Gallery : General Interest

General Interest

General Interest Courses Have you thought about taking up a new hobby or improving your skills in an area that interests you? We offer a range of courses, of differing durations, in a wide variety of subjects and locations. Some courses are offered in conjunction with the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex, and some courses may offer the opportunity to extend beyond the initial period, subject to demand. If you want to know more, telephone ACRES or access the web site and get a course information sheet which will give you all the details. Now is the time to expand your horizons! Look through our range of General Interest Courses. Find something to interest you and enrol. If you can’t find what you want, then contact ACRES and we’ll see if we can offer you something in the future. Enjoy!
History If you have an interest in history and want to learn something new then consider one of our history based courses. An ‘Introduction to Archaeology’ offers a starting point for those who want to find out what archaeologists actually do and the methods and rules for excavating. The course concentrates on the archaeology and pre-history of Sussex, giving studies an interesting local flavour, from the Old Stone Age to the Iron Age ending in 43 AD. If you want to be more specific and explore the archaeology of defence, then a course on ‘Castles, Forts and Fortifications’ is the one for you. From Pre-historic hill forts to nuclear bunkers, castles and forts have been built in every age and Sussex was often on the front line. Examine the evidence concentrating on the best examples still standing today. The connection between historic events and modern day occurrences is a fascinating area and one explored on our course ‘History – The Future of the Past’. The course offers historical background and analysis to current events shaping our future and will focus upon countries likely to be in the news, for example, China, India and Israel. If you want to concentrate on a particular period then how about our courses, run in conjunction with the University of Sussex. ‘An Introduction to Ancient Egypt’ offers an insight into one of the greatest and most spectacular civilisations of antiquity, covering the main themes of dynastic Egypt from the Predynastic through to the New Kingdom including the intermediate periods, and looking at art, Kingship and architecture.	‘Discover the Elizabethans’ offers an opportunity to explore the culture and society of the dynamic Elizabethan period, featuring theatre, poetry, religion, exploration, the Armada, music, art, magic and popular culture And if its historic interiors that interest you, consider ‘Artist and the Interior’, an illustrated study of historic interiors from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century. Patrons, designers and craftsmen will be included and visits to museums and houses will form an important part of the course. If you want to investigate history even closer to home, how about ‘Tracing the Family Tree’? This is a course for absolute beginners, those who have just started their family history research and more experienced researchers who wish to utilise the various internet sources now available. Basic knowledge of computing, for example how to access the internet and search websites, is required, but if you don’t have those skills help is on hand. Just let us know when you enrol and extra support can be arranged. If attending a series of sessions is not for you, then we are also offering a Saturday workshop in this popular subject.
	Art and Literature How about unlocking your latent creativity with one of our Creative Writing Courses? We offer a short beginners course catering specifically for novice writers or longer courses for all ability levels at two different venues. If you cannot commit to a series of sessions, what about a Saturday workshop? We have workshops in short story, autobiographical and poetry writing that allow you to ‘dip your toe in the water’ and cover the basic principles. If you are interested in exploring different genres, interacting with other writers and blowing your literary boundaries then we have a course for you! If your interests are more in the area of literary appreciation we have a friendly course in an informal setting, run in conjunction with the Centre for Continuing Education, University of Sussex. ‘Crime in the Novel’ focuses on crime in nineteenth century English and American novels including one, traditional ‘whodunnit’.
Food and Drink Are you inspired by all those cookery programmes you see on the television? Do you want to have a go but don’t know where to start? Enrol on one of our courses and kick-start your culinary creativity! Don’t worry about the ingredients, we’ll send you a list of what to buy, if this is appropriate, prior to the start of the course. ‘Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook’ is a course for beginners that will give you both confidence and the basic skills on which to build. Cook a range of sweet and savoury dishes using the basic preparation techniques of peeling, chopping, whisking, creaming, rolling and kneading. Cooking methods covered include boiling, baking, frying and roasting. Maybe your cookery requirements are more specific. If you think Italian food is all Pasta and Pizza then our course ‘Simply Italian’ will make you think again. On this course you will be preparing and cooking traditional dishes such as Osso buco, Pollo Cacciatore, Risotto and Gnocchi. You will, of course, be making some fresh pasta and not forgetting desserts, I Dolci, such as Tiramisu, Panna Cotta and more. Some cooking experience would be useful but is not essential. Enthusiasm will suffice!	Other courses with a particular focus include ‘Neptune’s Kitchen’- a seafood and cookery course covering the basic preparation techniques of washing, gutting, de-scaling and filleting. You will be taught about the different types, quality points and suitable cooking methods of fish and seafood. Many exciting dishes will be created so go on, enjoy the fruits of our seas!, ‘Vegetarian Cookery’ and ‘Allergy Cookery courses are also on offer. There is also a Saturday Workshop on making Soups and Breads – great food for cold winter days. If you want to produce a beautifully decorated Christmas cake to grace your festive table then our short course ‘Decorating a Christmas Cake’ is for you. Learn to decorate your own Christmas cake to a professional finish. Cover your cake with marzipan and sugar paste. Add a touch of style with a modern cake top decoration using wires and ribbons or keep to a traditional theme with a floral arrangement. If you can’t commit to a series of sessions, then how about a Saturday workshop? We offer ‘Christmas Cake Decorations’ in this format. And if you want to know how to read a wine list with confidence and what wine will compliment all of this wonderful food then how about enrolling on our ‘Introduction to Wine Tasting’? You will learn about the main grape varieties and major wine regions. If you enjoy wine but have little or no previous knowledge then his course is designed with you in mind.
Gardening and the Environment Perhaps your interests lie more in the great outdoors. If your garden is a bit ‘hotch-potch’ and you want to know how to translate your ideas into a coherent design then we have a three part course that takes you through the whole process. Each part ‘stands alone’ so take one or take all three, the choice is yours. Blooming marvellous! ‘Stage One – How to Work out the Master Plan’ is for anyone with a garden or an interest in gardening and is aimed at beginners. Learn about design principles, with illustrations from famous gardens, and understand how to obtain the best from a site. Different plant types and their effects within a design will also be explored. ‘Stage Two – Design Details and Presentation Ideas’ provides a natural progression from the previous course or is also suitable for anyone with some knowledge of the design process. Explore the details of the design; colour theories, landscaping materials, plants and planting plans plus the presentation of ideas to contractors so that you can really obtain the garden of your dreams.
‘Stage Three – Design Your Own Garden’ is an exciting, practical course which follows on from the previous two, where students will actually produce a garden design themselves for an area agreed with the tutor. Anyone with knowledge of garden design but wishing assistance with a plan is also welcome to join. If a cottage garden is what you’ve got in mind, then our short course ‘How to Create a Cottage Garden’ will help you create this very special style in any garden, no matter what the size. You will explore plant combinations and will take away many ideas that you use in your own garden. If you cannot commit to a longer course, then perhaps a Saturday Workshop is the answer. We are offering a Workshop on ‘Patio Gardening’. A small space requires great creativity so have fun looking at and discussing all the possibilities. Take on board ideas to create the mood of your choice and, if you would like to, bring details of your problem areas for all to solve in informal discussion. If you already grow flowers and would like to be able to arrange them to fully show off their spectacular colours – visit our Crafts section and see the range of Floristry classes that are on offer. Now you’ve got your flowers, how about the bees to pollinate them? We can help with that too! An ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ provides students with a sound knowledge of what it takes to become a beekeeper. All aspects of beekeeping will be covered, from the bee’s life-cycle, types of hives, sites, plant pollination, products and how the honey bee fits into the wider environment.	Photography If your interests lie in taking photographs, then we are offering AS and A2 Photography. The AS is an enjoyable, art and design based course and offers the enthusiastic beginner an understanding of modern camera control techniques, the art of seeing, and the practical application of modern photography. The course has been updated to promote digital camera usage but insists on origination of imagery. The A2 course is for those who have previously taken their AS and are fully committed to progressing to the full A-level qualification. This absorbing assignment assessed course encourages a deeper understanding of modern digital image creation supported by historical research and encourages the pursuit of both tutorial and self-guided study to refine personal technique, originality and style. A range of non examination digital photography courses are listed in the Computing section.
	Music After all that work in the great outdoors, perhaps musical studies will provide a relaxing alternative. We offer a series of Saturday ‘Singing Workshops’ at a variety of locations providing an introduction to singing. If you ever wished you could sing but don’t know where to start, or are worried you’re ‘tone deaf’ then take heart. ‘Tone deafness’ is a myth! Everyone can sing. Learn to read music from simple notation. Sign Language If you want to gain a basic introduction to sign language, how about a Saturday workshop to kick-start the process. These courses are aimed at beginners who want to learn some basic sign language that will help you communicate with the deaf in any environment. Law On a more serious note – perhaps you would like to find out more about the Law - Unlocking the Law is a short course that will introduce you to specific aspects of the UK legal system. For more in depth knowledge join the GCSE Law course and explore the Law in detail. 55 Plus Group This is an opportunity to join others on a Friday morning for two hours to listen to a different speaker each week on a variety of interesting subjects. You will have the opportunity to participate in stimulating conversation over coffee and have a chance to meet other people wanting to extend their horizons.