John Widdowson Steps Down As Chair from WEA and Geoff Layer Appointed New Chair of Trustees

WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) Chair of Trustees John Widdowson is stepping down after eight years. Current Vice Chair, Geoff Layer has been appointed as the new Chair. 

John Widdowson’s tenure in his role as Chair of Trustees for leading adult education charity, WEA will come to an end in July 2026. Geoff Layer, the current Vice Chair has been appointed as the new Chair and will begin his appointment in August 2026.  

John worked in further and higher education for over 40 years, spending the last 22 years as Principal and Chief Executive of New College Durham before retiring.  

He said, “It has been a great privilege to serve the WEA as Chair of the Board of Trustees over the past eight years. I’ve enjoyed working together with fellow trustees and staff and will continue to be an advocate and supporter of lifelong learning and this vital charity.” 

Geoff Layer has dedicated over 40 years to post-compulsory education and was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, where he went on to become the institution’s longest serving Vice Chancellor before retiring in 2021.  

He said, “I am deeply honoured to take on the role of Chair of Trustees for the WEA. Having witnessed the impact of the transformative power of lifelong learning, I am truly inspired by the meaningful work this charity delivers. 

I look forward to working alongside colleagues to drive even greater impact for adult learners across England and Scotland.” 

WEA Chief Executive and General Secretary, Simon Parkinson said: ”On behalf of the board and staff, I want to say thank you to John for his commitment and support over the last eight years. I would also personally like to thank him for the support and advice he has offered since I joined the charity. We wish him all the best for the future. 

We’re delighted to welcome Geoff Layer as our new Chair of Trustees, particularly in this climate of continued defunding which we’re addressing with our recently launched Lifelong Learning Labs campaign to evidence the links between lifelong learning and the wider issues our society faces. With Geoff’s vision and leadership, I’m confident we will continue to strengthen our mission to make lifelong learning accessible to adults everywhere.”  

The WEA are a national educational charity with a mission to bring lifelong learning within reach of everyone who needs it, fighting inequality and promoting social justice.  

The WEA works locally to deliver learning opportunities tailored to meet community needs. Especially in communities not served by traditional education where equal access is needed most to reach individuals furthest from opportunity.   

Founded in 1903, the WEA supports lifelong learning, not just to gain skills for work, but also to build resilience, confidence, and community. 

John Widdowson began his career as a lawyer, but worked in Further and Higher Education for nearly forty years, the last twenty-two of which were as Principal and Chief Executive of New College Durham before retiring. In addition to his roles in colleges across the country, John has played a leading role in a number of national educational bodies including the Further Education National Consortium and the Mixed Economy Group of Colleges. He has been a Board member and President of the Association of Colleges and was a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.  
John has published papers and articles on a range of education subjects and has spoken regularly at national and international conferences.  He has a particular interest in the development of college-based Higher Education to provide alternatives to traditional approaches to higher education.  
John was appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees in July 2018. 

Geoff Layer has worked for over 40 years in higher education. Prior to becoming the longest serving Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Geoff was Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Bradford having moved there from Sheffield Hallam and Bedfordshire universities He is now working on strategic developments for Coventry University. 

Throughout his academic career, he has researched and developed access and inclusion issues and has been a member of the Advance HE Board, Chair of the HE Sector’s EDI Committee and Chair of the SLC Stakeholder Forum. He also led the Disabled Student Sector Leadership Group between 2015 and 2018 on behalf of Universities UK and the DfE. In 2019, the Universities Minister appointed him as Chair of the Disabled Students Commission (2019 to 2023) with a brief to challenge the sector to enhance the Disabled Student experience. The Commission produced the Disabled Student Commitment based on disabled student feedback and engagement. In 2021, the Disabilities Minister appointed him as Disability Access Ambassador for Universities. He was also the Chair of the SLC Disabled Student Special Interest Group. He was a member of the QAA Advisory Committee for Degree Awarding powers for 8 years and many other sector committees focusing on learning and teaching and widening participation. 

He has always been active in the regions where he has worked including being a member of the West Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council, member of the Black Country Local Enterprise Board and Vice President of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce. 

He became Chair of the Board at Fircroft Residential Adult Education College in 2021 and has been a trustee of the WEA since 2019. He is a member of the Board of Governors at Teesside University and a Council Member at the University of Gloucestershire. He is an Honorary Fellow of Leeds College of Music and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

He is a passionate Sunderland fan and is a Vice President of Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club.