From Small Acorns

'I'll bet you think I went to one of those soft touch adult education classes for the middle classes when you see this basket for my first ever class.

Not quite-my name is Rob and I was made redundant from my driving job when I first went to that mixed media class-I needed something to do and the class was free (the most important thing for me at that time). I'd been pretty good at art (not startling but okay) when I was at school so I thought well why not? The class was in the wee pub hall in our village, run by the Council's adult education team-we sometimes had to change the day of the week if there was a party on.

The class went well some could paint some couldn't, Christine the tutor was amazing, patient, swift and got round everybody, didn't matter if you were good or bad she made you feel special. First thing I noticed was how quickly it began to feel like a family. The group was all ages, in truth at 29 I was probably the one in the middle so it was a riot every week with people's stories. About 12 out of the 14 didn't have any work at the time and we were always looking out for opportunities to make some money-so word of mouth became really helpful too and we all looked out for each other.

At the class someone said, my boss is looking for new trainees, I thought she was talking to one of the younger ones so didn't pay any attention, then at the end she said, I think you'd be great do you want me to put your name forward. I was shocked.

I went to see Harry the following Monday and started working there on the Tuesday-he interviewed 6 of us that Monday-2 started with me the following day.

I'm now a designer after 2 years training and planning the inside of houses with clients, all of this through a chance meeting at a class. I now tell everybody to get along to the local class-it doesn't have to start with going to college, you can start anywhere. 

Eventually I went to college one half day a week, did the other half online to fit in with the distance I needed to travel to get there, but I'll never forget my start-it gave me that confidence from a family who wanted to support me and Susie who recommended me to the boss is now one of my best friends.

We're still designing during lockdown, just wondering how we'll manage to get enough trades folks when we can get back to work. Maybe adult education will have some just like me who didn't know they had it in them.'