Are you bored of sitting at home? Have you been thinking about learning a new skill or taking up a new pastime but not sure where to look for something different? Cogges Manor in Witney could have the perfect solution as they are running a series of Adult Learning Workshops throughout the year.
Many of the workshops are held in the historic 18th-century barns which were refurbished recently. Money received from the National Lottery Heritage fund was also used to equip the Barley Barn for workshops and improve the lighting and heating therein. The old 13th-century Manor House is also used as a classroom, as are the extensive grounds and gardens surrounding the House. The workshops aim to keep traditional rural crafts alive in the local community. Other workshops cover heritage and land management skills and have been developed as a result of the National Lottery Heritage funding Cogges Manor received in 2020.
The workshops can be held over several weeks as is the case with the art classes, whilst others are a day long. They encompass a variety of subjects ranging from arts and crafts including learning how to spin wool using a traditional spinning wheel to making a rush shopping basket. For people who want to learn to create ornaments from clay, why not have a go at making either a ceramic fox, chickens, or sheep in just a few hours?
As you might expect with 17 acres of grounds and heritage trails, there are several plants and gardening-related workshops too. These include learning about plants that grow wild which are edible, medicinal, and useful. You can also learn how to make extremely useful vertical garden wigwams, how to grow herbs and their uses, how to garden organically and gardening with wildlife.
If you love walking but have never learned how to get the most from a local Ordnance Survey map, the one-day workshop will give you the chance to discover the hidden mysteries around Witney and how to measure and plan local walks.
All workshops are led by experienced tutors with a passion to share their craft or skill in a calm and supportive environment which is unique to Cogges. To book a place in one of the various workshops simply visit cogges.org.uk/Event/adult-learning.
Primary school pupils also have the opportunity to gain first-hand learning experiences at Cogges as they offer an indoor and outdoor education programme throughout the year. The full or half-day sessions are tailored to meet the needs of schools and their curriculum and cater for all ages and abilities from EYFS through to KS2. Providing the children with a different learning environment ranging from baking in an old farmhouse kitchen to sowing seeds in the historic walled garden or even exploring animal habitats in the farm area, extends their learning and can provide huge scope for follow-up work when they are back in their school classroom.
By offering a unique environment at Cogges with interactive learning experiences that inspire children of all ages, children and young people can come into contact with nature, animals, and historic environments. Each session is led by trained educational facilitators and Cogges’ volunteers in line with the National Curriculum. Subjects cover history, geography, mathematics, literacy, citizenship, science, and design. For further information about Cogges Schools Education Programme visit cogges.org.uk/schools-programme.
