KCWC upcoming events

Bark in the Park - Kensington Gardens, Albert Memorial (24/07/2026)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:45:00 GMT

Come and join us for a mid-Summer's Walk in beautiful Kensington Gardens.

Enjoy a stroll around the Serpentine, finishing at the Colicci Serpentine Coffee House for a chat and catch up. Can't wait to see you in the sunshine!

As always, everyone is welcome to join us with or without a dog.

Meeting Point: Albert Memorial

For any queries, please contact Karen Kaldezar on +447973178737 or barkinthepark@kcwc.org.uk

Music Journeys - East "meats" West on the NLC Terrace (27/08/2026)

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join us for East 'meats' West in a vibrant fusion music and menu.

Celebrate in the sunshine with friends, family, and fellow members as the kitchen serves freshly grilled favorites from around the world. Enjoy refreshing drinks from the Terrace Bar, along with lively music and games, for a truly unforgettable seasonal gathering.

A special price of £64 per person reserved for our members and their guests.

For any queries, contact event organiser Maria Puleio at music1@kcwc.org.uk

Glorious Gardens - Parham House and Gardens, Tea at Amberley Castle (04/09/2026)

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Parham is an absolute gem of an Elizabethan House inhabited by the family that has owned it for generations. They are intimately involved with the preservation and upkeep of house and garden.

We will discover the beautiful, traditional gardens at their peak including a walled garden with its famous Wendy House, a rose garden, a stone maze, a vegetable and herb garden and romantic wide herbaceous borders with their tapestry of colours. The park predates the house, before the advent of landscape gardens.

There will be time to tour and experience the wow effect of this immaculate house and have a bite for lunch in the cafeteria.

Afterwards we will proceed by taxi to the beautiful, picture book village of Amberley where we will have a cream tea at the 12th Century Amberley Castle, which now houses a luxury hotel with beautiful grounds. From here it is short walk back to Amberley Station for our return trip to London.

2 Step Ticket Process:

#1 - Please book a "free" member ticket on this site. This will include taxis to and from Parham House and Gardens as well as the "Cream Tea" (scones, cream, jam) at Amberley Castle.

#2 - The activity leader will get in touch with you about how to make the actual £33.45 payment once you have signed up. You will be put in touch with another member who can no longer attend this event to make the payment transfer.

Additional Price Info you will purchase yourself separately:

Train tickets £33 (£21.95 with Railcard) to be booked and paid directly by you

Entrance to Parham House and Gardens is £16.25 (not included). Historic Houses and RHS members go free.

For queries, please contact the Event Organiser Judith Neuling at gloriousgardens@kcwc.org.uk

Antiques & Design - The Royal Collection: A Tea Time Talk with Nicholas Merchant (10/09/2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Many of you will have seen the Kings Gallery centennial celebration of HM Queen Elizabeth's fashions or will be joining me there September 17. This lecture gives every KCWC member the treat of an exploration and explanation of the Royal Collection to which those clothes belong.

While inheriting masterpieces and residences battered after WWII, the late Queen spent her 70-year reign reversing this decline. She established the Royal Colletion Trust, appointing expert curators, restorers and archivists.

Join us to learn about one of the most renowned and privileged collections in the world, its prize pieces and its curatorship.

For any queries contact Mary Narvell at antiques1@kcwc.org.uk

Café Society - Coffee Morning at Claridges in MayFair (11/09/2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:30:00 GMT

We are very excited to invite you to our September Coffee Moring at Claridge’s Hotel in the heart of Mayfair. An Art Deco icon that has epitomised understated elegance since the 1850s. Renowned for impeccable service, timeless design, and inspiring dining.

Amanda and Catarina invite you to come and meet up with other members for some great conversation, delicious drinks of your choice (your own tab) in these wonderful surroundings.

Please register your interest by booking a free ticket below, as numbers are limited.

If the tickets are sold out, please join the waitlist, and the Activity Leaders will get in touch with you should a place become available.

Looking forward to seeing you again!

Please contact event coordinators Amanda Thompson and Catarina Granryd with any queries at cafesociety@kcwk.org.uk

Contemporary Art - Anish Kapoor Private Tour at the Hayward Gallery (15/09/2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Join us for a private guided visit to the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Hayward Gallery.

One of the most influential artists of our time, Kapoor is renowned for his monumental sculptures, immersive installations and works that challenge our perception of space, light and material.

This private guided visit offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the exhibition with an experienced guide, discover more about Kapoor’s work, and ask questions throughout the tour.

Whether you are already familiar with contemporary art or simply curious to discover more, we hope you will join us for what promises to be an enjoyable and enriching morning.

NOTE: Please respond rapidly, as we need to confirm at least 15 participants by July 30th to hold our private tour slot on 15 Sept.

2-Step Ticket Purchasing Process for the Guided Tour:

#1 - Book a free ticket on our KCWC site now to indicate your intention to attend the event.

#2 - Once the Activity Leaders confirm that there are enough members signed up for the private tour to go ahead, registered participants will be emailed instructions on how to make a payment of approximately £18 for the guided tour.

Please note that admission ticket to the Hayward Gallery is not included in the guided tour fee. Further information about exhibition tickets will be provided once the guided visit has been confirmed. Hayward Gallery members are admitted free of charge, while non-members will need to purchase an admission ticket directly from the Hayward Gallery (typically about £20).

For any queries, contact Event Organiser Anna Bianchi at contemporary1@kcwc.org.uk

Book Group - "Caviar, Vodka, & Tears" by Stuart Bradford (21/09/2026)

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

We are so fortunate to have Bianca Maclean in our book group who made it possible for us to enjoy the author’s company on the 21st of September.

About the Book: Partying until sunrise, baptism under ice, dead bodies on the street, treachery in business dealings – everyday life for an expatriate working in Russia.

"Caviar, Vodka and Tears" recounts the joys and frustrations of life and work in Russia over the period 2008 to 2022, through the eyes of the fictitious expatriate Keller family. The Kellers establish many deep friendships with ordinary Russians, and have many extraordinary adventures.

Keller’s business ventures meet initial success but become harder as relations with the West worsen and end in treachery and apparent disaster. However, when the conflict in Ukraine erupts in 2022, his failure is revealed as a godsend, and Keller is forced to reassess his past role in developing Russia’s energy industry.

For any queries, contact event organizers Roopa Girard and Marika Carle at bookgroup@kcwc.org.uk

Art History - Revisiting the Greats - Peter Paul Ruben: Part 1 (23/09/2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

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

Book Group - "The Nuremberg Women" by Natalie Livingston (19/10/2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Nuremberg Women tells the story of eight women: a brilliant American lawyer, three pioneering journalists, two German, one British, an iconoclastic artist, a beautiful refugee aristocrat, a dauntless survivor of Auschwitz, and a young Russian translator.

From the major stories about justice, gender, and politics at a pivotal moment in the twentieth century to the smaller, daily intimate tales of the women’s affairs and bar-room disputes, The Nuremberg Women shows the most famous trial of the twentieth century in a new light—making a brave new case for it having been a more diverse and democratic exercise than has often been recognized.

They reveal a Nuremberg that is more intimate, human, and haphazard; one that was lower paid and less publicized. They demonstrate that the trial was remarkable not because it was perfect but because, against all odds, it happened. Thanks to these women and many others, justice was served.

For any queries, contact event organizers Roopa Girard and Marika Carle at bookgroup@kcwc.org.uk

After Six - Buon Appetito (28/10/2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Join the After Six Crew for a modern Italian meal a stone’s throw away from Sloane Square.

Azzurra is part of the Aqua Group ( Aqua Shard) and has restaurants in major global cities. The Chelsea eatery maintains their high standards, whether it be the sustainable fresh fish or the homemade pasta, the food is delicious. The setting is equally impressive, with an elegant coastal theme running throughout, and a striking 16 metre bar as you enter.

There will be a choice of two courses with ample selection of a main, and either a starter or dessert. Pre- orders will be taken closer to the date. The price includes service and table water, but all other drinks are on your own tab.

A presto or see you soon!

Please contact Activity Leaders Alison Wacker and Lisa Woodcock for any queries at aftersix@kcwc.org.uk

London Walks - Crossing the Seas at the British Museum (10/11/2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Keep The Date . . .

Guide: Muriel Carre

additional information coming soon!

Note: We will be meeting at 2pm sharp at the Holborn tube station

For any queries contact event organiser Geneviève Sentier at londonwalks@kcwc.org.uk

Antiques & Design - The Huguenots: A Tea Time Talk with Nicholas Merchant (11/11/2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The story of migration is as old as time itself. But for Europe, the migration of thousands of Protestants from France in the latter part of the 17^th century was to have a profound impact that reverberated through Europe and beyond.

Known as Huguenots, these religious refugees influenced decorative arts from silk to silver, primarily enriching England as the land to which they exited France in droves.

Nicholas Merchant will tell us the story behind this exodus and the rich artistic patrimony that accompanied it.

For any queries contact Mary Narvell at antiques1@kcwc.org.uk

Book Group - "Washington Square" by Henry James (16/11/2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

On New York City's Washington Square lives Catherine Sloper, a shy and plain young woman who is tyrannized by her wealthy, overbearing father. When young Morris Townsend begins to court her, Dr. Sloper distrusts his motives, believing that the young man could not possibly love his daughter.

Both lovers are obstinate in their affections; but when Dr. Sloper threatens to disinherit Catherine, Townsend disappears, leaving Catherine to humiliation, heartache, and lonely spinsterhood. Years later, after her father's death, Townsend returns, and Catherine must make up her own mind about his intentions.

For any queries, contact event organizers Roopa Girard and Marika Carle at bookgroup@kcwc.org.uk

London Walks - London's Silver Vaults (09/12/2026)

Wed, 09 Dec 2026 10:15:00 GMT

Keep The Date . . .

Guide: Muriel Carre

additional information coming soon!

Note: We will be meeting at 10.15am sharp at the TBA

For any queries contact event organiser Geneviève Sentier at londonwalks@kcwc.org.uk

Antiques & Design - The Lady Lever Collection: A Tea Time Talk with Nicholas Merchant (10/12/2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The story of the famed Lever Art Collection began with the simplest of household items – soap. William Hesketh Lever (1851-1925) built a fortune from Sunlight Soap and, with it, built one of the biggest and most varied artistic collections of the 19^th century. When his wife died in 1913, Lever created the Lady Lever Gallery in her beloved memory filling it with furniture, sculpture, ceramics and paintings.

Join us to learn about this philanthropist aesthete and the industrial wealth that fueled his passion for collecting.

For any queries contact Mary Narvell at antiques1@kcwc.org.uk

Book Group - "The Correspondent" by Virginia Evans (14/12/2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is an acclaimed epistolary novel told entirely through letters and emails.

The story follows Sybil Van Antwerp, a retired attorney in her 70s living in Annapolis, Maryland, who is grappling with aging, declining eyesight, and a tragic family history—most notably the childhood death of her son. Over the course of a decade (2012–2022), she uses her lifelong habit of writing letters to connect with a wide variety of people

For any queries, contact event organizers Roopa Girard and Marika Carle at bookgroup@kcwc.org.uk