WAES Celebrates Mayor of London Adult Learning Awards Wins
Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) is celebrating after two members of its community won top honours at the Mayor of London Adult Learning Awards 2026, while a third finalist was recognised with a highly commended award.
Former learner Elise Harrison was named Inspirational Adult Learner of the Year, while former WAES Welfare Officer Ali Kanu, who recently joined Making The Leap, won the Mayor of London Inspirational Professional in Adult Education Award. WAES Digital Learning Technologist Adam Walker was also awarded Highly Commended in the same category.
Held at London City Hall, the annual awards celebrate the transformational impact of adult learning across London and recognise learners, professionals, providers, employers and community organisations that are helping Londoners achieve their potential.
Inspirational Adult Learner of the Year
Elise Harrison’s journey demonstrates the life-changing impact of adult learning.
After overcoming significant personal challenges, including rebuilding her life through recovery from alcohol dependency and receiving diagnoses of autism and ADHD in adulthood, Elise enrolled at WAES to pursue her passion for graphic design. She progressed rapidly through creative courses, achieved a Distinction at Level 3, exhibited her work at the prestigious UAL Origins Creatives 2025 exhibition and secured industry experience through internships and work placements.
The experience helped her transform both her confidence and career prospects. Elise has since secured employment with substance misuse and mental health charity Via, where she uses her lived experience to support others.
Speaking in her award video, Elise said:
“Adult education is vital. There’s so many people like me who have maybe had undiagnosed neurodivergence or dyslexia and they’ve struggled throughout their life. Having adult education places is just so important because people can change their lives.”
You can read more about Elise on her Learner Stories page.
Inspirational Professional in Adult Education
Ali Kanu received the Mayor of London Inspirational Professional in Adult Education Award in recognition of his outstanding commitment to supporting learners facing complex personal challenges in his time as a Welfare Officer at WAES.
Ali worked with learners experiencing issues including financial hardship, homelessness, mental health difficulties, immigration issues and safeguarding concerns, helping ensure that no learner was prevented from achieving their potential because of circumstances beyond their control.
Known for his compassionate and collaborative approach, he built strong partnerships with housing providers, healthcare professionals, charities and community organisations to help learners access the support they needed to remain engaged in education and move towards brighter futures.
In his award video, Ali described the importance of welfare support in adult education:
“Welfare has given people an opportunity to have a voice… we can signpost you in the right direction and provided that you have that drive and determination to see your situation change, change is more than possible.”
Highly Commended recognition for Adam Walker
WAES was also delighted to see Adam Walker, Digital Learning Technologist, receive a Highly Commended award in the Inspirational Professional in Adult Education category.
Adam was nominated for his innovative work developing WAES’s immersive learning room, creating interactive experiences that help learners, particularly those with special educational needs, develop confidence, independence and practical life skills in a safe and supportive environment. His work has also helped colleagues explore new approaches to digital learning and inclusion across the organisation.
A proud day for WAES
The three recognitions highlight the breadth of adult education’s impact, from supporting learners to transform their lives and careers, to the dedicated professionals who help make those journeys possible every day.
Arinola Edeh CBE, Principal at WAES, said:
“Seeing Elise and Ali named as winners, and Adam highly commended, is a wonderful achievement and a proud moment for all of us at WAES. Each of them represents a different aspect of what makes adult education so powerful: the courage to start again and transform your life, the commitment to remove barriers for others, and the creativity to make learning more accessible and inclusive. These awards highlight the extraordinary talent, determination and compassion that exist across adult education, and we are delighted to see all three recognised by the Mayor of London Adult Learning Awards.”
The success comes hot on the heels of WAES being named Learning Provider of the Year at the Get the Nation Learning Awards 2026 and the release of its latest Ofsted inspection report with nine ‘Strong standard’ scores.
The awards were hosted by Baasit Siddiqui from Gogglebox, who spoke entertainingly about his story and background working in education. Historian Olivette Otele described movingly how “education is a calling, it’s not just a title or a job” and “lifelong learning challenges our assumptions about others and about ourselves”. Other speakers included Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London, as well as Emma Roberts from WorldSkills UK and Phil Wilkinson from Ascentis.
Press coverage
- FE Week: Afghan learner and artist among London adult learning awards finalists
- FE Week: Mayor of London Adult Learning Awards: 10 winners revealed
