DIY Summer School at the Goodlife Centre in Waterloo

The Goodlife Centre, an independent learning space in Waterloo that specializes in short and snappy daytime, evening and weekend DIY classes, is providing a range of new DIY courses for families to learn lifelong skills together this Summer, in which a child goes for free.

Designed to be diverse but practical, Summer School at the Goodlife Centre builds on the already popular schedule of DIY, woodwork, furniture restoration and upholstery classes that are regularly run in the surprisingly bright and airy workspace just ten minutes from London’s Waterloo, Borough and Southwark tube stations.

Family Friendly Workshops – Take a Child for Free

Three new family-friendly workshops have been developed to allow parents and children to have fun learning some practical skills together whilst getting their hands dirty, but all under the safe and close supervision of expert tutors. A child aged between 10–18 years goes free when booked with an adult - and one course is free for all.

DIY for Families is a great way to spend time learning lifelong skills with teenage sons and daughters - especially if they are off to University in the Autumn. Teenagers will learn, alongside a parent , to handle simple tasks and basic household maintenance while they are away from home and generate a little piece of mind for nervous parents.

Carpentry for Families is family fun for a younger audience in a 3-day workshop. Each parent and child will build a beautiful wooden bee house to take home and in the process learn to use some traditional woodworking tools as well as some snazzy power versions (safely).

Hand Make Cloud Lampshades is a free (evening) workshop where parents and children can come along and learn how the huge cloud Lampshades in the centre are made, and help make some more for the expanded workspace which is opening in July.

The Goodlife Centre founder, Alison Winfield-Chislett, says she has particularly enjoyed developing the family-friendly courses;

“It never fails to impress me just how quickly and diligently children pick up and enjoy new skills like woodworking. Unfortunately, there is less emphasis on practical classes such as CDT in schools these days, but I think we are filling that gap.

She goes on to explain the very practical reason for developing the DIY for Families course;

“My son is at university now and teaching him basic DIY in order to be self-sufficient around his student house has already saved me a pretty penny. It’s a wise investment for any parent, and also an opportunity to spend some precious quality time together before they flee the nest.”

Summer Fun for Grown Ups Too

As well as these family-friendly courses there are also a new range of diverse workshops for grown-ups looking to learn a new skill or hobby.

Highlights include:

Pinhole Photography is a beautiful course that goes beyond today’s camera phones and instead explores the origins of photography. Course members will build a simple camera and spend the day learning to expose and develop many unique photographs.

Traditional Lampshade is a special weekend workshop where course members choose a wire frame and transform it into a bespoke home accessory whilst learning the traditional craft of sewing a lampshade, instead of gluing.

Hand Caning a very old traditional craft of intertwining the fine split canes in a cane chair. Course members will leave knowing they can snap up a junk shop bargain chair and restore it back to its former glory. The ultimate ‘upcycle’ course.

Hand Made Tassels make anything look more luxurious. In this half day workshop, there will be time to make several elegant tassels to take home as curtain ties or even a fancy keyring.

Make a Meditation Stool is a peaceful workshop where course members lovingly peel, shape, plane, chisel and wax their very own low wood stool fashioned from lengths of freshly cut Hornbeam, Chesnut, Ash sticks and reclaimed hardwood.

Go to The Goodlife Centre's website at thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/summer-school/ to discover the full range of workshops available as part of the special Summer School program.