As children around the region enter a new year of formative education, an impressive range of workshops, studios and one-off classes around Greater Manchester invites parents and adults to do the same, whether you have a desire for creative expression, practicing physical development or learning the fundamentals of affordable culinary sustainability.
From wine tasting to yoga training, here are some of the best adult courses around the city for blossoming hobbies and outright career changes alike.
Featuring sessions on the classic body of yoga postures (asanas), basic sequences, breathwork, healthy alignment principles and more, The Life Centre’s 6-week beginner’s course provides students with a thorough foundation for their practice in a fun, safe space under the tutelage of an experienced teacher every Monday evening.
Operating out of Hope Mill, Creative Art Courses offer a two-day weekend course which caters to ‘absolute beginners’ in a comprehensive, welcoming step-by-step introduction to drawing and painting. Using different tools and styles, participants will learn to ‘banish their worries and confusion’ and discover their ability to create fine art with joy and confidence.
Click the link below to check out the full course structure and book your place.
Promising ‘skills to last a lifetime’, non-profit social enterprise Cracking Good Food run a staggering array of Saturday cooking classes at Parrs Wood High School, with specialised four-hour introductions on a variety of world cuisine including Spanish, North Indian and Malaysian, as well festive breadmaking and a pasta masterclass. Each class is led by an Expert Cooking Leader, who shares their priceless insights into creating delicious, authentic meals from scratch while minimising food waste and encouraging guests to shop locally, organically and seasonally.
The fees from attendees go towards eradicating food poverty in Greater Manchester.
Welcoming all levels from beginner to professional, Bee Creative holds captivating life drawing classes – featuring models of all shapes and ethnicities – on Wednesday evenings in Peter Street’s Impossible Bar. With the promise to make life drawing a fun experience, Bee Creative invites guests to experiment with styles, techniques and form at any pace they wish.
You can book a ‘paper and board’ ticket for £16.99, or have all materials provided for £22.99.
Alongside renowned culinary classes on every cuisine and festive occasion imaginable, Food Sorcery’s Cooking Together programme offers beginners and seasoned cooks alike the chance to create menu favourites with mates and an expert chef, in an atmosphere which is ‘as much about chatting and relaxing as it is about learning and eating’. Featuring sessions on Korean, Japanese, Mexican, American, Sri Lankan, steak and more, as well as Parent and Teen classes, Food Sorcery is South Manchester’s gastronomic haven for every ability and appetite.
Perfect for both complete beginners and regular attendees, Merseyway Workshop’s 4-Week Throwing Course promises a welcoming yet comprehensive introduction to the potter’s wheel, with intimate and insightful tutelage from a group of experts in the cosy Stockport studio. At the end of the month-long course, participants can walk away with their own set of glazed mugs and bowls.
On Sat 16 Sep and Sat 23 Sep at 2pm, Merseyway Workshop also hosts a 2-part class on the art of handbuilding, in which guests will craft and sculpt clay under the advice of the session hosts before adding their own glaze in the second event. Click here to book.
On Sat 30 Sept and Sat 7 Oct, the workshop offers a shortened 2-part quickfire wheelthrowing class in which participants can get a swift handle on the basics of clay-throwing, before creating their own piece, glazing it and taking it home as a souvenir.
Taking place over four delightful hours at Altrincham’s MOST, owner and head baker Matt Townley shares the secrets of making irresistible sourdough across a series of Sunday sessions this autumn. Every class includes a glass of wine, beer or soft drink per participant, a pot of starter and your own sourdough to take home afterwards.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Mon 4 Sep 2023
Formed in 2014, the Northern Wine School has quickly established itself as the region’s pre-eminent scholastic institute for wines and spirits. From beginner courses to advanced programmes on grape-growing, the school offers a comprehensive trajectory for enthusiasts to become experts. They also offer accredited courses on spirits and sake.