Our January walk

A sunny, sparkling January walk on Hampstead Heath 

Meeting at Gospel Oak station, we admired its ceramic sign (more on the public art project here) and headed to the Heath. 

On a frosty day, the glorious sunshine kept us warm as we passed sparkling grassland, hardy swimmers and cheery dog walkers on our way up to Parliament Hill for a misty view to the City and the Shard and views in the other direction towards Highgate. 

A kind passer-by took our group picture and thanks to fellow walkers alerting us to patches of ice, no accidental skating took place.

We wound our way down towards Hampstead Heath station, sharing our stories of connection with the area – jobs, schools, a birth and a house share. Then, up again towards Belsize Park and a snack stop at the friendly Euphorium bakery.

Thanks to Alison for printing out the City of London trail maps we used on our walk.

Fancy joining us for a walk? Look out for our Coming Up blogposts and if you're a member, the monthly e-newsletter.

Coming up in January

 

A Hampstead Heath walk, Agatha Christie and coffee at the Young V&A – coming up in January

Our monthly walk: Hampstead Heath, Saturday 11th January, meet at 11.00 at Gospel Oak Overground Station

Join us for a wander in a different part of London. We’ll meet at Gospel Oak station, conveniently on both The Mildmay and Suffragette Lines. Then we'll meander to Hampstead Heath station (lots of cafés) or to Kenwood House, which also has a café.

For more information, there are trails and a map on the City of London website. 

Our walkers' WhatsApp group will have the latest information on the day. If you're a member and would like to be added to the group, please let us know.

Our monthly talk: Debbie Bridge on the life of Agatha Christie, Thursday 16th January, 7pm for 7.30 at our usual venue, St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Rd, London E2 9PL, entrance via the gates

A welcome return of the lovely performer and speaker Debbie Bridge, who will be sharing her passion for all things Agatha Christie. 

Debbie will go beyond the novels to tell us about the woman behind the writing, whose interests included singing, traveling, piano, archaeology and surfing.

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: the café at the Young V&A, Friday 24th January, meet between 10.30 and 11.00

A return to the Young V&A (formerly the Museum of Childhood) where it promises to be warm whatever the weather and is close to good public transport links.

A quick look at the museum, which won Art Fund Museum of the year in 2024, may be in order for a look at childhoods past, its modern displays and a browse in its fabulous new gift shop.

Our December coffee morning

 
Installations, decorations and recommendations... our Christmas coffee morning at the Museum of the Home

It's been an East End WI tradition at this time of year to see the Rooms Through Time Christmas displays at the Museum of the Home. So this year, we've met at Molly's Bar & Kitchen, the recently-reopened café next door. And, most importantly, there's been chat – tales of festivities swapped, TV recommendations given, exhibitions discussed. 

Afterwards, some of us went in to the museum – special mention for its furniture-decorated tree – where we enjoyed the clever styling of wonderfully varied East London Christmases, read the Yiddish translations in the Hannukah room set and marvelled at the mycelium in the future display. There was also the David Hoffman photography exhibition to see.

A happy New Year from (and to) all of us at East End WI. 

Look out for our coming up in January blogpost and if you're a member, our e-newsletter for news of our January meeting, walk and coffee morning.

Our December meeting

Deck the halls... festive making at our December meeting

"It's very quiet", someone said (quietly) amid intense concentration and a lot of pins... guided by our very own Dawn, we were making intricately assembled fabric-covered baubles. As we finished each stage, chatter bubbled up in our sociable Christmas making session. And everyone left with a decoration to take home. 

A massive thank you to Dawn, not just for the workshop but for the huge amount of preparation it took to snip and assemble bundles of ready-cut cloth, to Heather for delicious cheese scones, to Natasha for magnificent mince pies, to Alison for sweet treats and to Elizabeth for bonus makes.

To all of our members, our very best wishes for a peaceful and joyful festive season and our thanks for another year of interest, discovery, friendship and solidarity. 

Fancy coming along next year? Look out for our coming up in January blogpost.

Our December walk

Spectacular views, dramatic history, glorious architecture and sunshine – our December walk in Greenwich

It's quite a view... so a stride up the steep hill of Greenwich Park was worth it to admire the great loops of the Thames and marvel at the skyline, the Manhattan-like Canary Wharf towering over the stately National Maritime Museum and Royal Naval College. On the way, we had passed the restoration of the hill's original terracing.

We strolled down to visit The Queen's House, chatting our way around historical paintings, responses looking at history through a modern lens, rooms' original functions, the Tulip Stairs, the first self-supporting spiral stairs in Britain, and the painted ceiling. Then, to another spectacular ceiling at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel, the day's sunshine lighting up its unusual blue and pale gold.

Our coffee stop was at the Painted Hall (with a ticket, you can see its interior and Luke Jerram's installation Mars, on display until 20 January 2025).

At the end of our walk, some of our walkers headed on to Greenwich Market, full of twinkling lights for Christmas.

Fancy joining one of our walks? Look out for the next Coming Up blogpost and if you're a member, our monthly newsletter and walkers' WhatsApp group.

Pictures by Alison, Christine and Lydia

Coming up in December

A nautical walk, Christmas crafts and rooms through time – what's on in December

Our monthly walk – Discover Greenwich

Saturday 14th December, 11.00 am

Meet at Greenwich DLR station entrance

Put together by our walking group, this month's walk will take in some of the wonderful sights of Greenwich: The Royal Naval College, the Queen’s House, the National Maritime Museum or maybe a walk up to the park. Christine tells us that there has been some restoration to the park including historic terracing of Observatory Hill. As we pass the Royal Chapel, we might even hear some music from a student practising.

The EEWI walks WhatsApp group will help keep you updated on the day

Monthly Meeting – Christmas Craft

Thursday 19th December 7pm for 7.30pm

(Usual venue, St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Rd, London E2 9PL Entrance via the gate)

Our very own Dawn is going to teach us how to make a fabulous Christmas bauble.

She says please bring a thimble as we have a number of pins to manage.

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

Monthly coffee and catch-up

Friday 27th December

Molly's Bar & Kitchen, Museum of the Home

1 Geffrye St, London E2 8JH

Meet between 10.30 and 11.00

We have an annual tradition of meeting at the Museum of The Home (formerly The Geffrye Museum) to see its rooms through time with seasonal decorations. So this year, we plan to meet at the newly reopened Molly’s Bar & Kitchen. 

Look out for our news in mid January of our planned speakers for 2025. 

Sketch of Greenwich Park by Lydia

Maritime Museum photo (Yinka Shonibare sculpture outside the museum) by Lydia

Crafts photo from Dawn.

Our November coffee morning

Creativity in the Olympic Park – our November coffee morning at Riverside East

Our members have been busy women, diverted by deliveries, installations, traffic, the imminent arrival of a little 'un and a delayed café opening... but a coffee group assembled nonetheless. Elizabeth writes, “Eventually we all got there, lovely chat, as usual.”

Riverside East café faces the London Aquatic Centre, in front of the Orbit and next to UCL East.

Christine writes, “Lovely to see everyone, enjoyed the impromptu craft and exhibition show and tell and chat on issues of the day. I popped into the UCL exhibition recommended by Lydia. What a great place the Olympic Park is becoming with the emerging cultural life of the East Bank!”

Heather, meanwhile, happened on the UAL London College of Fashion exhibition Collective Care: “I came across the other exhibition, by chance. Given the lovely support and exchanges over coffee, the title: Collective Care was most apt for me. Thanks to all. There is a cafe at the exhibition/college so worth adding to our coffee and culture list.” 

All that – and Elizabeth's cleverly creative Christmas card.

Fancy joining one of our coffee mornings? Look out for the next Coming up blogpost.

Pictures by Christine and Heather