New Year is a time for change, goals, and aspirations for a year of potential ahead of us. With so many options of new, exciting, things to try it can be a bit overwhelming working out what you want to try! So we’ve created this list of 11 skills and where in South London you can learn them!
Baking at Essence of Cake
Falkland Park Avenue, South Norwood, SE25 6SQ
So many of us learnt to bake during lockdown. Some people pushed their new skill as far as to be a finalist on the Great British Bake Off… But most of us have settled with making a loaf of banana bread without a soggy bottom. For any of the early steps in your baking career, head down to South Norwood’s own Essence of Cake where you can get 10% off baking workshops and 5% off equipment with your South London Club Card. Though if you don’t fancy doing the baking yourself, you can always utilise the 20% off for afternoon teas instead!
Learn to play the Guitar with Alex Marshall Music
28 Ibis Court, Deptford, SE8 5PY
If you’re like me in that you have always wanted to play an instrument but are in no way musically inclined then Alex Marshall Music, a Guitar Teacher in Deptford, can help! Whether you are a complete novice or have plucked a few chords in your time you will be welcome to learn with Alex! The subjects you study will be guided by your interests and will give you a grounding in theory to help you improve quicker. It’s all the sweeter when you use your South London Club Card for 20% off your first 5 lessons.
Credit: Alex Marshall Music
Sewing at Make Mee Studios
Crofton Park Community Library, 375 Brockley Road, Brockley, SE4 2AG
Whoever you are and whatever you do, sewing is an invaluable skill. If you don't already know how, now is your sign to learn! Whether you want to be able to fix an old outfit, make a new one from scratch or just sew a button back on, Make Mee Studios have you covered. With studios in Brockley and Crofton Park run by lifelong sewing enthusiasts, who have over 10 years of experience teaching people of all ages and abilities, they’ll have you threading the needle in no time! Use your South London Club Card for 20% of your first class and 10% off all subsequent classes!
Learn a New Language withLanguages2000
The desire to communicate is intrinsically human, so it’s only natural that so many of us want to learn a new language so we can connect to more people. London is the perfect city to learn a new language, with diversity unrivalled by any other city on earth, there will always be someone to talk to in your new tongue. Though it is an awful lot easier said than done. If the fear that the duolingo owl could at any moment kidnap your family isn’t enough to keep you learning, then Languages2000 might be the place for you. They specialise in European languages, running courses for Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and German. Their London campus is based near Tower Bridge but all of their courses are currently online. Use your South London Club Card to get £30 off each term when you enrol on a course.
Credit: Languages2000
Print Art at Slaughterhaus
Vincent’s Yard, 23 Alphabet Mews, Stockwell Park, SW9 0NF
Print art is an ancient form of art with examples dating back beyond 200 B.C in China, but it is only in recent years that it has begun to regain its popularity. Most of us are familiar with paint and brushes so why not try something a little different and introduce yourself to lino and ink! Slaughterhaus is an independent Print Studio in South West London. They run both online and in-person courses, so why not sign up using the 10% discount, applicable to all courses, with your South London Club Card. If you really catch the bug for Print Art then you can also use your card to get 10% off membership at the studio so you can utilise their professional grade equipment.
Learn to Sculpture at London Sculpture Workshop
0 Harrington Way, Woolwich, SE18 5NR
Another adventurous art form, sculpture is something to try regardless of your previous artistic experience or ability. Working in three dimensions is a unique way of creating your next masterpiece. Though with so many avenues to explore, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why you should use your South London Club Card to get 10% off courses at London Sculpture Workshop in Woolwich. They can be your expert guides into the world of sculpture as they run a range of workshops, from working with moulds, through wood and metal work, to using ceramic kilns. Courses range from three hour workshops for useful skills, like welding, to six day long bronze casting courses. So, whether you have no experience and are looking to learn something simple or if you are an artist looking to explore a new medium, this is the place for you!
Credit: London Sculpture Workshop @LondonSculpture on Twitter
Learn Circus Skills at Aircraft Circus School
Unit 7A Mellish House, Harrington Way, Woolwich, SE18 5NR
Learning circus skills might not be on the top of the list for most people’s new year’s resolutions, but with London’s oldest and top independent circus school at your doorstep, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be! Aircraft Circus School believes that everyone has the potential to shine and thus they are on a mission to make circus training accessible to everyone. With your South London Club Card you can get 10% off their 6 week adult classes. Join if you want to learn a new skill that will shock your friends, push you physically, and prove to yourself that you can do something you never thought you could do!
Terrarium Building at London Terrariums
106a New Cross Road, New Cross, SE14 5BA
In the 70s the terrarium aesthetic was all the rage. In modern homes, houseplants reign supreme but there is now a growing trend back to ecosystems closed in glass. If you have been desperate to get into keeping plants but can’t seem to keep them alive then a terrarium is the perfect first step. London Terrariums are an independent terrarium and plant store with several locations across the city, including a cosy store and workshop in New Cross. Depending on the size of your terrarium it is £45 or £60 to do a workshop where they will give you a history of terrariums, teach you how to make one yourself, and guide you as you do so! They also sell the plants and equipment used so that you can make your own once you’ve learnt the skills behind it!
Dance with Kizomba Addiction
Flow Dance London, Kennington Business Park, 1-3 Brixton Road, Vassal, SW9 6DE
If you want to improve your fitness in a fun way that also keeps your mind sharp, then dance is what you are looking for! If the traditional types of dance aren’t quite your speed then look towards the fastest growing dance community in the world with Kizomba Addiction. Kizomba developed from a genre of music in 1970s Portuguese-speaking African nations and is garnering a reputation as being incredibly exciting and having incredibly addictive music! Get 10% off entry to their classes and parties across their multiple South London venues using your South London Club Card!
Cooking with Greenwich Pantry
Woolwich Road, Charlton, SE7 7AJ
However much we may want to eat out or order in every day, we all need to cook sometimes. It is an absolutely vital skill that many of us don’t put as much care into as we probably should. Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore, whether you are looking to refresh the basics or are fixing to be on Masterchef, sharpen your kitchen skills and learn to love cooking with Greenwich Pantry! With them you can learn everything from basic knife skills through to the art of making sushi! You can do a class on your own, sign up to a family class, or give your kids a major head start by booking them into one of their specialist kids classes! Take advantage of 15% off by being a South London Club Card holder.
Cycling with Cycle Confident and Hidden Tracks Cycling
Hidden Tracks: 17 Trent Road, Brixton, SW2 5BJ
If you are new to cycling and want to learn for the first time then contact Cycle Confident, a South London based organisation that helps teach people of all ages and abilities how to cycle confidently and safely. When looking for equipment, follow this link for discounts at a selection of bike shops across South London that can be also found on our website by clicking on discounts, by category, and selecting bike shops. If you want a fun way to engage more with cycling, look no further than Hidden Tracks Cycling who run guided circuits in and out of the city, as well as coaching for off-roading and racing. These circuits are bound to ignite that cycling excitement in anyone who tries, especially when you use your South London Club Card for a 10% discount.
Credit: Hidden Tracks Cycling
The year ahead of us has so much potential. This can be the year of new skills and experiences for you, especially if you make the most of it by becoming a South London Club Card holder. Small businesses in South London have so much to offer you and they need you now more than ever, so it is the perfect time to take advantage of our discounts, deals, and directory of local businesses!
What Is The South London Club?
The South London Club is a local discount card to help support small independent businesses across South London whilst saving all who live, work & play in South London money! With over 850+ local discounts to choose from, you will discover & explore all the best hidden gems in South London. Join over 7,000 of us & celebrate all that's independent & South London!