WEA courses

This course is designed to ignite your creativity and equip you with the knowledge and skills to craft stunning, personalised greeting cards to delight friends and family over the festive season. Whether you're a beginner or have some experience in card making you'll learn a variety of techniques and fold styles to create unique professional looking cards that will wow your recipients. On this course we will look at: · design principles · Bought or made card bases? · different crafting techniques · the use of various materials and tools · Dimension and bling. We will use a variety of fun folds, including pop-up and diorama, to create our stunning showstopper cards. Crafting is known to enhance your mental well-being, helping to manage the stress we often feel at this time of year so come and join our friendly supportive group of like minded crafters and make something gorgeous!

This online course is a great way to build more confidence in creating your own pieces of textile work with fabric and basic stitching, and adds another dimension to other textile landscape courses run by the WEA. The course is suitable for improvers who completed textiles landscapes-based courses previously but this time we are taking to the air! Expand your experience with creative textiles and build on using simple stitching to add texture and details. You will have the opportunity to come up with your own ideas and create a textile landscape picture viewed from the air with tutor guidance using the techniques you will be learning throughout the sessions; each learner will have a unique composition at the end of the course.

Are you interested in creative writing as a tool for well being? We will explore creative writing as therapy or personal memoir as a tool for well being and developing writing skills, imagination and confidence and look at different ways of writing about life experience, memory, incidents and details that illustrate a narrative and how the use of imagination can often lead to the development of a story or poem.

Welcome to the Level 1 Dressmaking course! This course is designed for beginners and improvers and will follow on from our Dressmaking for Improvers course. We will cover the basics of dressmaking. You will learn how to use a sewing machine, take measurements, and follow simple patterns. You will also learn from each other about little tricks you can use in sewing. The course includes practical projects where you will create your own garments. By the end of the course, you will be able to sew basic dresses and make simple alterations. Join us to develop your sewing skills in a supportive and friendly environment!

This workshop will re-examine the golden rule in creative writing “Show don’t tell.” With published extracts from a variety of genres, both fiction and creative non- fiction, you will see what is meant by effective showing. How emotions, thoughts, reactions are described rather than explained to make the story so much more engaging. You’ll learn how to apply this to your work with great effect. Rather than ‘don’t tell’ you’ll learn where telling and summary are essential for pace and plot. This course is intended for those who have some experience of creative writing.

Seated yoga is a wonderful way to start your day. Mindfulness is a technique you can learn which involves noticing what is happening in the present moment, without any judgement of self or others. You might take a moment to notice and be aware of your mind, how your body is communicating with you and your surroundings. This deeply relaxing technique has roots in Buddhism. Join me in this very relaxed and friendly session to find more flexibility and some inner peace. · become more self-aware · feel calmer and less stressed · feel more able to choose how to respond to your thoughts and feelings · cope with difficult or unhelpful thoughts · be kinder towards yourself.

Over 5 hours in one weekend, you’ll set a daily achievable goal, refresh an element of story craft through the tutor’s stimulating exercises and extracts from published texts and write! We’ll immerse ourselves in short and longer writing exercises and get feedback from the tutor and peers when you share in pairs. Imagine the amount of work and momentum you’ll build over these two mornings. Set yourself up for success.

Get into the festive spirit with our Craft: Christmas Craft course. Create beautiful handmade decorations and gifts in this fun, hands-on course. Ideal for crafters of all skill levels.

Join us for a creative Card Making course at Parkstone Connect, a vibrant day centre dedicated to adults with learning difficulties. Our welcoming environment fosters creativity and fun. Participants will explore a variety of card-making techniques, including stamping, embossing, and die-cutting, to craft beautiful, personalized cards. Led by experienced tutors, the course provides all materials and offers step-by-step guidance, ensuring everyone can enjoy the process and create stunning cards to share with loved ones. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a complete beginner, our supportive community is here to help you unleash your artistic potential.

This festive course combines the joys of holiday crafting and cooking to help participants prepare for a memorable Christmas season. Students will learn to create beautiful handmade decorations, gifts, and ornaments, as well as delicious holiday treats and meals. Through hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and interactive activities, participants will develop skills in various crafts and culinary techniques, all centred around the Christmas theme. This course aims to inspire creativity, bring out holiday cheer, and equip students with the skills to make their Christmas celebrations special and personal.