Social Groups

While the social groups below have their origins in the Church community, they all come with an open invitation - please bring a friend if you would like to. You can expect a warm welcome and we look forward to meeting you. For more information, please contact the Parish office on 020 8943 2262 or enquiries@teddingtonparish.org or use the specific email address for a group if provided.

Fellowship Group: lunches and coffees

We are a purely social group, open to all, which meets locally and regularly for coffee and lunch (usually on or near the High Street), as well as holding a Zoom gathering for those who like to join us from home.

These meet-ups provide an opportunity for us to spend time together in a relaxed setting. Anyone is welcome to attend any of our events, and bring along a friend or two if you would like to. It is a great chance to make new friends.

  • First Thursday of each month: Coffee Zoom at 10:30am
  • Second Tuesday of each month: Lunch at a local pub or restaurant at 12noon
  • Fourth Tuesday of each month: Coffee at Shambles at 10.30am

Plain & Pearl

Plain and Pearl is a friendly, social and inclusive group interested in knitting, crocheting and other crafts. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday evenings at St Mary’s Parish Hall from 7.30-9.30pm. No experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and enjoyment from making things.

Throughout the year, we plan a number of crafty and fun activities - some must be pre-booked - including knitting masterclasses, mending, embroidery, candle making workshops and craft material swaps. Click here for the full listing, or contact Josie on plainandpearl@gmail.com for more information.

Holy Dusters: church cleaning

We are a small friendly group who meet in church from 10-11am every Thursday to keep the church spick and span with sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning the brass and silver. Then all those that can, go on for a coffee and a chat afterwards. We would very much welcome anyone who wishes to join us, either on a permanent or ad hoc basis.

Parish Plod: walking and talking

A group of friendly walkers enjoying each other’s company and fellowship as we take on a new trail each year. We walk about 7-10km at a fairly leisurely pace on the first Saturday of the month. We’ve found that it’s a great way to explore greater London (and its surprisingly large number of green spaces) and see parts of it that we’d not previously visited (and sometimes weren’t even aware of).

Contact the Parish office to be added to the WhatsApp group, where we share the meet up times and places.

Sustainability Group

Sustainability is important to this parish and will only grow in importance. In late 2020, driven by the growing awareness of the impacts of climate change and the need to better care for our community and the natural world we formed a Sustainability Group. We have run Supper Talks around sustainability-focused topics, formed a sustainability book club, host Sustainability Festivals, as well as 'Recycle, Reuse, Regift' events in our Parish Hall.

To build on these initiatives, we have launched our Eco-Concern club, on the first Tuesday of each month, which runs in our Parish Hall. If you’d like to volunteer to support the group, have questions, or ideas for events please contact us at sustainability@teddingtonparish.org. You can follow us for updates on Instagram and on Twitter.

Eco-concerns Club: 7.30pm on the first Tuesday of each month, in the Mina Hogan Rom, St Mary's Parish Hall. We will meet for 90-minutes. The group is free and open to all for discussion, support, and action, giving us an opportunity to share concerns about the climate crisis and discuss ideas.

First Wednesday Group: open discussion group

The First Wednesday group holds informal discussion meetings, usually exploring topical events or subjects from a church-based angle, on the first Wednesday of most months - the clue to each exact date is in the name. We meet round a table over a bring-your-own packed lunch from 12.45-2.15pm in the Mina Hogan room of the Parish Hall (Langham Road).

Each meeting’s topic for discussion is chosen in advance and then advertised via email, pew sheet, parish newsletter and ebulletin, which helps to provoke informed and thoughtful contributions. The group is friendly, non-confrontational and non-judgmental. All are welcome, particularly newcomers to the area, of any faith or none. The aim is to exchange ideas, inform ourselves and make friends, rather than finally to solve a problem or decide an issue. Fairtrade tea and coffee are provided as well. No booking is necessary.

Adopt a Grave

As our outstanding churchyard has not had a new burial for some 100 years, many graves are clearly untended. Several years ago, Teddington Parish launched a scheme where people could adopt a grave or graves and look after them.

Around 100 graves have already been 'adopted'. Every few months, a date and time is set aside for adopters to meet, share experiences and seek any further guidance on how to optimise the approach. If you are interested please contact the Parish office. Contact Alexandra Ruffer if you would like to join the scheme or would like to know more: alex@teddingtonparish.org.

Online Bible Discussion Group: Acts of the Apostles

Reading and reflecting on the first half of the Book of Acts, we trace the fortunes of Jesus’s disciples as they spread the Gospel and build the early church, and embark with Paul on his first mission.

The sessions are held via zoom on Wednesday at 8-9.30pm and you are welcome to join one or all. Please contact sarah.rae@tiscali.co.uk for more information.

Diversity and Inclusion group

We meet every other month with a brief to help our local church and community actively respond to the issues of racism and diversity with which the Church and society are currently grappling, and we are learning that one of the most important ways in which we can respond is to educate ourselves.

We have held Supper Talks, film nights and book discussions, and are also compiling a list of resources, including books, articles and TV programmes which we, as a group, have found useful in increasing our understanding of the issues.

Please follow this link to read our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy: St Mary with St Alban's EDI Policy v2.7.

If you would like to join us in our meetings each month, please contact the parish office.

Community Café

We are delighted that our Award-winning Teddington Community Café remains open every Monday afternoon at 1.30-4.30pm, including Bank Holidays. Why not come along to the Peter & Paul Centre on Church Road in Teddington enjoy a warm welcome, a chance to chat, quality hot and cold drinks and delicious home-made cakes?

The café is there for everyone but, we hope, will appeal particularly to those who feel isolated or anxious as a place where they can find sanctuary, enjoy a friendly chat and find out about local community activities and services. Initiated by Teddington Parish, in partnership with local NHS Primary Care Networks and disability charities, Ruils and Richmond Aid, the café hosts local social prescribers and their clients.

Please email communitycafe@teddingtonparish.org for more information.

Memory Café

We are delighted that the Memory Café runs on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, 1.30-3.00pm at the Peter & Paul Centre. If you are living with memory problems, care for someone who is, or just enjoy a good chat, please come and join us.

We offer an informal, friendly atmosphere, a warm welcome, free tea and coffee, and delicious cakes. We also enjoy a sing-a-long and a light-hearted quiz, and we would love to see you there. If you need any more information, or are interested in volunteering at the Memory Café, please message Judith at enquiries@teddingtonparish.org.

Churchyard Gardening

The churchyard of St Mary with St Alban is a beautiful oasis for both people and wildlife, with quite a history and a number of interesting trees. It is used by many people on a daily basis as a pleasurable alternative to walking along the pavement.

Although the Council mow the grass and clear the leaves it needs more care and attention, so we have a group of interested volunteers who do some gardening in support of the community as a whole. Detailed gardening knowledge is not required at all, just enthusiasm and energy will be helpful in working on a pre-arranged plan of tidying the churchyard and keeping it looking more attractive.

If you are interested, contact robin@teddingtonparish.org for further information.

Traherne Reading Group

For three series a year, we meet for six sessions to discuss the works of Thomas Traherne (1633-74) and his contemporaries such as Henry Vaughan, George Herbert and John Dunne. The first session of a series always focuses on a work by Traherne himself and the last session often comprises a sharing of our own pastiches of Traherne poetry, prose or our memoirs.

The sessions take place on Thursdays at 1.15-2.45pm in the Mina Hogan Room and the series are typically held through in January to February, April to May and September to October.

 

 

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