Free IT drop-ins and English lessons with local tutors

An exciting new project by Frome Community Education has just received funding from The Lottery’s Awards for All.   

Entitled “Include me In” – just over £9,000 has been allocated to fund a drop-in IT centre and English classes for speakers of other languages (ESOL).

Alongside another grant received from Aster Housing Association of £3,000, to fund further IT sessions and other classes in English (reading, writing and spelling) and numeracy (numbers and budgeting) – the funds will underpin the much-needed courses for the next 12 months and mean that Frome Community Education can offer these sessions for free.

The classes are the brainchild of one of Frome Community Education’s directors, Sue Klepper, who will be running the drop-in computer sessions at the Cheese and Grain on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between 10am and 12noon starting on 21st September.

The sessions are aimed at those without access to computing facilities at home who need to update CVs, job search on the internet, complete forms on-line, or for those (maybe older) people who need help getting started in the new digital, increasingly on-line, world.

The sessions are “drop- in” so no prior booking is necessary.   Sue is an experienced IT tutor with a range of computer packages at her finger tips.   The ‘Reading, Writing and Spelling’ classes run on a Tuesday morning (10.30 – 12.30) and the ‘Number’ classes are on a Wednesday afternoon from 4-6 pm at The Residents Centre, St John’s Road.

“Frome is now one of the few places offering these very basic level courses for free,” said Sue, “and also there is no qualification to study for – so we will cater for individual needs. It has been a huge stumbling block for many people, so we are aiming at fun sessions pitched at the appropriate level for each student.

“Community Education is pleased to be able to offer the classes as we have seen people left behind when funding for basic classes has been cut over recent years.   Being able to work with both the Lottery and Aster, plus our hosts, the Cheese and Grain, has meant that we can offer support for those that need it most.”

The “Include me In” programme is a welcome adjunct to the more mainstream classes that start next week, where the increasingly diverse population of Frome is offered languages from French, Spanish, Italian, German through to Russian – and Latin – with Japanese Literature and Greek Myths thrown in for good measure.

New art tutor, Jos Blake, has almost filled her two classes already – Jos is well known in the area as a great teacher of beginners in art of all types, and the crafts are well represented by textiles, basketry and wood engraving.

Classes start on Monday 21st September and can be found at www.fromecommed.org.uk or by visiting the Cheese and Grain ticket office.