I don't think Jeri understands the way in which things are done in the UK. Yes, we have groups such as Poole Bobbin Lace Circle (membership around 100) which meets every two months, Christchurch Lace Society which I understand meets monthly, and numerous small groups (University of the Third Age, private classes, and friendship groups) who meet in libraries and other venues for the purpose of lacemaking. But how is someone who wants to start learning, and doesn't know anyone who already makes lace going to find out where to go before becoming part of one of these groups? In the UK the answer is, and always has been, through adult education classes or University of the Third Age.
The population of Poole is around 140,000, Bournemouth (which is joined on to it) 165,000, and the whole of Dorset (the county in which they are situated) is around 400,000. Between them Bournemouth and Poole adult education offers about 400 classes in a whole varietyt of subjects, both during the day and in the evening for over 16s. This is the way people find out what is available to learn and where to go to learn it, even if it's just to get started. Our government has a commitment to lifelong learning, but it's beginning to put restrictions on what it means by that, and non-examination classes are disappearing. Until now, it's been considered beneficial (if not essential) for physical and mental well-being to give older people the opportunity to join with others to enjoy a mutual interest. The self-help groups are fine, but as Jane says, there's no way most of us could fit four or six lacemakers in our living rooms. Our houses are obviously smaller than those in the US - mine is a bungalow with two double bedrooms (each about 13 feet square), one living room (17 feet by 15 feet) and a small kitchen (12 feet by 7 feet) and combined bathroom and toilet, cost (because it's not in the best area of Poole) is just short of a quarter of a million GB pounds. In a better area of Poole it could approach half a million. Presumably my husband would be banished to one of the bedrooms while the lacemakers were there. With a group such as the one I'm in, there's no-one other than the teacher who can help me with the Lace Guild Advanced Torchon Assessment, and no-one who can help the friend making one of Beryl Maw's patterns from her 'Snowy Spring Day in My Garden' because no-one else in the group has ever done Binche. The lady who's just started her first bandage wouldn't have known where to go to get started if it hadn't been offered by adult education. Only those of us who've already been introduced to lacemaking know there are other local and national groups. Poole Bobbin Lace Circle and Christchurch Lace Society both have annual lace days with suppliers and speakers, half day or day long workshops every couple of months and visits by coach are arranged for those who want to go, such as to the Honiton exhibition a couple of years ago, NEC Lace Fair in Birmingham, Havant Lace Fair. There are two possible trips planned for this year. And both groups support a different chosen charity each year through sales tables, raffles, etc. We're a small congested island and we tend not to travel far - just to get to the lace class I attend on Monday afternoon when traffic is light I have to allow 40 minutes to drive the 7 miles there. Coming home takes about an hour because it's rush hour. Public transport would take even longer. I value belonging to Arachne, Poole Bobbin Lace Circle, IOLI, the UK Lace Guild, but I'd have known nothing about them or where to even start learning to make lace without our adult education system. Jean in Poole - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
