Our July meeting

 

Knowledge and know-how – the WI Learning Hub and other online learning platforms

This month, our very own Sally took us through the WI Learning Hub and other options for live and pre-recorded classes and activities. It was while convalescing that Sally discovered that online learning could be of enormous value in bringing interesting activities in when she couldn’t get out. 

Sally started with some alternative platforms that she uses in addition to the WI Learning Hub:

The RVS (Royal Voluntary Service) runs Virtual Village Hall, which is free to join. There are live sessions and a library to choose from, with new sessions added regularly.

Rest Less, a platform for people over 50, is a subscription-based service at £6.99 per month. It has exercise classes, crafts, history talks and Sally showed us The Soothing Season, a session of relaxation and art making. Visit the events section of the Rest Less website to find out more.

The WI Learning Hub evolved from Denman College, which was a physical space for courses. Now, the Hub offers live courses, including crafts, exercise, talks and National Federation training, with recordings available for a week afterwards. Sign-up is free for WI members; there is paid access for non-members. To register, first register in the main WI website under My WI (there’s a video guide to registration). When registered, back on the WI Learning Hub website you can book onto courses via online form and confirmation email (initially, the booking shows a fee but for members, this reverts to zero on checkout) and you receive a weekly email update.

Our Federation, Middlesex, runs Dabble Days. These have a fee and are for WI members only. There’s also a free weekly craft get-together on Zoom, at 19:30 every Monday. Look out for news in your Federation newsletter. 

As ever with our meetings, we all had recommendations and news to contribute: U3A, the Mary Ward Centre, the Idea Store, the Guildhall Library, Bishopsgate Institute, free weekly film nights at Victoria Park Baptist Church and community activities from Sadlers Wells, which will be opening locally at East Bank in the Olympic Park.

So much to do, so little time! Now back at work, Sally’s preference has shifted to recorded activities to watch when she can – and we agreed that what we need changes with our circumstances, whether that’s in-person classes, live courses or a library of online learning that we can visit. 

A massive thank you to Sally for a great session, and to past President, Heather, for standing in for Celya to introduce the meeting.

Our July coffee morning: Friday 26th July – Meet between 10.30 and 11.00 at Bàrd Books, 341-343 Roman Road, London E3 5QR

This is a change of venue from our original plan, the Mary Ward Centre – we hope to return in term time.