C NTACT THE MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH WOMEN’S GROUP BANGKOK
May 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.
Editor
Contents
Directory Page 2
Chairman’s message Page 3
Diary Page 4
Birthdays Page 6
Sister Louise Page 10-11
April Activity Page 13
THEP student Pages 16-19
Book Club Pages 22-24
May Coffee Page 27
Tessa Sreesangkom Pages 28-29
St Patrick’s Day Coffee Pages 30-33
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 Well I survived my visitors, left exhausted and in need of a detox. I did enjoy the chocolate they brought though. Hate to think what my next electricity bill will be with four bedrooms in action it has been so hot, but it was fun. Songkran is just not the same without children on street corners with hosepipes, but they’ll be back to school soon and the traffic will get worse and with more tourists around, we’re back to being refused taxi rides. You have to feel for them when there has been no increase in the flag fall and Grab rides have increased so much. We’ve quite a busy month in May and a couple of things to look forward to in June already. Please start looking for your hat and outfit for our very special coffee morning at the residence of the British Ambassador on the 9th June. It has beautiful river views and very high ceilings to accommodate the most extravagant hats. We are hoping to run a stall at the British Club event on Sunday 5th June to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee which runs from 11am until 4pm and we’ll be looking for volunteers to help man that for a short spell. Please contact me to sign up. Thanks. Liz Tuesday 3rd May; Book Club to discuss “Girl, Woman, Other”. Next book “The Girl with the Louding Voice” Thursday 5th May; Committee Meeting, Royal Oak. Wednesday 11th May; the inaugural knitting and crochet group meeting. The Indian Women’s Club, Sukhumvit Soi 12. Contact Jackie at bkkjackie@yahoo.com Thursday 12th May; coffee morning at Kai Restaurant, Sathorn Soi 12 at 10.30am. Email to rsvpbwg@gmail.com with menu option. We will be joined by Khun Usanee from Little Birds a support base for HIV positive young adults. Please bring along donations of dried goods and toiletries for them. Thursday 19th May; lunch at Jamon, Jamon, Sukhumvit Soi 20 at noon. Thursday 26th May; First Aid course 10am-3pm. Please contact Sally at sally.fisken@gmail.com or 094 416 9153 Thursday 2nd June; Committee Meeting Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th June; Queen’s Jubilee Celebration at the British Club Thursday 9th June; Coffee morning at the residence of the British Ambassador. We would like everyone to dress for a royal garden party with hats and we will have a royal quiz, a loyal toast and a raffle.
May Diary SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1
2
3 Book Club
4
5
6
7
8
9 Mahjong
10 Bridge Golf
11 Mah-jong Art Group
12 May coffee morning
13
14
15
16 Mahjong
17 Bridge Golf
18 Mah-jong Art Group
19
20
21
22
23 Mah-jong Jackie Reynold’s games afternoon 1pm
24 Bridge Golf
25 Mah-jong Art Group
26 May Activity
27
28
29
30 Mah-jong
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
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We would like to wish a really happy birthday to: Ann McKinnon - 1st May Lynne Smith - 4th May Nicole Biedermann - 11th May Kimberley Syaunton - 16th May Carolyn Tarrant MBE - 17th May Chona Boardman - 17th May Dr Donna Robinson - 21st May Ami Guilfoyle - 26th May Fiona Ramsay - 27th May Ann Broadhurst - 28th May Vicky Broadbent - 29th May Have a wonderful day and we are all thinking of you!
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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!
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
Sister Louise by Gale Bailey MBE Sister Annie Louise Horgan received the Presidential Distinguished Service Award from Michael Higgins, President of Ireland in 2020 but was unable to collect it until December 2021 due Covid. Sister Louise went to Ireland on a 2 week quick trip to receive her wonderful award but was hospitalised with dengue fever after she arrive back in Bangkok. She is now back to her busy and active life despite the fact that she will be 88 on 22 May. When Sister was 80 in 2014, BWG held a special afternoon tea for her at Sara Martin's who was the then chairman. Here is Sister wearing her birthday hat and we all wish her HAPPY BIRTHDAY for 22 May and thank her for being the inimitable and inspirational person she is - we are so lucky to have her in our midst.
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
April Activity By Sally Fisken
Five intrepid ladies set out to shop till we dropped at Chinaworld and Indian Emporium! The best part of exploring the floors of material in Chinaworld, is the air conditioning! Keep that in mind when looking for material. There is so much to choose from you need to have an idea of what you want. A few purchases were made then onto Indian Emporium. Sadly, so many shops have shut down . We still had a good look around. Beautiful colours and readymade outfits all at very good prices to be bought. Sizing not so good but still worth a look. We continued into the alleyways of Indian and Thai goods. It was very hot and sweaty work! But worth it! I think we all found something to buy. After the incredibly hot walk about it was time for lunch. Luckily Liz Dobson remembered from a previous visit a marvellous Indian vegetarian restaurant, The Punjab. Had a most delicious meal of dahl, biriyani, chickpea dahl and more. Plus lots of cold water! Great way to finish off the morning.
Thank you to the ladies who joined me.
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.
Dear Patrons, I am Patravadee Damgarnsin. I am an undergraduate in the Education Faculty of Thai Language, at Lampang Rajabhat University. It is now university holidays and I have finished my degree course. In a few days I will return to my village to help with work. In the meantime I am going to have to find a job while I am waiting for the teaching exams The best way to prepare for the exams is to read books and practice the tests. I have already bought some books. For the past year, I have felt a very close connection to the school where I have been doing my teaching experience, to both the students and teachers. When I had to pack up, I was heartbroken because I could not talk face to face with many students owing to the Covid pandemic. Many students were infected and I had to leave before I could talk to the teachers, but the students were able to talk on social media. My family is fine. The eldest brother had planned to study at Mae Sariang Vocational College but he has given up the idea for now and will work this year and apply the following year. My younger brother is in Kindergarten at Ban Sao Hin School and will move up to Primary 1 next year. Mum and Dad have just finished picking garlic. When I get home I will be helping them tie up the garlic and I shall look for other similar jobs around the area. There are many festivals at this time of year and I should be able get jobs to help with the preparations. Thank you for this scholarship for supporting me all along. I appreciate and always remember your grace and the way the organization helps hilltribe students. I hope to improve my life in every way. I will study hard for the teachers exam. Thank you very much for giving me a scholarship and the opportunity to study, to live in university, to learn to be a good teacher, Thank you very much. Ms. Pataravadee Damgarnsin, 5th Year Students in Thai Language Lampang Rajabhat University
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! 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
Book Club
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville 5/10 The Lieutenant is based on a true story about British astronomer William Dawes and about friendship, selfdiscovery, and the power of language. As a boy, Daniel Rooke was always an outsider. Ridiculed in school and misunderstood by his parents, he travels to New South Wales as a lieutenant on the First Fleet. As his countrymen struggle to control their cargo of convicts and communicate with those who already inhabit the land, Daniel constructs an observatory to chart the stars. Out on his isolated point, Daniel comes to know the local Aborigines and forges a connection with one young girl
that will change the course of his life. As the strained existence between the Englishmen and the native tribes collapses into violence, Daniel is forced to decide between dedication to his work, allegiance to his country, and his protective devotion to the natives. This book got a cool reception when a small group of 4 met to discuss.
Although the novel came highly recommended and the author was a Booker Prize winner for a previous novel, this novel did not match up and was seriously underwhelming. Members commented that the point of the novel never really became apparent, the
plot didn’t follow on and certainly did not grip the reader. The potential was there but the author seemed to stick rigidly to historical fact rather than blending this with fiction to create a more interesting read. Characters were under-developed and the shift from NSW to Antigua and the slave trade, while humbling, felt like a huge jump from the direction the story was heading in. Scores ranged from 3-6, with an average score of 5/10 The next Book is ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo to be discussed Tuesday 3rd May.
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!
Tessa Sreesangkom by Gale Bailey MBE Tessa had a lovely celebratory lunch for her 100 birthday joined by family and friends. There was much merriment and speeches from a very old family friend who knew Tessa's husband who had been a Senator. Her son and daughters all paid their respects and said what an amazing mother they had who had inspired them with her enthusiasm for life. Her grandson made a special speech and told how he reads to her grandmother whose eyes are not what they used to be however Tessa is still very much with it despite minor frailties and exercises daily. Tessa then stood and thanked everyone for coming telling us what an amazing life she had had - truly inspirational. We are all looking forward to her 101 lunch!
May Coffee Morning Venue for the May Coffee Morning - Kai Restaurant at 142/22-23 Soi Sathorn 12. Date - May 12 starting at 10:30 Offer #1: A cup of tea or coffee, sugar and fresh milk available, Water + a slice of a light spiced carrot and raisin cake per person. Price of 270 baht. Offer #2: A cup of tea or coffee, sugar and fresh milk available, Water, slice of a light spiced carrot and raisin cake per person as well as either option a) Kai homemade bacon in an homemade English muffin, lettuce, caramelized onions, homemade tomato sauce per person or option b) NZ avocado, scrambled egg, wild rocket, homemade tomato sauce. Price of 400 baht. RSVP date - May 5th and please indicate if you want option 1, option 2a or option 2b Please respond to - Petra Gordon at rsvpbwg@gmail.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.
Saint Patrick’s Day Coffee Morning Ladies, if you missed this one, you missed a treat! A beautiful spread of food, great company, Irish coffee galore, Bailey’s Irish cream, amazing goods sale and above all, the usual fabulous mix of young and old BWG members.
Firstly, a big thank you to Petra for opening her home to us for The Saint Patrick’s Day Coffee Morning on 17th March. She provided beautiful food as well as a lovely venue at her apartment.
The whole area was a sea of green and a little ‘competition’ for the person who wore the ‘most green’ was won by Joan.
Well done Joan. We hope when we are 88 we are still out there, supporting the BWG and going to coffee mornings. You are an inspiration to us all!
We also want to say a big ‘thank you’ to Anna, who is leaving shortly to go back to Switzerland. She kindly brought an array of dresses, hats, scarves, bags and household bits and pieces, with 100% of sales going to our charities. Many of us ‘bagged a bargain’ and Anna raised around 8000B for our causes. Thank you, Anna for your generosity and we wish you well for the next phase of your life.
We had a small raffle and who better to win it than Petra herself. She won a 1000B Voucher to use at PJ O’Brien’s Irish Pub. The second prize went to another worthy winner, Anna, who won a bottle of wine – this felt like good karma.
Place of Grace is another charity we support and people generously bring dried food goods and tins to be distributed into the local community. We had a huge haul of goods, all of which help people less well off than ourselves, and again, thank you ladies for making a difference in people’s lives.
An amazing morning of friendship, food and fun and over 20,000B raised – that can do a lot of good for a lot of people.
Just as an aside. I probably left around 1-00pm and went home, but around 6-30pm I went to Scruffy Murphy’s Irish pub (just down the road from Petra’s) with my husband. Rather impressively I found a certain 82 year old, two 76 year olds, a 72 year old plus a couple of ‘youngsters’ in Scruffy Murphy’s, who had ‘popped in’ for one as they left the coffee morning…………and forgotten to pop back out! Again, ladies, what an inspiration you all are – keep up the good work!!
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.
Why English is such a hard language to learn? We begin with a box and the plural is boxes, But the plural of ox is oxen not oxes. One is a goose and plural is geese But the plural of moose is not meese. One is a mouse and more is mice, You have one house but more is not hice! The plural of man is always men, So why isn’t the plural of pan always pen? If I show you my foot and then my feet, And show you my boot is a pair called beet? If one is a tooth and a whole set is teeth The plural of booth should be beeth. If one is that and three is those Yet hat as a plural will never be hose, And the plural of cat is cats not cose. We talk of a brother and also of brethren, But though we say Mother we never say metheren. Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him, So the feminine should be she, shis and shim! Yes, English can be weird but it can be understood through tough thorough thought though!
