Learning / Adult education
The city’s haven for adult education: Bristol Folk House
A narrow alleyway off Park Street, which might look inconspicuous from the outside is the entrance to one of Bristol’s longest running adult education centres.
Bristol Folk House opened in the 1870s but only started its first set of educational programmes sometime between 1920 and 1921. Everything since then has been about “learning for pleasure”, head of operations Anna Naylor told Bristol24/7.
“I think the Bristol Folk House’s role in adult education is essentially for people to come and have a go, just for the pure enjoyment of learning or getting creative on some of the courses.
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“None of our courses are accredited: we don’t give a certificate at the end. It is essentially to try something new, maybe discover a new hobby, a secret talent that you didn’t realise you had and all of it in a sort of relaxed, sociable learning environment.”
Pottery is one of the centre’s most sought after classes, which sells out in record time every year – photo: Bristol Folk House
Billie Croucher found herself enrolled on the 12-week settling into poetry course as she navigated through “changing orientations of her life”.
After her class on a recent afternoon, she shared: “I made this decision to simply and having this love ultimately for poetry and writing that I really longed to explore.
In the summer, Croucher had been training to become a psychotherapist, while also undergoing yoga teacher training.
She continued: “I sort of made this decision to pause or completely discontinue all professional trainings. I continued working on my part-time job and gave more time to explore that creative passion – without it being too much of an ambition.”
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Thirty-year-old Croucher believes she is the youngest on the course, with most of the group being in their late 50s.
With courses on everything from pottery to poetry – the Bristol Folk House is a welcome place for all age groups to indulge in something of their choice.
Naylor recalled that their oldest student, a 93-year-old gentleman, only recently stopped his Wednesday morning watercolour classes because of the flight of stairs in the centre that his age no longer permits him to climb.
Accessibility is a crucial part of Bristol Folk House’s future plans: “It’s a really difficult building. It was built in 1963, which sadly I don’t think they considered these things at that time.”
Croucher is part of the poetry course at Bristol Folk House – photo: Karen Johnson
Naylor continued: “It’s very tricky, but it’s something we’re committed to. We’ve already started on what is a five-stage project.”
But for students like Croucher, who can access the place and are ardent fans of learning and growth – Bristol Folk House is the perfect place.
Croucher said education has always “been a constant part of my life. I think I have a real appetite for learning new stuff and I think more and more of seeing how all those different things I’m learning will cross-pollinate.
“Maybe I’ve just put it together in me being a human being.”
Main photo: Bristol Folk House
This article is taken from the January/February 2025 Bristol24/7 magazine
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