BLACK Swan Arts is delighted to announce that Malcolm Lloyd has accepted their invitation to become its new chair.
About his appointment, Black Swan Arts say, “Malcolm is probably best known in Frome for his 15 years at Frome Community College, where he was the Community Education Co-ordinator. He was responsible for the creation of Littleoaks Day Nursery, Frome Association for Holiday Activities (FAHA) and Frome Education and Training Enterprise (FETE) as well as leading the Adult Education programme which, at its height, attracted over 1,200 students a week.
“Malcolm also worked with a variety of other organisations including ECOS (The European Community of Stones), The Opportunity Playgroup, Frome Toy Library and Frome Youth and Community Centre. He also found time to be a town and district councillor (briefly).
“Following his retirement in 2010 Malcolm helped create Frome Community Education, a Community Interest Company which today, 11 years later, is still providing adult education classes for the community. A keen golfer, Malcolm has been club captain at Orchardleigh, as well as Seniors captain three times! He had his first hole-in-one at the end of July this year!
“Malcolm came to Frome in 1988 and quickly became a regular at The Black Swan (and it’s then vegetarian restaurant). The College Community Education classes ran a two week exhibition of work at The Black Swan, emphasising their three main strands – art classes, pottery and textiles (as provided by Frome Textile Workshop which had evolved from a Community Education class). The Pottery classes are still a major part of the programme with 11 classes a week still being offered.
“Malcolm’s wide range of interests meant that “Frome Comm Ed” became known for an eclectic programme of activities – Family Learning and Education Extra, for example, along with projects such as The Heart of Frome – the town map that still hangs in the children’s section of Frome Library.
“With over 20 part-time staff at one time, Malcolm lead a team that certainly made things happen, many of whom progressed to bigger and better things. Running the College ski trips and accompanying Parachute Theatre Company to Glastonbury are particular feathers in his cap.”