KeWI programme for 2026
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14th January   
Amanda Littlecott

Photo Mess to Success: Better Shots, Less Clutter
In her talk, Photo Mess to Success: Better Shots, Less Clutter, Amanda will share simple, jargon-free tips on how to use your iPhone or mobile to capture better pictures, and then how to keep them organised so you can actually find and enjoy them again. Come along for a session full of lightbulb moments, laughs, and zero judgment. No tech skills required. Just bring your phone, your photos, and your photo overwhelm!

11th February
Kit Chellel 

Author of Lucky Devils
Lucky Devils is the secret history of the betting business, told from the point of view of three gamblers who spent their lives trying to beat it.
Using science and early computers, these three achieved the seemingly impossible, by successfully predicting roulette, horse races and sporting events, making millions of dollars along the way. Today, online gambling is everywhere. Customers only have to reach for their phones to play. But the industry hasn’t changed. Betting companies prey on ignorance and addiction. They profit when we lose. This is the true story of three winners who took on the House, and showed its true colours.
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11th March
Paul Barwick 

The White Mouse Nancy Wake - A Truly Remarkable Spy 
This is the remarkable true story of a highly successful secret agent of the Special Operations Executive who lived with the daily threat of death at the hands of the Gestapo during World War II. Her incredible courage and steely resolve provide an awe-inspiring tale of one woman’s fight against evil and injustice. We recall her life from humble beginnings to becoming the Nazi’s most wanted female spy of the war. The Gestapo nicknamed her’ The White Mouse’ due to her amazing ability to escape their clutches. She became one of the most decorated Allied secret agents of the war. We explore her life, lived to the full, and salute her tremendous bravery. 

15th April
Birthday party  and Lindsey Barrell 

Burlesque, Me and the WI
How DO we get burlesque and the Women’s Institute as an actual thing? WI President Lindsey does a fabulously funny and heart-warming talk that covers how she discovered burlesque, and then the WI, and brought the two worlds together. From empty nest to huge success, and via dance classes and craft sessions, Lindsey will take you on a journey that a lot of us can relate to. This is a humorous talk that illustrates how even the most diverse of topics can epitomise the Fun, Friendship and Education ethos of the WI

13th May
Stephen Fielding 

Sir Joseph Bazalgette & the Great Stink of London.
Stephen Fielding, Heritage Projects Manager for charity Habitats & Heritage will present a talk on the period known as ‘The Great Stink’, which referred to the deeply polluted state of the River Thames during the summer of 1858. We will dive into the history of London’s water supply and the building of the London sewer system by the illustrious Victorian civil engineer, Sir Joseph Bazalgette. Learn how he helped rid London of cholera and how your water arrives at your tap.  

10th June
Deana Luchia 

Memoir Taster
In this memoir taster session you will learn the basics of memoir writing, including what to include, what to exclude and how to make your life story interesting for other readers whether they’re family, friends or complete strangers. No writing experience is required for this fun, practical and informative workshop that will ask you to consider your own life story. What do you want to share? Please bring along a pen, paper and something to lean on such as a clipboard or sturdy book as we will be working on some short writing exercises. 


8th July
Summer party 

August - NO MEETING

9th September
Emma Stenner

Her first book, 'My Other Heart', was published last year and has received 5-star reviews. The novel intertwines the stories of a Vietnamese mother searching for her lost daughter and two young women in suburban Philadelphia confronting questions of identity, belonging, and family as they journey across continents in the summer before college. Through their intersecting paths, the novel poignantly explores motherhood, cultural heritage, and the complex bonds that define who we are. Emma will be talking about how she approached writing the book. 
Emma has been a journalist for over 20 years, and has spent much of her life living abroad in Japan, Vietnam, Australia, China, Singapore and the US. 

​14th October
Celia Holman

Poets and Princess, Naked Ladies and Rock Gods
The stretch of the Thames between Twickenham and Marble Hill House has been much painted and photographed over the years. Celia’s talk features lots of ‘then’ illustrations and some of “now”. It retraces the footsteps of the riverside’s various inhabitants over the centuries; many of them have left both influences and visible traces on Twickenham’s historic riverside.
With a starting point on Twickenham’s working Embankment, we will amble – slide by slide – towards the Georgian splendour of Marble Hill House, taking in Eel Pie Island along our way.
Celia Holman is a former children’s book publisher and television producer. She has lived on Eel Pie Island since 2013. Celia has (almost inevitably…) become a keen amateur historian. Her interest in wider London has resulted in her involvement since 2017 in an extensive oral history project to document the experiences of working Londoners.  Its material is archived at both the Museum of London and the London Archives, amongst other institutions.

11th November 
Annual Meeting & Craft evening

The Annual Meeting followed by an evening of craft activities organised by KeWI's own Crafts Group.

9th December 
Christmas celebration 

​Speakers and dates are subject to change.