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Julia Bradbury is best known as a host of BBC One's Countryfile and ITV's Britain's Best Walks. Her most recent book, Hack Yourself Healthy, uncovers the ultimate health and wellness hacks she discovered while traveling the world in search of the best ways to take charge of your health for good.
TICKETS: £25 online (£20 with our KCWC discount code)
Step1 - sign-up on this KCWC site to reserve a spot and indicate your interest.
Step 2 - you will receive the link to the actual Kent House Series ticket site from the Activity Leader and can then purchase an actual ticket using the KCWC discount code provided in the email.
Doors open at 7pm, talk begins at 7:30pm
For any queries, contact Activity Leader Ina Messer (Barbara Staley) at eveningspeakers@kcwc.org.uk
We welcome you to a talk by evolutionary biologist, writer, and filmmaker, Tom Land. Tom will explain how Natural History documentaries are made, focusing on the hit Netflix series, ‘The Dinosaurs’. Drawing on his experience from the BBC Natural History Unit creating ‘Prehistoric Planet’ for AppleTV+, and Silverback Films creating ‘The Dinosaurs’ for Netflix.
He will also talk about his latest projects, and the documentary film making industry.
Tom will reveal insights into how the hit Netflix show was made, combining science and incredible narrative storytelling. Starting with the process of concept development to finished product using photo realistic computer-generated imagery from the finest digital artists in the world. How do you combine fossil evidence with real animal behaviour? How do you rebuild a dinosaur from scratch? And how do you deal with feuding paleontologists?
He will give a tour through the ins and outs in a day of rebuilding the prehistoric world, and what it was like to work with Sir David Attenborough, talking to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and why it took a year to figure out what dinosaurs sounded like. This is a deep dive into the details of how a nature history programme is made, and why science and storytelling matter so much in today’s world. You can preview some of his work at https://thomasland.co.uk
Coffee and tea will be served in the Walker room before the Talk, which will begin at 2:15.
Guests are welcome!
For queries, please contact event organisers Laura Land and Ina Messer at popup@kcwc.org.uk
Join us for a relaxing and inspiring evening at a London Calligraphy Beginners Workshop. Whether you're completely new to calligraphy or simply looking to refresh your skills, this workshop offers the perfect introduction to the art of beautiful writing in a warm and welcoming setting.
The in-person modern calligraphy course includes:
- 2 hours of modern calligraphy instruction, including 1-1 help. You will learn essential calligraphy techniques and how to use a dip pen and ink. the workshop will begin with practicing the basic strokes before moving onto the alphabet. Time will then be spent developing words and your own style.
- Tips, ideas and insider info from a practicing calligrapher.
- Lots of inspiration to bring handwritten notes back into your life.
- Light refreshments including a welcome drink, cake and unlimited tea & coffee.
For any queries, please contact Activity Leader Sarah-Jane Luckhurst at eveningevents@kcwc.org.uk
Let's celebrate a wonderful year of events and gatherings that make KCWC such a special and fun club. We will also be saying a fond farewell and thank you to several Board members as they complete their term.
Please join us for a fabulous Summer Luncheon at the Sloane Club's private Roof Top Terrace Restaurant, Lila!
Welcome drink (Sommelier's choice)
A delicious two-course lunch:
Starter options
Main options
One glass of wine at lunch (Sommelier's choice)
Tea/Coffee with petits fours
✨ Entertainment to be announced, along with lovely company and a few special surprises throughout the afternoon.
This promises to be a relaxed, elegant and joyful occasion - a chance to reconnect with friends, celebrate the spirit of KCWC and enjoy the start of the summer season together in a beautiful setting.
✨Save the date and join us for this very special occasion - a highlight of the KCWC calendar! ✨
For any queries, please contact Event Organiser Patricia Marulanda at events@kcwc.org.uk
Asian Arts & Global Cultures is very happy to announce a South Asian Odyssey Day! It will take you from the glamour of yesteryears to cutting edge contemporary art right here in London, as always, influenced by global cultures.
Kensington Palace (Part 1): We will begin our South Asian Odyssey with the glitz and glamour of the 'Princesses of Punjab' Exhibition at Kensington Palace. The exhibition unveils the impact of royal connections on the Indian Princesses from the Punjab during the British Raj. Explore their extraordinary lives, the impact of their Suffragette activism and their connections to Queen Victoria. We will also take the opportunity to visit the renowned Kensington State Apartments.
Paro Restaurant (Lunch): The next part of our South Asian Odyssey is lunch at Paro Restaurant where a huge array of Anglo-Indian dishes are proposed (own tab).
Hayward Gallery (Part 2): Then we will head to South Bank/ Hayward Gallery to see the world famous British Artist of Indian origin 'Anish Kapoor' who is renowned for tall sculptures such as The Orbit in The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park created for the 2012 London Olympic Games. At the Hayward Gallery Anish Kapoor's fantastic installations interact with Brutalist architecture & Contemporary British Art.
Both exhibitions will be led by experts specifically for our group.
Ticketing process:
#1 - Purchase a ticket on this (KCWC) site for a member ticket; and a guest ticket if needed.
#2 - Kensington Palace - please buy your own ticket on their website according to the category that suits you best for discounts. https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/visit/tickets-and-prices/
#3 - Hayward Gallery - Contact Roopa directly for discounted tickets of £7.50. Please note this offer is for the first 7 people to register for the South Asian Odyssey Day. Regular price is £22
Transportation: Meet at High Street Kensington station for Part 1 at the Kensington Palace. Then we'll go from High Street Kensington to Embankment station for lunch at Paro Restaurant and then the Hayward Gallery.
Timing:
11am to 12.30pm at Kensington Palace
1.15pm for lunch at Paro
3.45 to 4.45 at Hayward Gallery
If you have any queries, please contact event coordinator Roopa Girard at artsasiaglobal@kcwc.org.uk
Join Floriana as she demonstrates how to prepare two dishes from the food tradition of the Campania region: spaghetti alla Nerano and parmigiana di melanzane.
Spaghetti alla Nerano is a pasta dish invented in the village of Nerano, on the Sorrento Peninsula, made with spaghetti, fried courgette, provolone del Monaco, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, garlic, basil, and salt.
Parmigiana is an Italian dish made with fried, sliced aubergine layered with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. The origin of the dish is claimed by the region of Campania (as well as Sicily and Emilia-Romagna).
Ticket costs £30.00 and includes demo, tasting and recipes. Please bring your own wine if you would like to enjoy some with your meal.
For any queries, please contact the organiser on foodies@kcwc.org.uk.
Join us for a look at some amazing contemporary botanical art and photography from around the world.
The exhibition, in its sixth year, is presented across three galleries - we will walk around the exhibition at our own pace (not a guided tour) and gather at the end for a coffee or light lunch in the area.
Tickets cost £6.00 or £10.00. Please purchase your own at the link below. RHS Members and Saatchi Gallery Members go free on production of a valid membership card. Pre-booking is not required with membership.
1- Book your ticket on the Saatchi gallery website for Tuesday 21 July at 11:00am:
https://www.saatchigallery.com/product/rhs-botanical-art-and-photography-show-2026
2- Please book a free ticket on this page to be included in KCWC communications about this event.
For any queries, contact the organisers on photography@kcwc.org.uk
Join Helen from Cook'd London as she demonstrates how to prepare a selection of fabulous Spanish tapas/pintxos, inspired by a recent trip to Girona and San Sebastian.
We will make a proper tortilla, jamón and manchego croquetas, gazpacho and helado con Pedro Ximénez.
Tickets cost £55.00 and include welcome coffee + Almendrados, demonstration, recipes + lunch.
Please book a free ticket here and email the organizer on foodies@kcwc.org.uk for payment instructions.
This is the first lecture in a two part series where Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe will look at Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), one of the most celebrated painters of the 17th century.
Rubens was a man of many skills, multilingual and highly intelligent. He worked for the rulers of Flanders, Spain, Mantua and England, employed both as a painter and as a diplomat. He was often under tremendous pressure from many of his patrons to produce multiple pictures for various schemes. He ran a large studio, creating paintings in huge quantities and of enormous size, yet without compromising on quality.
His paintings overflow with an exuberance and joy in life as he turned his eye to almost every subject during his career. As court painter, he created portraits, mythologies and massive schemes for palaces, as well as creating religious paintings for churches and convents. His domestic paintings – often made for his own enjoyment – include remarkable depictions of his family and the countryside he loved around Antwerp. The lectures will also look at the social context in which he lived – the values, customs and dress, as well as the joys and fears.
This lecture on the 23rd will cover his work in the court and church. (Part 1)
The lecture on 30th will cover him as a friend and family man. (Part 2)
Please come at 9:30 for a coffee or tea. The lecture begins promptly at 10:00 and we aim to finish by 12:15. Please remember it is a dress code at the club so please no jeans or trainers.
For any queries, please contact event organiser Susan Shriver at arthistory@kcwc.org.uk
Please join us for a session of unrehearsed reading/acting of the play "The Mousetrap" by Agatha Christie. We will continue with the play from the moment when Mr. Trotter enters the scene.
No prior acting experience is required, it is not about putting on a perfect play, but about spontaneous fun!
For this event, please buy a copy of “The Mousetrap” and bring it with you. There are various copies available second hand (google search). Alternatively you can buy a Samuel French Theatre Edition of the play for £ 10.99 from Waterstones (check availability online from their website) or other bookshops.
If you register as anonymous, you must please inform the activity leader of your name and contact details in order to be included.
For any queries, please contact event organiser Judith Neuling drama@kcwc.org.uk
This is the second lecture in a two part series where Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe will look at Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640), one of the most celebrated painters of the 17th century.
The lecture on the 23rd covered his work in the court and church. (Part 1)
This lecture on the 30th will cover him as a friend and family man. (Part 2)
Following on from our two lectures in September, we will visit the National Gallery and look at some Ruben Paintings up close.
Meet promptly at 10:45 in the Sainsbury Wing - the tour will begin at 11am.
Please make sure you come to one lecture before you sign up for this event. Susan Shriver
Meet promptly at 12:00 in the Sainsbury Wing - the tour will begin at 12:15 pm.
Early bird opportunity!
Imperial College is running a 10 week Discovering Shakespeare course from October 2026. This is a KCWC initiative, and Imperial has provided us with an exclusive link to enroll now. The course will be advertised to the general public on Imperial's site in late April.
No prior experience required. This course is designed both for those who attended our Summer's Introduction to Shakespeare and who want to go deeper, and for those who are new to Shakespeare and wish to explore this world-famous writer.
Together, we will embark upon a broad survey of Shakespeare's work across both drama and poetry. Led by Dr Sarah James, an enthusiastic and welcoming tutor, we will look at individual texts in detail, and consider scenes from filmed productions. Each week will cover a different theme. There will be an emphasis on historical context, as we chart Shakespeare's responses to contemporary social, political and religious concerns. We will examine the radical and controversial aspects that surprised his original audiences, and consider his current place in English literature.
Lectures will take place on Mondays from 12 Oct to 14 Dec:
The Cost for the 10-week course is £162.
To Register: Email Event Organiser Jane O'Hara at literature@kcwc.org.uk She will send you the special Imperial College link just for KCWC members with our discounted rate along with the detailed course schedule. You will use that link to actually sign-up and pay for the course directly thru Imperial College.
For any queries, please contact Event Organiser Jane O'Hara at literature@kcwc.org.uk
The story of how the Côte d'Azur dazzled modern art's great innovators.
To Monet, it was like "swimming in blue air." To Braque, a "joyful revelation." Derain compared its cerulean hues to "sticks of dynamite . . . primed to discharge light."
The radiance of the French Riviera left an indelible mark on artists. It roused the imaginations not only of the 19th and 20th centuries' greatest painters - among them Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir and Klein - but giants of literature, cinema and fashion, whose works helped define the carefree glamour and eternal romance of the Côte d'Azur.
From the 1870's, the azure seas and sapphire skies of the French Riviera beckoned artists, writers, intellectuals and aristocrats searching for an escape from their drab and crowded industrial cities. What they discovered was the landscape of their dreams - one that propelled the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists and Modernists to new creative heights.
In these two lectures, Jo Rhymer will discuss the exhibition at the Royal Academy "Painting The French Riviera" from 2 October 2026 - 31 January 2027, which looks at how the French Riviera supported the rise of modern art - and later became a travel destination and film location that epitomised midcentury sophistication.
Immerse yourself, just as these artists did, in a Mediterranean paradise.
Please join us from 9:30am for coffee.
For any queries, please contact event organiser Susan Alloun at arthistory1@kcwc.org.uk
The Day of the Dead is not intended as a sad or macabre day - it’s meant to celebrate your loved ones' lives and all the good they brought into the world when they were here with us.
Come and share happy memories whilst learning how to cook some Mexican dishes, then sit down to a simple feast and a spicy margarita (non alcoholic also available).
Ticket costs £60.00 and includes mini cookery demo, cocktails, recipes and sit down lunch.
Please book a free ticket here and contact the organizer on foodies@kcwc.org.uk for payment instructions.
To mark the opening of Tate Britain’s major exhibition on the 12th of November, Cindy Polemis delves into the lives of two of Britain’s most famous artists of the early 20th century: Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant - core members of the non-conformist Bloomsbury Group, the circle of British intellectuals and artists famed for their unconventional lives and intense partnerships. They were described by the American writer Dorothy Parker as ‘living in squares, painting in circles and loving in triangles’ and had a pivotal influence on the course of art, design and literature. Bell and Grant had an extraordinary artistic and emotional partnership which spanned more than fifty years which was to mark a crucial moment in the history of modernism in British art.
Information on our Guest Speaker will be added shortly.
Tentative schedule for the day:
9:30am - 10:45am - Registration, tea/coffee, Activity Leader and vendor tables
10:50am - Members to take their seats in the auditorium
11:00am - Introductions
11:10am - Guest Speaker
12:05pm - Q&A
12:30pm - Meeting conclusion
For any queries, contact Katy Cooke at programmes1@kcwc.org.uk
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