COURSES & CLASSES
“Our Head Chef will lead you through an hour of chocolate discovery and you will taste the raw product before you whip up some of your own creations,” says James Grundy, the hotel’s general manager. “With a combination of flavours to mix in, each guest’s handiwork will be unique to them. As 2017 marks Ston Easton Park’s 35th birthday year, the hotel is offering an exciting calendar of events.” www.stoneaston.co.uk
Bath College
Whether you’re looking for fun, short courses to enjoy with friends, or you want to acquire a professional skill to help kick-start an entrepreneurial business venture, then you may want to browse Bath College’s Love2learn courses which begin in September and are run during the day, evenings, Saturdays and the holidays to fit around busy lifestyles. “There are over 100 diverse courses which range from foreign languages, stone-carving and animal care to beauty therapies, floristry and gardening,” says Love2learn co-ordinator Anna Dawson. “Our extensive range of fine art and design crafts include life-drawing, photography and interior design lessons. “Learning something new can improve our state of mind,” says Anna. “Many people start learning a language, and quite often come back because they enjoy the group conversation. Some people have been coming to our Love2learn courses for years.” www.bathcollege.ac.uk 34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
Love2Learn courses at Bath College range from ceramics to gardening
WHEN WE ALLOW OUR BRAINS TO FOCUS ON ONE SOLITARY TASK, WE ALLOW FOR A
NEURAL REBOOT
Star bakers
You may have spotted hugely passionate baker Duncan Glendinning on your TV in shows such as the BBC’s Victorian Bakers and Nigel Slater’s Dish of the Day, and this charismatic personality will also guide you on bread-making adventures in Bath. Thoughtful Bakery started off eight years ago in a converted car garage just outside the city, but it now lives and thrives on Barton Street. As you walk in, you may be mistaken for thinking it is just a bakery shop and café. But under your feet, the team of bakers work night and day producing everything they sell, on site, from scratch. They also have a dedicated bakery school on site offering a range of exciting courses, including sourdough, bread baking and patisserie lessons, which take place from the end of August. “There are no pre-requisites,” say Duncan. “We’ve had seasoned bakers right the way through to some fella signed up by his wife as he was useless in the kitchen and had never baked before. Joining us for a day of baking isn’t just about momentary entertainment, or something to do. It’s about learning skills for life.” Interesting fact for all Great British Bake Off enthusiasts: two of the funky Neff ovens at Thoughtful came off the set of the last series. VIP ovens or what?! www.thoughtfulbakery.co.uk