C NTACT THE MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP BANGKOK
AUGUST 2022
BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP The aim of the Group is to enable its members to meet socially, to welcome its new members and associate members to Bangkok and to establish a programme of social, welfare and cultural activities.
Contents
Directory Page 2
Chairman’s message Page 3
Diary Page 4
Book Club Pages 10-12
Birthdays Page 14
Gift of Happiness Pages 16-20
Editor
becky.adderley@btinternet.com
British Women’s Group.
bwgbangkok@gmail.com
PLEASE NOTE : Contact is published as a service to our members to keep them informed of news and events within BWG. The accuracy of other information cannot be guaranteed and is not an endorsement by the group. This also applies to advertisements that are included in Contact in order to cover some of the production costs. Every effort is made to produce Contact in good time to reach members before the first scheduled meeting, but the editor cannot be held responsible for unavoidable delays caused by circumstance beyond their control. It is the members’ own responsibility to know when meetings are scheduled and to contact someone to check if any changes have been made. Members are also asked to bear in mind when booking actives that most venues are not deemed suitable for children over six months of age and to make appropriate child minding arrangements.
Chairman’s Message
It can’t be August already. Next week will be my last ever birthday, next year it would be an unbelievably large number, so I’ve decided to stop here. In a fit of madness last week, I decided to check out flights to the UK and attend that family barbecue that no one expected me at. Now I sit here realising that tomorrow is a holiday so I need to do any banking today and that my UK bank card expires on Sunday. Is the new one on its way here or perhaps at my mother’s? I won’t be at either place on Sunday. Hey Ho, the joys of expat life. Hope you are having a better organised trip if you are away. I’m only going for two weeks after nearly three years so I hope I’ll see some of you at the August lunch.
Liz
August Diary SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1
2 Book Club
3
4
5
6
7
8 Mahjong
9 Bridge Golf Book Club
10 Mah-jong Art Group
11 Coffee morning at the British Club
12
13
14
15 Mahjong
16 Bridge Golf
17 Mah-jong Art Group
18 Lunch at FCCT
19
20
21
22 Mah-jong Jackie Reynold’s games afternoon 1pm
23 Bridge Golf
24 Mah-jong Art Group
25
26
27
28
29 Mah-jong
30
31
Weekly/Monthly Activities You are invited to join these groups, but final approval is at the discretion of individual group leaders Monday Mah-jong - (beginners welcome) (10am - 1pm) Contact Petra Gordon rsvpbwg@gmail.com 0839919041 Tuesday Bridge - Audrie Sill Golf - (morning) Ami 0971851834 Book Club - 1st Tuesday (10am) Laura Smith 0859667580 Scottish Dancing - 1st Tuesday (7:30pm) Karen Burr Wednesday Mah-jong - (beginners welcome) (10am - 1pm) Contact Elizabeth Bryans Art Group - Bistro 33 Sukhumvit Soi 33 10am
Our very own Shout Outs! The BWG supports many Thailand based charities and in particular those that are education based – helping youth today to help themselves and their community tomorrow. Thailand Hilltribes Education Project BWG sponsor at least one student (15,000 Baht pa) through high school and university. www.thepthailand.com
Human Development Foundation BWG sponsor 2 students in Klong Toey (8,000 Baht each pa) through high school and university. www.mercycentre.org
Imagine Thailand Foundation BWG sponsor 2 students (12,000 each pa) through High School and University www.imaginethailand.org
Presentation Slums Mission Bangkok Known as the ‘Milk Run’, BWG donates towards the weekly milk runs and cost of baby milk powder and rice in Rung Moo community, Klong Toey.
New Life Centre, Chiang Mai BWG sponsor a child through high school and university (12,000B pa) www.newlifecenterfoundation.org
Steps BWG sponsors a student with additional needs (20,000B pa) to be trained and supported to find employment in the catering trade. Steps run three coffee shops/training centres in Bangkok – please visit and support! www.stepscommunity.com/about-us
Fatima Centre Empowering women and children living in poverty. The Fatima shop (near Villa Sukhumvit 33) sells a wide range of exceptionally well made embroidered goods that are fun, educational and unique. These goods are handmade and give women dignity as well as a fair price for their quality work. BWG offices are here and we pay rental to the centre for rooms and storage as well as supporting with further donations. www.goodshepherdthailand.org
As well as our continued annual support to the above we are constantly making donations to other charities that need help. We recently donated 10,000B to Rejoice in Chiang Mai for milk powder for feeding mothers with HIV and also to Little Birds, helping support young orphans with HIV. Thank you for your support of BWG and our events, enabling us to support all of the above and more.
Shout Out! Bistro 33 Bistro 33 is a long-term supporter of BWG. They give us space for mahjong and art groups and always contribute to our raffles. Please support them! They have space and catering for special events or parties and do an excellent Sunday lunch. www. thebistro33.com
Shout Out! Varuna Sailing Club The Royal Varuna Yacht Club (RVYC) sponsor our raffles and donate prizes. RVYC is situated in Chonburi, only 2 hours away. If you want to get away from the air of Bangkok why not take a trip here? It is a family friendly place with accommodation, club house, private beach and more. www.varuna.org
THE ELEPHANT PARADE The Elephant Parade regularly support the BWG with donations to raffles. This Elephant Parade is a social enterprise with each elephant uniquely painted with @0% of profits going to elephant welfare and conservation. Support them if you can as they support us and don’t forget to mention BWG if you visit! www.elephantparade.com/shop/elephants
BOOK CLUB WRITE-UP June and July 2022 JUNE - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare The Girl with the Louding Voice was the debut novel of Nigerian writer Abi Dare and published in 2020. It’s an inspiring story about a teenage Nigerian girl called Adunni, living in a village near Lagos who becomes a maid and struggles with many things growing up, including her limited education, poverty and her inability to speak up for herself. One member said it was ‘depressing’. The novel was a New York Times bestseller and selected by BBC 4 as a ‘book at bedtime’ pick. The Pidgin English, especially at the start is a little hard to follow until you get used to it, but those of us who persevered found it was worth the effort. The Audible version is much easier to follow and brilliantly read by Shakespearian actress, Adjoa Andoh
Book Club Scores: 6/10 - 1 7/10 - 2
8/10 - 1.
JULY – How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
How to Stop Time published in 2017 is a thoughtprovoking sometimes melancholy novel which envisions a world where a small group of individuals age at a much slower pace than the average human. The protagonist was born over 400 years ago and remains young. However, he seems unable to move past the true love he met hundreds of years in the past and spends his life searching for his daughter who he believes inherited his condition. He meets some interesting characters over the centuries including William Shakespeare and the novel contains some interesting historical snippets. As the scores show, we were very divided over our enjoyment of this book. Book Club Scores: 8/10 – 2 7/10 – 2 6/10 – 2 3/10 –1
The next meeting: Tuesday 2nd August at Laura’s apartment, Sukhumvit Soi 20 Future books: Our August book is Gone for Good by Harlan Coben September’s choice is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus All BWG members are very welcome to join Book Club or just come along for a morning to give it a go. We hold our gatherings on the first Tuesday of every month (10.30-12.30), usually at my apartment on Sukhumvit Soi 20. Please get in touch with Laura, email: laurajane1709@gmail.com for further information.
Shout Out! Jimmy’s Kitchen Jimmy’s Kitchen supports the BWG by providing raffle prizes. This is an excellent place to take visitors, or for anyone, to learn Thai cooking and carving. Please support her if you can. www.jimmys-kitchen.com Phone 0819096729
Shout Out! The Royal Oak Pub The Royal Oak is a long-term sponsor of the BWG, allowing us meeting space as well as supporting raffles, and book sales. Bookshelves on the first floor are well stocked with up to date and popular titles and worth a look at 100B for 3 books. (Feel free to leave your own book donations too). The Oak does an excellent Sunday Roast and if you’re looking for an ‘English Pub’ with quizzes and sports events in the week, then this your pub!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We would like to wish a really happy birthday to: Pauline Loughrey 2nd August Liz Dobson 3rd August Sylvia Sandall 8th August Petra Gordon 10th August Marie Apovy 16th August Sandy Robertson 17th August Madeleine Williams 20th August Judith Aphaiwongse 21st August Kit Keane 22nd August Audrie Sill 23rd August Sue Steel 23rd August Tracy Dean 24th August Shirley d’Albuquerque 24th August Laura Smith 26th August Ursulla Crossley 29th August Have a wonderful day and we are all thinking of you!
THE BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP BANGKOK Here is some useful information about what we do and when: 1st Thursday of every month: Committee meeting 2nd Thursday of every month: Coffee Morning 3rd Thursday of every month: Lunch 4th Thursday of every month: An Activity OUR REGULAR WEEKLY/ MONTHLY ACTIVITIES - You are warmly invited to join these groups, but final approval (spaces) is up to the group organiser Mondays:
MAH-JONG at The British Club 10:00 am - 13:00 pm (beginners welcome) Contact: Petra Gordon 083 991 9041 Tuesdays: BRIDGE Contact: Audrie Sill 098 832 0313 GOLF Contact: Ami 097 185 1834 Wednesdays: MAH-JONG at Bistro33 10am - 13:00 pm (beginners welcome) Contact: Elizabeth Bryans 062 016 9323 st BOOK CLUB: The book club meets up the 1 Tuesday each month. For more information contact Laura Smith 0859667580 PRISON VISITING: This is on hold at the moment due to the Covid situation. For more information please talk to Gale Bailey 081 828 5213
At every lunch or coffee morning please bring along if you can: RING PULLS - from tops of aluminium drinks cans. Jane Rodgers collects these and they go towards helping to make prosthetics. PLASTIC TOPS - from drinks bottles as they are made into all sorts of things which can be sold, pot plant holders for one example. Talk to Jackie Reynolds for more details. SPARE CHANGE FOR THE ALMS BOWL – collecting any spare small change. You will see this being passed around at our events, all proceeds go to help our Welfare Group (tip – save at home and bring along) KNITTED or CROCHET SQUARES - something anyone can do at any time. Squares of 6” or any length divisible by 6 - any questions please talk to Sally Voravarn: 089 234 7074 These are sent to Sister Louise at the Fatima Centre of the Good Shepherd Sisters Bangkok, where they are sewn together, backed and made into blankets for the rural communities up country. SECOND HAND BOOKS - sold upstairs at The Royal Oak, Sukhumvit 33/1 B50 per book or B100 for 3. Books are always needed for re-stocking, you can drop off your unwanted ones directly at the pub or at the Fatima Shop in the same Soi.
PLACE OF GRACE: On certain occasions we ask for donations of dried goods e.g. rice, noodles, coffee 3in1, baby milk powder, tins of vegetables, fruit or milk, toiletries plus freebies from hotels or airline bags are very welcome. Please watch out for our requests on Facebook and in our email messages. Talk to any committee member who will give you more ideas on what is needed. HOME OF GRACE: unwanted clothing and household items are sold by this charity. Please talk to Jackie Reynolds for more information 089 539 9375
RETURN OF THE CLOWN by Gale Bailey MBE Edward Haworth is better known as Clown Eckie as he was the only British clown in Thailand and performed at large events as well as children’s parties. He is the founder/director of Gift of Happiness Foundation and I have been privileged to accompany him on his trips around Bangkok and up country which have been memorable. Clown shows were performed in poor schools and refugee camps after which donations of clothes, toiletries, household goods, toys were distributed.
In 2020, Eddie returned to UK after more than a 10 year gap then was unable to return as Covid intervened however Gift of Happiness continued to operate under his direction from a distant. The loyal staff who are sponsored by wonderful, generous people have collected and given out the donations on a regular basis to communities all over Bangkok.
Eddie returned for a month in June and asked if I would like to join him when he was going to a community (slum) on Onnut. I took along 2 other BWG ladies who had never experienced a clown show in Bangkok and to see how Gift of Happiness brings delight and joy int o their lives – they were not disappointed! After his show which delighted everyone and still makes me laugh even though I have seen it many times, we helped to give each child a pack of new underwear, soap, toothbrush and paste and a towel (donated by a well-known Bangkok hotel). This was followed by the rest of the community being able to help themselves to more towels, clothes, household goods and toys so we quickly moved out their way as it was a bit like a rugby scrummage!
I also went with Gift of Happiness to another community on Klong Tan to help distribute packs to children then the whole community were allowed access to clothes and other goods – happiness was certainly in the air. Whilst he was back in June, Eddie certainly packed in a great deal with more shows and many other ‘giving away’ sessions, visiting schools, one in Nakhon Sawan as well as speaking to corporate sponsors and supporters.
Eddie loves to see the happy faces of the children and those who live in poor communities who do not always have something to smile about.
Eddie is back later in the year to bring more happiness – Ploenchit Fair for starters! Check out www.gohappiness.org and Gift of Happiness Foundation on Facebook for more details
The Anantara Siam Hotel The Anantara Siam Hotel kindly provide raffle donations to the BWG. We have been there for afternoon tea and highly recommend the ‘tea for two’ for a special occasion!
Delina’s Italian Restaurant Delina’s restaurant provides space for BWG Book Club meet up and cosy coffee’s. They have an excellent lunch time menu which is worth checking out!
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Shout Out! Tou Stainless Steel K Pan supports the BWG by giving raffle prizes. Please support him if you can. He has an excellent show room at Palladium Mall on the ground floor, Room 1B, 238, Zone Bit’s right towards the back! Mention BWG if you visit.
Tonpo Shop – Amarin Plaza K Porn supports BWG with donations to raffles. Please support her if you can. Her shop is on the 3rd Floor. She often has 50% discounts! Please mention BWG if you visit.
Shout Out! MedConsult – Dr Donna
Dr Donna always supports BWG with generous donations to raffle appeals. She is herself an active member of BWG and is often in attendance at BWG events – say hello and introduce yourself to her next time! Her company, MedConsult, has been active in Bangkok for over 35 years.
Currently the clinic offers one of the cheapest PCR/fit to fly tests in Bangkok at 1500B and is extremely competitive in pricing, of all services, compared to the major hospitals. www.medconsultasia.com
Shout Out! PJ O’Brien’s PJ O’Brien’s supports the BWG with raffle prizes. You can find them just off the BTS at Phra Khanong. They often have live music on and have a British food menu as well as Thai. Please support them if you can.
