Event: 5th March Swish for Oxfam

The Art of Swishing comes to Greenwich,

from the new Greenwich Oxfam Fundraising Group

Bring your unwanted frocks and too tight tuxes to The Pelton Arms on Saturday 5th March and join in the swishing trend. The swishing party, or clothes swap, will celebrate International Women's Day while raising dosh for Oxfam, and is organised by the Greenwich Oxfam Fundraising Group.

Visitors will have the chance to spend an afternoon in a lovely pub, sprucing up their wardrobe while raising money for an important charity. Refreshments will come in the form of a special "Oxfam Afternoon Tea and cake" from the lovely people at the Pelton Arms, with a portion of the price of every one sold donated to the charity.

Popular with fashionistas, the frugal and the eco-conscious, here’s how swishing works:

- Everyone brings at least 1 item of clothing in good condition that they no longer wear (you can bring as many as you like), which gets handed to our lovely helpers on arrival

- The clothes are then sorted ready for everyone to start shopping. In the meantime, grab a drink from the bar or visit the Oxfam info point to find out what your donations will be spent on, not forgetting to order your afternoon tea & cakes!

- Have a rummage, find something you like, try it on, and it’s yours for a small donation to Oxfam

Both ladies and gentlemen are welcome and there's no entry charge.

Venue: Pelton Arms, Pelton Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9PQ http://www.peltonarmspub.com

Date: Saturday 5th March 12.30pm - 4.30pm

Transport: Cutty Sark DLR or Maze Hill rail

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=SE10+9PQ&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=13.26154,28.256836&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=London+SE10+9PQ,+United+Kingdom&z=16

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142366659160648

Contacts:

Bhaswati Guha, Chair, tel: 07536 087464, email:bhaswatioxjam@gmail.com

Katy Ellsmore, Group Treasurer, tel: 07759 456749, email: katyellsmore@gmail.com

Notes

1. For more information on swishing visit swishing.org

The Art of Swishing involves getting your friends together to swap gorgeous clothes and party at the same time. Every lady must bring at least one good quality, clean item of clothing, or an accessory, that she'd feel proud to hand on.
"Save money, save the planet, have a party: swishing effortlessly touches all of these buttons. Swishing parties are for all those women who want to combine glamour, environmental protection and frugality."

2. Greenwich Oxfam Fundraising Group, http://greenwich-oxfam.webs.com/

We are a group of Oxfam supporters who have come together to give our spare time for Oxfam’s good causes. We established the Greenwich Oxfam Fundraising Group in the borough with an aim to raise funds for Oxfam’s work on eradicating global poverty and suffering.We enjoy and organise exciting and interesting fundraising events for Oxfam.

We believe in contributing to the community we live in and making an impact globally with the funds we raise. We meet once a month and our meetings are open to all. If you are interested to attend our monthly meetings to find out more about us and our plans feel free to contact us.

This group is fundraising in aid of Oxfam GB. Oxfam is a registered charity in England and Wales No 202918 and Scotland SC039042 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England No 612172. Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International.

Event: 16th April Benefit Gig for the Plumstead Make Merry

Right let's get something straight before we go on. I'm not a huge fan of the Make Merry. I've been a few times, blogged about it last year and have come to the conclusion it's really not for me. BUT, and this is a huge but (snigger, snigger), there are a lot of locals around here who do like it. AND (boolean logic here), I would like it to continue and (OR) become more my kind of festival ... foodie/crafty/dare-I-say stuck up me would like.
What strikes me as bleeding obvious is that the Plumstead Make Merry is the closest to BIG SOCIETY that I can think of. It's a David Cameron dream event run by volunteers for the purpose of serving the local society. So the fact that it's meagre grant from local council has been cut just seems contradictory (even though I suspect it means perhaps a service like childcare can go on).
As their funding has been cut, the Make Merry men (and women) have to find alternative funds and equipment. To this end, they are holding a benefit bash at the Pavilion (fingers crossed soon to be local hub of cafe society and defo my kind of place) the Rugby Club Pavilion on Plumstead. Woohoooo I'm one for supporting any gig that happens there and if the end result is that there is some dosh in the coffers for the PMM then superdooper. They are still looking for talent for the show so if you are the next Tinie Tempah, or JLS, follow the link to volunteer your services.
To hear a discussion on the cuts and their effect on services, tune in the In the Meantime radio show this Sunday and ask Tory Councillor Nigel Fletcher (who's title is dep leader of opposition blah blah Social Inclusion) why the Make Merry is not Big Society.

One Day Cafe???

Does anyone know what's happened to the One Day Cafe group and their site as the link I have no longer seems to be active.

Event: 26th Feb Comedy on the Common

Yippee the comedians for the next Comedy on the Common have been announced.

Comedy Night at The Pavilion
Doors open: 7pm. Show time: 8:15pm.
£8 on the door or book online
Late Licensed bar.

Comedians include: Danny Buckler, Christian Steel, Jay Foreman, Matt Blaize

I must admit I've never heard of these guys but if the last show I attended was anything to judge by, the standard will be excellent. A couple are trained ACTOOOORs so that will be interesting. I like seeing the shock on their faces as they come to terms with the fact they are in SE Landahn, in a hut in the middle of no-where. But then again, thanks to the Brits last night and Tinie Tempeh, Plumstead is now on the map (and no, I have no idea who TT is but that's OK, there is room for all sorts of arts around Bo-ho Plummyland).

Event: 8th March Some Like it Hot

To celebrate International Women's Day 2011, there will be a screening of Some Like It Hot at Charlton House. The tickets are £15 - this goes to the NSPCC

To buy tickets: Some Like It Hot

Stitch and kitsch/ Knitting night at the Pelton Arms

Well I'm feeling all full of the joys of spring in this glorious sunshine we have right now. I made my way down to the Pistachios Cafe in East Greenwich Pleasaunce this morning to indulge in a cappuccino, some millionaire's shortbread and a touch of knitting. The group of knitting ladies were very friendly and I soon settled into a rhythm of knit, purl, sip, scoff, chatter. The cafe is a lovely little place and it's a wonderful way to spend a hour or so. As I arrived a bit late (after dropping tot at nursery), I was ultimately left alone at the table with the end of my coffee and my thoughts. I had to resist the urge to buy any of the wool on offer but had a quick flick through some crochet/knit mags on display.
If you cannot knit, no worries. Lizzie who runs the cafe will provide a starter pack for the princely sum of £1 which includes wool, knitting needles and a pattern of easy to make mittens. The money from the packs goes towards cystic fibrosis so it's a win-win situation. Knitters are usually very generous with teaching and this lot were no exception. All in all it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Stitch and kitsch
Wed from 9am
Pistachios In the Park Cafe
East Greenwich Pleasaunce
Chevening Road (you can park for 2 hours for free from 9.30)


BTW if you cannot make the daytime or prefer to indulge in something a little bit stronger, there is a knit night at the Pelton Arms every Wednesday, usually from 8pm.
3-25 Pelton Road,Greenwich
SE10 9PQ
Tel: 020 8858 0572

Geoff, the landlord, is making a real effort to make this a pub with lots of events including a film night, quiz nights and live bands. There are roaring fires if the weather is cold and best of all, the TVs are normally only brought out for very special occassions so you can have a conversation over some real ale without shouting your head off.

P.S. I am a lazy old trout and wish there were pubs/clubs like this a bit closer to home. I hear the Rugby Pavillion is putting in for a cafe license so I've got my fingers very strongly crossed that goes ahead.

Zumba comes to Plumstead!

For anyone who's up for getting fit to some latin beats, come along to the new Zumba with Anastasia class starting at the Gylndon Community Centre 75 Raglan Road, Plumstead, SE18 on Monday 7th Feb.

Time: 7 - 8pm
First class is £5, thereafter £6.50. It's a drop in session so no need to pre-book.

For more information Zumba the Anastasia Way!

UPDATE: The first class was brilliant and there were quite a few people there (including blokes so come on you testerone laden ones). I couldn't do all the moves but that doesn't worry me as I hope to improve. I was very tired by the end but so pumped up as Anastasia is a good teacher. Will be going again :)

Colour blind child

One of little one's favourite games de jour is loudly commenting on the differences between her and other people. She is no longer allowed to go into the bathroom when daddy is having a shower as he got embarrassed at her pointing to his different parts and asking about them. She finds if funny that some people have round large tummies (i.e. me) whereas others are flat (i.e. Daddy).
There there are differences about the colours people are. At first I was a bit taken aback as she loudly exclaimed that that person is white, that person is black, that person is shade of pink etc. thinking she was going to treat people differently but for her it's an innocent observation of the world rather than a factor to differentiate. Sometimes she gets confused though - for ages she insisted that she was black and eventually we realised she meant the colour of her hair. I'd love her to come across a rainbow haired punk just to see what she would make of that.
Other differences she is less fond of are when she is called small or baby. She wants to be a big girl and even when her 6 year old cousin towers above her, she insists that she is the same size or even bigger. Gulp, I hope this isn't some form of bulimia!