At our next meeting on Thurs 15th April, we will be joined by professional magician, Kerry Scorah, one of only 20 female members of the Inner Magic Circle. She will come to dazzle us with some magic and talk about her trade. We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm. The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email. *** Before then, at our coffee morning on Friday 9th April, we will meet via Zoom from 1030, for a chat and catch up. Please bring something with the letter ‘J’. There will also be a coffee morning on the 23rd March. Again invitations will be sent out nearer the time. *** Subscriptions are now due for 2021/22. We are delighted to have gained members during this difficult year and are hoping you will all want to continue your membership for another year. Full membership is £44 for the year and dual members pay £21.60 to the second group they join. Payment can be made on-line to: Lloyds Sort Code 30-94-57 A/c 02044729 Please let us know if you prefer not to pay on line and we will arrange a way around it. +++ And finally St Margaret’s sent a message about their: Create Place at Home project, which was started a year ago to help community members find online activities and resources to stay creative and look after their wellbeing during the pandemic. They are bringing this project to a close now that we should be emerging from the pandemic in the summer. To finish this project they would like to call on all community members to submit their stories, along with a few photos, of the things created or done to keep their mind active during the pandemic. It could be anything from reading, to dancing, to knitting, to DIY projects. They would love to know about all your pandemic pastimes! To join in, simply fill in the online form and either use the option to link images to your work, or send them separately. Submissions will be collated into the Create Place at Home online gallery on their website and Youtube channel to celebrate the creativity and resilience of our community.

 

At our next meeting on 18th February, we will be joined by Tim Mitchell, an award winning, multi nominated lighting designer, who has worked in all forms of theatre as well as television. He has lit over 150 productions throughout the world, including in the West End, Broadway and some of the world’s largest opera houses. He will be talking about the history of stage lighting and some of his experiences. We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm. The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email. *** Before then, at our coffee morning on Friday 12th February we will meet via Zoom from 1030, for a chat and catch up. Possibly bringing something with beginning with the letter A. There will also be a coffee morning on the 26th February. Again invitations will be sent out nearer the time Image courtesy of - Tim Mitchell, from Singing in the Rain.

 

At our next meeting on 21st January 2021, we will join Ian Swankie on an armchair tour of some of London’s best public art and street art as we explore the capital, spotting well-known and less well-known works of art. From Bronzes to Banksy This journey takes us from west to east. We’ll see a vast range of art including classical bronze monuments, wacky contemporary works and fleeting spray paint art. The artworks are made of metal, stone, ceramics, plaster, paint and even chewing gum. Ian Swankie is an Arts Society lecturer, and also a London tour guide. He’s a guide at Tate Modern and Tate Britain and Guildhall Art Gallery. He’s also a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City Livery Companies. We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm. The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email. *** Before then, at our coffee morning on Friday 15th January we will meet via Zoom from 1030, for a chat and catch up. We could maybe bring a view on resolutions. Nearly half way through the month there will have been plenty of time to make, break and retry resolutions, or maybe not... Alternatively bring something with beginning with the letter R. There will also be a coffee morning on the 29th January. Again invitations will be sent out nearer the time Image courtesy of - Ian Swankie

 

Our next meeting, on 17th December will be our Christmas Party. We are preparing goody bags for all members with some things that will be needed for the meeting, which will include making a decoration, playing bingo and having a chat. Bringing a favourite cracker joke, to make us laugh (or groan!) would also be good. There will be some mulled wine flavourings and herbal tea for you to bring on the night. (Non-members are welcome but we would ask for a £5 donation. To participate and receive a goody bag, please reply to this email). We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 7.30pm. The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email. *** Before then at our coffee morning on Friday 11th Dec there are two choices. If the weather is ok and you feel like meeting near the Pavillion Cafe, in Victoria Park, around 10.30, we can say hello and distribute some of the bags. However, if it is pouring with rain, or you are not able or comfortable meeting in person, we will also send out a zoom invitation (on Thursday) for a chat and catch up.

 

On 19th Nov, at our next meeting, Anna Feldman from Wild and Woolly, in Lower Clapton Rd, will be coming to talk about her woolly adventure and answer your questions on all things woolly. We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm.  The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email.   *** Before then at our coffee morning, on the (in)auspicious Friday 13th Nov, we will be meeting, on zoom for a chat and to catch up on how we are. Maybe bringing something superstitious along. We will also have a coffee morning on 27th Nov. Again invitations will be sent out nearer the time ***  There is a new Regent's Canal Heritage website to explore with this link. It has films, podcasts, learning/school packs and other interesting material.  We are hoping that next year’s festival, celebrating 201 years of the Regents Canal, will go ahead next year (having been postponed this year) and EEWI can again provide tea, cake and company.

 

On 15th Oct, at our next meeting, we will be having a virtual wellbeing meeting, with a workshop for beautiful hands, led by Tanya Marchetti, a consultant with Neal’s Yard Remedies. We will send out details of a small number of things, you will need to bring to the workshop with the invitation. We will also have some sample packs to distribute. All members should get one, which will be delivered before the meeting. Visitors are also welcome: there will be a limited number of extra sample packs, which we can deliver, but we will need to know you are going to attend... We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm.  The link will be sent out early that day to our shorter list of members and friends. If you don’t think you are already on this list and and would like to be included please let us know by replying to this email.   *** Before then at our coffee morning on the 9th Oct we will be meeting, on zoom for a chat. Bringing something beginning with the letter 'E'. We will also have a coffee morning on 30th Oct. Again invitations will be sent out nearer the time   ***  We also wanted to let you know about the Mulberry - Tree of Plenty project. Which will be exploring the taste, colours, uses, materiality and history of mulberry trees in the Bethnal Green area. They are offering a programme of FREE online and hands-on art-science workshops with St Margaret’s House.  To find out more about their events go to their website by clicking here.   *** Zoom can be downloaded onto your computer/tablet/phone when joining one of our meetings or by using this link.          (Image courtesy of NYR/Tanya Marchetti)

 

Our next meeting, on 17th Sept, is our AGM (postponed from May), covering 2019/2020. There will be a report from our Secretary and President about last year’s activities and accounts. There will also be the opportunity for members to elect a new president. We will be joined by an adviser from Middlesex Federation.   We will again be meeting via Zoom, starting at 730pm.  The link will be sent out earlier in the day to our shorter list of members and friends.   *** Before then we will have a coffee morning on the 11th Sept we thought maybe bringing a heroine or hero would be interesting.   We will also be having a coffee morning on 25th Sept. If anyone has any ideas for future meetings and/or coffee mornings we would love to hear from you.   *** Members should have received an email from Middlesex Federation with details of their 2020 Annual Council Meeting: which will be held on-line on Wednesday 9th September at 10:00. If you want to attend but don't have details on how to log in please reply to this email.