Family Estrangement

A casual drop-in for anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ who wants a safe space to chat and meet. Held in The Nest Community Centre every Tuesday with free tea, coffee and biscuits, we talk about any topic but also are eager to find out what our local LGBTQIA+ community wants and needs.

Made last year and lasting 126 mins is this critically acclaimed drama by Cedric Klapich starring Cecile de France. Four estranged cousins are united by the unexpected inheritance of a house in Normandy and discover much of their shared family history. The house has been largely unchanged since the 1940s and reveals much of the life of its owner and their ancestor Adele Vermillard who in her youth witnessed a period of profound change in French art and society. Through back and forth journeys from 1895 to 2025 and coming across such luminaries as Monet and Sarah Bernhardt these experiences go quite some way to shape all their futures. With english subtitles. Please either book in either row F or M as you wish and take your seat by 6.05pm. We shall a drink or perhaps a meal after the film. My no 07714250849

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfamilyoffice.co.uk/ The London Family Office & Private Equity Network committee would like to extend you an invitation to our April 2026 City Networking Reception to be held in the private lounge of the the World Famous Sterling Bar At The Gherkin In the Heart of The City of London - and hope you can join us for after-work drinks, canapés and productive networking to make new contacts and ideas for 2026. We now have over 8000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new connections. See photos from our latest events at https://www.instagram.com/london.family.office/ PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfamilyoffice.co.uk/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 40-60 guests).

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for April is **Evenings and Weekends** by **Oisín McKenna**. This city stops for no-one. Not the half-naked boozers, stoners, and cruisers, the hen parties glugging from bejewelled bottles, the drag queens puffing on hurried fags. It’s June 2019 in London and everyone has converged on the parks, beer gardens and street corners to revel in the collective joys of being alive. Everyone but Maggie. She’s 30, pregnant and broke. Faced with moving back to the town she fought to escape, she’s wondering if having a baby with boyfriend Ed will be the last spontaneous act of her life. Ed, meanwhile, is trying to run from his past with Maggie’s best friend Phil and harbouring secret dreams of his own. Phil hates his office job and is living for the weekend, while falling for his housemate, Keith. But there’s a problem: Keith has a boyfriend and there might not be room for three people in the relationship. Then there’s Rosaleen, Phil’s mother, who’s tired of feeling like a side character in her own life. She’s just been diagnosed with cancer and is travelling to London to tell Phil, if she can ever get hold of him. As Saturday night approaches, all their lives are set to change forever. It’s the hottest summer on record and the weekend is about to begin. Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

A quick note to say that if you would like to help me with the running costs of the book group, you can give a small contribution via Ko-fi: [https://ko-fi.com/annabookgroup](https://ko-fi.com/annabookgroup) Thank you to everyone who helped me with the Meetup fees in 2025! We will meet from 6:30 onwards at the pub and go to the room upstairs between 6:30 and 7:00. Please check with the bar staff before going up that the room is ready and please don't go up before our start time. We will start the discussion at around 7:00pm and talk about the book for an hour or so before having a break. Then we can vote on next month's book. If you have any suggestions for short (or shortish) books for the next shortlist, please message me ahead of time. Thanks! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin (1968, 304 pages)** A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants spend most of their time without a gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction ------------------ Shortlist for June **The Wood at Midwinter - Susanna Clarke (2024, 60 pages)** 'A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.' Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees—and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods. One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst—and the path of her life is changed forever. **Eastbound - Maylis de Kerangal (2012, 140 pages)** From Wellcome Prize winner Maylis de Kerangal comes a fast-paced story of two fugitives set on the Trans-Siberian railway, where a desperate Russian conscript hopes a chance encounter with a French woman will offer him an escape. In sensual prose evoking jazz music and infused with a sense of surreal softness, Maylis de Kerangal brings the filthy, violent circumstances of Aliocha’s journey into sharp focus. **Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (1899, 188 pages)** Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad, was originally a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine in 1899. It is a story within a story, following a character named Charlie Marlow, who recounts his adventure to a group of men onboard an anchored ship. The story told is of his early life as a ferry boat captain. Although his job was to transport ivory downriver, Charlie develops an interest in investing an ivory procurement agent, Kurtz, who is employed by the government. Preceded by his reputation as a brilliant emissary of progress, Kurtz has now established himself as a god among the natives in “one of the darkest places on earth.” Marlow suspects something else of Kurtz: he has gone mad.

Makkale! Following a rollicking cinema-themed evening last Saturday, we have more fun stuff coming. Don't miss them and get tickets now! Hi makkale! Are you a young(ish) person working in London and missing the community you enjoyed back home? Well, you've come to the right place. Join us on Saturday for drinks and let's talk, share ideas and welcome spring. Wherever you're from in the world, this space is meant for us to meet fellow Tamil speakers. Just a note though, we'd expect people to speak Tamil in this event so sign up only if you speak the language well. Not really the place to show off English proficiency. Looking forward to seeing you guys soon!

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ London Family Office & Private Equity Business Networking Committee would like to extend you an invitation to our April 2026 Networking Breakfast to be held in the private lounge of the famous Jaks of Mayfair - and hope you can join us for a delcious pre-work breakfast and productive networking to make new contacts and ideas for 2026+. We now have over 8000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new third sector connections. PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 30-50 guests for our breakfast events).

April's book: Anywhere but Here: How Britain's Broken Asylum System Fails us All by Nicola Kelly **What is it like to arrive on our shores with nothing and be pushed to the margins of society?** **Who stands to gain from an asylum system that is intentionally hostile?** *Anywhere But Here* is a powerful exposé of Britain’s broken asylum system and how it fails us all. Each year tens of thousands of people risk their lives to cross the Channel in small boats hoping to find safety in Britain. Yet the very system designed to protect them has all but collapsed. With unique and unparalleled access, award-winning journalist and former Home Office insider Nicola Kelly takes us behind the scenes of the small boats crisis for the first time. We follow the under-resourced coastguard overseeing search and rescue operations in the Channel. The decision-makers hired from McDonald’s and Aldi to conduct ‘life and death’ asylum interviews. The immigration barristers securing last-minute reprieves for deportees who narrowly escaped death. And we step inside the Home Office corridors as ministers and advisors respond to emerging crises and scandals, from Windrush to the Rwanda plan. At its heart are the stories of war-torn arrivals, lone teenagers and trafficked women attempting to settle in cities, towns and villages across the UK. We travel to meet them, exploring where they have fled from and why, and the response of local communities to their new neighbours. **Situated on the beaches and the ports, in the hotels, the courtrooms and the detention centres where the futures of those affected unfold, this is a searing investigation into one of the most urgent issues and shocking injustices of our time.** The meeting starts at 7:30. After starting the group, we will break up into small groups. Those familiar with the CLH Book Group meeting know how this works: in each group we take turns introducing ourselves and giving our 1 minute thoughts on the book. It's important not to go over a minute and not to interrupt other people's minute so that everyone gets a chance to participate. After this first round, each group discusses for another 20 minutes or so. We then shuffle the groups so as to talk to as many different people as possible and in the new groups repeat our introductions and 1 minute thoughts. We'll do this a couple of times before coming all together at the end in one last big group. While we are very social and welcoming, the book group's primary focus is on discussing books. Feel free to turn up if you haven't managed to finish this month's book but note that the group works best when we have all read at least half of the book and are prepared to share our opinions. *** £3 per person to attend. If it's your first time, come and try us out for free! If you prefer, you can [pay online, by clicking here](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZWCNRJ25BDL96). We encourage dialogue, debate and sharing of information on our site but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any views expressed here are those of the individual posting them and may not reflect those of CLH.

Men Connect are hosting an **ongoing, weekly men’s talking group** at **The Couch** in Peckham, providing a space for men to explore life, fatherhood, relationships, and personal growth with honesty and reflection. Many men avoid talking about their inner lives because it’s seen as a weakness. Yet understanding yourself and gaining emotional clarity is a real form of strength. This group isn’t about “fixing problems” — it’s about **noticing patterns, creating change and connecting in ways that help us thrive**. You don’t need prior group experience; most men begin feeling uncertain. We meet you with authenticity and offer **space to explore things on your own terms**. **Facilitators:** * Nicholas and Joseph, professional psychotherapists specialising in men’s wellbeing and relational group work * Sessions are **contained, supportive, and grounded in psychodynamic principles** **Group details:** * **Ongoing weekly sessions**, 90 minutes each * **Small groups** to ensure meaningful discussion and personal attention * **Cost:** £40 per session. The first payment secures your place, with subsequent sessions invoiced monthly. This structure supports continuity and depth within the group. * Focus: fatherhood, relationships, life transitions, and personal growth This group is open to **new and expectant fathers**, as well as **any man navigating life changes, stress, or personal development.** Through conversation and shared exercises, participants can gain insight, clarity, and a stronger sense of purpose. #MensGroupLondon #Peckham #SE15 #MenConnect #MensMentalHealth #TherapyGroup #EmotionalHealth #StressSupport #MensCircle #FatherhoodSupport

Join the Offline Women for a screen-free conversation exploring the core concept of **Ageing**. This is your chance to disconnect from the digital rush and dive into the personal experience of moving through life’s transitions. We’re gathering to nurture real-life connection and speak honestly about what it truly means to grow older today. We’ll address the unique challenges women face, specifically the pressure of a youth-obsessed culture. It is a space to acknowledge the physical and emotional shifts we navigate and the work of reclaiming our identity as societal roles change. By leaving our phones tucked away, we focus on our real lives rather than the filtered versions of ageing seen online. Our dialogue centres on the wisdom gained through experience and the resilience built over time. We’ll share how our perspectives have evolved and the importance of community in navigating these chapters. To keep the group intimate, spots are limited so everyone feels heard. We commit to these phone-free hours to recharge our attention and offer one another the gift of undivided focus.

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

Communication is everything in life. You are only as successful as your ability to communicate! \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

This is an all inclusive event to inform, support and help bring special needs families and the community together. Come and enjoy family and sensory friendly: games, activities, snacks, free stuff and more! Meets the 2nd Saturday of each month. Located at Village Chapel - 30 Circleville Avenue, Ashville, OH 43103.

Join us as we get together to see the BAFTA-winning British biographical dark-comedy/drama, I SWEAR! The film is based on the true-life story of a Scottish man diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome at an early age. Here are details, a trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPITON: This true-life story follows a Scottish man diagnosed with Tourette's at 15. Targeted as 'insane' by his peers, he struggled with a condition few had witnessed. In search of his life’s purpose, he began campaigning for better understanding and acceptance of the condition of Tourette's as an adult. The film is written/directed/produced by Kirk Jones and stars Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson and Peter Mullan. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeWqQN3snCU BUZZ & ACCLAIM: I Swear currently has an incredible 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which says: “A deft balance of prickly and sweet that's bound together by Robert Aramayo's knockout performance, I Swear doesn't sugarcoat the challenges of Tourette syndrome while delivering an uplifting tale of resilience.” Others call it, “"funny, fierce and full of heart!” The film was released earlier in the UK making it eligible for this year’s BAFTA’s where it won Best Casting and Best Lead Actor for Robert Aramayo. The film and Robert Aramayo's performance will be eligible for next year’s Oscars! PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the bar area about 30 minutes before showtime! Once details are confirmed, advance ticket purchase is advised! Details will be confirmed/announced as the date gets closer. Should be a good one, Dan