kit for the Doddridge Centre.

They are already planning for a 'Hidden Disabilities' month in the Autumn (Psychosis, Chron's & Colitis, Diabetes, Deaf Awareness etc) - Details of what they've run can be found here: https://eastmidlands.unison.org.uk/northantslearning/

Why not join us? The next Northampton ULR training is in October - https://eastmidlands.unison.org.uk/learning-reps/

UNISON branches in Northamptonshire have donated a critical bleed control kit to The Doddridge Centre in St James as part of a growing initiative to

14/07/2025

Whilst UNISON isn't affiliated to the GFTU, members can still access some of their amazing courses.

This one, a monthly online Zoom class on Trade Union and Working Class History is a must and runs from Sept 2025 - July 2026. It is free for both affiliates and non-affiliates.

https://gftuet.org.uk/courses/trade-union-and-working-class-history

08/07/2025

Ever wondered about the value of UNISON learning? (Apart from the confidence it gives members. And the opportunities it provides. And the new activists it creates. And the sense of community it fosters.) Well, apart from that, our 2025 learning survey indicates that a huge number of our members see it as a 'real added value' for their membership.

“Learning makes us grow intellectually and boosts self-confidence. Having access to learning makes membership dues worth paying and improves the sense of belonging to a formidable union that cares” - just one of the many comments made by a UNISON East Midlands member.