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Whether it’s your New Year’s Resolution to learn a new skill, you want to broaden your creative horizons, or perhaps you simply want to meet new people in a fun and rewarding environment. Taking a class or short course is the perfect way to learn a skill, make a few friends and develop your confidence.
From painting to rock climbing and everything in between, there’s plenty of choice in and around Cheltenham to explore and develop a new skill. Read on below for our roundup of the highlights...
Food & Drink
Want to cook a three-course banquet to impress your friends? Or simply brush up on the fundamentals. Create show-stopping cocktails for your next party or even brew your own beer. These classes will give you the culinary tools to delight even the fussiest of eaters…
Gin infusion and Indian cooking at Memsahib’s Lounge
At Memsahib’s Lounge, Cheltenham’s premiere underground cocktail lounge, you can learn to infuse gin and cook incredible Indian cuisine at the same time.
Savour the delights of your very own infused gin and a delicious dish from their expert Memsahib Chefs. With ample sampling opportunities, you get to learn interactively and dig into the delights as you go.
Following the infusion and cookery masterclass, you will be invited to enjoy a delicious sweet and savoury Memsahib’s Lounge Afternoon Tea. What’s not to love?
Cocktail mixology at The Alchemist
The Alchemist offers a world of theatre served. Known for their outlandish, Instagram-able concoctions, with drinks smoking and flaming at every corner.
If you have caught yourself wondering about the art behind the mixology then you should book yourself a place at one of their cocktail-making masterclasses. Available for a minimum of six guests, each master class has a dedicated mixologist who will talk you through each cocktail step-by-step in what they promise to be the most interactive lesson you’ll ever attend.
Bake sweet treats at Edible Art Patisserie
Edible Art Patisserie, founded by top pastry chef Damien Wager, is renowned for its world-class sweet treats, from colourful tarts to beautifully crafted chocolates.
Working alongside Damien, you can learn to create beautiful desserts that look as good as they taste. From Macarons to Easter eggs and petite gateaux. Just make sure you don't fill up too much on chocolate!
Cooking classes at The Foodworks
The Foodworks is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built cookery school located only 10 minutes from Cheltenham, on the magnificent Colesbourne Park estate. They offer a wide range of courses designed to inspire everyone from beginners to experienced cooks.
From Lebanese dishes that conjure up thoughts of Arabian nights, to classic Italian staples and exotic Thai delights. There's something to suit all taste buds. Foodworks hosts classes throughout the year, but they tend to book up fast, so get in quick.
www.foodworkscookeryschool.co.uk/courses
Brew beer with Brewhouse and Kitchen
Have you ever enjoyed a pint at the pub and wondered what it would take to brew beer? Well, ponder no longer. With a brewery experience day at Brewhouse and Kitchen, you get to spend the day creating your own beer with one of their award-winning brewers.
The on-site microbrewery sits right in the heart of the brewpub, you will be treated to breakfast, lunch and a lot of beers throughout the day as well as a 5 Litre mini keg of beer to take away with you.
www.brewhouseandkitchen.com/academy
Arts and Crafts
Art not only allows us to express ourselves and explore our creativity, but it is well-documented for its mental health benefits too. So, pick up the pen and paper or grab a sculpting tool and a lump of clay and get to work with these classes…
Pottery
Across two locations, you can learn to craft, cast and paint pottery. From a lump of clay to the finished product.
The Potthouse is a non-profit workshop and studio where you can make pottery, take beginner-friendly courses or even have a pottery party with your friends. Learn to throw, hand-build and fire your pot all under one roof.
Paint It Yourself Pottery Co. on the other hand is the perfect place to add an artistic flourish to your pottery. Relax and unwind as you decorate an array of available pottery from plates and mugs to creative sculptures.
Drawing/Painting
Learning to draw and paint is one of the most rewarding skills for your Mind, Body and Soul. If you have ever watched an episode of Bob Ross and gotten lost in the tranquillity of it all then you already know how relaxing the experience can be.
Luckily, Cheltenham has a whole host of art classes on offer throughout the town to build the skills you need. With sketching and drawing courses for the complete beginner at Cheltenham Art and Craft Workshop. Life drawing classes at Cheltenham School of Fine Art, and mixed media painting clubs at Cheltenham Art Club. There is something to suit all skill levels.
www.cheltfineart.co.uk/collections/studio-art-classes
Stone Carving
Learning the lost art of stone carving will certainly make you stand out amongst your friends. Made for the curious at heart, there's no experience quite like shaping a block of stone into your own unique, 3D design.
Starting with a lump of freshly quarried, soft, and easy-to-carve Cotswold limestone, you'll tease out your art a chunk at a time. The two-day course starts with an introduction to stone carving tools and a demonstration of the practice, then it's all down to you.
www.stonesculptingcourses.co.uk/course-dates
Sport & Fitness
Let’s be honest, with 9 to 5 desk jobs and increasingly sedentary lifestyles all of us could do with being a little more active. But exercise doesn’t have to be limited to going to the gym or a jog around the park. Instead, why not make your fitness journey more fun with one of these classes…
Flying trapeze with All Bars
Have a head for heights? Then why not take part in a flying trapeze class? Featuring tricks, somersaults and catches on a full-size bar-to-bar flying trapeze rig in Pittville Park, this incredible aerial activity is not for the faint of heart.
Visitors are welcome to try out a beginner’s class, and the club hopes you’ll love the thrill enough to it up as a hobby. If flying is for you and you get the bug you can become a full club member. As exercise goes, you don’t get much more exciting than this!
Rock Climbing Coaching at Boulders Cheltenham
You can develop an iron grip and the forearms of Thor with just a little rock climbing. Boulders are Cheltenham’s premium bouldering centre, featuring two floors of brilliant bouldering action.
Bouldering is the perfect activity to try climbing without the heights, and there is no need for belaying skills or uncomfortable harnesses either. If you’ve never climbed before they offer 'give it a go' sessions to help you learn the ropes (so to speak) as well as adult technique courses and free ladies' night coaching for those looking to improve their technique.
Adult gymnastics at Rowan Gymnastics Club
Gymnastics and climbing have a lot in common, they both require flexibility, coordination, strength and a decent dash of nerves. Rowan Gymnastics club offer a dedicated and friendly venue for any member of the community to participate safely in amateur gymnastics. Their adult classes run on Wednesday evenings and are the perfect environment for people wanting to learn how to tumble with style.
Martial Arts at Combined Defensive Arts
Learning a martial art has a whole host of benefits. Not only will you get fit quick, but you can also expect to pick up the skills to defend yourself in the real world while developing confidence, discipline and respect.
Combined Defensive Arts Cheltenham hosts a variety of different classes including kickboxing, street MMA and female self-defence. With no pesky contracts or minimum commitments to worry about.
Swimming with Swim Design Spaces
Swimming is one of those skills that can be very daunting to dip into if you never learnt the fundamentals as a child. Thankfully, Swim Design Space offers lessons for all levels of swimmers. Whether you have no confidence in the water, can only swim a short distance or are looking to get competition ready, they’ll be able to help.
The Best of the Rest
Looking for something a little different to sink your teeth into? Want to capture life from behind the lens, perform on stage or even learn to fly a Boeing 737? There’s an option for everyone’s aspirations here in Cheltenham…
Singing and Music at Cheltenham Vocal Academy
At one point or another, we have all dreamed of being a singer or musician. Getting on stage, playing a song and singing along without sounding like a train wreck? Sign me up please!
With Cheltenham Vocal Academy you can move a step closer to that dream. With Vocal coaching, music theory, instrumental teaching and keyboard skills for singers all on offer you can become a fully equipped musician all under one roof.
Acting at the Everyman Theatre
Want to perform without the pressure of holding a tune? Then acting could be the answer. Held at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham, you’ll be in good company for learning the tricks of the trade.
The Everyman Theatre offers training and guidance to enhance your skills as a performer, creative writer or arts industry educational practitioner. Classes and workshops are led by renowned industry professionals, and are a great opportunity to network with fellow actors, directors, casting directors and agents.
Photography at the University of Gloucestershire
Outside of its brilliant higher education curriculum, The University of Gloucester also has several part-time short courses for adult learners to explore their creativity and pick up some new skills.
With four separate photography courses to choose from, budding shutterbugs are spoilt for choice. Learn the fundamentals with their introductory course or develop your skills with the intermediate offering. Before moving on to more inventive endeavours with creative and experimental photography courses. Take all four courses and you’ll go from novice to pro in no time.
Learn a language at Inlingua
Learning a new language can open up a world of possibilities. It’s great for work, great for travel and great for your cognitive development as a whole.
Whether you want to learn for a hobby, at a conversational level or to take your career internationally, Inlingua in Cheltenham promises to give you the tools you need to reach your goals.
They use native-speaking teachers to teach their language classes and have options available for French, Spanish, German, Italian, Polish, Mandarin, Japanese and many more.
Become a Flight Captain at Gloucestershire Airport
Here’s a skill you’ve probably never considered learning, flying a jet aircraft! That’s exactly the experience you can have at Gloucestershire airport in their flight simulator.
Get the experience of being a Flight Captain, take the controls of a full-size Boeing 737-800 static flight simulator offering 180-degree panoramic views and amazing HD graphics. Fly to over 24,000 destinations worldwide guided by professional instructors. They promise it’s as close to the real thing as you can get without leaving the ground.
For more inspiration on ways to enhance and elevate yourself this year in Cheltenham, from fitness to mental wellness, check out our Mind, Body & Soul page.
Related
Specialising in a wide selection of 55 gins and an array of teas, Memsahibs Lounge have a spectacular menu made with unique flavour combinations to surprise guests. They infuse 15 varieties of gin, which are then paired with tea. They also craft their own gin, to provide optimal control over how it tastes.
The Everyman is Gloucestershire's theatre - and has been serving the county (and beyond) since 1891.
Unleash your creative side! Take along your family for a unique painting experience...
The Alchemist is a cocktail bar & restaurant that celebrates molecular mixology, alchemy and craftsmanship. Drinks are served in all manner of vessels with theatre, panache and a healthy sprinkling of magic.
Edible Art Patisserie, founded by top pastry chef Damien Wager is based in The Courtyard, Montpellier. Call in to try delicacies from colourful tarts to beautifully crafted chocolates.
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