After nearly 40 years…

The local WEA was formed 40 years ago this year

A group of locals formed the WEA West Bergholt Branch nearly 40 years ago on Tuesday 20th October 1981. They launched their first ‘season’ of lectures in spring 1982 on the topic of “The Citizen and the Law – criminal, family, and consumer”; local lawyers presented the course.

Imperial China might be the last course after nearly 40 years

They started their most recent series on “Imperial China: Land and People” in spring 2021 was curtailed because of the Covid 19 lockdown 1; they did manage to complete nine of the ten weeks of this excellently presented subject though.

Continue reading “After nearly 40 years…”

Imperial China – Land & People: A WEA Course

The Great Wall of China

An early emperor in Imperial China Xia DynastyImperial China – Land & People

The first WEA course of the decade is on the subject of Imperial China.  China, as one of the oldest continuous civilisations, is currently undergoing dramatic change; it has emerged as a major world economy.

David Prynn investigates more than 4,000 years of China’s turbulent past and brilliant cultural achievements prior to the Xinhai Revolution in 1911.

You will learn about the dynasties from the Continue reading “Imperial China – Land & People: A WEA Course”

First French, now Spanish as Language for Fun Expands

French language for Fun

Language for Fun

First French, now Spanish as Language for Fun Expands

Two and a half years ago Rachel Brown introduced French Language for Fun classes for adults to the village.  These have been going so well that Rachel has expanded, adding new French classes to the timetable as well as Spanish classes, and is now joined by more lovely language tutors.

French or Spanish?

For those who prefer “tapas and vino” to  “escargots and “vin blanc“, Continue reading “First French, now Spanish as Language for Fun Expands”

Gardens in British Art follows Pakistan Perspective

A typical Garden in Art from 19th Century
Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargeant, 1885

Gardens in British Art

The most recent WEA course, Perspectives of Pakistan, is coming to an end and has been well received, read about it below. The new year sees a new course starting led by Sue Pownall.  It will address “Art Appreciation: Gardens in British Art in the 19th & 20th Centuries.”

This course explores how gardens have been Continue reading “Gardens in British Art follows Pakistan Perspective”

Perspectives of Pakistan – 1847 to Malala Yousafzai

Perspectives of Pakistan – 1847 to Malala Yousafzai

Led by Graham Platts, Perspectives of Pakistan is title of the next course being run by the WEA.

Pakistan is both an old and a new country. Its people are hospitable yet sometimes wary of outsiders. The course explores some fascinating contradictions of this little understood nation.  This included its place in a very diverse region and the historic cultural influences of its neighbours on north-west India.

The arrival of the British brought new changes; we can see this in microcosm through the history of a school between 1847 and the present day. We follow the process of India’s Partition – the events that led to it and the circumstances in which it came about – before reviewing Pakistan’s progress in the aftermath.

The course considers the achievements of some artists (men and women) and those involved in sports; this will be followed by the story of Malala Yousafzai who has gained international recognition through her campaigning for girls’ education. Finally, we ask what it is like to live and work in Pakistan in the 21st century, arriving at some humorous as well as more challenging conclusions.

About Graham Platts

Graham is a former school Principal who worked in Oman and Pakistan (2000-2011), now retired and living in Ipswich. He has had happy encounters with WEA branches in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk; he hopes to visit others in the future. Graham is interested the development of the English language, Medieval English literature (especially Chaucer), and The Sultanate of Oman.

Working with adults is fun! It is good for both tutor and student to open up to some new learning experiences outside our working lives and indulge our curiosity about the world and human achievements. As well as being a keen reader and researcher, I enjoy music and sing in local choirs.

Enrolment

The course runs for 9 weeks starting at 8pm on Tuesday 19th September in the Methodist Hall.  The charge for the course is £48.60,  you can enrol now online at wea.org.uk (course reference C2224461) or by calling 0300 303 3464 Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm.  If you decide the course isn’t for you, the WEA will reimburse you.

To find out more you can also contact the local WEA contact, Gill Poole on 01206 240512 or by email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].

 

French for Fun Expanding With 3 New Sessions

French language for Fun

French language for FunFrench for Fun Expanding

Two years ago Rachel Brown introduced French for Fun classes for adults to the village.  These have been going so well that Rachel is now expanding and is offering 3 new sessions each week starting from 19th September; subject to demand she may also be able to offer an Advanced Class.

Introduction to Rachel & the Classes

Were you put off at school but wonder if you could still manage to speak French, wanting to go to France and not need to keep referring to a phrase book (or Google translate), perhaps you want to do business with a French company or just want to see if you can – well local resident Rachel Brown is expanding her French for Fun language classes for adults in September so you can now put dates in your diary.

  • Tuesday mornings (NEW) – Improvers 10:00am – 11:15am
  • Tuesday evenings – Beginners Plus 6:45pm – 8:00pm
    (NEW) – Beginners 8:0pm – 9:15pm
  • Wednesday mornings (NEW) – Beginners 10:00am – 11:15am
  • Wednesday evenings – Intermediate – 6:30pm – 8:00pm
    – Improvers Plus – 8:00pm – 9:15pm

Rachel fell in love with French aged 11 and is passionate about the language.  She took a degree in French and Business and has had a 30 year international banking career.  This has seen her working with businesses of all types in the UK, France and Belgium.  She promises that the classes will be fun and informal with no homework or exams.  They will be structured to make sure progress is made, using tried and tested “Language for Fun” methods and materials.

The classes, which cost £130 per person per 10-week term (including all materials & refreshments), will all be held in the village.

More Information?

To find out more you can call Rachel on 07772 918097, contact contact her by email, [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”] or visit the Language for Fun website.

Films & Literature

Film-&-LiteratureFilms & Literature

Films & Literature is the topic of the upcoming WEA course starting at 8pm on 13th September.   The course will investigate the way books & cinema have influenced the other as David Read, the tutor, says:

From the early days of cinema to the present day film has shared with the novel a passion for storytelling. Early pioneer of the Silent Film D W Griffiths, cited the novels of Dickens as an influence on his technique and to this day film makers continue to use literature as an inspiration.

Films/books that we will consider in the study are “The Great Gatsby” and “Pride & Prejudice”.

What will it be like?

WEA classes are friendly and supportive.  You will work in groups and with the whole class, sharing ideas and views and giving and receiving feedback.  The WEA tutor uses a range of different teaching and learning methods and will encourage you to be actively involved in your learning.  You will get the texts for the following week each session and might find it it useful to supplement them with some internet research or background reading.

By the end of the course you should be able to:

  • make informed judgements about the success or otherwise of film adaptations of literary works;
  • identify similarities of form and content across the two media;
  • describe the narrative techniques used by writers and film makers;
  • describe the stylistic techniques used by writers and film makers.

wealogoFind out more

The course will run for 9 evenings at the Methodist Hall, Chapel lane, and will cost £47.25.  (If you are on low income and benefits, let the organiser know, the fee may be waived).  If you would like to find out more contact Gill on 01206 240512, you are also most welcome to try the first evening for free.

 

French for Fun

French language for FunFrench for Fun

Were you put off at school but wonder if you could still manage to speak French, wanting to go to France and not need to keep referring to a phrase book (or Google translate), perhaps you want to do business with a French company or just want to see if you can – well local resident Rachel Brown is starting up French for Fun language classes for adults in January so you can now put a date in your diary.

Rachel fell in love with French aged 11 and is passionate about the language. She took a degree in French and Business and has had a 30 year international banking career working with businesses of all types in the UK, France and Belgium.

She promises that the classes will be fun and informal with no homework or exams, but still structured to make sure progress is made, using tried and tested “Language for Fun” methods and materials.  Classes will be for all levels according to demand – beginners, improvers, intermediate and advanced. To start with, she will probably only be offering beginners and improvers but this could change subject to demand.

Starting on 20th January (until 26th March), classes will run every Wednesday in terms/blocks of 10 weeks (roughly in line with the school year), provisionally (depending on demand) they will be:

  • 7pm-8pm Beginners French – suitable for complete beginners.
  • 8.15pm-9.15pm  Improvers French – suitable for those who have done some French in the past but feel a bit rusty.
  • Further classes will be added in due course for other levels.

The classes, which will cost £120 per person per term (including all materials & refreshments) will be held at 23 Lexden Road where there is  ample off- and on-road parking available.

Free Launch Event

To find out more you can attend Rachel’s Free Launch Event on Wednesday 6 January 2016 – 7pm-9pm at St Mary’s Church Hall, New Church Road, West Bergholt – come along for wine, soft drinks and nibbles and find out more about our stress free, fun French language classes for adults.  Or, if you can’t wait, call her on  01206 241555 or 07772918097, contact by email, [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”] or visit the Language for Fun website.

The Great War: Fact, Myth & Memory

British soldiers in a captured German trench
British soldiers in a captured German trench
A German trench occupied by British Soldiers near the Albert-Bapaume road at Ovillers-la-Boisselle, July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. The men are from A Company, 11th Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment.
Source : Wikipedia

How appropriate that in the centenary year of the beginning of the Great War, acclaimed at the time as the war to end all wars (or was it?), that the WEA have provided details of their next course:

The WEA (Workers Education Association) runs 2 courses each year the first beginning in September and the other in January. Our next course is The Great War: Fact, Myth and Memory by Roger Beckett and starts on 23rd September 2014 at 8 pm. This course attempts to consider the Great War as an historical event, to separate fact from myth and to place the events of 1914-1918 in the context of Europe in the 20th century. All are welcome and if in doubt to sample the first evening for free. It will take place at the Methodist Hall, Chapel Lane at a cost of £48 for 10 weeks (income based benefits/JSA free). For more details contact Gill on 240512 or email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]

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