Something for everyone in Frome Community Education's Spring programme

Frome Community Education (FCE) has some exciting new five-week evening courses starting after half term, adding to its portfolio of some 50 different adult education classes in Frome.

Are you a crime fiction or CSI fan?  If so, a new five-week course, 'Skeletons in the Closet', is an ideal way for budding Poirots or Sarah Lunds to learn more about 'whodunnit' and why.  Forensic anthropologist Dr Alex Starkie will use her first-hand knowledge of crime scene investigation past and present to take students through the science of ballistics, crime scene processing and skeletal anatomy and how we know who did what, where and when throughout history.  The course runs from 27 February on Wednesday evenings.

Have you ever wanted to write about your life, travels or experiences or create a family history?  Rosie Jackson's 'The Art of Memoir Writing' will help you to write from personal material and find the right form for your own experiences.  The course starts on 18 February and will focus on the whole craft of memoir writing, including structure, pace, time, truth, memory, secrecy, healing, family and passions.  Rosie writes poetry, stories, novels and creative non-fiction and runs popular creative writing workshops in the UK and internationally.  She has recently had a residency at Cheltenham Art Gallery.

For those who love cooking but want to extend their repertoire of dishes without spending a fortune on ingredients, 'Cooking Around the World' will show you how to create global food on a shoestring.  This new Monday evening course from regular FCE tutor, Loo Murray, runs from 18 February.  'I will be demonstrating tried and tested recipes and sharing tips on how to create a variety of delicious foods from Morocco, Greece, Thailand, India and Jamaica', say Lou, 'and there will always be vegetarian and food allergy options.'

Expanding FCE's portfolio of language classes beyond the Europe, a new Tuesday evening course 'Introduction to Mandarin Language and Culture' will cover basic spoken Mandarin, as well as looking at culture, cooking and calligraphy.  The first class is on 19 February and is taught by Lu Jie who has extensive experience of teaching Chinese Mandarin both to children and adults.

All these five-week courses take place at Frome Community College and cost £50.  Booking is through the Cheese and Grain on 01373 455420.  The very latest information is on the FCE website at www.fromecommed.org.uk.  You can also pick up a brochure from the Library or in shops and cafes around Frome.

Other classes starting in February include: Animation; Article Writing for Magazines; Computing for You; Dance Fusion Fitness; Follow Your Bliss, a free self-development workshop; Frome Local History; Radio Production workshops; Yoga; and the second of three Craft of Fiction workshops taught by Whitbread prize-winning author, Lindsay Clarke.  

There will also be free classes on Gardening, Cooking on a Budget, Mindfulness, and a gentle exercise class, Healing Moves which are available to those on benefits or low incomes or referred by their GP.

The summer term will see courses on Allotment and Vegetable Gardening, the Food, Culture and Language of Italy and the internet and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) for beginners.