Community Learning newsletter - July 2018
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The summer holidays are here!
The summer
holidays are upon us and as the term ends, we are reflecting on the
highlights. Community Learning marked
the Festival of Learning in June with a series of courses which included, yoga, Indian cookery, pet first aid and customer service. Everyone on a course enjoyed some tasty
treats and a certificate of attendance. The Festival of Learning is the
biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England. Its mission is to highlight the benefits of
learning, celebrate achievements of adults who have used learning to transform
their lives, and to encourage everyone to embrace lifelong learning. Why not
try one of our courses for yourself? Visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/community-learning
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Kieth's curry favourites
Kieth Naylor from the Council's Public Health Team joined in with our curry favourites
session in June, where he learnt how to prepare a tasty, authentic curry with
our fabulous tutor Raminder Birchall.
Here’s what Kieth had to say about it…
"When I got Community Learning’s leaflet through the post I was surprised to learn they do lifestyle classes and not just courses for business and IT. I found out they were running an Indian cookery class and as we love spicy food in our house, I thought it would be great to learn how to cook from scratch. I've always been intimidated by all the spices and special ingredients but our teacher was brilliant! Raminder told us how different families develop their own traditions and cook in different ways and different regions also have different recipes which means that you can cook the same recipe in loads of different ways - and it was actually really easy! We made some very tasty samosas and a couple of weeks later, I made some more to take on holiday. I enjoyed it so much, I enrolled for the main meals course during the summer term and soon hope to be cooking my very own Indian banquet!"
For further information about our cookery classes for the autumn term, visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/community-learning
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It’s not just
cookery classes on offer next term. Our new brochure for the autumn term has been released
and it contains a vast array of courses in computing, arts, crafts and
well-being, in addition to a range of skills for work courses to enhance
employability. Courses include life
coaching, watercolour painting, yoga, e-safety, website development,
first aid, health and safety and more!
The new brochure
and all of the courses can be viewed by visiting www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/community-learning
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Our English learners recently enjoyed a visit to South Hill Park.
They were researching the opinions of the general public and staff on
the centre's facilities, in order to write a magazine article. After completing their questionnaires, they
visited the house.
As
luck would have it, a member of staff was on hand to give a guided tour of the site. The tour included the cellar, theatre, cinema, print room, ceramics and art workshops plus an
art exhibition! Their guide answered questions from the students
about the history of the house, the ghosts of SHP and the events and activities
which take place there today.
As
if this wasn’t enough of a treat, there was an opportunity to go back stage to
see the prop making room. The guide explained how the props were
made from small scale models, some of which were on view in the theatre
foyer. Also on show was a Victorian printing press and students discovered that
original features of the old house kitchen were still visible in the ceramics
workshop today. The day was completed with an opportunity to explore the
maze and a photo opportunity by the 150 year old magnolia trees. It was a
fantastic opportunity for the students to practise their English whilst learning about this beautiful building.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in gaining a qualification in English, come along to one of the assessment days on either 4th or 6th September. Email community.learning@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to arrange an appointment.
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Our team of
tutors has recently been boosted by the addition of Martin Edwards who joins us
to teach our 'Create your own website' course and Ellen Jewell who joins us to
teach a variety of art-based courses.
Martin said: 'I’m delighted
to be a new tutor for Community Learning and hope to pass on my passion
for building websites and being safe online. I built my first website in 2001
and have been a full time web developer for over ten years now. Although I have
a degree in an unrelated subject, I’m mostly self-taught in web design, and
that’s why I love it so much, because anyone can begin to learn it and have endless
fun learning real world IT skills, plus seeing your work go on to the world
wide web.'
The 'Create your
own website’ course takes place at Bracknell Open Learning Centre on Monday and
Tuesday, 19 and 20 November, 6.30pm – 9.30pm.
Visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/community-learning to book a place.
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Come along and meet Ellen who will be teaching the 'Collage' and 'Book art' courses here at Bracknell Open Learning Centre in the autumn term. You will learn how to make a picture using different media and paper from found images on the collage course which runs on Thursdays 4, 11 and 18 October, 11am - 1pm. Why not learn how books can be made into various forms of art on the 'Book art' course, Thursdays 1 - 22 November, 11am - 1pm? Visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/community-learning to find out more or to book a place.
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Thank you to everyone who has taken part in learning this year. With a successful Ofsted, refreshed curriculum and increasing numbers of people learning with us, it's been a good year! The key part of our success is working with our subcontractors and partners in the council and these include Children's Centres and the Family Intervention Team. Our subcontractors provide learning on our behalf and we would like to thank Involve and the recently renamed Silva Homes (formerly Bracknell Forest Homes) for their continued partnership work with us. Silva Homes owns and manages around 6,200 rented homes, including 400 sheltered housing flats, as well as 1,200 leaseholder properties in the area. Involve are the local support organisation for voluntary, community and faith groups in the boroughs of Bracknell Forest and Wokingham. For information about either of these organisations visit www.involve.community or www.silvahomes.co.uk
 
From everyone in Community Learning and the Open Learning Centre, we wish you all an enjoyable summer break and look forward to seeing you in the autumn term.
Keep up to date
visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/community-learning
www.facebook.com/bracknellopenlearning
Find out more about what is going on at other leisure facilities across Bracknell Forest
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