Our March coffee morning

Fashion fabulousness in the Olympic Park – our March coffee morning

For our March coffee morning, our group sashayed to UAL London College of Fashion's café at East Bank in the Olympic Park. There was a chance to enjoy the architecture and the work on display and afterwards, the blossom garden doing its Spring thing.

Heather writes, "Lovely to get out and chat. Able to exchange some TV ideas...  Rose Ayling Ellis teaching BSL in a retirement village; Under Milk Wood; Detectorists; Mortimer and Whitehouse gone fishing ("It's not about fishing!"). And noticing signs of spring. Sparkling moments..."

Fancy joining us for coffee? Look out for our next 'coming up' blogpost.

Pictures by Christine, Heather and Pam

Our March talk

Life as a jigsaw puzzle – our March talk by Hanh Tat, 'mother, writer, storyteller, student of life'

Our member Christine writes of "Hanh's stimulating talk about her life experiences, her journey exploring neuroscience, physical and emotional wellbeing and ultimately how self compassion and personal growth enable us to live our own narrative and not be defined by the actions of others. Hanh's talk led to the group sharing personal reflections in a valued discussion."

Find out more about Hanh's book here.

Pictures of Hanh by Christine; picture of book by Dawn

Our monthly coffee and chat – UAL (University of the Arts London) London College of Fashion ground floor café, Friday 28th March. Meet between 10.30am and 11am

This month's coffee has a fashion twist at the UAL London College of Fashion ground floor café. Transport: Stratford rail and tube stations, Stratford International rail and DLR and bus routes to Westfield Stratford. More directions are available via the UAL link above.

Callout to East End WI members: 

Bakers needed for our stall at the Canal Festival on 26 and 27 April. If you'd like to help, please let us know, on the members' WhatsApp group, in person at our coffee morning or April walk, or via email.

Our March walk

 

Wildflowers, birdsong and chat – our March walk at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Our walk needs few words this month – the glorious variety of Spring flowers at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park speaks for itself. We've spotted plants as we've strolled, read stories on headstones, listened to the birdsong and enjoyed the sunshine. Our coffee stop this month has been at the park's Blue Daisy coffee van.

If you'd like to join us for our next walk, look our for our coming up blogposts or if you're a member, our monthly e-newsletter.

In other news, our very own Christine's painting of our walking group is on show at the Women's Spring Open exhibition, on until 29 March at the Brady Arts and Community Centre, 192-196 Hanbury Street, E1 5HU, Monday - Friday 9am - 7pm, Saturday 10am - 4pm.

Photos by Lydia and Alison

Coming up in March

 

A bit of nature, Life as a Jigsaw Puzzle and coffee with a fashion twist: coming up in March

Our monthly walk – Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Saturday 8th March. Meet at 11.00am beside the war memorial near the main entrance, off Southern Grove (walking in from the main entrance, you'll see it to the right)

Join us for a glimpse of Springtime in one of our favourite corners of East London, Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. The annual display of Spring flowers should be well under way.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Southern Grove, London E3 4PX. Mile End tube, station, Bow Road DLR. There are a number of bus routes nearby.

Our monthly meeting – a talk from Hanh Tat, Mother. writer. storyteller. student of life: evolving human, Thursday 20th March, 7pm for 7.30pm start at our usual venue, St Margaret's House, 15 Old Ford Rd, London E2 9PL

Hanh Tat was born in Vietnam. “I came to the UK as a refugee at the age of four and grew up in Sheffield. I made London my home following graduation, where I still live with my two sons.

"In the summer of 2023, after 26 rewarding years working in IT, I decided that it was time to try a different flavour of life, leaving my corporate job in order to go on new adventures and see where life takes me.”

“In this talk, I take you on the journey that birthed the idea of my book, Life as a Jigsaw Puzzle. I share how the power of love and forgiveness enabled me to transform personal adversity into personal strength and inner growth, and my aim is to inspire others to realise, through the power of love, how much agency we all have over our own thoughts and emotions and hence our lives.”

Bethnal Green is the nearest tube station, with a number of buses stopping nearby. If you are coming to one of our meetings for the first time, please contact us for more details on access to our venue.

Our monthly coffee and chat – UAL (University of the Arts London) London College of Fashion ground floor café, Friday 28th March. Meet between 10.30am and 11am

This month's coffee has a fashion twist at the UAL London College of Fashion ground floor café, with views of the building's curving staircase and opportunities to explore the rest of the East Bank, where Sadler's Wells East has opened – two large tapestries have been installed in its atrium/café area – V&A East (opening Spring 2026) and BBC Music (opening this year) and enjoy the views across the Olympic Park. Nature lovers might also like to check out the domed Insect Garden at Stratford Cross, between East Bank and Westfield Stratford.

Stratford rail and tube stations, Stratford International rail and DLR and bus routes to Westfield Stratford. More directions are available via the UAL link above.

Our February talk

School meals changing lives – our February talk by Molly Lee-Moy from Mary’s Meals

Mary’s Meals is a global charity that serves life-changing school meals to some of the world’s poorest children. 

Started 1992 by Magnus Macfarlane Barrow, a salmon farmer in Scotland, it was originally an emergency disaster response for the Bosnian war zone.

Donations, 'little acts of kindness', filled the garden shed and the charity developed its long term work to provide food in schools. In Malawi in 2002, it reached 2.6 million children.

Mary's Meals delivers through local partner organisations in 16 countries in Africa, India, the Middle East and South America.

50% of the children supported are girls.

In the UK, Mary's Meals employs almost 80 staff, with its focus on awareness-raising and fundraising.

Many thanks to Molly for telling us the story of Mary's Meals and the wonderful work that it does. Find out more here.

Thanks to Christine, too, for taking this month's pictures and notes.

Our monthly coffee and catch-up: Friday 28th February at the Young V&A (formerly the Museum of Childhood). Meet between 10.30am and 11.00am

Our January coffee at the Young V&A scuppered by a temporary closure, we look forward to returning to this lively museum.

A quick look at the museum may be in order for a look at childhoods past, its modern displays and a browse in its fabulous new gift shop.

Bethnal Green tube and bus stops nearby.

Our February walk

A Wapping walk – our February walk, from Shadwell to Tower Hill

Following the Tower Hamlets Walks Wapping and Shadwell walk backwards, we started our walk at Shadwell, pausing to admire the Cable Street Mural – and its facing book swap and bench. 

We cut through St George's Gardens, past the Hawksmoor church St George-in-the-East, Tobacco Dock and the historic pub The Prospect of Whitby and (thanks to local knowledge from Daryl and two friendly dog-walkers) found open passages to the river, passing the Metropolitan Police marine police headquarters and museum along the way.

Our river view towards Tower Bridge was like a magic lantern slide, low cloud and drizzle hiding the tower blocks.

Next, two Wendy Taylor sculptures, the first, Voyager, based on an 1850 design for a propeller and the second a memorial to the East London civilians killed and injured in World War II, and to those who lost relatives, friends and homes.

In St Katherine's Dock, we spotted Gloriana, the late Queen's barge and braced against the cold and rain, headed for welcome hot drinks. 

Fancy joining one of our walks? Look out for our next Coming up blogpost, here on our home page. And if you weren't able to join us this time but would like to do the walk or find out more, you can find the leaflet here.

Pictures by Lydia and Christine

Coming up in February

Coming up in February: a Wapping walk, life-changing school meals and exploring childhood over coffee

Our monthly walk: Saturday 8th February, 11.00, Wapping and Shadwell

Suggested by our walking group, this month’s walk is one of the Idea Store series of local history walks. We will be doing the Wapping and Shadwell walk, in reverse. Meet at the entrance to Shadwell overground station (Windrush Line) on Cable Street.

We’ll get to see some wonderful historic places: The Captain Kidd, the Dickens Inn, The Prospect of Whitby, The Town of Ramsgate… and that's just the inns. There are also wharves, docks, churches and historic houses.

If you're a member, check the walkers' WhatsApp group for up to date info on the day.

Our monthly meeting: a talk by Molly Lee-Moy from Mary’s Meals, Thursday 20th February, 7pm for 7.30pm at St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Rd, London E2 9PL, entrance via the gates

Molly Lee-Moy is London and South East representative for Mary’s Meals, a global charity that serves life-changing school meals to some of the world’s poorest children. Its aim is to attract children into the classroom where they can gain an education and a brighter future. 

If you are coming to one of our meetings for the first time, please contact us for more details on access to our venue.

Our monthly coffee and catch-up: Friday 28th February at the Young V&A (formerly the Museum of Childhood). Meet between 10.30am and 11.00am

Our January coffee at the Young V&A scuppered by a temporary closure, we look forward to returning to this lively museum, where it promises to be warm whatever the weather.

A quick look at the museum may be in order for a look at childhoods past, its modern displays and a browse in its fabulous new gift shop.

Bethnal Green tube and bus stops nearby.