A NEW church in Poole is running a range of courses to get residents to take up different interests.

Eighteen courses will be offered to parishioners local to Gateway Church sites, in order to help them engage with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

There will be something for everyone, church leaders promise, from log-splitting, upholstering, to debates on the EU Referendum.

The courses make up the School of Life, which will take place at the centres at Alder Road and Ashley Road. They are spread over 10 weeks and aim to help people engage their mind, body and spirit.

Some courses have a more creative feel, like the good food cooking class and the vocal skills workshop. Others, are more about engaging the brain, such as the seminars from a local GP and a social media expert; and the real faith in real life Bible study.

As people arrive tea, coffee and cakes will be served.

The courses have also given people the opportunity to get to know one another as they mingle.

Tom Parratt, who attended the board game café recently, said: “It was such a great night. There was a real buzz around the place as we all gathered for different courses, and everyone was so friendly. It was so much fun.”

In the past, Gateway leaders found that events run for the local community were not suitable for everyone, so this time they wanted to try something different.

Senior Pastor at Gateway Church, Matthew Hosier, said: “These courses are for body, mind and spirit in an attempt to engage the whole person and help people discover more of who they are made to be.”

The School of Life takes place on Tuesday evenings at Ashley Road and Thursday evenings at Alder Road. Visit gatewayschooloflife.com for more details.