Contents Directory

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

Diary Page 4

Jane Williams’ Road Trips Pages 16-14

March Coffee Page 31 Directory Page 2 Chairman’s message Page 3

Book Club Page 8 Chinese New Year coffee Pages 11-13

Galentines Day Pages 26-28

Varuna Yacht Club Trip Pages 32-34 Birthdays Page 30

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.

Please come along to our AGM on Thursday 10th March. Starting at 10.30am we will have a short description of how our last year went, election of new committee and a toast to old and new committees followed by a buffet lunch. Cost is B500 which includes the buffet lunch, water, coffee and a glass of bubbles. I have not had anyone contact me about joining the committee so I would like to invite our members to volunteer to organise just one month’s lunch at a favourite spot or an activity that you have enjoyed. No need to come to meetings, we will do the admin; publicise and take bookings, you just arrange venue. Your BWG needs you! I hope to see many of you there. Liz 0818548681 bwgbkktreasurer@gmail.com

Hi Ladies and I hope that you are all well wherever you are in the world. If you have any articles to share for the magazine, maybe related to what you all have been up to over the past few months (holidays, baking, new hobbies etc), then please email your contributions to me at becky.adderley@btinternet.com All contributions will be be very gratefully received and these will really help to preserve and strengthen our links as a BWG community.

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

6 7 Mahjong 1 Pancake Day Book Club

8 Bridge Golf 2 3 4 5

9 Mah-jong Art Group 10 BWG AGM 11 12

13 14 Mah-jong Jackie Reynold’s games afternoon at Bistro 33

20 21 Mah-jong

27 Mother’s Day

28 Mah-jong

15 Bridge Golf

16 Mah-jong Art Group 17 St Patrick’s Day coffee morning

22 Bridge Golf

23 Mah-jong Art Group

24 First Aid Course 29 30 31 18 19

25 26

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 Jane Rogers

Tuesday

Bridge - Audrie Sill Golf - (morning) Ami 0971851834 Book Club - 1st Tuesday (10am) Lynne Smith 0957024638 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 -12:30pm) Julie. juliehedge4@gmail.com

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.

The House By The Sea – Louise Douglas

Five us met at Steps at Thera at The Commons to discuss this book.

When Edie’s mother-in-law, Anna DeLuca, dies, she is relieved. Edie blames Anna for the accident that destroyed her family. So, when her will lures Edie to Sicily and the long-abandoned Villa della Madonna del Mare, she sees through Anna’s games. Suspecting Anna is meddling from beyond the grave to try to reunite her and her ex-husband Joe, Edie is determined to leave Italy as soon as possible. But before she can, the villa starts to shed its mysterious secrets.

Who are the girls beside Anna in her childhood photos, and why has one of them been scratched out? Why does someone, or something, want them to leave the past untouched? The villa is a place where old ghosts feel at home, but does their legacy need to be laid to rest before Edie and Joe can move on…

This story was generally regarded as a good ‘holiday read’ by most. Not too taxing with short chapters making you want to find what happened next. It was a tale of love, loss, mystery, murder with some good plot twists. The description and history of the villa were interesting and there were some tender passages. Everyone likes a happy ending, although most felt this was predictable from the beginning, but heart-warming that she came to terms with her grief at the loss of her child and forgiveness of her Mother-in-law in a story that could have been quite depressing.

At least one member felt it was not memorable at all, had little description and was a waste of time, however it’s good to read a little rubbish every now and again!

This book was given scores from 5/10 – 7/10 with an average score of 6.5.

Next Book – How To Kill Your Family – Bella MacKie to be discussed Tuesday 1st March.

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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!