Swathmore is a great place to learn new skills or hobbies after you leave formal education. It is…read morean education centre for adults that runs a number of courses all year round in things like arts, crafts, massage and singing that you can do for fun and don't have to have any experience in. Some courses cover things like healthy living, in Yoga and the Alexander technique. They offer the certified counseling courses and accredited computer courses. I have been to a few life drawing sessions there in the past run by an independent group who hired one of the rooms. The studio was big enough for everyone to have easels - there's nothing worse than trying to draw in a cramped space. A few years ago I took an aromatherapy and massage class run in the evening once a week. It was a great introduction to the practice. It was a women only group so we practiced on each other so I got massaged (as well as giving massages) every week! It was really good value for money as well. They offer concession rates on most courses, which aren't that expensive in the first place.

Situated in the romantic location of Woodhouse Square reminisce of a period of time filled with…read moregentlemen and ladies. Most of the buildings around the square of Georgian style and the area is but a little way from the centre of town. Such an unassuming building is home to a diverse range of courses aimed at improving skills and general wellbeing of adults in the Leeds area. Discounts are available on some courses for those receiving benefits so really valuable personal and work-life developments can be achieved. There are sewing courses, DIY, fine art, pottery, yoga, computing and English. The lists do go on and on. Swathmore follows the academic year pattern and there is a membership fee of 10 pounds for a year. It is easy to get to as the Leeds Free bus goes to Park Lane College which is just round the corner.

Commanding a good position in the main high street the IT Learning centre of Joseph Priestly…read morecollege is a good advertisement to capture people of out reach from the main colleges of the city centre. A range of vocational courses are on offer and well as basic key skills such as maths, English and computing. As with most colleges this one also provides a high level of student support such as with child care and funding for courses appealing to those who may normally be put off going into further education due to such limitations.

Great school for learning English. I got 7 on my IELTS. Thank you Leeds Language Collegeread more

From the owner: At Leeds Language College you can study a wide range of courses with a flexible timetable. You can…read morestudy a General English Course (from beginner to proficiency level) or an Exam Course including IELTS, FCE, CAE and CPE. We also offer one to one courses, Business English and English for Academic Purposes. Intensive speaking practice helps boost our students' confidence. Our qualified and professional teachers will assist you with your studies.

Thinking of changing your direction in life or just want to update you beauty therapy skills then…read morethis private training academy. The ethos of the academy provides a welcoming setting to late learners Courses under the awarding body VTCT include Sports Massage, Beauty (levels 2 & 3) and Nail Services. There are also a range of workshops available to add onto these or other qualifications and a salon where you can practice your new skills.

I'm not the biggest fan of Oxfam on the whole, as charities go it is the one that has most…read moreobviously become more of a business. In many cases the Oxfam shops sell second hand clothing at ridiculous prices under the guise of vintage, and I've even seen Primark clothing on sale there for a little more than it sells brand new! But Oxfam books is a shade different. Here there are literally hundreds of different books on sale. As with the standard Oxfam shops, some of these are a little overpriced, but with so much variety it's hard not to find a bargain in here. There are lots of popular texts, but also some really quirky old books, which have that lovely antique vibe. I wanted to find some specialist literature based around gender studies and feminist non-fiction and found a far better range and highlighted section than even Borders - which had merged those texts in with lesbian erotica! Oh the irony! Every item that I chose to purchase was super cheap and it was pleasing to know that some of my money, however much, should go to a good cause. A great gem of a bookshop for wee Headingley.

Oxfam Books is jolly good indeed. It is rather large and has clearly labelled sections with areas…read moreincluding gender studies, philosophy, gardening and much, much more. It's the kind of place you could spend forever in, browsing, reading, then curling up in a corner engrossed! It has a lovely, library-like feel to it with many other people flicking through pages and browsing the shelves. For the most part the books are very good value for money and the huge selection means you are absolutely guaranteed to find something you want to take away. They also sell a tasteful range of greetings cards. The staff seem lovely and you get the impression they really enjoy their job. Next time I have some pennies to rub together I'm definitely heading over there to stock up on books in preparation for springtime reading under a tree in my local park! Can't wait!