Frequently Asked Questions – Self Help
How do I know if I qualify for a class?
All of our workshops are open to beginners. You will receive plenty of support if you are nervous. If you are unsure, call us and discuss your concerns.
We teach men and women of any age (well, over 10 after a discussion with Alison about a young person’s suitability).
The Goodlife Centre is self funded. We offer an alternative to long courses in large colleges regulated by Local authority subsidies. We deliver top rate, interactive fast paced courses for busy people. Our classes are very small.
Do I get a qualification?
Although our courses are not accredited, they are suitable for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) and a Certificate of Attendance can be provided on request.
How can I book a place at a workshop?
Book online with your credit or debit card through our secure payment gateway or via Paypal or call Alison on 0207 760 7613 and book by phone. We are not an office based business so we may not be near a computer – thank heavens.
If we are preparing for a class or teaching – leave a message and we will get back to you. To book online you will need to register first (it only takes a few minutes and we treat your info as confidential). Our courses frequently sell out so book early to make sure of a space.
Do you offer concessions?
The Goodlife Centre is an independent training place, privately funded with no subsidies so we are unable to offer concessionary fees. However, if you receive our newsletter you will see we regularly run deals and discounts when launching new workshops.
I booked but didn’t receive confirmation. What’s happened?
Please check your junk mail folder. Our email registrations, payment confirmations and workshop reminders are all automated through our website. Please add *@thegoodlifecentre.co.uk to your safe list and check your junk mail folder for our emails before you contact us.
Aggh! I cant get to the workshop I booked? What can I do?
If you are not able to attend a course, please contact us immediately by email letting us know which course you are booked on. You can send someone else in your place for the entire duration of a course if you cannot attend yourself.
Your request must be received at least 72 hours before the course start date on which you are booked (less than 72 hours transfers or cancellations will not be possible for any reason). You may transfer your booking to a later date or an alternative course, providing there is a place available. Please email info@thegoodlifecentre.co.uk and include the new date. There is a transfer fee of £25.00 per place. We will send you payment request before we move you to your specified date.
Because our workshops are short and content rich, missing one or two sessions of a six week course may mean you cannot finish your project. Please bear this in mind when you book. Missing one early class of a twelve week course will have less impact and the project normally gets finished.
Please note that we don’t roll over missed sessions to the next workshop cycle. Subject to availability, you can join a class on the following teaching period with a per evening fee.
We keep unfinished projects for 14 days after the end of the sessions then discard them. Please contact us to collect if you wish to keep them.
Please note we cannot transfer your booking less 72 hrs before a workshop or course takes place.
What happens if the course is cancelled by The Goodlife Centre?
Occasionally, we have to cancel a workshop if the tutor is suddenly unavailable or there are too few people booked to make the course viable. If your course is cancelled you can transfer to another workshop of the same price, at no extra charge or receive a full refund for any course fees and deposits paid– your choice.
The Goodlife Centre reserves the right to cancel any course at short notice, in this event you will be notified as soon as possible. However, we cannot accept responsibility for wasted travel, accommodation, other costs or for disappointment. Please fill in a contact number when you book which will only be used if we need to get in touch at short notice.
What do I need to bring? What about lunch?
Each workshop will explain if you mostly need to bring anything other than your lovely self – in casual clothing if possible. If you want to protect yourself from sawdust, bookbinding glue or upholstery dust, please bring an apron. If you are a notetaker, please bring a notebook or a pencil to annotate the notes we give you.
We supply all tools and basic materials. If you are coming to a restoration class, please bring a small piece of furniture to work on. You can also bring photos of particular problems to discuss with the tutor.
Lunch.
We will break for an hour’s lunch at about 1pm during all day classes.
If you would like to bring your own lunch, you can eat in your studio. We don’t have any food heating facilities. There are also several little parks nearby as well as coffee shops and cafes.
We serve tea, coffee and biscuits during a mid morning and mid afternoon break.
How many in a workshop?
A maximum of 6-10. We keep numbers small enough that you will be sure to get enough attention. As well as the expert tutor, larger classes have trained assistants to make sure you can get lots of help.
I’m nervous. What can I expect?
Expect us to be friendly and welcoming. Our workshops are informal, interactive and small – up to 10 and always made up of a diverse and interesting group of people.
It is a noncompetitive environment and we like laughter. We love people to ask lots of questions during the workshops and THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION.
Everyone has their own workbench and stool, and we sometimes pair up for DIY exercises. All of our workshops are filled with as many practical elements as we can cram in as we want to give everyone a chance to try as many tools and processes as they can.
We hand out simple notes for every class. It is a list of special terms, tools, materials and suppliers. After the workshop we will send you an email with the same notes attached, in case they get mislaid.
Can I book a workshop for some one else? Do you sell gift vouchers?
Yes. We sell Gift Vouchers for all our workshops. Visit our Gift Voucher shop page to find out how to buy something that can last a lifetime. A skill.
What other classes will you run in the future?
Sign up to our newsletter here and as soon as we arrange for a new brilliant expert to share their skills we will let you know. If you know, or are, a passionate craftsperson who might want to head up a class – contact us.
Where are you? Are there masses of stairs? Will I get lost? What about the dreaded parking?
We are a few minutes walk from either Borough, London Bridge, Southwark and Waterloo tube stations . Most workshops take place on the ground floor and we have a flight of stairs with another two workshops on the first floor. There are bike racks near the building.
We are within the congestion zone in a C1 Zone, with no parking Mon-Sat 8am -11pm. There is a C2 parking zone starting in the next streets with parking after 6.30pm and free on Saturday and Sunday. There are also public car parks within easy walking distance. Please check Southwark council website for latest information.
If you want to come to a weekend course from a long way away, there are many budget hotels nearby.
What ages do you teach?
Anyone over 10 when they book with an adult. Call Alison on 0207 7607613 if you would like to discuss a young person’s suitability. We have some suitable courses that are ideal for parents and children to take together. Ask for details.