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City College Adult Learner is New Voice of Speaking Clock

12 January 2007

Sara Mendes da Costa, an Adult Learner at City College Brighton and Hove, has won the iconic role of being the fourth 'permanent' voice of the BT Speaking Clock. Sara, from Brighton, was one of 15 finalists who were short-listed from the 18,405 people who entered the competition. The competition also raised £200,000 for BBC Children in Need.

Sara was the unanimous choice of a voting panel which included Natasha Kaplinsky, Brian Cobby (the clock's current voice), Alan Dedicoat (the voice of the lottery balls draw) and Chairman of BT, Sir Christopher Bland. The 'warmth and clarity' of her voice won her the prestigious title and her dulcet tones will replace those of Mr Cobby, whose voice has been used since 1986. The clock still receives more than 70 million calls each year from people looking for confirmation of the precise time.

Sara Mendes da Costa

Sara Mendes da Costa

Sara works as a writer and voiceover artist, and just prior to achieving this prestigious role, those soon-to-be-famous vocal skills had been applied to learning new languages at the Connaught Centre ? City College's Adult & Community Learning annexe in Hove. Sara says:

'The courses were great fun. On top of being very educational it was like going back to the fun part of school. I met many, lovely, like minded people who were not only easy to work and learn with but, also great for sharing a lot of laughs with. We all seemed to gain some great skills."

"I studied French and Spanish and managed to get a good grasp of both. Both the teachers were lovely and easy to understand and, overall, the experiences were very good ones."

"I think education as an adult is a first class idea. School years aren't, necessarily, the best years in which to learn. Life, at that time, has so much other enticing stuff to offer. I can't say I was ever desperate to get to school and study and life was much more exciting outside school! As an adult, however, I love learning and have taken it upon myself to fill my brain with subjects that interest and entice me and help to add richness to my life. Adult Education at City College has helped make this possible. It's fabulous to have such easily affordable courses available to people outside office hours. Long may they continue.'

For media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk

About City College Brighton and Hove: Founded over 100 years ago, City College Brighton and Hove has become an international centre of excellence. Every year over 2,000 full-time and 13,000 part time students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their education provider. The College provides training to over 2,000 businesses and has a 'City Business Skills' department which focuses on employers' needs. Offering over 650 courses from basic level to pre-University level, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.