In The Loop – 22 Dec 2025
Christmas closure and Spring term dates
We will shortly be closing Stoke Lodge for the Christmas break. The centre will be closed from Tuesday 23 December until Monday 5 January.
You can still book online over the Christmas break, but our phone lines will be closed over Christmas.
Most of our new Spring term courses start back on the week beginning 12 January however a reminder to anyone who started a language course with us in September – the 16-week Language courses which started in September, will start again week beginning Monday, 5 January, for another 4 sessions, before the follow-on courses start in the first week of February.
New language courses have been added to the programme, including three new Italian courses with Laura Geraci, plus new Beginners French, Spanish and Portuguese courses, all starting in January. We are also delighted to welcome a new German tutor to the Stoke Lodge family, Rita Hanks, Rita has lots of language teaching experience and has two new German courses starting in the new year, including…
German Beginners Plus – Level 1B LCS11
This course is for students who have attended a beginners’ course and is not suitable for complete beginners. The course aims to consolidate and develop students’ basic knowledge of German. With Rita Hanks, starting 13 Jan, Tue 6pm-8pm for 10 weeks
Festive Fun
Have you been following our Christmas Dingbats on social media?
Matt has come up with 24 festive dingbats as an advent challenge in the run up to Christmas Eve. You can see all the dingbats on our Facebookor Instagram pages. Some are quite tricky so good luck!
Here in the office, we look forward each year to the GCHQ Christmas card and it’s a bit of a race to see if we can complete it and who gets there first. We usually help each other out with a few hints as everyone seems to have one or two that click with them better than others so if you have a puzzle brain, I’d highly recommend the challenge. Its not an easy one though!! You can find their 2025 Christmas Card here.
On the BBC website you can try out the Blue Peter Christmas quiz, four rounds on general Christmas knowledge, Christmas in numbers, festive countries and a music round. You can find that here.
New courses for January…
Literature of the border: Valeria Luiselli, Yuri Herrera and Carlos Fonseca. LG3
The novels deal with themes of migration, identity, and the harsh realities of border crossing, and the quest for belonging and self-discovery, by exploring the topic of life in the border in the works of Valeria Luiselli (Lost Children Archive), Yuri Herrera (Signs Preceding the End of the World) and Carlos Fonseca (Austral). With Gorka Diaz, starting 16 Jan, Fri 12:45pm-2:45pm for 5 weeks
The colourful life of Cleopatra and her times SRS4
A two-part course looking at the life and times of Cleopatra. With Richard Stride, starting 14 Jan, Wed 6:45pm-9pm for 2 weeks
Neoclassism: Art in the age of Napoleon and Jane Austen SRS10
What do the great neoclassical artists tell us about the world they lived in? The work of David, Gros, Ingres, Vigee le Brun and many others. With Richard Stride, starting 28 Jan, Wed 7pm-9pm for 3 weeks
Impressed-The Art Of Dry Point Etching P49C
You will learn how to create etchings by tracing images onto plastic sheets, inking them, and using a printing press to produce your artwork. With Rebecca Plas, starting 13 Jan, Tue 1pm-4pm for 5 weeks
Beginners Silver Jewellery-Pendants K44A
An opportunity to learn silversmithing skills, create unique pieces of jewellery in silver and use tools with confidence. With Alice Barratt, starting 16 Jan, Fri 10am-1pm for 4 weeks
Flower Arranging – Beginners F16B
This course introduces the skills and techniques to create floral arrangements using seasonal blooms and foliage. With Kathryn Delve, starting 16 Jan, Fri 10am-12.30pm for 5 weeks
Drawing Skills – Mixed Ability P62C
Led by an experienced tutor, you will make rapid progress as you explore line, tone, measurement, texture, shading, and composition. You will learn how to observe and interpret what you see. With Roma Widger, starting 14 Jan, Wed 1pm-3pm for 5 weeks
Watercolours – Mixed Ability P57C
You will develop the confidence and skills to create captivating watercolour paintings that express your unique artistic vision. With Elham Talay Minaei, starting 13 Jan, Tue 6pm-8.30pm for 5 weeks
You will explore different types of bras, their construction, and bra-making materials such as fabrics, elastics, findings, and hardware. You will then make a bra of your choice. With Ann Huntley
Tai Chi – Intermediates @ Cotswold CC H16B
You will start with a gentle warm-up, followed by foundational exercises to explore the core principles of Tai Chi: good body alignment, relaxation, balance, and harmonious whole-body movements. With Nen Crosby, stating 13 Jan, Tue 9.30am-11am for 11 weeks
Space For Creativity – Mentoring For Artists P70C
Two-day workshops offering creative space and individual tutor support, ideal for those wanting to focus on their work, overcome creative hurdles, or develop a looser style. Suitable for experienced, independent artists at any stage of their journey. With Laurel Smart, runs Sat & Sun 17/18 Jan, 10am-4pm
Tunisian Crochet – Intermediates T27B
A course for those with basic Tunisian crochet skills who want to build confidence and develop their techniques further. With Cristina Valladares, starting 15 Jan, Thu 1pm-3.30pm for 5 weeks
Christmas support
Christmas and the festive season can be a difficult time for many of us. It can be a time when worries seem multiplied and our emotions go into overdrive. It’s totally normal to feel a bit overwhelmed at this time of year. If you are not feeling on top form, the pressure to be merry and bright can just be an additional burden.
There are lots of organisations out there who understand the pressures the festive season can bring and offer support during Christmas.
Mind have a huge amount of information and support for people living with a mental health issue of feeling under pressure at this time of year. There are lots of general links for information and support on their website here. You can see their specific tips for managing Christmas here
Grief can be particularly poignant at Christmas and charity Cruse provide advice on coping with grief at this time of year, whether it’s a recent loss or a loss from many years ago, Christmas can trigger painful feelings and Cruse offer some advice on managing those feelings here. If you are a fan of podcasts you could try Griefcast, a podcast that examines the human experience of grief and death – but with comedians, so it’s cheerier than it sounds. You can find it on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Action for Happiness website is also a great resource for some ideas that can bring happiness to both you and to those around you. They have a kindness calendar with suggestions for small things to do each day.
Today (22nd) is ‘Congratulate someone for an achievement that may go unnoticed.’ If you are a language learner with us, you could download the calendar in German, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Spanish and practice your language skills as you practice your kindness.
Whatever your plans for the next couple of weeks, I hope you find time to do something that brings you peace and joy. Everyone here at Stoke Lodge is very much looking forward to welcoming you back in 2026 and sends you love and best wishes.
Kindest regards
Jenny
