President's Message Archives

November 2011

With Remembrance Day approaching, I want to thank and bring attention to a group of very special volunteers within the Canadian Women’s Club: The Veteran’s Service Committee. This group works very hard corresponding with our vets, preparing and mailing cheques to them, evaluating recommendations for the Emergency Fund, and communicating with all the other supporting groups.

While time is marching on, the VSC is working harder than ever to meet the growing needs of our elderly Veterans. It is a time consuming, on-going job which they greet with enthusiasm and dedication. Their work is greatly appreciated by the Veterans and their dependents, many of who send lovely notes thanking the ladies, the CWC and the MLT. Some of these notes are reprinted further in the newsletter so that you can read for yourself how important this aspect of our club is and what a difference the funding from the MLT makes in their lives.

The next couple of months are going to be very busy ones around the club. There is a lot to participate in and get involved with. We are always eager to have your help. Please let us know if you can get involved with the Christmas Carol Service on December 2 or help at the Commonwealth Fair on Saturday, November 12.

Kate

October 2011

One of the things that I love most about living in London is the great variety of things to do and people to meet. There is always something going on and things to get involved with. October promises not to disappoint. Upcoming highlights include the opening of the Tom Thomson and Group of Seven Exhibit at the Dulwich Gallery. There will be a CWC tour of the exhibit on November 24th with a lecture by art historian Ross King. Early indications are that this will be a sell-out so please book early to avoid disappointment. Our hospitality will be at the Rose Theatre, London’s most historic theatre, the first Elizabethan Theatre on Bankside and home to many of Shakespeare’s and Marlowe’s first productions. We will have a chance to see the excavation and meet a fellow CWC Member and actress who will tell us about her experience working on stage in London.

Planning is underway for The Canadian Christmas Carol Service to be held December 2nd at the Crown Court Church of Scotland. Would you like to be involved in organising this year's Christmas Carole Service and reception? Our lovely service is a long standing tradition for Canadians and this year will take place on Friday 2 December at 6.30 at the Crown Court Church of Scotland in Covent Garden. We are looking for members to help with the reception, with promoting the event, and with general organisation. If you would like to be involved, we would be grateful for a few pairs of extra hands and would love to hear from you.

The Commonwealth Fair will be held in Kensington Town Hall on Saturday, November 12th. Volunteers are needed for the Canadian Stall or if you are interested in helping to organize it, it would be most appreciated. The fair is the main fundraiser for Commonwealth Countries League who supports girls in the commonwealth pursue their secondary education. Since 1967 CCLEF has supported over 3000 disadvantaged girls. Many have gone on to become teachers, nurses, doctors, accountants and doctors. It is a great cause, worthwhile of our volunteer time.

I look forward to seeing you over the coming weeks.

Kate

September 2011

What a summer it's been; I helped to move my husband's parents out of their home of 50 years and then came back to London to move my own family. It was busy and hard work. I am ready for some fun and to enjoy the wonderful things our executive and activity leaders have planned. As you will see on the following pages, there is a wide variety of activities to choose from.

I know our family wasn’t the only one on the move. If you are new to the CWC and London: Welcome! We can’t wait to meet you.

On behalf of the CWC, I’d also like to welcome Gordon Campbell, former Premier of British Columbia and his wife Nancy, who have moved to London. It was announced earlier this month that Mr. Campbell has been appointed as our new Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. I know you will join me in welcoming them to this very busy and exciting post.

Finally, in our last bulletin, we asked for suggestions for hospitality topics and speakers as well as ideas for where we could host them, as The High Commission and Quebec House are undergoing renovations. Thanks to everyone who helped. As a result, we have some interesting speakers lined up in some great places. It’s not too late to help – if there someone who you think would make a great hospitality speaker please feel free to email the office or me.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Kate

May 2011

Wasn't she lovely? Wasn't she beautiful? Oh what a glorious day! Makes you proud to be a member of the Commonwealth, at least for me it does. I hope that all of you had a good seat to witness this fairy tale wedding. I had BBC on for its entire broadcast and then watched E!Entertainment channel to get the American perspective. My husband was able to keep track of the best and worst of the outfits according to the E!Entertainment anchors and added his ratings as well (but best not to publicize those comments!) I could go on and on but enough already!

We are into the final few months of the CWC calendar year. Our final guest speaker will be Ariane Poole a Celebrity makeup artist. Please note the date and venue change. Lynda our Arts and Culture leader has many more interesting events planned for you in May and June. Make sure you book your spot soon so as not to be left out. And Solange has gotten into the spirit of event planning with Hazel, Lois and Teresa with the first IN THE BREW event May 17th. Lois is leading her Wednesday walkers on May 21 to support the Race For Life charity fundraiser for cancer research. Anyone else interested can join her group for this worthwhile cause. So I believe that May is going to be another great month for the CWC members.

Patty

April 2011

Hello Ladies,

April's Hospitality speaker by our own CWC member Giselle Davidian certainly held our audience spellbound with her fervent talk about nutritional healing and yoga therapy. I was spellbound myself with how she could ream off endless statistics and facts about the nutritional value of this food and the pesticides used for that food and why certain sun screens can actually promote skin cancers and a myriad of other things to know to promote a healthy lifestyle. All this without taking a breath and with a continuous glorious smile! CWC members had countless questions, so many, that we are going to bring Giselle back for another round of therapy for the CWC next year if she agrees. A special thank you to Isabelle Mignault for being truly generous with her hosting this hospitality especially on such short notice.

You will be receiving your notice of the AGM soon. The Executive Slate nominations will follow in May. We are still desperately seeking Susan oops, I mean a secretary. This position needs about 15 -20 hours of your time for the year and some computer skills. I have spoken to a number of members personally but no luck. Please do consider joining the team to help keep our CWC minutes recorded for posterity. Sadly several other Executive members will be stepping down this June mainly because of the transient nature of the CWC membership profile. We will be looking for members to fill the positions of Treasurer, Communications, Website and Blog, Advertising and Carol Service. Please contact me or any member of the Executive if you are interested to step up to keep the CWC continue to be such a vibrant club.

Patty

March 2011

Dear Ladies,

It has been a great few weeks for the CWC. The charity that we support has just concluded the most successful fund raising event in the last few years. Many heartfelt thanks from the Chair of the Maple Leaf Trust and its Trustees to our Organising committee for their cheerful dedication to the task at hand. The Trust is confident to make its annual disbursement of funds this June to support our veterans and students.

Some members of the committee have so enjoyed the organising that they have signed on to the May 19th, 2012 60th Anniversary Ball committee as well. Any one interested to serve on that committee please contact me. We need many hands.

We were mesmerized with Kate Pullinger and her talk on the Mistress of Nothing on March 8th. We were given brief readings which clearly demonstrated her skills as a storyteller par excellence, which is why her Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction was so well deserved. , After the talk we had a baby shower for Marie-France when there was much oohing and ahhing over the beautiful baby gifts that she received. I don't know who enjoyed the gift opening more - Mother or the CWC? Please read, attend and enjoy your enews events. All have been planned for your pleasure.

Patty

Dear Ladies,

Isn't it wonderful to see the daffodils back in our gardens? After this very gray start to the new year, at long last some sunshine to lighten our spirits and put a bit of spring in our step. We have a terrific March to look forward to with loads of events to entertain all from Lunch Box Theatre, Sexy Cupcakes to savour,a visit to the BADA Fair, walks through Regents Park  to name a few.The Maple Leaf Trust Annual Fund Raising Dinner will hopefully be a night to remember for our guests March 3rd. A special thanks to the fabulous organising committee for the MLT dinner who have worked extremely hard these last 8 weeks to make it a magical event.

We are still looking for that special person who could fill the position of secretary for the CWC Executive. Please do not feel shy. It is really not rocket science and not too time consuming but it is an essential role for the Executive.

We are  very pleased to announce that Solange McAlister will be our new office manager. She is a welcome addition with all the energy and skills needed to fill the shoes of Marie-France. She will be in the office from mid March for orientation.She will take the helm in early April.

Patty

February 2011
 
Dear Ladies

We had a great day Thursday Feb 10th at the Athenaeum Club . Moya  Greene CEO of the Royal Mail was a wonderful speaker. She gave a lively and very entertaining talk on the trials and tribulations of this great British Institution, the Royal Mail. She also spoke to the young working female professionals in the audience about her life doing the juggling act as a working mother.This Inaugural MLT Luncheon was a success in all respects. I would personally like to thank Marie-France Boutet for dealing with all the logisics and management of our  attendees with gracious patience!Someone even signed up 30 minutes beforethe lunch bell!

The Stoke On Trent sales are a bit sluggish. We have to meet our quota to fill the bus or we will need to cancel . PLEASE if you are planning to go, sign up ASAP and bring your friend, your husband or even your mother in law. Everyone who has gone to Stoke on Trent has thoroughly enjoyed the day and their purchases.So don't miss the boat BUS! Do sign up. Baby Shower for Marie-France will follow the March 8th Hospitality.

Patty

January 2011 
 
Dear Ladies,

It was good to see so many happy faces at the January Hospitality. Marie-France Boutet had the happiest I think. We all congratulate her on the most wonderful news of her pregnancy! We wish her all the very best and continued good health. She is glowing! We also enjoyed the happy story of Gracie Findley and her days as Anne of Green Gables. She led us on her journey as a very young star in the role as Ann Shirley in the musical for many happy years. We enjoyed the tales of the birth of the musical Ann of Green Gables and how it came to be such a successful Canadian musical both in Canada and on tour round the world. There was good discussion about the Bulletin at the Hospitality with most people participating and giving thoughtful comments. The main theme was communication by what ever means needs to be consistent and frequent and well coordinated.

We have decided to forgo the Bulletin for this session. We will reassess at the AGM if ENEWS is sufficient for the majority of CWC members. Enjoy your ENEWS and make notes of the events that strike your fancy .And don't forget to sign up with the Leader for the event.

December 2010

Hello Ladies,
 
Shopping, baking, cleaning, wrapping gifts, eating and drinking, hugging and kissing .... all part and parcel of this truly festive holiday season.
 
The CWC had a wonderful start to the season with our traditional Carol Service on Dec 3rd at the Crown Court Church of Scotland. A huge thank you to our CAROL SERVICE team led by Monique Menard, Susan McKale and Lorna Brown. The Book Clubs of the CWC supplied an absolutely fabulous table of delicious baked goodies ! We were also thrilled to have young Canadian musicians Mathieu-Jérémie Boutet, Lyndsay Bryden and John Baconprovide beautiful music for the service.

The Maple Leaf Trust with the support of the CWC enjoyed a Cultural Evening at the elegant home of the Deputy High Commissioner Claude Boucher and his wife Isabelle Mignault on Dec 6th. We were graciously welcomed in their home for a unique concert by Canadian musician Alexander MacSween. A very interesting talk on Culture in this age of internet and instant entertainment by Sylvie Barcelo, Deputy Minister of Culture from Quebec was well received.

Our executive team has some great events coming up in the new year. We have posted some for you already, to mark in your calendars. We hope to see you soon in the coming months.

I want to wish you all a very sincere Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Patty

November 2010
 
Hello Ladies,
 
I had a fabulous day at the Commonwealth Fair this past Saturday. We had a great group of volunteers from the CWC to flip pancakes, ladle Moose Milk and smile at visitors from the many countries of the Commonwealth who came to the Fair. A thank you to all who came and a special recognition to Renee-Marie Vanasse who was the expert organizer for the event for the Canadian High Commission.

We are winding down to our Christmas break but still have many exciting events to attend before it all ends on Dec 16 with the the Christmas Hospitality which sounds like a very jolly holiday luncheon at the home of Elma Charalambous. Do join us for the Carol Service Dec 3rd, a tradition of over thirty years for the CWC. We also are having a Cultural Evening at the elegant home of the Deputy High Commissioner Claude Boucher on Dec 6th. Tickets are still available for this wonderful evening. See you at our annual Tea another great tradition of the CWC.

Patty

October 2010

As I write this message, 50 ladies are touring the Prince Of Wales Garden in Highgrove ! Although we have had our share of wet English weather I am sure that they have all thoroughly enjoyed the day's outing in such a beautiful environment. Teresa Howe, our leader extraordinaire, was relieved when all ladies showed up on time to board the bus in spite of the Tube strike ! I  heard through the grape vine that the visit to Leighton House was a hit and thank you to Mary Speake who stepped up to the task with short notice to lead the event.

Do keep your Bulletin handy and read your Enewsletter carefully so that you don't miss out on any event. Our leaders are encouraged by your turnout and support. It can only inspire them to bigger and better adventures for the CWC. I am very disappointed to be missing the October Hospitality. I am away for a week's holiday in Scotland (I love wet weather!) This Hospitality was particularly interesting for me as I am a fan of CSI.  But I hope that you all come next week to hear Christine King Forensic Consultant for what will prove to be a fascinating talk.

Patty

September 2010

Hello Ladies,

Welcome back to all our travelers who decided to seek warmer climates for their holidays . To those of you who holidayed in London ...wasn't the English summer marvelous! You must have all received your Sept-January Bulletin by now and have marked your calendars for your chosen events. Some are just about sold out already! So don't delay especially if you are keen to see Highgrove. But there are other great venues to visit and enjoy. Please bring a friend. As you know most events are open to non-members and having them attend an event is a great way to introduce them to the Canadian Women's Club and all it has to offer.

You might be curious to see a Canadian flag highlighting our Sept. Hospitality. Lady Mayoress Anstee is a Canadian! She will explain how a girl from Montreal ended up living in Mansion House for a year as Lady Mayoress. So do come to give her a warm welcome. And the CWC Executive are eager to to welcome you all to the start of another great year at the September Hospitality.

Happy September.

Patty

June 2010

Dear members,

Last  September I shared with you my personal vision for the Club. First, to offer members Value for Membership. Activities and events wherever possible would have a member cost and a guest cost. We would negotiate better prices, group rates or subsidize though increased advertising. Additionally our bulletin and e-newsletter would be filled to the brim with events for you to have greater choice. And that we delivered - Over 100 of them!

Second, we would provide Service and Support, by supporting an activity with a charitable component, sharing information, and helping members adjust to life in the UK . Third, I believed that we should have some Fun along the way! I hope that you did!

The year has come to a close at our AGM last Tuesday, well-attended by almost 50 members. We celebrated our successes, listened to  presentations, said farewell to those leaving, enjoyed our guest speaker and then chatted with friends over lunch. A lovely day... It was also an opportunity to thank the executive team individually for putting together our top notch program. Thank you again!

And  it is now time for me to say farewell to you. It has been an honour to serve as your President this past year. I thank you the members for your support and your participation. The Club is strong and will be well managed by a skilled team, administered by our resourceful Office Manager, under the focused leadership of Patty Bell. With Patty’s boundless energy and vision, the CWC and the MLT will reach new heights. Please join me in congratulating the new executive team for 2010 / 2011!

To see photos and read about our AGM and LIFT please visit our blog at http://canadianwomensclublondon.blogspot.com
 
Sincerely
Teresa Howe
Past President

May 2010
 
Dear members
 
Mayday  Mayday! Can these past few weeks be any more unsettling? Volcanic ash and transportation chaos, protests in Greece , Gulf oil spills, the tragic Polish plane crash, Times Square bomb plot and our own general  election….Did I mention the cool blustery weather?  Of course this is only a reflection of my little mind!  There is so much MORE! Has it all been weighing on your mind too? On  the positive side, “May Day”, according to Wiki, “marks the end of the uncomfortable winter half of the year and is traditionally been an  occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations”. Hmmm.  While  I can’t invite you to dance around the maypole, I can invite you to  take a break from it all and come out to have a bit of fun at some  wonderful upcoming events. Perhaps a walk in Windsor Park is needed-  fresh air and flowers. Or a day trip to Hever Castle ? Does the Mad  Hatter Party tickle your imagination? Or does a sweet summer Sunday at  The Queen’s Cup Polo, sipping Prosecco and nibbling goodies sound like a  perfectly relaxing day? But first join us TUESDAY for some cheer, chat with friends, and take some time to hear a dynamic and polished speaker,  Bob Bell at our Hospitality. If you have  wondered about the differences between an NHS and Private Doctor, or if  retirement is on your mind, don’t miss this talk! 

There. I feel better already knowing that it is officially time for celebrations. I hope you do too. See you very soon

Teresa

P.S. Happy Mother’s Day to you if you celebrated yesterday on Sunday May 9th!

April 2010
 
Dear members,
 
On  Friday, ceremonies were held across Canada , in London and at the  Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France to honour Canada ’s First  World War Men and Women. I was honoured to attend the service in Green  Park at the Canada Memorial amongst many veterans, their families,  members of the Canadian Forces and a Youth Delegation. It was a  beautiful and moving morning of prayers, laying of wreaths, poetry  recited by veterans and youth and the Reveille. High Commissioner James  Wright and Major-General Joseph Hincke spoke, noting that 650,000  Canadians served and more than 200,000 were killed. The sun poured down on the maples in the memorial and shone brightly on the group as we  listened to the haunting melody of the Piper, joined in hymns and  repeated,  “We will remember Them…Nous nous souviendrons d’eux“ Lest  we forget we can continue to support the work of our Veterans Support Committee through the Maple Leaf Trust. Below is a link to the ceremony as captured by the CBC :
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/ID=1464904204
 
Teresa, CWC President

March 2010

Canadians are more in love with their country than ever before. The press has said that that Canada achieved more than it dreamed possible in 17 Olympic days - two golds in “our game” and a global triumph in our Olympic Games. A new and proud nation emerging. It feels good to be a Canadian!

This spring and summer why not celebrate Canada by joining the CWC? We will bring you the right mix of events with a Canadian flavour while offering those exciting and unusual British venues for discovery.

Join us for exclusive invitations to the High Commission’s Official Residence, the Garrick Club and the BBC. Trade in those ice skates for walking shoes for a day trip to Hever Castle, Clerkenwell and many park and country walks. Art and design lovers have events featuring Paul Nash, William Morris and Grace Kelly.

No time during the day? Enjoy a summerlicious wine tasting, gala dinner and auction, book group or polo at the Queen’s Cup. We will support the Women of Vision Conference and salute the end of an era on Vimy Ridge Day. And we plan to let our hair down a bit too… at our Mad Hatter’s Garden Party! There is something for everyone and too many sensational events to list.

Visit our calendar of events, our blog and come out and meet a wonderful group of women.

The Olympics may be over, but the party is just getting started.

December 2009

As 2010 approaches, I would like to reflect upon our Club. In my meetings with other Club Presidents, I have heard about the hardships befalling many organizations this past year. Some have experienced dwindling memberships, discontinued paper communications, suspended directories and had reductions in charitable donations. These are challenging times when Clubs can support each other by being open and extending reciprocal invitations, and by planning in a fiscally responsible way - something that we, as Canadians do very well.

Perhaps this is the reason I can tell you that our Club is thriving and growing. We continue to welcome new members, we are committed to providing you with enhanced communications and we work very hard to manage our costs with a strong base of volunteers. Most importantly, we hold successful fundraising events which you generously support. Our charitable arm, the Maple Leaf Trust, has expanded its assistance, and we are very proud. Congratulations! We do all this together.

Looking forward, perhaps some of your new year’s resolutions include self-improvement or participating in new experiences? If so join us on some unique Art and Design outings, learn about blogs or discover historic landmarks such as the Royal Automobile Club, St Paul’s Cathedral or Lord’s Cricket Grounds. If you resolve to get fit, why not put on your skates for our party or get walking in the day at Regent’s Park or at night on our literary pub walk. However, our pièce de résistance is an exclusive Buckingham Palace Garden Tour - after two years on a waiting list and for the first time offered to public groups, this is special!

Visit our calendar of events, our blog and decide to come out and meet a wonderful group of women.

November 2009

November is a time when we choose to remember. On the 5th, fireworks will fill the skies to mark Guy Fawkes Day, the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to blow up Parliament and King James.

On Remembrance Sunday, November 8th, members of the Royal Family will join former and current members of the UK and Commonwealth services at the Cenotaph at 11am. Our CWC members and their families are invited to attend a Service of Remembrance at the Canada Memorial in Green Park at 13:45.

At this time of remembering, we can be very proud of the work of the CWC's longest standing committee, namely the Veterans' Support Committee (VSC). It was established after the Second World War to help Canadian servicemen from both World Wars who took their discharge in the UK. Because they did not return to Canada, due to unforeseen circumstances, many veterans found themselves in hardship. The VSC helps to support a number of these veterans and their wives, or widows, each year. When we raise funds for the Maple Leaf Trust, monies benefit both the VSC, which honours our past, and the Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund, which promotes the future.

On November 10th we invite you to attend our "Love and Duty" Hospitality which will continue to honour the sacrifice of veterans and civilians, specifically women of the Red Cross. You will be inspired by the stories of these colourful quilts and moved by the film. Please join us.

Kind regards, 
Teresa

September 2009

Welcome back! A new CWC season, a new look for the Autumn Bulletin, a new office manager AND a new President. Are you nervous yet? Rest assured, based on our recent membership survey feedback, some changes have been made with you in mind - more art tours, lectures, walks, architecture, evening events and blockbuster speakers. Top on your list are outings to special venues, and that has been arranged- Buckingham Palace, The Athenaeum, Silver Vaults, the Lanesborough, Eton College and more.

May I share with you my personal vision for the Club? First, to offer members Value for Membership. Activities and events wherever possible will have a member cost and a guest cost. We will try to negotiate better prices, group rates or subsidize though increased advertising. Additionally our bulletin and e-newsletter will be filled to the brim with events for you to have greater choice.

Second, we provide Service and Support to our charitable causes by attending a fundraiser, or an activity with a charitable component such as Bridge or Culinary Corner. We support each other in sharing information, friendship and helping members adjust to life in the UK. Third, I do believe that we should have some Fun along the way!

If you are just perusing our website and thinking about joining, please accept my personal invitation to attend any event listed in our calendar. All with a little Canadian flavour thrown in but not exclusively for Canadians! Our monthly hospitality coffee mornings with a speaker are an ideal way to get to know us. So if you are new to the UK, or just a bit homesick, come and enjoy our events and activities.

Kind regards, 
Teresa ……

July 2009

Welcome!

Whether you are a potential new member or an existing one, I am very happy that you are visiting our website during this hot hazy summer!

Perhaps you even stopped by our booth on Canada Day in Trafalgar Square where Canadians united proudly in a sea of red and white amidst the hockey, music and smiles. You can enjoy our pictures of the day on our blog: http://canadianwomensclublondon.blogspot.com.

Did you know that a Canada Day Survey, noted in The Globe and Mail, states that 89% of Canadians now say that they live in the best country in the world; and 87% believe that Canada is in better shape than any other country to deal with the world economic situation? We can be proud.

Assuming the Presidency in June, I am incredibly fortunate to be part of an Executive team that is passionate and focused about our Canadian connections, events and our charitable causes. In fact, the team spent July 3rd in an all-day strategic planning session reviewing the membership survey results, brainstorming new ideas, strengthening our services and enthusiastically building energy for the fall season.

Wait till you see what is planned! The speakers for our coffee Hospitality mornings are unique, the cultural visits and lectures inspiring and the opportunity to meet interesting members and make new friendships are boundless.

So, if you want to discover London and beyond, be proud of your Canadian heritage, expand your horizons with the most welcoming group of women this side of the Atlantic, this is the Club for you. Watch our Calendar, which will start to fill up with events in the coming weeks, or join the CWC and receive our E-newsletter – which lists even more members-only events.

If you wish to use your skills, volunteer, or have an idea for an event, please write to me.

Teresa Howe

May 2009

Planning for our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 18th June at the Canadian High Commission is underway! All members should have received a small package of papers, including the minutes from last year, the agenda for this year's meeting, and nominations for the CWC executive. Please remember to let us know if you'll be attending and would like to stay for lunch no later than June 12th. In addition, please give us your views on future events by returning the questionnaire. I look forwarding to seeing you on the 18th and celebrating what has been a truly wonderful year!

Best wishes,

Margaret

March 2009

Dear Members:

I am very excited to announce that our recent dinner and auction  benefiting the Maple Leaf Trust was a huge success.  Our Honorary  President, Donna Thomson and her husband, High Commissioner, Jim Wright hosted a truly memorable evening. A special thanks to Jim and Donna, the organizing team, our Office Manager, Phyllis Nickerson and the ladies who helped on the night.  While Teresa Howe has captured the evening beautifully on our blog, Barbara Richards has put together an amazing array of pictures. In case you haven’t yet bookmarked our blog, here is the link: canadianwomensclublondon.blogspot.com

We are thrilled to have had a steady flow of new members. Given that April 1st marks the beginning of another membership year (2009-2010) , it seems fitting to acknowledge the hard work of our membership co-ordinator, Lois Darley. Members are the lifeblood of our organization and we are very truly appreciative of Lois’ attentiveness to membership matters.  She and Phyllis have been a great team.

We are currently putting together a schedule of events for the next quarter (April through June).  There are some wonderful outings being planned with you in mind.  If you have an idea for a possible speaker or outing, please do not hesitate to send me an email with any and all suggestions.  Full details of a wide range of activities will appear in our Bulletin that should be with you in the next few weeks.

This coming quarter will culminate with what has become a treasured tradition among members of the Canadian community living in the UK… Canada Day in Trafalgar Square.  Generally speaking, people want to be in the company of other Canadians on July 1st.  Plans for this year’s celebration are now being formulated.  We would very much welcome your comments on previous years’ celebrations as well as your thoughts and ideas as to how we can promote the CWC and the MLT that day.  Please drop me an email at info@canadianwomenlondon.org with your thoughts.

In closing, I would like to bit adieu to the Siglers.  Their hard work promoting the province of Alberta has benefited the entire UK based Canadian community and we are most grateful.  Both Murray and Judy have been huge supporters of the CWC and MLT during their time here in London.  We can’t thank them enough and they will be missed! Wishing them well in their new endeavours back in Alberta.

Best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

Feb 2009

Dear Members:

The weather over the past fortnight has been really quite amazing. Last week, the UK experienced its heaviest snowfall in 18 years and I quite enjoyed this brief reminder of Canadian winters. However, I am quite happy that the snow was short-lived and today's sunshine is kindling thoughts of springtime.

Just as the weather has been quite amazing, the CWC has had an exceptional couple of weeks. Last week, we were truly delighted to have CWC members and friends from various other women's clubs gather for a special coffee morning to hear Canadian Bronwyn Cosgrave speak about fashion at the Oscars. Having meticulously researched her subject, Bronwyn regaled us with amusing anecdotes of Canadian Mary Pickford, Bette Davis and Cher among others who have enjoyed red carpet fame over the decades. Kudos to Patty Bell for organizing this event and to her team of ladies who assisted on the day. It was wonderful to have so many out and to be able to raise about £500 for the Maple Leaf Trust.

This past Tuesday, our regular monthly hospitality was also particularly interesting. Canadians Camilla Gibb and Nancy Durrell McKenna gave powerful presentations highlighting the situation with respect to women in Ethiopia. While Camilla spoke about living with a family in Ethiopia as preparation for writing not only her doctoral thesis but also her award-winning work of fiction, Sweetness in the Belly, Nancy used visual media to highlight her work on behalf of mothers in that country. The film clips and pictures made clear just how great a need there is for the training of health workers to assist women in childbirth. If you missed our gathering, I strongly encourage you to read Camilla's book and to visit Nancy's website (www.safehands.org).

Our programme of exceptional speakers continues with young Canadian entrepreneur, Kresse Wesling speaking about her various imaginative, eco-friendly endeavours at our March hospitality. I do hope you will join us.

With best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

January 2009

Dear Members

Happy New Year! I hope that by now you have received the Winter Issue of the CWC Bulletin and have had a chance to mark your 2009 diaries with at least a few of the various outings planned to take place in the next quarter. Actually, a number of calendar entries are imminent - the outing to the Annie Liebovitz exhibit, the launch of Jordan Lancaster's book, Vesuvius, the presentation and tour of the amazing photography exhibit on Afghan women at Canada House and our special coffee morning with fashion writer, Bronwyn Cosgrave. I hope at least one of these events has caught your attention.

Given that Canadian Bronwyn Cosgrave will be sharing with us stories about the fashions worn by celebrities to the Golden Globes and the Oscars, we thought it would be timely to highlight another anadian who actually dresses these celebrities. Erdem, a CCSF scholarship winner in 2002-2003 has gone on to design for the red carpet. His collections of beautiful floaty frocks are often noted in the local London papers. A special thank you to CWC member/CCSF committee member, Jaime Snell-Mendoza for crafting the Bulletin article on Erdem that I hope puts you in mood to enjoy a morning peaking into the world of red carpet fashion. Please invite your friends and come along. Proceeds to the Maple Leaf Trust.

Also, I have no doubt that you will enjoy the visit to Canada House that we have planned for January 22nd. Anna Kepellas will welcome us with coffee and give us a short presentation on Canada's role in Afghanistan as it pertains specifically to women. The current Canada House exhibit of photographs by Lana Slezic is not to be missed. Given Canada's commitment to this war torn country, I personally feel a need to be better informed - to know more of the facts about Canada's mission to Afghanistan. I do hope you will join me.

With best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

December 2008

Dear Members,

The Christmas season is upon us!  For the Canadian community in the UK, this season is anchored by our annual carol service. A uniquely British tradition, this service of lessons and carols was adopted by the CWC over 30 years ago.  This year, we are honoured to have our oldest living Past CWC President, Elizabeth Buchanan as our guest of honour. As it happens, it was during Elizabeth's term of office (1972-74) that the first carol service took place.  With several amazing musicians scheduled to perform during this year's service, I can assure you that it will be a lovely evening.  Please do join us this Friday, December 5th at 6:30 pm at the Church of Scotland in Covent Gardens.

Then, on the following Tuesday, December 9th, we will gather for our Christmas hospitality at the festively decorated home of Patty Bell in Pimlico.  Please do not forget to bring along a sweet or savoury for our potluck lunch and a Christmas ornament or seasonal item for the 'bring and buy' sale.  The sale was a great success last year and I look forward to picking up some beautiful handmade cards and perhaps a heart shaped ornament or two for my collection.  Hopefully, you, too, will find a treasure that day.

Continuing our celebration of the season, our Honorary President, Donna Thomson has graciously offered to host an Evening tour of the amazing collection of art in the High Commission's official residence on December 16th.  With Christmas decorations in place, a professional pianist on hand and seasonal refreshments for our guests, it promises to be truly a delightful evening (we have just a few places left at time of writing). 

While there are a number of Christmas concerts in London in the next few weeks, I would like to bring one to your attention. The Concordia Foundation will be holding their Candlelit Christmas Concert at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden on December 20th.  That evening, a lovely young Canadian from Vancouver, Annie Yim will be awarded the Concordia Barthel Prize and will be performing at the concert.

With best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

October 2008

Dear Members,

'Undoubtedly, it's the grandest social gathering you will be invited to this autumn. Emperors, popes and princes; doges, duchesses and diplomats will be attending'. In its review of Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian, The Times went on to say that this 'vivacious and varied exhibition has the slightly extemporary feel of a party'. The CWC is inviting you to join in this auspicious gathering at the National Gallery on November 12th. Please see the calendar listing for further information.

Speaking of grandeur and art, Vice President, Patty Bell organized a wonderful speaker for our October hospitality meeting. Art historian, Alex Hirtzel not only presented a very interesting armchair tour of the Wallace Collection but also regaled us with details of the spicier variety surrounding that grand building. As well, Alex was quite delighted to read in our own CWC History book (page 43) about one of our earliest VP's connection to the Wallace Collection. You can order a copy of the book here.

While last week concluded with a lovely celebration of Canadian Thanksgiving organized by Surrey Group Co-ordinator, Doris Dalacker, we are now looking forward to a lively discussion of Canadian author, Ross King's work on French Impressionism at the Afternoon Book Group. This art theme continues on Thursday, October 30th as a group of CWC members will gather at the British Museum for lunch and a tour by CWC member, Hazel Simpson. Then, on Friday, we turn to matters of our health - please check out this free event organized by Vice President, Teresa Howe that is listed in our calendar of events.

November is around the corner and I sincerely hope you have browsed through our red fall bulletin and found an outing or two that has peaked your interest. If not, please do not hesitate to send me an email via the CWC, with your thoughts and suggestions for future CWC events and activities. I welcome your comments. Also, I do hope you'll join us for our 2nd Annual CWC Tea at the beautiful Chesterfield Mayfair hotel on Thursday November 20th!

Best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

September 2008

Dear Members:

This past Tuesday we launched our 2008-2009 season with a hospitality morning at the High Commission. It was truly a lovely day. I particularly enjoyed not only catching up with members that I had not seen over the summer but also meeting a good number of new members or potential members. There was such ‘a buzz' in the room that it certainly confirmed in my mind that the CWC is thriving!

I noticed several sign up sheets were filling up with names as each of our activity leaders invited one and all to come along on their outings. If you were not able to join us this past Tuesday, I hope you have had a chance to browse our red covered fall bulletin and to mark your calendars for a least one or two events. Several of our events – a cooking class and the ‘Let's do lunch' group gather next week and there are others meeting shortly thereafter including the French Gathering and the afternoon book club. Without a doubt, this season is off to a great start!

At last Tuesday's meeting, we were delighted to have a number of guests:
* A contingent from the Commonwealth Countries League, including the wife of the Kenyan High Commissioner, helped us learn more about this organization with which the CWC has been affiliated for decades. Please mark your diaries as their upcoming fair is November 7th and 8th. Proceeds will support the education of girls in Commonwealth countries.

* Hugh Westacott invited us to join him on his country walks (and what could be better - doing something healthy, exploring the English countryside and enjoying the company of other Canadian ladies) while Lis Hobden's display of lovely jewelry and silks certainly enticed us to come along to one of her workshops. Details of all these activities are available through the CWC office.

* Dalaina Stone gave everyone a copy of the recent issue of Expat Living and kindly offered to include information about our charitable causes on her website.

* Two of our advertisers who make our publications possible, SAT Travel and Gemmaway, were both pleased to join us that day. Gemmaway had a draw for a day out to the Cotswolds and I am delighted to announce that Kathy, a potential member who heard about us through our booth on Canada Day, won this lovely prize.

Also, I would like to mention that I was so very pleased that new member, Kris, won our door prize, an autographed copy of the book, 'Sweetness in the Belly' by Camilla Gibb. Kris was part of a group of lovely ladies from Surrey who joined us that day. I look forward to catching up with them again soon!

In closing, I would also like to again thank Lolly Fullerton and her team from the High Commission who organized a very successful Comedy night last week and raised £400 for the Maple Leaft Trust.

This note may be a bit long but is a testament to the fact that the club is indeed thriving. I hope we will meet up soon.

Best wishes,

Margaret Wickware

June 2008

Dear Members,

Although the weather did not cooperate, our Garden Party was a great success. A very special thank you to Louisa Service for continuing the long standing tradition of hosting CWC events in her lovely home. As well, a vote of thanks is offered to our hardworking garden party organizing team - Teresa, Patty, Doris, Barbara and the Nickerson family. Well done!

Also, last week, the members of the Canadian Centennial Scholarship Committee met to interview 14 of the 94 young Canadian students who applied for scholarships for the coming academic year.

CCSF committee chairman, Judy Wiesinger noted that the calibre of applicant was exceptionally strong with many more worthy applicants than they were able to recognize. A total of 14 scholarships aggregating £28,000 were awarded from monies in large part received from the Maple Leaf Trust, the charitable arm of the CWC. While our communications co-ordinator, Barbara Richards prepared a very professional press release to apprise our donors and affiliated organizations of this great news, full details of 'the CCSF class of 2008' will be on the Maple Leaf Trust website momentarily.

I have heard that the outing to visit the gardens at Prince Charles' Highgrove estate was really a super day out. We must thank Past President, Patricia Peabody for applying for this special garden tour. Another Past President, Bonnie Alter has filed a colourful report on her blog at treehugger Also, kudos to Lolly for organizing the coach and the goodies for this event.

While the summer means that the club slows down somewhat, there are still a few events on the calendar - cooking classes, book club gatherings, a luncheon outing to mention but a few. If you are around, I do hope you will come along to some of these events. It might be a perfect time to sample something different! Most importantly, however, I do hope you are planning to join us next week for our Annual General Meeting. While we intend to celebrate what has been a fantastic year with our many 75th anniversary celebrations, it is also an opportunity to look ahead. A preview of activities for the fall will be distributed. Come and get a hint of some of the great events being planned. As well, a delicious complimentary buffet luncheon will be served. It would be great to see you... please come along.

If the summer gives you an opportunity to do some pleasure reading, there is some great news about Canadian authors. Montreal based writer, Rawi Hage was just awarded the IMPAC Prize (the world's richest prize for fiction), for his novel De Niro's Game. Lawrence Hill of Canada was the overall Best Book winner of the 2008 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for The Book of Negroes and two Canadians were shortlisted for the prestigious Orange Broadband Prize: Nancy Huston for her work entitled Fault Lines and Heather O'Neill's first novel, Lullabies for Little Criminals.

Finally, I would like to add that Canada Day is around the corner. For further details, check out the website. I do hope to see you enjoying the Canadian fare in Trafalgar Square on July 1st!

Margaret Wickware

May 2008

Dear Members,

I am very pleased to report that the Literary Evening held on 22 May was indeed very special. CWC members and guests gathered in the large salon of MacDonald House at Grosvenor Square, to hear UK-based Canadian author, Mary Lawson.

It was fascinating to hear her speak not only about the creative writing process but also the publishing process. Both certainly require perseverance! Clearly, Mary has very fond and vivid memories of her childhood summers in Canada. The setting for both her novels, Crowe Lake and The Other Side of the Bridge, really struck a chord with me - having been born in northern Ontario not too far from the town of New Liskeard. However, it is her portrayal of familial relationships that has taken her books to 25 countries, in 19 languages. We were certainly proud and honoured to have Mary with us that evening.

I also want to mention that the roses are starting to bloom in Louisa Service's garden! If that doesn't entice you to attend the Garden Party on 3 June, a harpist will be entertaining us while we sip tea or a glass of bubbly and sample lovely tea sandwiches and sweets.

As well, several vendors will also be on hand to tempt us with some heavenly scented candles, beautiful pottery and gorgeous jewellery - among other items. Your company will make this event perfect! Please do join us as we conclude our 75th anniversary celebrations.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Best wishes,

Margaret Wickware