Mary Ward Centre - Changing Lives Together

Mary Ward Centre - Changing Lives Together Specialises in Adult Education: Large enough to sustain a wide, relevant range of courses yet small The Mary Ward Centre is part of the Mary Ward Settlement.

As a hub for adult learning, the Mary Ward Centre offer a diverse range of part-time courses covering arts and crafts, humanities, fitness, essential skills, and ESOL, all designed to fit seamlessly into the lives of Newham residents. For over a century, the Mary Ward Centre has been dedicated to lifelong learning in London. Founded as part of the Settlement Movement in the late 19th century, our mission has always been to provide inclusive and accessible education to adults from diverse backgrounds. Known as “the friendly place to learn,” studying at Mary Ward is more than just attending a class—it's about becoming part of a supportive community. Many of our learners find camaraderie and friendship, making the educational journey both enriching and enjoyable. From art to Zumba, pottery to ukulele, computing & business to psychology, there is plenty of choice to meet your interests or practical needs. Some courses lead to a certificate so you can add to your qualifications, but there is also lots of opportunity to pursue study purely for the pleasure of learning. Visit our website at www.marywardcentre.ac.uk to discover more about us and become part of our vibrant community!

🧵 Ready to take your sewing skills further?If you’ve used a sewing machine, worked with a commercial pattern or even mad...
05/10/2026

🧵 Ready to take your sewing skills further?

If you’ve used a sewing machine, worked with a commercial pattern or even made a garment yourself, our Clothesmaking for Improvers course is your chance to build on what you already know.

You’ll develop your skills through practical garment-making, from selecting and laying out your pattern to cutting fabric and using a range of sewing techniques to create a garment of your choice.

The course is led by Auda Sakho, a clothesmaking and textile practitioner with a strong interest in circular design, natural dyeing and sustainable approaches to fashion. Her wider practice explores how we can rethink our relationship with clothing and materials, from natural colour and textile experimentation to creating more sustainable ways of making.

Come and make your next garment at Mary Ward.

Imagine being ill in 17th-century Britain. Your doctor might blame an imbalance of your “humours” — and recommend a trea...
01/10/2026

Imagine being ill in 17th-century Britain. Your doctor might blame an imbalance of your “humours” — and recommend a treatment that sounds very strange to us today.

Bodies, Disease, and Medicine in Early Modern Britain (1500–1800) explores how people understood illness, treated disease and experienced healthcare before modern medicine. You’ll discover how ideas about the body, disease and treatment changed over time, and what medical history can tell us about wider British society.

You’ll be learning with Dr Emily Betz, a historian specialising in early modern history. Emily's research explored the relationship between British medicine, politics and identity from the late 16th to the 18th centuries. She has lectured in early modern history at the University of St Andrews and St Mary’s University Twickenham, and now at Mary Ward!

With her academic background and passion for making history accessible, Emily brings fascinating research and historical stories to the classroom.

👉 Find out more and book your place!

🧵 A new sewing room has arrived at Mary Ward!Bright, clean and designed with sewing in mind, our new room brings everyth...
29/09/2026

🧵 A new sewing room has arrived at Mary Ward!

Bright, clean and designed with sewing in mind, our new room brings everything you need for your sewing sessions together in one place. Fewer worries about paint stains, water or other materials affecting sewing projects and fabrics.

There’s also more space to work, set up your project and focus on what you’re making. No more running around looking for the right equipment — everything you need is now in one place and within easy reach.

Whether you’re making clothes, working on a new project, developing your sewing skills, or simply enjoying some creative time, there’s now more room for your ideas to take shape.

Join a fashion and textile course to explore our new sewing room for yourself!

🩺 How much has medicine really changed?Before modern medicine, how did people understand the human body, diagnose illnes...
22/09/2026

🩺 How much has medicine really changed?

Before modern medicine, how did people understand the human body, diagnose illness and treat disease?

Our Medical History in Early Modern Britain (1500–1800) course takes you back to a fascinating period of change, when old medical theories met new ideas and practices.

Explore everything from humoral theory and the plague to hospitals, medical practitioners and women’s roles in healthcare. You’ll discover how physicians, apothecaries, surgeons and patients interacted, and explore developments that helped shape medicine as we know it today.

Each session combines an informative talk, primary source readings and relaxed group discussions, giving you the chance to explore the past and share your own ideas.

No previous knowledge of medical history is needed — just bring your curiosity!

At Mary Ward, we see every day how learning and support can make a real difference.It might be someone discovering a cre...
16/09/2026

At Mary Ward, we see every day how learning and support can make a real difference.

It might be someone discovering a creative talent they never knew they had. Someone gaining the confidence to return to work. Someone learning a new skill, finding a community or simply having a place where they feel welcome. Through our legal centre, it might be someone facing a difficult situation finally getting the advice they need.

Behind all of this is a community of people who believe that education, opportunity and support should be available to everyone.

We’re looking for new Trustees to join us and help shape what comes next.

As a Trustee, you can use your experience, ideas and perspective to help guide our charities, make important decisions and ensure that Mary Ward continues to have a positive impact on people’s lives for years to come.

You don’t need to have been a Trustee before. We’re looking for people who care about what we do and want to use their skills to make a difference.

Could you be part of Mary Ward’s next chapter?

Find out more about becoming a Trustee on our website.

15/09/2026

✂️ There’s something special about wearing something you made yourself.

Learning clothesmaking and pattern cutting gives you the skills to turn fabric and ideas into something you can actually wear. You’ll learn how to work with patterns, understand fit, make adjustments and create garments from scratch.

And once you have the skills, the possibilities are yours. Make clothes that fit you perfectly, transform pieces you already own, design something completely new, or create a costume for a special event, cosplay or fancy dress.

There’s a real sense of achievement in putting on something and being able to say: “I made this.”

From your first project to designs that are uniquely yours, every finished piece is something to be proud of.

✏️ Life drawing doesn’t always have to look realistic.What happens when you stop trying to capture every detail of the h...
13/09/2026

✏️ Life drawing doesn’t always have to look realistic.
What happens when you stop trying to capture every detail of the human figure and start responding to movement, line, light and energy?

Caroline DeaneQu brings a very different approach to life drawing. Working with charcoal, chalk and ink, her own figure drawings are expressive and often abstract, influenced by both Eastern and Western artistic traditions.

Her classes encourage you to look at the life model in a different way — experimenting with marks, composition, colour and movement rather than simply trying to reproduce what you see.

Come and see what the human figure can become when you give yourself permission to draw differently.

We’re recruiting!We’re looking for passionate and creative people to join the team at Mary Ward Centre.We’re currently r...
11/09/2026

We’re recruiting!

We’re looking for passionate and creative people to join the team at Mary Ward Centre.

We’re currently recruiting for:

🎨 Curriculum Manager – Art, Health & Wellbeing
Help shape and develop our courses, working with the team to create an inspiring programme.

✏️ Sessional Tutors
We’re always interested in hearing from experienced and enthusiastic tutors who would like to share their skills and knowledge.

If you’re passionate about adult education and creating a welcoming learning environment, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 Find out more about the roles and how to apply via our website: https://www.marywardcentre.ac.uk/jobs/

10/09/2026

🧶 Ready to take your knitting further?

Already know the basics of knitting and looking to make something a little more ambitious?

From cosy socks and scarves to sweaters, homewares, Christmas decorations and handmade gifts, there’s so much more to explore once you’ve mastered the fundamentals.

Join Rosina on a journey beyond the basics. Develop your knitting skills, try new techniques and build your confidence as you work on more challenging projects and create pieces that are uniquely yours.

Start now, and you could have something handmade ready for winter or Christmas!

07/09/2026

💍 Create a ring, pendant or bangle that's completely your own – or make a special gift for someone you love.

In our beginner's jewellery course, you'll begin with the basics of jewellery making, learning how to cut, shape, hammer and solder metal before progressing to your own designs. By the end of the course, you'll have developed practical skills and created beautiful handmade pieces to treasure.

A wonderful course for friends, family members or couples looking to make something meaningful together.

Address

275-285 High Street, Stratford
London
E152TF

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 10pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 10pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 10pm
Thursday 9:30am - 10pm
Friday 9:30am - 10pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+442072696000

Website

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