Learning centres

Medway Community Learning (MCL) has seven centres within Medway.

Our two main centres, Rochester Community Hub and the Gillingham MCL Training Centre offer daytime and evening courses.

Our other five centres offer evening courses at:

Select any of the centre links above to find out more information about that centre and courses available. The service also operates in other various community venues in partnership with other services. You will find details of these courses within the directory.

Rochester centre (main)

Rochester Community Hub, Eastgate, Rochester ME1 1EW

Phone: 01634 338400

Fax: 01634 338403

Open term time:

Monday to Thursday 9am - 7.15pm

Friday 9am - 4.30pm

All other times 9am - 4.30pm

Travel information

Rail: A five to 10-minute walk from Rochester station.

Buses: Arriva Buses 133, 136, 140, 141, 151, 156, 172, 173, 191, 193, 197, 198, 700 and 701 stop outside the Centre on Corporation St

Parking: Blue Boar Lane and Almon Place (up to five hours). Market car park, Corporation Street (long stay parking).

Gillingham centre (main)

Map of Gillingham Centre MCL Training Centre, 48 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, ME7 5UN

Phone: 01634 338400

Open term time:

Monday to Wednesday 9am - 9pm

Thursday and Friday 9am - 5pm

All other times 9am - 4.30pm

Access: There is one training room on the ground floor, no lift is available for the upper floors- please contact the relevant curriculum manager to discuss any mobility issues.

Travel information

Rail: A five minute walk from the Gillingham station.

Buses: Arriva buses numbered 101,114,136,176,182 stops close-by the Centre on Canterbury Street within a two minute walk of the centre in most cases.

Parking: Public car parking is available near the Centre at Balmoral car park and Medway Park (both up to four hours). Pay and display street parking in Green Street is limited to a maximum of two hours.

Woodlands centre

Woodlands Primary School/Community Arts Centre, Woodlands Road, Gillingham ME7 4HS

Phone: 01634 338400

Opening times:

Monday to Friday: 9am – 9pm

Saturday and Sunday: Variable

Full details of these courses can be found in the main directory:

• British Sign Language - introduction

• GCSE English

• Exercise for life

• Essential core - first steps

• Essential core

• Yoga for all

• Award in Assisting Health Related Activity L1

• Award in Instructing Circuits Sessions - Active IQ

• Active Life - pay as you go

Refreshments: Available

Access: Classes are on ground level some of which require steps but ramp access is also available.

Location and parking: Via Bowaters / Tesco roundabout Gillingham. At the Bowaters roundabout take the 1st exit onto the A2 signposted Gillingham Town Centre. At the Will Adams roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the A289 signposted Medway Tunnel, Chatham Docks and Maritime. At the Cornwallis Roundabout take the 1st exit onto Cornwallis Avenue, carry on until you reach a set of traffic lights. At the traffic lights turn left into Woodlands Road, then take the first entrance on your left sign, posted Woodlands Sure Start Centre, (entrance for tutors and disabled users only). For all other learners, carry on until you reach the bus stop on the left hand side and take the next turning on your left up to the

Woodlands Sports Centre. You will reach a grass verge at the top of the driveway to your right on which you can park. All parking is free of charge.

Buses: Arriva bus number 182 stops outside the school in Woodlands Road.

Rainham evening centre

Rainham School for Girls, Derwent Way, Rainham ME8 0BX

Phone: 07922 002493 (Mobile)

(Monday 6.30-8.30pm term time only)

Phone: 01634 338400 all other times

Full details of these courses can be found in the main directory:

• Introduction to wedding floristry

• Christmas festive fun

• Introduction to gardening

• Getting started with keeping chickens

• Keeping chickens - hobby to business

• Plumbing for the DIY enthusiast - beginners

• Cooking for non-cooks

• Asian flair

• Photography - film processing and printing

• Photography - first steps into film

• Drawing and painting for all abilities

• AS Level Art and Design - lens and light based media Edexcel

• Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010 - introduction

• Create spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel

• Create presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint

• Desktop publishing using Microsoft Publisher

• Mah Jongg

• Tai chi for health

• Yoga for all

• Guitar - improvers

Refreshments: Available

Access: All classes are on the ground floor and easily accessible. For full information please enquire before the start of your class.

Location: Follow the A2 (Rainham Road) from London direction. After Tesco roundabout continue to traffic lights. Take first right after traffic lights into Salisbury Avenue. At the top of Salisbury Avenue turn right into Derwent Way. At end of road go through main gate and turn sharp left.

Parking: Available on site, evenings only.

Hoo evening centre

The Hundred of Hoo School, Main Road, Hoo ME3 9HH

Phone: 07563 741359 (Mobile)

(Tuesday 6.30–8.30pm term time only)

Phone: 01634 338400 all other times

Full details of these courses can be found in the main directory:

• Fun with foliage workshop

• Introduction to garden design and landscaping

• Learn Sage Payroll

• Setting up in business

• British Sign Language - introduction

• Carpentry for the DIY enthusiast - beginners

• Carpentry for the DIY enthusiast – improvers

• Wood turning

• Introduction to working with wrought iron

• Craft designs in wrought iron

• Handyman - start your own business

• Asian flair

• Simply Italian

• Creative sugarcraft - beginners

• Introduction to counselling

• Making the most of your own laptop - first steps

• Apple Mac computing - first steps

• Apple Mac computing - moving on

• Rush hour (get fit)

• Yoga for all

• French beginners

• Italian early intermediate - intermediate

Refreshments: Available

Access: Some classes are on the ground floor and easily accessible. Please enquire before the start date of your class.

Location: Follow A228 towards Hoo and Grain to the first roundabout and turn right. At the next roundabout drive straight ahead and the Hundred of Hoo School is on the left opposite the sports centre.

Parking: Available on site, evenings only.

Chatham evening centre

Chatham Grammar School for Boys, Holcombe, Maidstone Road, Chatham ME4 6JB

Phone: 07541 091402 (mobile)

(Wednesday 6.30-8.30pm term time only)

Phone: 01634 338400 all other times

Full details of these courses can be found in the main directory:

• Garden maintenance (including pruning)

• Growing vegetables in containers and pots

• Getting started with keeping chickens

• Running a small-holding

• A year in a bee-keepers life

• Bee-keeping beginners

• Make-up for every occasion

• Nail technician

• Beauty therapy

• Award in Manual Book-keeping Levels 1 and 2

• Award in Customer Service Level 1

• Makaton

• British Sign Language (introduction)

• Sign along

• Plumbing for the DIY enthusiast - beginners

• Simply Greek

• Cooking for Christmas

• Cook Turkish

• Beautiful baking

• Cook Mediterranean

• Purse friendly family feasts

• Cook Asian

• Malaysian fusion

• Sugarcraft - from a hobby to a business

• Sugarcraft - advanced

• Introduction to life coaching

• Jewellery - bead needle weaving projects

• Journalism - first steps

• Journalism - New Media

• GCSE English

• Nutrition and exercise

• Nutrition and exercise - Summer shape

• French pre intermediate

• GCSE French

• Spanish beginners

• Spanish advanced conversation

• Italian advanced conversation

• Latin beginners 1

• Guitar - beginners

• Choir

Refreshments: Available

Access: Classes are on the ground floor and easily accessible. Please enquire before the start date of your class.

Location: From Maidstone direction follow Maidstone Road, Chatham to wards Chatham. Continue after the crossroads traffic lights and take the next right into Letchworth Avenue. The school entrance is on your right.

Parking: Available on site on the main driveway and tennis courts, evenings and Saturdays only.

Strood evening centre

Strood Academy, Carnation Road, Strood ME2 2SX

Phone: 07926 043406 (Mobile)

(Thursday 6.30-8.30pm term time only)

Phone: 01634 338400 all other times

Full details of these courses can be found in the main directory on page:

• The importance of bees

• Relaxation techniques

• British Sign Language - introduction

• Drawing and painting

• Civilisation

• Computing - moving on

• How to sell on eBay

• Nutrition and exercise

• Nutrition and exercise - Summer shape

• Tai chi for health

• MCL Performance School

Refreshments: Available

Access: Some classes are on the ground floor and easily accessible. Please enquire before the start date of your class.

Location: From Rochester, follow the A2 towards Strood. Continue on the A2 towards London on Watling Street. At the junction with Rede Court Road, straight after the traffic lights turn left into Carnation Road and immediately right into the school drive. Follow the driveway and parking is near the reception area.

Parking: Available on site, evenings only.

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