CARDIFF and Vale College has teamed up with Marie Curie Cancer Care to encourage more people from black and minority ethnic communities to use the charity’s services.

The College is one of the largest providers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses in Wales.

ESOL tutor Veronique Whittle brought together a wide range of the College’s ESOL students, reflecting Cardiff and the Vale’s multicultural mix, to raise awareness of Marie Curie and design a charity event.

The event was part of the charity’s new campaign to build stronger links with BME communities.

Shameem Nawaz, community development officer at Marie Curie, said: “We are investigating the barriers that ethnic communities might find when considering us and reducing those barriers.

"I have talked the students through what we provide and the information that we have available and I have asked them what we might be able to do better in future. It has been really helpful for us to get evidence from the College’s ESOL students and we can use it all to move and ensure our services suit everyone regardless of their background.”

One of the students, ESOL Entry 2C learner Ebende Obayuwana, said: “I enjoyed the event which showed me how I can raise funds for the Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth."

Michell Hiller-Forster, CAVC head of quality development, said: “Cardiff and Vale College is dedicated to supporting the local community of the region.

"We are a part of the community we serve and we must reflect the needs of every person who comes to us, and for that reason it is a pleasure to be able to help Marie Curie ensure that their services are tailored to reflect the capital region’s communities.”

The ESOL students’ work to design a charity event for Marie Curie will result in a fund-raiser being held at the College later this year.