Sunday 15 February 2026
- Hampstead Women's Club
- 2 days ago
- 11 min read
Good morning and welcome to our new style newsletter!
We hope you have all received the email last Wednesday and managed to log in to our new website without any difficulties. It looks fantastic and I want to thank Manisha, Jane, Jackie and everyone else involved for all their efforts to make this happen. Great job ladies!
We hope you will enjoy using the new website and find it a helpful way to stay engaged with everything the Hampstead Women’s Club has to offer. If you need any assistance, help is always available. For any queries or feedback please email Jane at websitemanager@hwcinlondon.co.uk
It's half term this week, so it's fairly quiet. We just have our bookshare & cocktails at the Fable. Next week, it's back to normal. Keep reading about all other activities coming up.
Have a great week!!
Joyce
Upcoming Events
Walkie Talkies - Whitechapel on 16 February at 10:30am CANCELLED
Musicals - Unfortunate: the Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch on 24 February at 7:30pm JOIN WAITLIST
Chicks n Flicks - The President's Cake on 25 February, time & venue tbc
Wellness - Self care and Active Challenges on 26 February at 7pm
Link-Up - coffee morning at England's Lane Cafe on 4 March at 10:30am
Community Outreach - at Henderson Court on 6 March at 1:15pm
Sip & Social - at Horseshoe Pub in Hampstead on 9 March at 7:30pm
Wellness - Healthy Aging workshop on 11 March at 9:30am
Speaker Series - writing and submitting novels and the fiction publishing process on 12 March at 7pm
Wellness - Let's get physical! on 15 March at 7pm
Theater - Bird Grove at Hampstead Theater on 18 March at 7:30pm 1 SPACE LEFT
Fancy Night Out - Cocktail Party on 20 March at 7:30pm till late
Theatre - Shadowlands at Aldwych Theatre on 14 April at 7:30pm
Check our calendar for more details and to sign up. Remember to log in before you can sign up!
If the sign up is full, there is often a wait list to which you can be added. Life is unpredictable and spots may open up nearer the time.
If you signed up but cannot make it, please inform the activity leader as soon as possible so we can give your spot to someone who may be waiting.
Arts & Antiques
Highlights Tour at the National Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place
26 February at 11:40pm
This guided tour lasts for 45 minutes, covering a few key portraits and the building , with drop- in spots limited, so arrive in early.
Sign up is full.
Book Club
Service by Sarah Gilmartin
16 March at 7:30pm
Taken from Goodreads: ‘The waitress. The chef. The chef’s wife. Three different stories, but which one contains the truth?
When Hannah learns that famed chef Daniel Costello is facing accusations of sexual assault, she’s thrust back to the summer she spent as a waitress at his high-end Dublin restaurant. Drawn in by the plush splendour of the dining rooms, the elegance of the food, the wild parties after service, Hannah also remembers the sizzling tension of the kitchens. And how the attention from Daniel morphed from kindness into something darker… His restaurant shuttered, his lawyers breathing down his neck, Daniel is in a state of disbelief. Decades of hard graft, of fighting to earn recognition for his talent – is it all to fall apart because of something he can barely remember? Hiding behind the bedroom curtains from the paparazzi lenses, Julie is raking through more than two decades spent acting the supportive wife, the good mother, and asking herself what it’s all been for.
Their three different voices reveal a story of power and abuse, victimhood and complicity. This is a novel about the facades that we maintain, the lies that we tell and the courage it takes to face the truth.‘
Sign up online.
Reading Ahead:
April – All Fours by Miranda July
May – The Master by Colm Toibin
Book Share
The Fable Bar & Restaurant
19 February at 7pm
For the third consecutive year, our annual Book Share and Cocktails at the Fable is back! We've reserved the 'book table' where we'll share our favourite books over cocktails and nibbles. Everyone is encouraged to bring up to three books that they've enjoyed and are willing to share with others. Once we've discussed our books, we get the chance to choose books to take away. The Fable is known for its fairy tale inspired cocktails. A £20 refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot as the table has a limited number of spaces. Your deposit will be refunded following your attendance at the event. All drinks and food purchases are the responsibility of members.
Sign up online.
Chicks 'n' Flicks
The President's Cake
venue & time tbc
25 February matinee
In Hasan Hadi’s award-winning debut, a young girl is faced with the challenge of baking a cake for her school’s celebration of Saddam Hussein’s birthday in 1990s Iraq.
Though considered a great honour, nine-year-old Lamia’s task feels impossible, as she and her grandmother Bibi already struggle to get by. But armed with a shopping list and her pet rooster, Lamia remains determined as she sets off to find ingredients. A child’s eye view of life in a dictatorship, The President’s Cake skilfully navigates between the comic and the tragic.
Countries: Iraq-USA-Qatar
Language: Arabic with English subtitles
Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Sign up online.
Community Outreach
Henderson Court is a daytime activity centre for the elderly run by Age UK Camden. Please join us for an afternoon of cake and conversation, joining Age UK to chat with members and serve food, tea and coffee.
6 March 1:15pm - 3:00pm
Join us for tea & cakes (home made always appreciated) and conversation with some of Hampstead older residents. Sign up online.
Craft & Chat
Join us for craft and chat (and wine and cake!). People wishing to learn to knit or crochet welcome and materials will be provided for you to learn with. Check our calendar for upcoming events
Evenings Out
Bookshare & Cocktails
The Fable Bar & Restaurant
19 February at 7pm
For the third consecutive year, our annual Book Share and Cocktails at the Fable is back! We've reserved the 'book table' where we'll share our favourite books over cocktails and nibbles. Everyone is encouraged to bring up to three books that they've enjoyed and are willing to share with others. Once we've discussed our books, we get the chance to choose books to take away. The Fable is known for its fairy tale inspired cocktails. A £20 refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot as the table has a limited number of spaces. Your deposit will be refunded following your attendance at the event. All drinks and food purchases are the responsibility of members.
Sign up is closed.
Games Night
Join us for an evening filled with friendly competition as we play an array of board games. Don’t miss our next gathering—let’s keep the games rolling! No prior experience or expertise required - we play games that are easy to learn!
Check our calendar for upcoming events.
Highlights of London
Ladies Day at Royal Ascot
18 June at 12:30
Fancy getting all dressed up and having an excuse to buy a fascinator?? Then sign up for Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot on 18th June. A day filled with glamour, featuring their oldest and most prestigious race, the Gold Cup. Known for high-fashion, top-tier racing and the royal procession. We will either take a train and taxis or have a few volunteer drivers to get us there.
Sign up is closed.
Link Up
England's Lane Cafe
Belsize Park
4 March at 10:30am
A casual and informal way for current and new members to get together, chat and socialise. Join us for some coffee, tea, pastries or breakfast and good company.
Each member pays for their own drinks and food.
Sign up online.
London Bites (formerly Pub Lunch)
London Bites meets up once a month to explore new and local restaurants. Check our calendar for upcoming events in March.
Musicals
Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch
The Other Palace Theater (Victoria Station)
24 February at 7:30pm
Join us for a delightful night out to see the musical – UNFORTUNATE: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch. A musical parody based on the classic tale of the Little Mermaid.
The five-star, sold-out, splash-hit Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch returns to London for a limited eight-week run in 2026. Unfortunate dives into the story of everyone’s favourite Disney diva, as she spills the tea on what really goes on under the sea in this tale of sex, sorcery and suckers! We will also try to meet for dinner before the show.
It is sure to be a great night out! Tickets: £45
Sign up is full, get on the waitlist!
If there is a waitlist I will try to purchase more tickets.
Pickleball
Royal Free Rec Club
Fleet Rd, London NW3 2QG
Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:30pm
Cost per term: £160 (10 coaching sessions)
Pickleball was created in 1965 and has about 40 million regular players in the US. its still relatively new in the UK.
JOIN THE WAITLIST - We regularly have spaces available if anyone would like to sub in or just give the sport a try.
Sip & Social
Horseshoe Pub, Hampstead
9 March at 7:30 pm
Join us for some cocktail sipping at The Horshoe Pub in Hampstead Village. Sip & Social is a great and relaxed way of meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones. Feel free to order drinks and food (at your own cost) or just come for a chat and a catch up. If you are new to the club it is a great way of finding out what we have on offer and what we do as well as meeting some of the older members who are a wealth of advice and knowledge.
Sign up online.
Speaker Series
We meet at a member's house in NW3 – (address given after sign up). The speaker will give a talk for half an hour followed by half an hour of discussion. We will then go to Must Wine Bar where management have given us discounts on food and wine.
Depth psychology - wisdom and tools for today from the analytical movement Freud, Jung, Adler, Klein by Talia Price
18 February at 7pm
Event Cancelled
Writing and submitting novels and the fiction publishing process by Stacia
12 March at 7pm
Sign up online. If the event is full, sign up for the waiting list and we will try to get a bigger table at Must.
Tennis
Globe Lawn Tennis Club
190A Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AL
Come join us at the Globe Tennis Club in Belsize Park for weekly tennis lessons. Coach led lessons combine warm ups, drills, cardio games and match play adjusted to meet the needs of each group. Whether you are new to tennis, a bit rusty or a regular player it's a great way to combine exercise with meeting fellow members!
The Winter Term starts the week of 12 January 2026 for 10 weeks (no lesson w/o 16 February).
Tues, Wed or Thurs from 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Globe Lawn Tennis Club (190A Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AL)
Cost per term: £275 (11 sessions)
Intermediate – Tuesdays: 1 space
Beginner – Wednesdays: join waitlist
Mixed – Thursdays: 1 space
Theatre
Bird Grove
Hampstead Theater, Swiss Cottage
18 March at 7:30pm
1841. Mary Ann Evans is of marriageable age - just. Her father, Robert, has recently moved with her to Bird Grove House, with the sole purpose of finding her a suitable husband through the local church. But Mary Ann’s remarkable intellect and growing self-confidence are forming progressive new ideas in her mind; ideas that challenge her father’s most strongly held beliefs.
Fuelled by every new book she reads and a burgeoning friendship with local radicals, Mary Ann finds it increasingly difficult to accept the rules of the world around her - bringing her into direct and bitter conflict with the father she adores. But perhaps that is the only way forward: to break every societal convention expected of her, find her voice, and become the writer she has always dreamt of being. After all, who can suppress the astounding gifts of future literary titan, George Eliot?
Ticket price £55.
Sign up online. 1 space left
Shadowlands
Aldwych Theater
14 April at 7:30pm
Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington, Twenty Twelve) stars as C.S. Lewis alongside acclaimed actor Maggie Siff (Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, Billions) as the spirited American poet Joy Davidman whose unexpected love transforms the orderly academic life of C.S Lewis – the celebrated author of The Chronicles of Narnia. What begins as a meeting of minds becomes an uplifting and powerful journey of love and the fragile beauty of life.
Ticket price £90.
Sign up online.
Walkie Talkies
Walkie Talkies is an interest group that meets up every Monday morning for walks and chats over coffee. The walks take place across London and we visit parks and interesting areas of London. If you would like to join the WhatsApp walkie talkies group please contact Maria at email below.
16th February
Whitechapel
Cancelled
23rd February
Waterloo to London Bridge
Meeting Point: 10:30am underneath the clock at Waterloo Railway Station
2nd March
Canary Wharf Art Walk
Meeting Point: 10:30am at the clocks on Reuters Plaza near Jubilee line exit at Canary Wharf Tube Station
Contact Maria on email below to sign up.
Wellness
Wellness meets up monthly for an event focused on nurturing our mind, body and spirit. Led by Dr. Summya, GP & wellness leader, this group is all about making health fun, friendly, and achievable.
“PUT ON YOUR OWN MASK FIRST”: Self Care and Active Challenges
26 February 7pm - 9pm
Member's home - details will be shared when signed up.
Women put everyone before themselves. They carry the mental load of their families as well as caring for older and younger generations. In this workshop you will get guidance on the most recommended ways to care for yourself. How our minds work and how its important to try active challenges like new hobbies or making new friends in order to avoid your brain getting overwhelmed and switched into survival mode.
The power of appreciation - 5 March 2026
Healthy Aging - 11 March 2026
Let's get physical - easy exercise - 15 March 2026
Calm your money worries - 19 March 2026
Family and Friends are also welcome!
Sign up online.
Men's Auxiliary of HWC
The Men's Auxiliary of HWC meets on one Thursday a month at a pub in Hampstead. To participate, have your partner text Patrick on 07827 604148 to join the WhatsApp group.
APPI Physio & Pilates
HWC is proud to partner with APPI Physio & Pilates!
All HWC members enjoy 15% off all services for the duration of their time at appi (excluding special offers and memberships).
MUST Wine Bar
MUST Wine Bar sponsors our speaker series. They passionately believe wine is to be enjoyed, explored and experienced by everyone and with more than 70 wines by the glass from over 20 countries and 18 fine wines, they truly are a wine lover or enthusiasts dream...all in a totally relaxed, cozy and welcoming wine bar environment.
FIWAL
FIWAL’s aim is to broaden friendship, understanding and communication amongst international women in London. Over the years, we have achieved this through FIWAL’s own events as well as the wonderful events organised by our members where all FIWAL Members have the opportunity to connect, share and celebrate. Besides the social value of these events, funds are often raised to assist with charitable causes relating to their homeland or their local communities here in the UK.
2025-26 Executive Board
President - Manisha Walia
Executive Vice President - Michele Higgins-Glazer
Vice President of Communications - Joyce Moeller
Vice President of Membership - Susan Kennedy-Scott
Vice President of Programs - Claudine Goldingham
Secretary - Bridget O’Donovan
Treasurer - Maureen Clark-Darby
Website Manager - Jane Talbot
Standing Committee Chairs/Co-Chairs
Arts & Antiques - Afsaneh Yasreby, Minoo Tuffield
Community Outreach - Caroline Smith, Sian Jones
Evenings Out - Marilyn Kendall, Louisa Martin, Pauline Seow-Hellinikakis
Highlights of London - Cathy Herbrand
Hospitality - Michele Higgins-Glazer
Link-Up - Pauline Seow-Hellinikakis
Theatre - Madeleine Hodgkin
Courtesy Reminder
If you are not able to attend an event for which you've signed up, whether it's a free or paid activity, please contact the leader to let her know. Many of our activities have waiting lists, so no-shows and last-minute cancellations can prevent another member from participating. Thank you!