Latest News

RLN secures funding until 2011 - 24 March 2009

After talks with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and East Midlands Development Agency, the Regional Language Network (RLN) East Midlands is very pleased to announce that funding for language and cultural business support has been secured until March 2011.

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Weak pound 'strengthens foreign placements' - 09 February 2009

The tumbling value of the pound has had an unexpected benefit for Nottinghamshire firms looking for short-term skilled help, the Chamber of Commerce has claimed.

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce's International Student Placement Office (ISPO) has had its busiest January since the service began, as foreign students find the UK a more attractive place to gain work experience.

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Scholarship to study German - 30 January 2009

Derby’s envoy from its twin city in Germany is looking for someone to take up a scholarship to a summer language school.

The University of Applied Sciences, in Osnabruck, and Osnabruck City Council are jointly awarding a scholarship for a person from Derby to attend the 16th International Summer Language School.

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English lessons for migrant workers at Boston Library - 23 January 2009

New arrivals to the UK are being given the chance to learn English through a new scheme at Boston library. Let's Meet and Talk holds meetings once a month and sees migrants join local residents to chat and take part in fun activities.

Organisers Lincolnshire County Council say the aim is to help new arrivals get to grips with the English language and customs while also giving local residents a chance to learn first-hand about foreign cultures.

Community engagement officer Alona Tirzite said:

"It's a great way to bringing together people from different cultures, helping build bridges between different areas of the community."

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Costa Coffee staff making an effort - 17 January 2009

Staff at Costa Coffee in Nottingham have been working to make the store more accessible to deaf customers with some staff learning sign language.

Assistant manager at the Friar Lane outlet Mark Bull, who has just started learning, said: "People consider learning a different language but no one really thinks about sign language as a separate language."

Alison Ash, welfare rights officer at Notts Deaf Society, said: "The best place to go for a coffee as a deaf person is Costa. They are very deaf-friendly. They make you feel comfortable as they have staff who can sign and they really make an effort if they don't understand you."

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Beeston pupils create Chinese New Year puppet show - 17 January 2009

Pupils at Alderman White School and Language College school have created a puppet show as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations. Musician Ling Peng and puppeteer Melvyn Rawlinson have worked with pupils to bring the ancient Chinese 'monkey' stories to life.

The show will be performed for the first time at the Beeston Chinese New Year celebration on January 31, before a second performance at the finale Lakeside event on February 1.

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School sees 93% of pupils get a good language grade - 15 January 2009

For the first time this year, the performance tables show the percentage of pupils gaining one or more A* to C grade GCSE in a modern foreign language and Derby’s independent schools came out top in the table. 93% of pupils at Derby High School, in Littleover, with 43 pupils in the year group, passed one or more higher grade language GCSE whilst 91% of pupils at Derby Grammar School also achieved this.

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Global Day at Calverton School - 12 January 2009

Pupils from Colonel Frank Seely School in Calverton are holding an event to promote international citizenship. A Global Day on Wednesday, January 21, will feature a history lesson about Namibia and a maths lesson in German. There will also be foreign language taster sessions and a continental cookery competition, judged by Louise Luiggi, of French Living restaurant, in Nottingham.

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Cost of interpreters at Derby hospital rises - 01 January 2009

The cost of interpreting for hospital patients who do not speak English has risen by more than £30,000.

Derby Hospitals NHS Trust spent £211,133 on interpreting services from April 2007 and March 2008, with hundreds of patients in need of help every month. This compared with £180,200 the previous year.

Rachel Murfin, who is in charge of the service, said the rise was partly due to an increased use of professional interpreters rather than relying on patients' family members and friends.

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