A COUNCIL worker who has dedicated himself to taking training to the most remote places in the region has been given an award.

Bob Harris, curriculum manager with Durham County Council's education in the community team, has been named one of the North-East's Adult Learning Inspectorate's (ALI) quality champions.

This recognises the personal efforts of individuals to raise standards both in their organisation and across the education and training sector.

Mr Harris has helped arrange art classes pubs, computing in the stock room of the local shop and lessons in stick making at the village Post Office.

He said: "It opened my eyes to the difference training makes and the positive impact learning can have on the lives of everyone."

He is one of 14 recently awarded ALI quality champions in the area. Others include Mark Anderson, from New College Durham, and Brenda Parsonage, from East Durham and Houghall Community College, Maggie Heaps, from Hartlepool Adult Education, June Pirie, from TTE Technical Training Group, Neil Robson, from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust, and Susan Wheatley, who provides entry to employment services in the Tees Valley.