Saturday 2nd May 2020 – Day Forty

Good morning – what a beautiful start to the weekend! I hope that you are able to safely manage to get out and safely enjoy the sun and blue skies.

However, if you cannot get out, perhaps this will help.

Today marks 40 days of Lockdown – wow can you believe it. For me the time has gone fast, but for many this period has been a very difficult time. To support you through this period we can offer the following:

  • Regular phone call (even daily)
  • Support with shopping
  • Free Food Parcel
  • Zoom activities
  • Signposting you to advice (benefits, IT problems, health related)

Please get in touch if you need help!


 

From Theresa:

National Garden Scheme. One of Britain’s best-loved gardeners, writers and television presenters, Alan Titchmarsh is lending his support to the National Garden Scheme’s campaign to keep its garden gates ‘virtually’ open and to continue to raise funds for vital nursing and health charities during the current pandemic.

More Information

 


 

What can I share with you today?

 


 

FOOD / SHOPPING

Foodbank – this service has begun in earnest, Phil and his volunteers are now getting FREE food parcels to residents in the local area. We are flexible with regards to who we can help. If you fit the following criteria, please contact us:

  • Self Isolation due to symptoms
  • Isolation due to vulnerable or shielded status
  • Income reduction because of lockdown & crisis measures
  • Income reduction while waiting for benefits to arrive
  • Homeless

Go to Registration Form


 

ART & CULTURE

From Theresa:

Victoria and Albert Museum. Made by Michel Maer for Christian Dior in 1952 – 3, this exquisitely made piece of costume jewellery conceals a music box inside. When wound at the back, it plays an iconic piece of music that meant a great deal to its globetrotting owner, Marguerite Kitson. Marguerite’s daughter, Leona Bannar-Martin, who donated the brooch to the V&A, recalls how and where the brooch was worn.

 


 

From Chris B:

National Theatre. A play by Nick Dear, based on the novel by Mary Shelley. Watch Danny Boyle’s monster hit Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature and Jonny Lee Miller as Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature is streaming for free from 7pm UK time on Thursday 30 April. Available on demand until 7pm UK time on Thursday 7 May. It is subtitled and the running time is 2 hours.

See the cast swap roles with Jonny Lee Miller as the creature and Benedict Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein, streaming for free from 7pm UK time on Friday 1 May. Available on demand until 7pm UK time on Friday 8 May


 

From Keeley:

Something to share, this is the London City Voices Choir. They are a large choir, they have no auditions, its values are based on people who enjoy and want to sing, there’s no solos, everything is together. They recorded this video in isolation and it has around 300 people who recorded themselves at home, and some poor person had the job of editing all their voices and video clips together. Rather them than me, but it sounds great and well worth a listen.

 


 

Anno's JourneyFrom Dominic:

Japan House. Step into the ‘World of Anno Mitsumasa’ with this audiovisual, 3D exhibition experience. Take a brief look around or delve deeper into the eight distinct areas of the exhibition held at Japan House London, clicking on artworks and text for further insights into Anno’s works.

To get the full experience, click on the full screen icon on the top right-hand corner of the tour. The audio can be muted by clicking the speaker icon.

View Exhibition


 

Monet to Matisse exhibitionFrom Lesley:

Royal Academy. Documentary: inside ‘Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse’. Originally released in cinemas, this ‘Exhibition on Screen’ film takes us back to our landmark exhibition, ‘Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse’, examining the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s.

View Documentary


 

From Gil:

Westminster Archives Big Quiz! 

Over the next few weeks, Westminster will be sending out a fun quiz relating to London or local history. Each week they will send out 3 rounds.

Week One

This week we:

+ Which London landmark am I?

+ What did people with these professions do?

+ Guess these places from their origins

Here is the Quiz

 


 

From Seven Dials Housing Co-op.

5 Wellness Tips to Boost Your Mood in Lockdown.
Check out their top 5 wellness tips to help you boost your mood during lock-down.your lung health and enhance your sense of well being.

Wellness Tips

 


 

From Richard S:

The Mower by Philip Larkin

While it is about death, this poem is hugely life-affirming. It encourages us to be kinder to one another and it draws attention to the ways in which the world continues to turn even when bad things happen.

The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found

A hedgehog jammed up against the blades,

Killed. It had been in the long grass.

I had seen it before, and even fed it, once.

Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world

Unmendably. Burial was no help:

Next morning I got up and it did not.

The first day after a death, the new absence

Is always the same; we should be careful

Of each other, we should be kind

While there is still time.

Do YOU have a favourite poem that you would like to share with others? And why?

Email me your favourite poem…

 


 

Shared by Jean – today’s wisdom and humour:

Most of the generation of 60+ were HOMESCHOOLED in many ways

13. My father taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .

“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.”

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .

“Stop acting like your father!”

 


 

That’s all for now!

You can contact me on 07759 646507 in case of an emergency

Be safe

John