WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Emma Halford, CEO of Richmond Charites will talk to us about the history of the alms houses in our area and how they function. The work of The Richmond Charities, housing and supporting elderly people in housing need in our borough, goes back over 400 years. The first of Richmond’s alms-houses were Queen Elizabeth’s Alms-houses, founded in 1600. From then on, over the centuries, wealthy benefactors continued to endow land and property for the building of alms-houses and The Richmond Charities now owns and runs 150 alms-houses spread over 13 estates in Richmond, Twickenham and Mortlake.

Join us at the Distillery for a tour at the home of the ‘ginaissance’. You’ll be greeted with a ginny tipple in hand, be taken through the chequered history of gin and learn how Sipsmith Gin came to be. Our three copper ladies, Prudence, Verity and Constance will then take centre stage and you will learn how our award winning spirits are carefully hand-crafted. Naturally, there will be a tutored gin tasting too and a goodie bag to take home.

Please can you confirm to Sarah C that you are coming and that you have paid your £25 into the Barnes WI bank account.  Responses please by 14 April.  Unfortunately ticket purchases are non-refundable but you are welcome to find a replacement if you can’t subsequently come.

Venue: Sipsmith, 83 Cranbrook Road Chiswick London W4 2LJ

Nearest tube: Turnham Green and 10 min walk, nearest buses 533 to Hogarth roundabout and 12 min walk or 190 to Balfern Grove and 3 min walk

Adam Hart, is a local historian and author of ‘Operation Pimento: My Great Grandfather’s Great Escape’

In 1943, Adam’s great grandfather, Frank Griffiths was shot down near Annecy, France. He was the only survivor of the crash and he spent 108 days on the run from the Nazis in occupied Europe, a journey through France, Switzerland and Spain. He never would have made it home were it not for the staggeringly brave French Resistance who hid, clothed and fed him and transported him under the noses of the Gestapo. Most of these ‘helpers’ were women. The role of women in the French Resistance is becoming more well known, but these characters who saved Frank have not had their stories told and they are the focus of Adam’s talk. Helene Gonin-Bastin, for example, was the proprietress of Ma Baraque, the restaurant/brothel Frank was hidden in for three days immediately after his crash. She entertained German and Italian soldiers in the bar downstairs while Frank lay in the loft listening!  Or Francoise Dissard, leader of an entire escape line who personally couriered 250 downed airmen south through France to the Pyrenees where she’d link them up with guides who’d walk them over the mountains to Spain. Francoise, who loved nothing but France and her cat, was a 62 year old, chain smoking asthmatic. She was considered ‘mentally unstable’ by the French police – such were her acting talents! When she couriered Frank, her bag was full of black market cheese stuffed with plastic explosive.  These are just two of the many courageous women who Adam will introduce us to during his talk.

Jenny Binsted is a highly experienced makeup designer and Head of Makeup for BBC News and Current Affairs with an impressive career spanning over 50 years. She is also a member of Barnes WI.

She began her training with the BBC working on programmes such as I Claudius, Dad’s Army and the Two Ronnies  before moving to London Weekend Television where she worked at the South Bank meeting the stars whilst working on programmes you might well remember and developing her skills as a designer.  Jenny returned to the BBC where she created a company that won the tenders for BBC Makeup News and Current affairs where her work took her behind the scenes of some of the nations most watched news items, including the Olympics, Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s Wedding, the funerals of the Dalai Lama, Diana, Princess of Wales and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Over the years she has worked with many familiar television faces as well as celebrities, members of the Royal family and heads of state including our Prime Ministers.

With a lifetime of fascinating experiences from both television and film, in the studio and on location, Jenny offers a wonderful glimpse into the world behind the camera creating  characters and presenting familiar faces to become camera ready.