FANCY a Spanish Meriendas, a French Meet à Midi or even a BSL Blether in Dunfermline?

They all come with tea – and cake if you're lucky – and have been developed over the past year by language expert Erin Parmar, who has been on a mission to bring accessible, conversational, learning to the city.

Her business, RedBird Language Company, was born when she returned to Scotland during the pandemic and offers set courses, classes and a daily subscription service, as well as informal coffee mornings.

Having launched the idea in February 2021 with Spanish sessions, Erin now also offers French and BSL (British Sign Language) events each week, creating a space for learners to try something new, have a chat and meet people with similar interests.

She told the Press: "It was really busy to begin with, it's died down a little bit now, I think committing to something on a weekday regularly is hard.

"I've got a a good six or 10 people coming every week, mainly people who are retired or working part-time, people who like to holiday in Spanish-speaking countries or who maybe have a place out there.

"They've all made good friendships, they all know each other quite well.

"I really wanted to copy the same format with French and create something that was conversational, interactive, fun, and not a huge commitment, if people have to miss a week it's not the end of the world.

"You can come along, grab a coffee, we move around speed-dating style, we maybe play a game or listen to some French music.

"It's very interactive, very good fun."

After studying French and Spanish at university, Erin, who is from Dunfermline originally, lived abroad for a number of years before returning to the UK, completing her PhD in linguistics and lecturing for seven years in Manchester.

Her latest focus has been BSL and, after noticing a gap in the market for a more relaxed option to learn, decided to expand her coffee morning offerings.

Erin said: "The most recent thing is British Sign Language which is becoming more and more popular for people to learn.

"It's much more present on TV, there was a Bill which went through Parliament last year which makes it an official language in the UK.

"In schools, hospitals, workplaces, you're going to see a lot more of it.

"I've been learning it myself for a couple of years, it's not a qualification course, it's just conversation."

She continued: "It's a really useful skill for people to boost their CVs, learn something a bit different.

"In terms of the other languages, they're a bit more for holidays and things but sign language is something you can use in your local community.

"I did a few trial services pre-Christmas and am now running an in-person session on Mondays and an online session on Thursday evenings."

She says that while there are courses in Fife, she couldn't find anything for people who couldn't commit to a full year of classes, or those who just want to know the basics.

"Feedback has been great on it so far; it's a good alternative to paying for a qualification course in BSL," she explained.

"They tend to be really expensive and really hard to access because there aren't that many providers.

"In terms of being able to do some basic conversation, it's a cheap and easy way to learn.

"I've been quite aware of how little there is, it's not as though there are qualification courses delivered here, there, and everywhere.

"They tend to run for a full year or two so it's quite a big commitment financially and time-wise.

"There doesn't seem to be something like what I am offering where it is fun and easy to access and you can pick it up and drop in and out."

And she isn't surprised that there has been a surge in demand, with many key workers, such as those with jobs in health care or education, contacting her after finding themselves stuck.

She added: "It tends to be people who do need to use it for work or who maybe have a family member or friend who is deaf and they are looking for an opportunity to learn.

"If you learn a language like French or Spanish you need to know you'll have an opportunity to use it, if you learn BSL there are always going to be opportunities."

Erin's Spanish Meriendas take place at The Dance Bank on the Elgin Industrial Estate while French Meet à Midi and BSL Blether sessions run from Revive Wellbeing Hub and Cafe at the Vine Church and Conference Centre.