THE new Farncombe Estate Adult Learning Centre was launched when Peter Luff, MP for Mid Worcestershire,cut a special cake.

Jorgen Philip-Sorensen, proprietor of Sorven Holdings Ltd, the group which owns the Estate, and Mr Luffwere joined last Friday by 300 guests from Worcestershire and Gloucestershire

councils, tourist informationoffices, local businesses and the National Trust.

The Farncombe Estate Adult Learning Centre has joined forces with the Adult Residential Colleges Association to launch the new facility for adult learning at the Cotswold Conference Centre.

"There are no other facilities offering residential, adult learning courses in the county," said William Reddaway, head of Life-Long Learning at the Centre.

"People interested in adult learning can now benefit from a greater choice in where they learn and which subjects they take."

He added: "By launching this new residential service we are offering people a chance to try out something new, or learn a little more about an existing interest in the glorious

surroundings of the Cotswolds."

Mr Reddaway said when Mr Philip-Sorensen merged Group 4 with Flack of Denmark in 2000 he retained the 300-acre estate and established the Cotswold Conference Centre, Two years later Nick Akerman, CCC marketing manager, started to discuss with the Adult Residential Colleges Association, the possibility of running weekend study breaks.