Your mind is your best friend and also your worst enemy. An introduction to your 10 saboteurs (creating stress and negativity) and your Sage mind (positivity and creativity). Bringing a shift from a negative mindset to a positive mindset leading to change in your relationships, health/wellbeing and performance.

Gardening is good for you - In 2005 I  had a complete change of career.  After 23 years in the IT industry, I was made redundant and took the opportunity to retrain as a horticultural therapist, using gardening to help improve the lives of others - and my own!

Members only

Bring and Share food and drink. Play ‘Call My Bluff’

Members only night.

An opportunity to try out a new craft from several options

Chocolate Tasting

Speaker: Isabelle Alaya

Artisan chocolatier Isabelle Alaya founded the Melange Chocolate Shop in Peckham in 2008. She has a reputation for making speciality award winning hand-made chocolate bars and truffles which are characterised by and eclectic combination of fruits, herbs and spices.

Speaker: Sarah Compton ( London Guide)

Celebrating the works of Sir Christopher Wren in the tercentenary of his death with particular note of the traces he left in Greenwich.

Further details tbc.

Speaker : Ruth Cornett

Ruth will talk about the task she and her husband set themselves to revive the garden.

Origami

Speaker: Drew Sinclair

Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, is making a comeback. While some of the oldest pieces of origami have been found in ancient China and its deepest roots are in ancient Japan, origami can make an impact in today's education too. This art form engages students and sneakily enhances their skills. One of the amazing things about origami is that you can take a flat piece of paper and turn it into a three-dimensional object. This type of manipulation helps people understand spatial reasoning. When you practice origami, you are activating your whole brain. It has long been known that origami has many benefits such as developing eye-hand coordination, sequencing skills, memory, attention skills, patience, math reasoning and it is also just plain FUN !

A formal meeting for members to approve the Treasurer’s report, hear The Annual Review and elect new Committee Members. This will be followed by Mocktails and Canapes to celebrate our Fifteenth Anniversary .

Advanced Driving

Speakers: Steve Ewing and John Biggs from The Institute of Advanced Motorist ( South Eastern Group)

Our speakers will be talking about the history of advanced motoring, the local Group, and their own connection with it. They will also outline what is involved in the advanced test and the various schemes they run, including a free taster session that you may find of interest. There will also be a short quiz on the highway code, just for fun of course !

From One to a Thousand - A Photographic Journey

Speaker : Photographer Richard Winston.

Richard will speak about how he ' got into wildlife photography 15 years ago’. This talk will be supported by lots of photos of birds and animals from around the world. There is also a look at "bird families" and an audience participation quiz , followed by images of the many animals and birds encountered on a recent safari trip to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Refreshingly funny and a little bit quirky, Lindsey Barrell has a wealth of knowledge to share from her varied experience of teaching Burlesque to the WI and from her work in sensory and wellbeing. Mindfulness Teacher, Reiki and NLP Practitioner and Dance and Life Coach; Lindsey is a confident and humorous speaker who has been described as ‘speaking from the heart’ and ‘the best speaker we have ever had!’ From Burlesque to BSL (British Sign Language) and Mindfulness to Motivation; Lindsey is a speaker not to be missed.

Speaker :Natasha from Absolute Bollywood

Natasha will demonstrate some dancing moves and hopes to have us on our feet too. 

Speaker : Dan Webb from Everyday Plastic

Dan will speak to us about his mission to reduce plastic. Founded in January 2018 in the UK, Everyday Plastic is a research-led social enterprise which focuses on evidence-based education and campaigns. Through active participation, it teaches individuals and organisations the realities of everyday plastic use and how to make a difference.

It works to demystify and simplify what can seem to be an overwhelming problem, providing a personal connection and encouraging everyone to make changes that have a meaningful impact.  

This will be a ‘Bring and Share’ with some Festive activities.

Members only.

Speaker : Sheila from ‘Afternoon Tea 4 All’

Sheila from ‘Afternoon Tea 4 All’ will demonstrate how to make flower arrangements for an assortment of cakes which will be provided by us. The displays will be raffled at the end of the evening.

Speaker : Melanie Aspey

A Rothschild Legacy: gardens, and the women who made them”

This illustrated talk traces the history of the Rothschilds in Europe, with an emphasis on the women of the family and their horticultural achievements.

Speaker: Anne Stott

Anne is a volunteer at MDD and has worked in the IT industry for many years. She is currently working for a Medical IT provider of software for clinical trials. Anne will run through the history of the MDD, give a brief explanation about the dog’s ability as a bio ‘sniffer’ and the science behind it. She will provide an outline of the current activities of the charity and its goals.

Speaker : Ingrid Jansen

Ingrid is a professional organiser and declutter expert. She owns ‘Organise Your House and The Declutter Hub’. She has been running this business for 11 years and has done over 1100 decluttering projects. Ingrid will talk about organising and decluttering. We will find out whether it is ‘the stuff ‘ that holds us back from decluttering or the emotions we attach to ‘the stuff’.

Speaker : Karen Sage

A Candle making demonstration by Karen of ‘Gatehouse Candles’.