Newsletter December 2022
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Principal’s Update
Whilst the world is very different in so many ways from five years ago, the Guild has achieved a sense of normality quicker than I had hoped for or expected. It has been wonderful to see so many people engaged in activities at the Guild this term. I am proud to write that we have offered and delivered more this term than we did last autumn.
Our community café has become busier as the term has progressed. Work placements for adults with learning disabilities are rarer now than before the pandemic. There is a real sense of achievement with the project. We have great food, in a fab environment and the adults on placement are really enjoying their workplace learning experience. The café staff, the adults on ‘WorkTaste’ placements and I thank you for your support with this new venture for the charity.
Courses starting after the Christmas and New Year celebrations are available to book online now. Please book early if you want to avoid disappointment.
Spring term dates for your diary:
Term starts – 3 January
Half-term break – 20 to 24 February
Term ends – 3 April (Monday)
I hope you and yours have an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas, I look forward to seeing you in January.
With best wishes, Paula
Please RSVP to: charitysupport@guildlifelonglearning.org
New Courses for Spring 2023
🙂 Manage your Stress and Overthinking - Thrive in 2023 begins Tuesday 4 January 2023
Want To Break Free from Negative Thought Patterns, Stop Worrying and Learn to Think More Positively? Then this course is for you!
You will learn some new strategies and practices which will lead you to a more positive and fulfilling life. You will have techniques to curb negative thoughts and overthinking.
This course focuses on various aspects of funerary customs as practiced by Pagans and early Christians. What were the perceptions of afterlife held by Pagans and Christians, and how the monuments they built reflect such differences? The memorials, inscriptions and paintings we will be looking at will help us understanding the ideas people had about religion, family, work and their expectations about life in the other world.
🧊 Glacial Landscapes with John King begins Tuesday 10 January 2023
The course will study the causes and complexities of ice ages in the context of geological time and will concentrate on the last major ice age to affect the planet, the Pleistocene. The course will then look at how ice develops, its concentration in the form of glaciers and ice sheets, and how they behave as systems.
We All Fall Down the Eighties the Age of Polarisation and Extremes begins Tuesday 3 January 2023
The Eighties was a period of flux and change in which the tensions in society and politics tested everything to breaking point. Join Frank Vigon and Steve Millward for this stimulating journey of a truly fascinating era.
🎨 The Strange Case of British Art 1900-1951 begins Wednesday 4 January 2023
The period from the turn of the century until the Festival of Britain represents a dramatic leap forward in in developments in artistic movements in which various “groups” come together to experiment and push forward the boundaries of innovation.
Workshop Of the World: An Industrial Archaeology of Britain, 1700 to 1950 begins Wednesday 4 January 2023
This course showcases 21st century research on the Industrial Archaeology of Britain and the physical evidence for the creation of the world’s first industrial society. From Abraham Derby’s coke powered iron furnace in Ironbridge, to Stephenson’s Liverpool to Manchester railway. It will look at the standing remains of this pivotal period in our history.
🎵 Music Appreciation - First and last thoughts begins Wednesday 4 September ONLINE course
Each week we will listen to some of the first music composed by a particular composer, often before they had developed an individual style, and then some of the music they wrote towards the end of their creative life.
An Introduction to DNA and Historical Studies: an online course begins Thursday 12th January 2023
This course offers newcomers to the subject a straightforward, plain English guide to the relationship between DNA science and our exploration of the past. A ten-week course, it covers five topics:
A comparative survey of DNA science, DNA and its impact on genealogical studies
Archaeological studies, Adoption studies, Genocide studies and genetic genocide.
💍 Beginners Jewellery Making class begins Monday 9 January 2023
Jewellery for All with Hannah welcomes everyone from complete beginners to proficient metalsmiths. This varied and friendly class gives you the chance to meet like-minded people wanting to learn new skills or develop and build on existing knowledge.
Suitable for beginners
Look out for more Guild coach trips after Christmas.
Swan Lake live at Manchester Opera House Thursday 19 January 2023
The Lady level Gallery, The Boodles Story - January 2023
Birmingham's Jewellery Quater - March 2023
Trips to the Opera, Theatre and Ballet - Throughout the year
Day Schools
Image credit @debzagraham
Saturday 14 January 2023
Life Drawing 10am - 1pm
This is the ultimate opportunity to immerse yourself into life-drawing, to spend time in a relaxed and friendly class where time constraints are no issue, and where losing yourself in the drawing process is on the agenda.
Make a set of bangles in a day 10am -4pm
A bangle is the jewellery equivalent of that little black dress everyone should have in their cupboard. It is a great project to lay some firm foundations in jewellery making. You will learn a wide range of jewellery making skills.
Italian Cookery 10am - 1pm
A fun and relaxed way to learn Italian whilst cooking simple, tasty and original dishes you would only find in a typical Italian family kitchen. Please bring suitable containers to take this delicious food away with you. Everything else is supplied.
Casting With Hannah 22nd January 2023 10-4pm
A really fun day for experimenting, suitable for all abilities. Exploring ancient, traditional & modern techniques of casting including cuttlefish, delft sand, water, spaghetti, ice, broom, beans, etc.
Jewellery Repair Shop 29 January 2023 10-1pm
Drop into our jewellery repair shop. Bring your old / worn out / heirloom / costume jewellery and learn how to repair it or repurpose it into something new. Rethread your beads, rework your unloved or broken jewellery.
Sewing machine basics 4th February 2023 10-1pm
This workshop will cover how to thread a sewing machine and basic stitches.
Please bring you own machine.
Make a Tote Bag 18th February 2023 10-1pm
Participants will make a lined Tote Bag. Basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine is required. Materials requirements list will be sent out with course details.
New Groups
W.I.S.R.A.P Warm up, Impro, Script, Rehearse and Perform. A drama class designed to help you with your Drama school/University audition entry day. Robyn will help you to select your modern and classical speeches, to work on Improvisation skills, to perform with other students and have an excellent time. Professional and local amateur actors are most welcome to come along too.
I look forward to seeing you at the first session Wed 4th January. Meeting weekly at 19.30 to 21.30. Bring pen and paper.
Perspectives on Life Discussion Group.
The group is an informal facilitated discussion group. It will suit those who enjoy thought provoking conversation, contemplation and self-reflection. It will be in a guided, supportive, space for those who wish to consider their self-awareness. Please note: This group is entirely about the sharing of ideas and self-reflection. It is not an academic, scientific, religious or political course, or a therapeutic group.
😁 Free drop-in finance clinics 😁 to visitors of the Guild
👋 We will be on hand for a full day, once a month, offering help and support to anyone who has any questions about their personal financial matters.
🥰 Making a positive difference to our clients and our community has been woven into our financial advice business philosophy since day one.
🥳 I am so proud to be able to offer this valuable service to our community and can't wait to get started.
-Ben and Jenna Mulroney
Local Co-op Community Fund Celebration Event
Paula was delighted to accept £2,381.02 from the Co-op's Community Fund to enable the Guild to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid Training.
Huge thanks to Tim Hughes, our community and shared values coordinator, for arranging this wonderful event.
International Evening
You are invited to the Guild's International evening, a social event celebrating European culture.
Tuesday 13 December at 7pm
RSVP to charitysupport@guilslifelonglearning.org
Cheshire Police (Cheshire Constabulary) Wilmslow, working closer together to support our local communities.
Thanks to PCSO Harding for popping by and taking the tour of our wonderful community facility.
" I just want to say a massive thank you to Ali from The Guild for Lifelong Learning for showing me round this wonderful facility we have in Wilmslow.
Very excited to see what we can do going forward, working closer together to support our local communities." GH
Saturday matinee is selling out fast!
Book tickets now
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/wgp
The Dragon of Wantley
(Christmas pantomime)
14 to 17 December 2022
7:15 pm start (Saturday Matinee 2pm start)
£8 per adult (£5 per child)
The Guild for Lifelong Learning, 1 Bourne St, Wilmslow SK9 5HD
Suitable for all the family
Christmas Jumper Day
Thursday 8th December 2022 will be Save the Children's 11th Christmas Jumper Day!
For every £2 that we raise, the UK Government’s promised to double it. So that means double the funds, double the fun.
By pulling on our Christmassy knits and donating, we'll be helping mums and babies stay healthy, and giving them the chance of the future, they deserve.
Join us and donate NOW
Prepare to be entertained by a brand-new collaboration between two popular groups at the Guild!
The Guild Players, and the Guild Creative Writers, are working together to present an evening of theatre and the spoken word, presented in the round. Centred around a short one-act play, it will also include original work by the creative writer’s group, adapted for the stage.
The event will be held on the evening of Saturday, 25th February, during the Guild’s 2023 Spring half-term.
The idea is a joint effort between Matt Smith of the Players, and Gill Rossini, the Guild’s creative writing tutor.
Matt explains: ‘We have very seasoned actors in The Guild Players, producing comedy, drama, fierce emotion and of course, great entertainment. But giving new people a chance to blossom is what our group is all about, and this is a perfect way to display our theatre talents. Alongside the brilliant work of the creative writing group, this is an exciting venture!’
Gill added: ‘The writers at the guild are so talented, I really wanted to showcase some of their work to show how versatile creative writing can be. I am proud that we have such a rich back catalogue of work produced by the Guild writers that we can draw on, and with the expertise of the Guild Players to work with, we know our work is in safe hands!’
It promises to be a fun, relaxed and entertaining evening. We’ll be posting updates nearer the time!
The Guild Players are one of the founding groups of the guild, entertaining audiences since 1926. Producing; two plays, a pantomime and the Wilmslow Festival of One Act Plays every season. If you would like to join, contact: guildplayers@guildlifelonglearning.org.
The Creative Writing Class/Workshop meets every Monday afternoon at 1.30pm, at the guild during term times. Please contact the tutor, Gill, for more details: gillrossini@outlook.com.
This year we have delivered almost 2,000 of our tote bags, we make four types, male, female and teen boy and girl. These have gone to our 32 charities along with almost 3,500 of our Give a Smile dental hygiene packs, most of which were made up in the Guild. We have sent out a further 2,250 small packs for Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and our street homeless five days of dignity bags.
Each is hand-picked by a volunteer with care and then delivered by other volunteer helpers. We run on our people and, as a tiny, grassroots charity we could not do what we do without them. Everyone concerned with BN helps in a voluntary capacity.
This year we have seen an increase in need for what we do and have spent an average of £3,000 each month buying hygiene essentials to supplement donated items. Next year we are launching a new initiative; Suds - Give a Wash Day focusing on laundry detergent, it’s thought that around 40% of people facing hygiene poverty cannot afford washing powder.
We would like to say a really big thank you the marvellous Paula, Ali and Dennis for their unstinting support and kindness to Bare Necessities and, to all of you for keeping our donation box so fully stocked. Please remember in January that we take all unwanted Xmas toiletry gift sets even if you have removed an item!
Very best wishes for the festive season and a happy and healthy 2023.
For all our friends in Chelford.
Connecting Chelford is a voluntary not for profit befriending project established in 2018 run by volunteers.
Connecting Chelford support the delivery of events particularly for the vulnerable and lonely to support people out of their homes safely.
Such an important service, please spread the word
This month’s Scams Awareness Update from Age UK’s Older Persons Scam Awareness & Aftercare Project [Issue 32].
Click the button below the poster to read the full newsletter.
Please cascade to your members, friends, neighbours, colleagues and wider family members, regardless of age or location.
Further information can be found at urgent safety alert for baby self-feeding pillows
