Frome Community Education will be running pottery classes for adults at Frome College from January 2018.
Following the loss of their funding in September, Somerset Skills and Learning had to make cut-backs to their provision in adult learning. However, great partnership work between the organisations has meant that pottery classes in Frome will not only continue in January, but expand from the five classes that ran in September, to nine classes in January.
The classes will appear in the latest brochure from Frome Community Education, and are already on the website – frome commed.org.uk. Students are already booking online or by visiting the Cheese and Grain box office. Classes will start on Monday 8th January with evening classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, while day classes are both morning and afternoon on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Existing tutors Russell Coates, Hiro Takahaski-Coates and Andrew Eddleston will continue in their teaching roles.
Frome College principal, Emma Reynolds said, “I am especially keen to look for ways where our Frome College students are also able to benefit from these facilities and the wider community work together for the benefit of our young people.”
The arrangements for the pottery classes were quickly put into place after the tutors contacted their former boss, Malcolm Lloyd, who managed the adult education provision in Frome for some 15 years. With great support from his colleagues at Frome Community Education, Sue Klepper, Sandy Usher, Mel Jones and Margaret Binney, a plan was put together to approach Somerset Skills and Learning and offer to take over the pottery classes. The quick affirmative response from SS&L CEO, Susie Simon-Norris, and director of curriculum, Kathryn Baker, meant that the plan all came together in time to put the details in the Community Education brochure for the spring term.
“This is such a typically “Frome thing,” said Malcolm. “The tutors and students didn’t want to see their classes closed, and all the pieces came together. Frome Community Education offered to take over the classes, Somerset Skills and Learning gave us the equipment and Frome College confirmed we could still use the facility. This was all achieved in a remarkably short period of time, so we are all grateful that big organisations responded so positively and so quickly.”
Looking to the future, Malcolm stated that “under the management of FCE, the potters will be looking to replace much of the equipment that has been heavily used since moving the pottery from Park Road to Bath Road in 1993. The structure of classes will also be reviewed, with students playing a significant role in advising on the future. There will be a meeting for students to gain information and put forward their views. This will be at the Cheese and Grain on Wednesday 13th December at 5.30pm. New or potential students are also invited to attend.”
