Club Activities
Monthly Meetings
Beginning in September each year, we host monthly meetings with entertaining, thought-provoking speakers on a variety of topics. Recent topics include 'Costume Design for Theatre and Film', 'All about Coffee' and'"A History of Jewellery'. These meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at St John's URC in Northwood. Non-members are welcome to attend their first meeting as our guest.
In winter, we have had a mini Christmas market at our November meeting, where lovely homemade and handcrafted products, mostly made by our members, were available to be purchased. At our December meeting, an appetizing holiday brunch will be provided. Last year, members were also treated to a performance from the North London Military Wives' Choir. We are delighted that they will be at our December meeting again. Our May meeting is our Annual General Meeting at which we present the proceeds of our fundraising efforts to our chosen charity, select a new charity and elect the club's board for the next year. We finish our club year with our annual summer lunch (in lieu of a June meeting) during which we celebrate another year of fun and friendship by enjoying a meal together and installing the next year's board.
Upcoming Meeting Dates
5 December 2024 (Christmas Brunch)
4 January 2025
6 February 2025
Doors open at 9.30 am, meetings start at 10 am
Interest Groups
We have a variety of member-led interest groups. Some of these groups are long-standing, whereas others come and go as the interests of our members change with our changing membership. All members are welcome to participate in any (or all!) of the interest groups. Should a member have an interest that is not currently addressed, they are welcome to organize a new interest group. Most interest groups meet monthly, but some meet more often.
Current Interest Groups
Book groups
monthly 4th Thursday am or monthly 3rd Wednesday am
FitSteps
weekly Mondays am
Crafty Ladies
monthly 2nd Friday am
Mah-jong
monthly 1st & 3rd Fridays am
Ladies Night Out
ad hoc evenings
Ladies Who Lunch
monthly different days and venues
Walking groups - various paces
weekly Wednesdays pm & monthly 3rd Thursday
Sunday Breakfast Club
monthly 1st Sunday am
Material Girls
monthly 2nd Thursday am
Gardeners
monthly 4th Friday am
Pub Quiz Night
monthly 3rd Tuesday evening
Out & About
Throughout the year various outings are planned to give both our international and UK-national members a chance to see and learn about various places in greater London. These outings are generally themed walking tours of London neighbourhoods, guided museum tours and West End shows. Occasionally, we go a little farther afield. Recent outings have included a guided walk of Regent's Canal, a full day excursion to the Watts Gallery and Artists' Village in Surrey, a guided architectural tour of the Barbican in London , a visit to see the Royal Portraits, A Century of Photography Exhibition at the King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace and an informative tour of Middle Temple, London. Some of the other outings we enjoyed included a visit to the amazing works of Monet at the Monet Immersive Experience in Brick Lane, a guided tour of the historic Freemasons Hall in central London (where we learnt about the history, symbols and rituals of the society) and a fun night out to watch The Christmas Carol performance at the Alexandra Palace Theatre and another to the play Rock & Roll by Tom Stoppard at Hampstead Theatre. Upcoming events include a trip to Wembley to watch the musical Starlight Express and a visit to the New West End Synagogue, the World's oldest Grade 1 listed Orthodox synagogue located in central London.
Apsley House Private Tour
January 2023
North London Military Wives Choir
at our December 2023 Meeting
St John's all dressed for our December 2023 Christmas Meeting
Here is a round-up of our activities for December 2024 and January 2025
Fundraising
Each year NAWC members select a local charity and raise funds to assist their work. Funds are raised throughout the year at club events and activities in various ways, such as raffles at our monthly meetings.
In just the last 26 years, NAWC has raised over £70,000 for various local charities. Past beneficiaries of our fundraising efforts include Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Peace Hospice, Northwood Live at Home, Watford Hospital Radio, Michael Sobell Hospice, RNIB Sunshine House, Hillingdon Women's Centre and the 6th Northwood Scout Group.
In the club year 2023/24, our fundraising efforts raised an impressive £5,137 for the 6th Northwood Scout Group. The money raised will be used to update its camping equipment and replace the group's minivan, which needed to be replaced as a result of the ULEZ expansion.
0ur charity for 2024/25 is the Ruislip Northwood Old Folks Association (RNOFA). RNOFA provides a meeting place and subsidised nutritional meals for its members. Lunches are served every weekday, activities are offered two afternoons per week and an outing once a month. All these create opportunities for its members, many of whom live alone with no family nearby, to enjoy company and hence improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
One of the current two venues that RNOFA is operating will have to cease operations due to structural problems with the building and the withdrawal of a grant from the London Borough of Hillingdon. It needs to raise circa £60,000 to continue with the essential provision of its services to the senior citizens in the Borough and NAWC's support would be very much welcomed.
What members have to say ...
There is so much I enjoy about the Club - meeting women from so many different countries, and all different ages; the talks on a huge range of subjects, the guided walks and theatre trips, and joining in with several of the Interest Groups. It's lovely getting together regularly with a group of friendly, social women!
Pam, UK