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Special events for adults

Information about events for adults at your libraries in the borough. Booking is required for most events.

Special events for adults

We host a variety of special events and workshops in our libraries for adults throughout the year such as author events, history talks and craft workshops.

Register to attend an event

You can book to attend an event by emailing libraries@rbkc.gov.uk, phoning Librariesline on 020 7361 3010 or registering online if the event is on Eventbrite.

Subscribe to receive event information

Follow us on social media for updates and news; or sign up to receive the Library Service’s monthly e-newsletter.

Special events for adults: highlights​

Creative writing workshops for SPINE Festival 2019

Local spoken word artist, Shareefa Energy, will be hosting a workshop promoting positive mental health. Together we will learn creative writing techniques to create our own 'Letter to my Future Self'.

Shareefa has run many successful events at North Kensington Library in the past, having been our Poet in Residence for two weeks during SPINE Festival 2018, she has also been involved in performances and groups in the local area.

This is a free workshops for adults and for children aged eight and over with their parents. Book your place at any of our libraries.

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Keeping up with LinkedIn for business start-ups

In order to keep things fresh and attract new users, LinkedIn has added a few new features to the dashboard. In this seminar, Amber Raney-Kincade will explore some of these changes, including how hashtags are making their way onto this social media platform.

Amber will also review how to edit your settings to control who sees your profile and content.

Book your free place for Keeping Up With LinkedIn for business start-ups via Eventbrite.

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Hamlet by William Shakespeare reading event

Come along to our reading event and join us in reading extracts from one of Shakespeare's most well known plays. You could get the chance to be Hamlet, Horatio, Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Marcellus, Guildenstern or Rosencrantz.

We will read extracts from Act I, Scene 2 and Act II, Scene 2, as well as talking about William Shakespeare.

Book your free place for Hamlet by William Shakespeare reading event via Eventbrite

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Mrs Shaw Herself

Mrs Shaw Herself is a one-woman show exploring the life of Charlotte Payne-Townsend.

Charlotte was an Irish heiress as well as a suffrage supporter, philanthropist and Fabian. She met and married the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw when they were both in their early 40s and the marriage lasted until her death.

This show explores her life through her diary entries and letters as well as those of George Bernard Shaw, Beatrice Webb, T.E. Lawrence and Mrs Patrick Campbell. This most unconventional of Irish love stories is underscored by a Celtic harp.

Performed by: Alexis Leighton with Helen Tierney on the Celtic harp.

Book your free place for Mrs Shaw Herself at Chelsea Library via Eventbrite

Book your free place for Mrs Shaw Herself at Kensington Central Library via Eventbrite

Book your free place for Mrs Shaw Herself at North Kensington Library via Eventbrite

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The spectacle of fashion at Barkers 1928 to 1930

Join Susan Bishop for a nostalgic look at Barkers of Kensington’s 1920s fashions. Drawing on Barkers original photographs and promotional material, Susan will paint a picture of the glamorous catwalk shows held at the store which featured the supermodels of the day.

Sir Sydney Skinner, the chairman, demonstrated great flair by launching his spectacular Fashion Display Hall to entice customers to come and see the latest fashions.

In the midst of the Great Depression, this great British entrepreneur positioned Barkers as a luxury brand to rival Gordon Selfridges’ Oxford Street emporium. The fact that today we do not associate Barkers with high fashion makes this a riveting story.

Book your free place for The spectacle of fashion at Barkers 1928 to 1930 via Eventbrite

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Marketing strategy for small businesses

The marketing strategy is an essential document for any business, big or small. The marketing strategy can help you make informed strategic decisions, communicate your value consistently and effectively and ultimately make your business grow in a sustainable manner. More often than not, however, small businesses don’t take the time to plan and write their marketing strategy properly, so they waste effort, time and money on improvised and often unfruitful marketing activities.

This workshop, delivered by advisors from Business Solutions Centre of London South Bank University, will give you an outline of what a marketing strategy is and what its core building blocks are, to help you get into the strategic mindset needed to design your own.

It will be a very practical workshop, so make sure to bring pen and paper to get the most out of it, and it will be followed by a 1 to 1 'speed consultancy' session, where the Business Solutions advisors will provide you with personalised help and marketing tips for your business.

Book your free place for Marketing strategy for small businesses via Eventbrite

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Mood and emotional well-being with essential oils

Do you feel in control of your mood and emotions or do they control you?

Join Sonal Patel, an essential oils educator and certified nutritional therapist, who will explain how essential oils can powerfully influence our mood and emotions and support your emotional health and well-being.

Book your free place for Mood and emotional well-being with essential oils via Eventbrite.

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Safer online dating

Online dating is very popular and a great way to meet new people. In this fun interactive session, you will be given savvy tips on protecting your privacy whilst online dating, such as how to spot catfish profiles, and staying safe whilst looking for romance online.

You’ll also have a chance to ask all of your online dating safety questions during the Q&A.

Book your free place for Safer online dating via Eventbrite.

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History and future of Holland Park

Holland Park is based on the pleasure grounds of the Holland House estate, dating back to the early 17th century. We are fortunate that so much of the character remains today for the enjoyment of the public. This talk, by the Friends of Holland Park, will give a brief outline of the history of the park, Holland House and the families who lived in it, before explaining what the park is now all about.

The Friends of Holland Park is a charity founded in 1978 to protect and enhance the historic and natural assets of the park. With over 1,000 members, the organisation lobbies for improvements, helps fund projects and produces informative booklets on different aspects of the park.
 

Book your free place for History and future of Holland Park via Eventbrite.

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Secret tunnels; underground folklore of England

This illustrated talk by Antony Clayton, author of 'Secret Tunnels of England: Folklore and Fact' and 'The Folklore of London', uncovers various examples of unusual underground folklore across England, including the mysterious Green Children of Woolpit, the Knockers of Cornish mining folklore, fiddlers vanishing underground, buried treasure, fabled secret tunnels and treacle mines.

Copies of Antony’s books will be available on the night at reduced prices.

Book your free place for Secret tunnels; underground folklore of England via Eventbrite.

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Mobile apps for business

Join Anthony Odogwu and discover what it is your business needs to know to succeed in the attention-deficit economy. In this session we will discuss:

  • Overview of mobile apps space for 2019
  • Why it is important for your business to have a mobile app strategy
  • Top 5 mobile apps to use in your business right now for productivity and efficiency
  • 2019 mobile trends your business should be watching

There will be a Q&A session at the end.

Anthony Odogwu is an award winning entrepreneur, polymath and digital vanguard. He is the founder of Future Space Technologies, a social media agency with expertise in Gen Z & Millennial Audiences.

Book your free place for Mobile apps for business via Eventbrite.

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Mindful Matters course for the over 50s

Are you 50 years old or over? Then join mindfulness coach, Elizabeth Hooper, for a free eight session course to help you be more relaxed, more focused and better able to cope with the stresses of everyday life.

Book your free place for Mindful matters course for the over 50s via Eventbrite.

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Marketing to an international audience

If it is true that you can only market your products or services successfully when you know your customers and speak their language, it is also true that this can be particularly tricky when your target group spans beyond national borders.

In fact, only a small percentage of the world population can speak English, and even a smaller one buys from companies that don’t provide information in languages other than English. However, the vast majority of UK companies selling abroad lack the skills needed to communicate with their customers in their native language, thus leaving many business opportunities untapped.

During this seminar, Martina Eco, professional translator and marketing consultant, will take you through the steps you need to take in order to successfully market your products and services abroad. You will learn about:

  • Market research techniques and resources to understand your customers abroad
  • Localising product information and marketing copy in foreign languages
  • Marketing tools and activities to promote your company beyond national borders
  • Common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid.

This seminar is aimed at business owners and entrepreneurs who are thinking about expanding their companies abroad, or who are already trading outside of the UK and want to step up their international marketing game.

Book your free place for Marketing to an international audience via Eventbrite.

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Ancient archetypes and enduring myths - resources for stormy times

Greek myths were written at a time of transition, the end of an older world. Their themes of loss, tragedy and conflict seem prescient as well as ancient in our own current, stormy times. Sarah-Jane Menato and Will Gethin will co-facilitate an interactive exploration into what myths and archetypes might hold and have to offer us today.

Will Gethin, founder of Conscious Frontiers, leads Hero’s Journey workshops and will be sharing his experience of this transformative process.

Sarah-Jane Menato, author of Ariadne’s Thread and The Myth of Happily Ever After, runs her own coaching and leadership development consultancy and will speak about the way she works with myths, and the current relevance of Ariadne’s enduring narrative in particular.

Book your free place for Ancient archetypes and enduring myths via Eventbrite.

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Social media for business

Join Anthony Odogwu for this session and find out facts about the current social media space. We shall look at the case studies of successful ocial media marketing campaigns and at the types of content businesses should be producing.

You will get the chance to engage in a quick social media checklist and there will be an interactive Q&A session at the end.

Anthony is an award winning entrepreneur, polymath and digital vanguard. He is the founder of Future Space Technologies, a social media agency with expertise in Gen Z & Millennial Audiences.

Book your free place for Social media for business via Eventbrite.

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We also have regular events for adults in our libraries that happen every week or month.

 

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