So here I am, now on my last day with Sheffield City Council, after eight years growing the Children's University. Okay, so there was a brief interruption when I was made redundant but that gave me a reason to look out across the city to a broader horizon. I am staggered that there are now 15,000 children in Sheffield who are part of this little project. But it's not all about numbers, it's about encouraging children to seize opportunities to try new things. It is about spreading the message that learning is wonderful, learning is fun. It is time for me to move on now, to leave it to others to shape and strengthen, tighten up and polish so that it survives and shines on into the future. There is a talented team in Sheffield, running the show against challenging odds in difficult times. Across the country there are many and various versions of Children's University where determined people are working long hours and making magic. I hope that in another thirty years or so we will be celebrating 50 years of a joined up Children's University that it is as widely known and valued as is the Open University. It is a university without walls, the first step to lifelong learning.
