Home-start Bedfordshire says “merci” as MP wins them £2,500 prize
Local MP Alex Mayer has scooped a £2,500 cash prize for Home-Start Bedfordshire in a national language-learning competition hosted by Duolingo.
At a lively awards ceremony in Westminster attended by Home-Start Bedfordshire’s Chief Executive Linda Johnson and Duolingo’s famous green owl mascot, the MP handed over her winning cheque to the charity.
Over the last three months Ms Mayer joined more than 200 MPs and peers brushing up their linguistic skills on the Duolingo app. The local MP finished third overall.
With Alex Mayer’s prize donation, Home-Start Bedfordshire can now say “bonjour, ciao, hola” to even more opportunities to offer vital support to families with young children.
Alex Mayer MP said: "I’ve always believed that learning other languages opens up new opportunities and expands our horizons. Duolingo makes it fun. Collecting the XP and winning gems by completing the challenges definitely feels more like a game than studying.
"I’m delighted to be able to support Home-Start with my prize who do great work helping families and young people across Bedfordshire when they need it most.”
Linda Johnson, Chief Executive of Home-Start Bedfordshire, said: "We were very excited to be chosen by Alex Mayer MP as the charity beneficiary of her award. As a children and family charity we believe that learning another language is important because it helps us all to appreciate, understand and communicate with people from other cultures making us more open-minded and considerate to others."