English UK Central is one of the oldest regional groupings of language centres, and covers the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, most of Derbyshire and northern Gloucestershire.

The group was originally formed in 1992 as part of a tourist initiative but became English UK Central in 2009. It currently has eleven members which include small privately owned schools for adults and professionals and one exclusively for juniors, members of larger chains, three secondary schools for international students and one FE college.

English UK Central's promotional activities concentrate on inbound Fam trips, as over the years they have found that these work best both for their own members and for agents. The group runs two or three trips a year, with anything between 6 and 30 agents. Each trip lasts for about a week, visits all  of the member centres for several hours, and includes social events during the evenings.

"These trips are very successful in bringing new business to the region. It's rather like when you went on holiday as a child – you never forget the places. Same for the agents," says Rick Johns of the group.

English UK Central members meet about four times a year to decide how the group should proceed, with the emphasis on fun. Members actively promote each other, often work together closely, and exchange enquiries.

Why study in the English UK Central region? Rick Johns says: "English UK Central is your home from home. We are the first region you come to when you leave London which means the geographical location is fantastic. You can have all the advantages of being in London or Oxford but without any of the disadvantages, yet you can still visit these places on a day trip. You can also easily get to Wales in the west, the Cotswolds in the south, Shakespeare country in the east, Robin Hood country in the north, and right in the centre you have Birmingham, Britain's second city and one of the most exciting and progressive cities in the UK. You can be 'away from it all' yet 'in the thick of the action' at the same time!"

Find out more  about English UK Central, on its own website by clicking here.