Weekly BBCA Classes
Our classes and workshops generally run weekly during term time (September to July) and are delivered by experienced tutors.
Art, craft, and language classes: £8.75 weekly.
Exercise and yoga classes: £7.25 weekly.
Arts and Crafts
£8.75 weekly
Creative Sewing
With Essex Handicrafts Association
A creative sewing opportunity as well as work with group sessions. The a chance to just sit and slow stitch, social stitch and learn a stitch. All welcome.
Acrylic & Watercolour Art
Tuesday, 1.30pm – 3.30pm
With David Pasfield
Relaxed learning about and practise of acrylic or watercolour painting skills. David will work with you in your chosen medium.
Prick 'n' Stitch
With Carol Vince & Ellen Payne
A wonderful artistic card can be produced by pricking tiny holes in card and then stitching into them. Join the group to learn how easy stunning detailed pieces can be made!
Calligraphy
Intermediate: Thursday, 1.00pm – 3.00pm
With Jay Ainge
Learn the superlative art of calligraphy.
Learn to Paint and Draw
With Bianca Garcia
Start drawing and painting with step-by-step demonstrations, practical exercises, and insightful tips.
Mastering Watercolours
With Bianca Garcia
An encouraging environment to explore, experiment and develop the process of painting; to find your own unique way of using the wonderful medium of watercolour.
Languages
£8.75 weekly
French Conversation
With Peter Schaad
We offer beginners and intermediate learners the chance to speak conversational languages with well practised tutors. Register for the language of your choice to brush up your holiday skills!
Italian Conversation
With Peter Schaad
We offer beginners and intermediate learners the chance to speak conversational languages with well practised tutors. Register for the language of your choice to brush up your holiday skills!
Spanish Conversation
Thursday 6.15pm – 7.30pm
Learn some basic Spanish to help you get by when on holiday in Spain.
Suitable for beginners.
NEW!
German Conversation
With Peter Schaad
We offer beginners and intermediate learners the chance to speak conversational languages with well practised tutors. Register for the language of your choice to brush up your holiday skills!
Introduction to British Sign Language
Thursday, 6.15pm – 7.30pm
With Lyndsey Dixon-Barrell
Eight-session courses. Be sure to register your interest early!
22nd January – 19th March (no class 12th February). 7th May – 2nd July (no class 4th June).
£144 for the full 8-week course.
COMING SOON!
Exercise & Wellness
£7.25 weekly
Chair Yoga
Chair Yoga offers a gentle yet effective way to enhance flexibility, build strength, alleviate joint pressure and overall well-being.
Serenity Yoga
Monday, 3.00pm – 4.15pm
With Louise
Mindful Movement – Meditation – Breath Work. Gentle Hatha Yoga. Suitable for every BODY.
Beginners very welcome.
COMING SOON!
Dance Fit
With Joanne Libby
Fun, easy to follow routines to get you moving and make you smile! Suitable for all levels. Great music. Various styles. Qualified dance and fitness teacher.
Yoga with Louise
With Louise Marshall
A friendly, fun and inclusive yoga session.
Pilates
Thursday 5.45pm – 6.45pm
With Joanne Libby
Pilates is a fantastic method used to help improve strength, flexibility, mobility, overall movement and tone.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
With Katie Stewart
An energetic yoga class to help balance physical mental, and spiritual wellbeing. All ability levels welcome.
Salsa Dancing
Improvers/Intermediate: Wednesday, 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Workshops
We also run a variety of special workshops and courses outside of the weekly class programme, which can be a great opportunity to have a go at something you’ve always wanted to try, or just spend a few hours on a fun project. Look out for our occasional Saturday School classes, as well as the Braintree Summer School!
Patchwork From the Start (Block 3)
BLOCK 3 AUTUMN 2025 £15 A SESSION PAID UPFRONT £100 (OR 2 PAYMENTS OF £50 UPFRONT AND £50 ON WEEK 1) 17TH SEPTEMBER & 1ST OCTOBER: STAINED GLASS PATCHWORK 15TH & 29TH OCTOBER: JAPANESE FOLDED PATCHWORK 5TH & 19TH NOVEMBER: QUILLO 3RD DECEMBER: CHRISTMAS PATCHWORK 7.00PM – 9.00PM Explore patchwork techniques in combination with getting to know your sewing machine in these fun sessions plus lots of tea and biscuits/cake. Start learning what your machine can do as well as create useful patchwork projects including Stained Glass and Japanese Patchwork, Quillo and Christmas gifts & Decorations.
Find out more »Late Summer Borders in Thick & Thin Acrylics
With David Pasfield. Saturday 20th September April 2025, 9.30am-4pm (please arrive 9am to set up) £48 payable in advance Using an underpainting technique to apply a first impression painting followed by texture build-up using a palette knife with heavy body acrylics in an impasto style. Free up your painting style, being bold and not worrying about detail. Free refreshments provided, but bring or buy your own lunch Please check the class details for the equipment and materials list Materials: No additional materials cost Equipment & Materials Acrylic paints – vibrant colours Heavy duty Impasto Gel MDF or hardboard (pre-primed […]
Find out more »An Introduction to East Asian Calligraphy
Discover the timeless art of East Asian calligraphy in this engaging hands-on workshop. Participants will begin by exploring the rich history, distinctive styles, and renowned masters of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy. After an introduction to brush and ink techniques on traditional calligraphy paper, the session will move on to extended practice using specially designed calligraphy boards. This focused stage of the workshop offers plenty of time to develop your skills, and each participant will take home their boards as a lasting memento of the experience. Refreshments, expert instruction, and all equipment and materials provided. No prior knowledge or experience required.
Find out more »Other Classes and Meetings
These sessions are run by outside hirers so fees will vary and are paid directly to the organiser.
For further information and contact details, please see our Community Partners & Affiliates page.
Rethink Art Group
Tuesday, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
A mental health support group – not a drop in group.
Armchair Exercise
Wednesday, 9.30am – 10.30am
Easy exercise class.
Parkinson’s UK
Fourth Thursday of the month, 2.00pm – 4.00pm
People with Parkinson’s, family and friends – come along and enjoy our friendly meetings and take part in gentle exercise and singing if you wish to – suitable for all levels of ability.
Dolphin Women’s Institute
Fourth Thursday of the month, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Dolphin WI is a member of The Essex Federation whose head office is based in Hatfield Peverel.
Al-Anon
Tuesday, 8.00pm – 9.30pm