3 February 2023: Illuminating workshop on Climate Recovery and Resilience Through Land Management: How Nature Regulates the Climate and How We Can Help. Run by Didi Persehouse, author, educator, and soil sponge strategist - https://www.didipershouse.com/
23 December 2022 :The Centre distributed 40 huge food hampers, containing everything to make a delicious Christmas dinner, to destitute and low-income women and children who join in the Centre’s collective self-help services. The hampers were donated by Carmel Charity Foundation, founded by a fashion supplier company based in Kentish Town. Kind volunteers at London Basket Brigade made up and delivered the hampers to women’s homes on 23 December.
8 March 2022 : as part of the Wages for Housework 50th anniversary events series, the Global Women’s Strike launched an International Survey – What Do Mothers and other Carers Want? - with a webinar platforming speakers from 13 countries.
27 March 2022 : The early years of the Women's Centre are featured in the newly launched archives of the Wages for Housework Campaign which celebrates its golden anniversary this year. The archives are hosted by the Bishopsgate Institute.
26 July 2022 : Making Trouble, Making History, 1975-2022. An online illustrated talk for Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre. Solveig Francis, told the story of the Crossroads Women’s Centre, one of the oldest women’s centres in the country, from its origins as a squat in Drummond Street in 1975 up to the present day.
January 2020-2021: mothers' campaign to Save Carlton Primary School from closure. A mother from the Centre helped organise an alternative survey with Bangladeshi mothers at the school who could not access the official council one.
18 November 2021: Launch of the results of our oral history project Remembering Eleanor Rathbone, mother of child benefit.
January 2020: Centre volunteers put forward their environmental and social vision for Camden in 2050 as part of a community initiative called Envisioning Camden in the Camden New Journal.
8 March 2020: Open day at the Centre on International Women's Day.
6 March 2020: Breastfeeding workshop with Solveig Francis, co-author of The Milk of Human Kindness, Shoda Racheal, breastfeeding peer support, and mothers from the All African Women's Group.
21 February 2019: Discussion and debate at the Centre with Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett discussing women's involvement in electoral politics.
March 2019: Workshop on women in prison with Vikki Law, a former prisoner and prisoners’ rights campaigner in the US, opened a discussion on the problems women in prison and detention face.
June 2019: Welcoming visitors from Malaysia, Tanzania, Thailand and the USA who reported on what is happening in their countries.
August 2019: As members of Camden Climate Change Alliance, we calculate our annual carbon footprint contributing to a borough wide footprint. Our solar panels produce a third of our electricity needs. We received a Going Green Mark of Achievement from CCCA.
October 2019: Volunteers were delighted to be invited by Women Against Rape to help with the staging of its play, No Bad Women, based on the transcript of a path-breaking trial, the first private prosecution for rape, at the local Clean Break Theatre. Rehearsals and a reception were held at the Centre.
December 2019: annual children's christmas party at the Centre. Christmas boxes prepared by volunteers through Food For All (which provides food for homeless people) meant every child took home a wrapped present and a soft toy.
May 2018: Drama workshop run by the East London Federation of Suffragettes based around Syliva Pankhurst's play, Liberty or Death.
June 2018: Women from the Grenfell community made their banner at the Centre for the first anniversary of the fire.
September 2018: Caring Consultation brought together a diversity of experiences from the point of view of single mothers, grandmothers, a psychotherapist, a midwife and a physiotherapist, breastfeeding support worker, and more.
November 2018 : Black History Month saw the launch of a volume of essays on CLR James’ famous book about cricket, Beyond A Boundary, noted for its importance for anti-racism. It was introduced by his widow, Selma James (speaking above) and typist of the original manuscript!
December 2018: London Ambulance Service ran a second first aid-training workshop for all staff and volunteers at the Centre. All participants received a certificate
6 March 2017: stall for the Remembering Eleanor Rathbone oral history project celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first payment of Family Allowance.
May 2017: We hosted representatives from the Southern Peasants Federation of Thailand and women human rights defenders from Thailand.
July 2017: Support not Separation. Mothers facing problems with the family courts started to meet monthly at the Centre. Mothers and grandmothers (as well as supportive fathers) who have been unfairly separated from their children/grandchildren exchange experiences, support and encourage to each other.
December 2017: Ms Captain Fantastic entertainer at the kids Christmas party. Local businesses, once again, pitched in with free pizzas, vouchers, presents for children and other help.
January 2016 : WinVisible, women with visible and invisible disabilities group, hold regular self help sessions for women facing benefit problems, health crises and issues with homeware.
March 2016 : A visit for International Women’s Day by 15 grandmothers from the Scottish Kinship Carers provided a great opportunity for sharing experiences and learning about the different family court system in Scotland and England.
November 2016: We hosted a well attended exhibition and presentation, For Those Who Died Trying, with a spokeswoman from Protection International Thailand.
November 2016 : Memorials for our long time supporter, volunteer and playwright who sadly passed away aged 91. A lovely display of photos and documents and speeches from friends young and old commemorated her long and creative life.
December 2016: The Centre Collective meeting where staff and volunteers discuss plans and evaluate activities.
February 2015: we celebrated 40 years of the Centre's history from 1975-2015 with the launch of the film made by a young people's project (see Feb.2014). The launch night was packed full of young and old.
8 March 2015: Honour Mothers, Honour All Carers exhibition, at the Centre. Women and men spoke about their sisters, mothers, wives, daughters and friends.
July 2015: An article about the Centre’s activities in the Tufnell Park Parents magazine attracted local mothers to volunteer and very regular donations of good quality clothing and small household items which are offered to asylum seekers and single mothers on benefit.
July 2015: Performance of Sylvia, a one woman play about the life and art of Sylvia Pankhurst written and performed by Jacqueline Mulhallen. Relatives of Ms Pankhurst also attended.
February 2014: The story of the Crossroads Women’s Centre – a young people’s film and photography project. This grew out of Made Possible by Squatting, an exhibition shown in September 2013, for which a young woman artist had made a beautiful pop-up book on the history of our different centres. They followed this up by recruiting and training a small group of young people aged 14 to 25 to make a film about the Centre.
March 2014: Crossroads Children's playgroup runs fortnightly for children under five. Iin half-term children up to 10 join in enabling their mums to participate in asylum seekers' self-help sessions at the Centre.
December 2014: Our Kids Xmas Party was a hit again with children and their carers. Over 30 local children under 10 and their families crowded in to watch Captain Fantastic’s interactive DJ extravaganza.
February 2013: The Centre provides a base for self-help organisations and meeting space for community groups and activities such as the breastfeeding consultants above.
May onwards: Stalls for our questionnaire, on Kentish Town High Road always draw in a crowd.
October 2013: Workshop at Parliament Hill School during Black History Month with members of the All African Women’s Group based at the Centre.
9 November 2013: ‘Women Together Speak Up – Making Community, Tackling Problems’ Women have a lot to say and sometimes are not shy about saying it! Over 80 women and some men crowded into the Women’s Centre for our event aimed at “giving a voice to those women whose needs are most likely to be neglected, especially in these hard times”.
11 December 2013: Soho Santas at the French House Pub, Soho, raised £1,005.70 and had a wonderful time doing so!
March 2012 : The 'painting team' of volunteers put the finishing touches on the new Centre. Renovation was completed in March 2012. Extensive adaptations made the Centre accessible to people with disabilities. Solar panels and other energy efficient measures helped make it environmentally sustainable. A sheltered cobble-stone courtyard, now full of donated flowers, herbs and shrubs in pots provides a calm outdoor space.
April 2012 : Party to launch the new Centre, to thank and welcome friends, funders, volunteers and other supporters to our new premises. A delicious spread was provided by local specialist deli, Harry’s Food Hall. Wonderful performers entertained us with songs, mime and dance music. Deaf comedian Caro Sparks (above) had us all in stitches.
2012: The All African Women’s group of asylum seeking women finally have the space to meet comfortably. The group has grown to include women from Eastern Europe, Iran, Latin America and other countries. Up to 90 women participate in self-help meetings, training workshops (below) and volunteer sessions to discuss their cases, offer mutual support and advice, learn how to help others with their cases, prepare for appeals, etc.
October 2012 : Black History Month was marked with an evening event – From Carnegie Hall & the Edinburgh Fringe to Crossroads. Award-winning writer, actor and baritone Tayo Aluko performed ‘From Black Africa to the White House’. Via songs, Jewish stories, a lemon and a great comic touch, Naomi Paul presented a distinctive take on our times in ‘Reshape While Damp’.
14 February 2011 : Valentine raffle fundraiser for the new Centre Building Fund and to keep the community informed of developments.
June 2011 : Inspecting the building works with Brian Power Building Services. Some items such as painting and decoration were not in the contract to keep costs down, and because so many people were coming forward to offer their time and skills, keen to make their mark on the final building!
July 2011 : On- and off-site consultations with volunteers, user groups, neighbours and friends of the Centre helped us make a range of decisions from the kind of flooring to positioning of storage. There was particular discussion around the lift, as the standard models on offer needed adaptations to suit more users with disabilities.
July 2011 : Magic & Burlesque Cabaret. Talented artists and performers entertained with comedy, dance, juggling and magic. They raised £923 and had us roaring with laughter. By the end of the year, our appeal for funds and grant-making efforts to refurbish, equip and run our new Centre had raised £212,000.
January 2010: The state of 25 Wolsey Mews, our future larger women’s centre when we completed purchase in December 2009. The building, a former woodworking workshop in the 1800s a doll’s factory, was very run down! We set up a development working group to organise the refurbishment.
March 2010: We purchased 25 Wolsey Mews in December 2009 to be our new larger centre. The building was very run-down and needed extensive refurbishment, fundraising and consultations with users, volunteers, neighbours and friends of the Centre. We set up a development working group.
May 2010: Throughout the summer and autumn we widely publicised our plans, inviting comments and involvement from local communities through mailings, leafleting, local press coverage, and fundraising events at the premises (before renovation) which were attended by 300 local individuals and families.
July 2010 : Local users and small businesses told us that there is no comparable service in the community. A number of people offered their time and skills to fundraising and leaflets.
September 2010 : Our website was set up to be a contact point for supporters, donors and members of the public. However, our work had began 35 years ago in a squat in Euston, read our story and watch our film here!