Christmas meetings!

For our last meeting of the year we thought we would share some good wine, some party snacks and some Christmassy songs. The amazing Lyn Gerald will be leading us in some traditional Christmas and gospel singing to warm our wintry chestnuts and lift our hearts.We will also have a raffle with (we hope) a range of prizes. We are also collecting gifts again for U-Turn Women's Centre. What we ask is that you buy an extra present that would be suitable for a female friend or family member, wrap it up and bring it along to the meeting. It doesn't have to cost very much but it is just for us to show that someone is thinking of the women who use the centre. We know that the presents we collect not only have a massive impact on the service users but it also takes some pressure off the charity itself. They distribute the presents at their Christmas meal. EEWI has been supporting U-Turn in this way since we began in 2007. Representatives from U-Turn will come along to the meeting to pick up the  gifts from us.

So we look forward to seeing you on the 16th December, 7pm onwards at St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, E2 9PL. The hall is situated at the back of the Gallery Cafe in St Margaret's House which you access by going through the black gates to the left of the cafe, follow the path round to the right and you should see the hall on the other side of the garden. There will be alcoholic and non alcoholic refreshments and a bit of Christmas baking BUT we are always up for additions and contributions towards this so if you fancy your hand at some mince pies or some Christmas savouries or you wanted to bring along a tipple, no one is going to have a problem with that.

As has become traditional for us, we are going to the Geffrye Museum for our December coffee morning and to visit their free annual exhibition, Christmas Past.  Join us at 10.30am on 19th December. All welcome - you don't have to be a member. For more info about the Geffrye Museum and how to get there click here. Entry is free.

it's our fabulous EEWI Christmas Market

november meetings: death matters

It has been tricky to work out quite how to market our November event but ultimately we wanted to curate an evening where we could discuss topics around death, dying and bereavement. We recognise that, as these subjects are often taboo, many of our questions about end of life issues are left unanswered. So, on the 18th we have invited a female undertaker, a founder of the UK Death Cafe movement, a celebrant and two legal professionals who will be discussing wills and will writing. Each of them will be telling us a bit about themselves what they do and then will answer your questions.We are also lucky enough to have been offered will writing services to three people in return for a donation to Will Aid. More details on that on the night. We hope that it will be an informative and uplifting evening so bring along your questions and queries.

Tuesday November 18th 7 for a 7.30pm start. As usual the meeting is free to members and £4 to visitors. The hall is around the back of St Margaret's House which you can access by going through the black gates on the left of the Gallery Cafe and following the path round the garden to the right. Tea, coffee, wine and snacks will be available. Baking is always welcomed as are donations towards refreshments.

For our November coffee morning on Friday 21st November we will be visiting Husk Coffee  at 649 - 651 Commercial Road, London E14 7LW as recommended by one of our members. We will be there from 10.30am. Everyone is welcome - you don't have to be a member. More info about the cafe as well as where it is can be found here. We hope to see you there for a cuppa and a chat.

And finally, well done everyone who came along to the Great British Bioscience Festival over the weekend. Fantastic venue, wonderful people and, so we're told, the best cakes in town. Of course.

what's on in october

Our evening meeting this month will mark our contribution to commemorating the centenary of the First World War with Peter Parker, author of 'The Last Veteran: Harry Patch and the Legacy of War.' The 'Great War' was fought not by a professional army but by ordinary civilians like Harry Patch, the last British veteran to see active service. Peter will explore with us the meaning of the war to those tho fought it and the generations that have followed.

For more info on his book and the wonderful reviews it has received click here.

Also at this meeting we will have a short presentation from a member of Street Child UK who are currently looking at the desperate plight of people in West Africa who are living in a state of National Emergency due to the Ebola Crisis.

The meeting is on Tuesday 21st October 7pm for a 7.30pm start, St Margaret's House Old Ford Road. Access to the hall is through the black gates to the left of the Gallery Cafe then follow the path round the garden to the hall. The evening is free to members and £4 for visitors. (Membership is currently £33.50 per year ). Tea, coffee, wine and snacks will be available, baking welcomed as are small donations towards the goodies.

Coffee morning this month is on at 11am on  Friday 24th October and will be at the Hubbub Cafe on Westferry Road on the Isle of Dogs. The cafe is served by the D3, D7 and 135 and Mudchute seems to be the nearest DLR. The cafe doesn't open until 11am so it's a slightly later start than usual. We hope to see you there for a cuppa and a chat.

Our next Afternoon Tea gathering is on Monday 3rd November at 3,30pm. Just like out coffee morning, all women are welcome - you don't have to be a member. Check the side bar for details of venue a little nearer the date. And don't forget to make a note of our next meeting on 18th November. It's going to be interesting...

july meeting: life beyond stress

Ever felt that you need to find a bit of peace and quiet in the tangle of everyday life? We have. So this month we are offering an introduction to meditation. Teacher Divya Rengaraian will join us to explain the impact stress can have on us and provide a perspective on how meditation can be an effective tool to maintain physical, emotional and mental stability. The session will include a 20 minute breathing technique to improve memory (yes, please!), enhance cognitive ability and problem solving capabilities. You don't need any prior experience or yoga or meditation - you can just sit on chairs or on the floor as you prefer.

Our meeting will open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start, so there's plenty of time to have a natter and some refreshment before and after the session. As usual we are at St Margaret's House, next to the Gallery Cafe on Old Ford Road (through the gates and follow the path to the hall at the back). Visitors are welcome - we ask for £4 to cover costs, but don't forget if you have one of our flyers you can get in half price for your first visit. Tea and coffee provided, and wine on offer too, though please feel free to bring along something to share if you wish.


We have lots of other events this month too, starting off with our afternoon tea this afternoon at 3.30pm. Meet by the Pavilion Cafe (north side) because before we stop for tea we'll be doing the Victoria Park tree walk.

Our July coffee morning is on Friday 18th July, 10.30am at a new venue for us, Doppio at 80 Hanbury Street, E1 5JL. Further Details of all our activities, including the events where we will be selling tea and cakes, are in the side bar.

Hope to see you soon.

midsummer meeting

We will be celebrating Midsummer  at our next meeting on Tuesday 17th June, very apt as it has been a glorious sunny weeather. In Great Britain from the 13th century, Midsummer was celebrated on Midsummer Eve (St. John's Eve, June 23) and St. Peter's Eve (June 28) with the lighting of bonfires, maypole dancing, feasting and merrymaking.

We won't be lighting any bonfires but what we thought everyone could do was bring along some food to share - perhaps you have a favourite summery recipe that others might enjoy, or you may want to try out a new one. Anything you like really and we will have a Midsummer feast. We hope to be partaking in some crafting and will also be having a food and plants swap again, so if you have any home made goodies, seedlings or produce you would like to swap please do bring it along. 

We will also be having a mini-speaker from the forthcoming Roman Road Festival, an event taking place in, yes you guessed it, Roman Road! www.romanroadlondon.com/festival

Our evening opens at 7pm, the hall at the back of St Margaret's House,  21 Old Ford Rd, E2 9PL. Free for members and £4 donation for non members. Tea, coffee and wine will be available for a small donation and hopefully there wil be plenty of scrumptious food.

Our coffee morning on Friday 20th June will be at the Gallery Cafe in Old Ford Road, next to St Margaret's House. Gather from 10.30am onwards.

For our Afternoon Tea on 7th July, we'll be doing something a little different - one of the Victoria Park Tree Walks ( ou can download the leaflet if you google Victoria Park Tree Walk 2). The circular walk takes around 50 minutes, is not at all arduous and takes us around some of the more interesting and exotic trees in the west side of the park. Gather on the north side of the Pavilion Cafe at 3.30pm. We'll stop for a cuppa at the end! at a local cafe at the end of the walk. 

Fingers crossed for more sunshine.

coffee, tea and a good book

If you haven't seen the exhibition of East London Artists at The Nunnery Gallery, Bow Road, we'd recommend it. We popped in after our last coffee morning at the Carmelite Cafe and it is absolutely charming. And you'll recognise at least one or two of the locations. There are some associated events too, including a walk around some of the locations - find out more here.

We also had a very chatty afternoon tea on Monday- with a bit of letting off steam among like-minded people at the Arts Cafe in Roman Road. Very friendly staff, your own pot of tea, and decent coffee and cake. What more can you ask?

And we rounded off with a thinking woman's discussion of Gerbrandt Bakker's "The Detour" at our book club. There may have been something stronger than tea and coffee on the table....

Keep an eye on our Diary Dates in the side-bar for info on all of our meetings this month and beyond.