Continuing our series on stuff to do at home, this latest instalment brings you some new recommendations for websites to develop your learning and creativity. There’s some classic cinema from our borough’s world-famous Ealing Studios too.
Learn something new at home
Ealing’s adult learning team has a fantastic selection of courses for residents to take advantage of while we are all exploring the great indoors. Adapting to the current situation, many of its courses have moved online. Those will run from 20 April until July 2020.
The courses offered by the team are focusing on residents’ health, wellbeing and employment, many of which are free. If you log on to the Ealing adult learning site you can find a wide variety of subjects to try your hand at. There’s drawing and painting, creative writing, digital skills and maths, to name a few. Why not dive in?
Learning a language during lockdown is a great way to exercise your mind, discover more about a new culture and expand your horizons – all without having to leave home. To find out about an online course, visit the Ealing adult learning site.
For more creative writing options, Open Ealing are providing a range of online courses starting this week too. For some, just a visit to their website will get you started and others are taught over Zoom. You can explore all of them at the Open Ealing website.
Home is where the art is
We’ve had some great responses from local residents and organisations with ideas to keep us occupied while we are spending a lot more time inside.
Claire Powell from Acton is a children’s book illustrator. Since the lockdown she has been uploading videos showing how to do a fun piece of art. She’d love for you to join in. You can find her new videos appearing each morning on her Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages.
Visit Claire’s website for more details and links to her social media with the videos.
You’re on
Questors Theatre want to know what weird and wonderful, or simply just really enjoyable pursuits you’ve been spending your time on during the lockdown. Their new project, Bridging The Gap, is giving you a chance to showcase what you’ve been up to in splendid isolation.
It really could be anything. Gardening, a new yoga routine, a recipe or a video you’ve made.
Every Tuesday the team at the theatre will pick a favourite to go on their website and share across social media. The first winner is already up here: Bridging The Gap. Why not take a look for some inspiration? There are a few activities for younger people available on their website too. For more info, take a trip here: Questors Activities
Islamic geometry classes
Returning to the artistic theme for a moment, we’d like to draw your attention to Samira Mian’s classes on Islamic geometry. You can see a selection of her stunning images on Samira’s website. Follow the links there to some of her free Youtube tutorials.
The website offers links to other free online resources as well as book reviews, equipment and materials recommendations.
In addition, a preview video shows a range affordable online courses that are available. There you can find practical details and demonstrations of drawing, tracing, tiling, transferring and painting.
Ealing Sports Awards
The council is encouraging people to stay active during social isolation and it is also a great way to recognise local athletes from the past year through the 2020 Ealing Sports Awards. There are categories for amazing local athletes, volunteers, coaches and sports clubs.
So please tell us if you think you know a club or individual deserving of any of the following categories:
- Junior club of the year
- Sports club of the year
- Coach of the year
- Adult volunteer of the year
- Junior volunteer of the year
- Outstanding contribution to sport award
- Inclusive and active award
- Junior sports person of the year
- Adult sports person of the year
Nominations for the 2020 Ealing Sports Awards close soon at 12noon on Friday 1 May 2020, so visit Everyone Active for full details.
Stuff not to miss: Ealing Comedies
While the film industry has postponed shooting across the UK, now might be a good time to catch up on some classic cinema courtesy of Ealing Studios.
Earlier this month BBC2 broadcast a few of the studios’ classic comedies including The Man In The White Suit and Whisky Galore. They’re still available on the BBC Iplayer for a couple of weeks.
For a little more local history about the studios, why not revisit this Ealing News Extra article from a few years ago?
And finally…
Rising to the challenge of performing without a traditional stage, a group of nine students from the University of West London’s London College of Music have produced a dramatic reading of The Importance Of Being Earnest from the confines of their own homes.
The full performance in all its glorious three acts, plus bloopers, can be found on Youtube here: The Importance Of Being Earnest
The performance was assembled and edited by second year acting and theatre student Matt Battersby. Matt said “The play deals with themes of who we are depending on where we are and who we’re with.”
For any prospective students interested in enrolling at the university, the staff delivered their first virtual open day last month. Don’t worry if you missed it as there is still plenty of info available on the University of West London website.
Seen any other useful places for people to check out?
If you have spotted other examples of local ‘virtual culture’, or have created your own, why not send it to us and we might include the best in future updates. Email them to ealinghomeactivities@gmail.com
