Blogging Groups London

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Have a lovely Saturday :)

Unapologetically Childfree @ Mercato Metropolitano, London, UK

🎉 **Hey London & Southern England Childfree Friends!** 🇬🇧 📅 **Date:** last Saturday of the Month 🕖 **Time:** 15h/3 PM - Whenever 📍 **Location:** Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR I'm so excited to announce that even though I'm back in Portugal, the Londoners are keeping the childfree meetup momentum going—something I’m incredibly thrilled about! 🥳 **This is an ongoing monthly meetup without me physically present and run by y'all**, and I couldn't be prouder of our community! 👯‍♀️✨ **Event Details:** * 🤝 **Who:** This meetup is for **childfree individuals, meaning anyone who doesn’t have or wants kids**. It’s the perfect opportunity to find like-minded people, share stories, and build lasting friendships. Whether you're a local or just passing through, everyone is welcome! 🫶❤️ * 🍕 **What:** Dinner, drinks, and great company at Mercato Metropolitano, an iconic market in London known for its vibrant atmosphere, diverse street food, craft beer, and artisanal shops. With plenty of food and drink options, there’s something for everyone—**including vegan and vegetarian options!** 🍻🍽️ * 📍 **Where:** Mercato Metropolitano offers plenty of space for large groups, making it the ideal spot for our gathering. You can explore its variety of stalls or simply relax and enjoy the evening. [Website: MercatoMetropolitano](https://mercatometropolitano.com). * 📓 **Please Note:** The meetup is free, but you'll be responsible for any food or drinks you purchase during the event. 💸 * 🎉 **Why You Should Join:** If you're ready to enjoy a casual evening with people who share the childfree lifestyle, this is the perfect opportunity. Our meetups are all about having fun, connecting with new people, and building a supportive community. 💫💬 * ⏰ **Arrive & Leave:** Feel free to arrive and leave as it suits you. Come for the entire evening or just pop by for a drink—no pressure! 🍷✨ * 📱 **Join the WhatsApp Group:** Stay in touch with the group and make it easier to connect on the day of the event. It’s also a great way to keep the conversation going afterward. 🔗 (You just need jump on my email list and you'll get access to all the Unapologetically Childfree™️ WhatsApp Groups: [https://maggiedickens.com/childfree-group-chat](https://catharticcounseling.com/childfree-group-chat)) **Unapologetically Yours** 🫶 **Maggie Dickens** **Host of the Unapologetically Childfree Community + Podcast** **Instagram: @MaggieGetsREAL** 📣 🚨 **Important: Event Participation Agreement** This Event Participation Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into by and between Maggie Dickens, owner of the Unapologetically Childfree™️ Community ("UCC"), and the Participant ("Participant"). By attending the event, the Participant agrees to the following terms: 1\. Disclaimer of Affiliation and Liability 1.1 No Affiliation with Third-Party Vendors: The UCC has no affiliation with third-party vendors at the venue. Participation in any activities or purchases from vendors is at the Participant's own discretion and risk. 1.2 No Financial Remuneration: No member of the UCC receives financial compensation from third-party vendors, and this is subject to change without notice. 1.3 Waiver of Liability: The Participant agrees to waive all liability and hold Maggie Dickens and the UCC harmless from any claims or damages arising from participation, including physical injuries, property damage, or financial loss. 2\. Voluntary Participation and Assumption of Risk 2.1 Participation is entirely voluntary, and the Participant assumes all risks, including any injuries or losses. 3\. Photography and Marketing Consent 3.1 The Participant consents to being photographed or recorded during the event for marketing purposes. 3.2 The Participant grants the UCC the right to use their likeness for promotion without compensation. 4\. General Provisions 4.1 The Participant is responsible for any costs incurred during the event. 4.2 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and can only be modified in writing. 4.3 This Agreement is governed by applicable laws.

Feedback session in New Cross (message GRAIG for location.)

*Please ensure that you have READ THE SUBMISSIONS before attending the session. Contact Graig in advance for the submissions document and the exact location in NEW CROSS.* This session will focus on FEEDBACK for members' writing. We ask that people attend two meetings before submitting their own work. Read, read, read- and be ready to give thoughtful and detailed feedback at our meeting! We aim to finish at 10 each session, but several of us will often continue to socialise with a drink or two.

Blood on the clocktower

Welcome to the cosy town of Ravenswood Bluff, and join us in a game of trust and treachery as we play Blood on the Clocktower. Blood on the Clocktower is a Social deduction game based on games like Werewolf and Mafia, where the townsfolk and outsiders of the good team have to find and execute the demon and minions of the bad team. Each game takes between and one and one and a half hours. if you don't know how to play the rules we be explained on the night, but here is a helpful how to play as well: [https://youtu.be/M-aZP47Nm9g?si=1nw6KAgf88BzCnmL](https://youtu.be/M-aZP47Nm9g?si=1nw6KAgf88BzCnmL) We will be running 2 games on Friday evening at the Lantern arts centre. We have a limited number of spaces so first come first serve. There is a £5 entry fee (we can do card but cash is preferred.) Press the buzzer for the Rehearsal studio at the entrance on Tolverne road to be let in (Please check in the comments of this post closer to the day as the room may change.) we open up at 19:15 and start the first game at 19:30 regardless of attendance. All attendees should be 18+ ONLY ATTEND IF YOU SIGN UP FIRST. DROP-INS WILL BE TURNED AWAY

#WPLDN - June 2026: Our 150th Event! Owning Your Why & WordPress 7.0 Abilities

Join us for our 150th #WPLDN event! It's a milestone we're quietly proud of: 150 free, community-driven WordPress-focused events, and we'd love to share this one with you. This month, we're looking at WordPress from two very different but complementary angles. First, Raquel Manriquez asks the question most of us avoid: Who are you really, and why does owning that answer make you a steadier, sharper business owner? Then Paul Halfpenny digs into what WordPress 7.0 and its new Abilities API mean for how we build, and why this quiet change might matter more than the headlines suggest. 📅 **Date:** Thursday, 25 June 2026 ⏰ **Time:** 6:00 PM BST 🎟️ **Cost:** Free (Registration Required) \-\-\- **Session 1: Owning Your Why: The Only Constant in a World of Change** 🤝 **Speaker:** Raquel Manriquez ([PressConf](https://pressconf.events)) The only constant in your business isn't the strategy, the stack, or the team; it's the why underneath them. In this candid session, Raquel moves from the question most of us avoid (who am I, actually?) to the business case for answering it: the boundaries that hold because you know what you're protecting, the decisions that come quickly because you're not weighing other people's opinions of you, and the steadiness of being someone, not just doing things. Raquel is the founder of WonderlandCurious, a tech event consultancy focused on people-first experiences, and previously founded and led the WooCommerce agency Mode Effect for a decade before exiting in 2020. Today, she channels that community experience into PressConf, a conference built around candid, unrecorded conversations among the leaders shaping the WordPress economy. \-\-\- **Session 2: Abilities, not chatbots: how WordPress 7.0 changes everything** 🤝 **Speaker:** Paul Halfpenny ([Filter](https://filter.agency)) WordPress 7.0 shipped on 20 May with the Abilities API in core. Quieter than the real-time collaboration headlines that got pulled, but more consequential. Abilities turn plugin capabilities into something AI assistants and automation tools can discover and invoke, with permissions intact. Paul walks through what changed, what it means for how we build plugins, and what's already running in production across Filter AI, Filter Abilities, and PersonalizeWP, plus a quick aside into whether AI assistants can find your site at all, and how to find out. Paul is the CTO and co-founder of Filter, a UK digital agency. He builds products including PersonalizeWP and Filter AI, leads technology transformation for a major UK brand, and speaks on practical AI, personalisation, tech strategy, and running an agency. \-\-\- **Schedule:** 🔹 **6:00 PM** – Doors Open & Networking 🔹 **6:30 PM** – Welcome & Session 1: Raquel Manriquez 🔹 **7:30 PM** – Short Break & Networking 🔹 **7:45 PM** – Session 2: Paul Halfpenny 🔹 **8:30 PM** – Social & Wrap-Up \-\-\- **📢 RSVP Now!** Don't miss this one. Whether you come for the honest conversation about why you do what you do, or for a clear-eyed look at where WordPress and AI are heading, there's plenty here to take away. Bring your questions for the Q&A, and stick around for the post-event social to raise a glass to 150 events. Secure your free spot today, and we'll see you there! \-\-\- **Venue Information** **The Bridge** is a charity supporting women to make positive choices and encouraging improvements to fitness, health, and wellbeing. The venue features a plant-based café (supplied by Girls Who Grind Coffee) and is just a 5-minute walk from London Bridge Station. \-\-\- **Massive thanks to our sponsors who make these free events possible:** [Filter](https://filter.agency/), [Kinsta](https://kinsta.com/), [Mollie](https://www.mollie.com/gb/integrations/woocommerce), and [PodcasterPlus](https://www.podcasterplus.com/?utm_source=wpldn&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=partnership). \-\-\- If you're interested in being a featured speaker at an upcoming event, we'd love to hear from you at [https://wpldn.uk/speak](https://wpldn.uk/speak). **🎥 - Media Release Terms** By attending, you understand and accept that portions of the event may have audio/photo/video-recorded and/or live-streamed and may be used by the organisers. You agree that the organisers have the right and permission to use and publish such media for any purpose in any format, including online and offline, now and ever after, without further compensation, permission, or notification. You understand that all official recordings from the event are the exclusive property of the organisers, available under the Creative Commons Attribution­ShareAlike license for general use, and you do not ask for nor expect compensation or notification of the use of official recordings or photographs in which you appear or speak. Please inform an organisational team member at the event's start if you do not wish to appear in photos or videos.

Practise Public Speaking at Bloomsbury Speakers London (Toastmasters)

This is our regular club meeting with prepared speeches, speech evaluations and "Table Topics" - a chance to practice impromptu speaking. Please arrive from 6:35pm for a prompt 6:45pm start. **Guests are always welcome and it's completely free**, but we do request that you buy drinks at the bar on arrival and during the break to support the venue. ABOUT BLOOMSBURY SPEAKERS Hello! Bloomsbury Speakers is a fun and friendly Toastmasters club near Farringdon in central London. We meet twice a month to improve our communication and public speaking skills by practising in a safe and supportive environment. New guests are always welcome and it's completely free. No need to book in advance (other than to receive a helpful reminder) - just show up on the evening! TYPICAL MEETING AGENDA A typical meeting agenda is as follows: 6:35 Doors open - meet and greet 6:45 Welcome from Club President 6:50 Introductions from Toastmaster and other meeting roles 7:00 Prepared Speeches (from club members) 7:40 Guest Introductions (a quick hello from the guests) Short break for refreshments 8:00 Speech Evaluations (of earlier speeches) 8:15 Table Topics (impromptu speeches of 1-2 minutes each) 8:35 Table Topics Evaluations 8:40 Reports and General Evaluation (of the meeting) 8:55 Awards (best speech, best evaluator, etc.) and announcements 9:00 Meeting close - retire to the bar! COME ALONG TO FIND OUT MORE! Visit our website for more information: https://www.bloomsburyspeakers.org.uk Toastmasters has helped thousands of people overcome nerves and improve their speaking confidence. Come along and find out how! Find your voice at #BloombsurySpeakers!

In person meetup to critique work submitted by members.

This is a live session at The Mitre in Greenwich. The purpose of this meeting is to provide and receive critique on submitted extracts of members' creative writing, whether they're working on a novel, screenplay, poetry, a memoir or short story, etc. We share our extracts via email ahead of the meeting to give us all a chance to read the work in our own time and reflect upon it so as to be able to provide useful critique. If you want to submit an extract mail me at gpatrick66@hotmail.com to book a slot. If you are new to the group we ask that you participate in at least two of the Wednesday critiquing sessions before you submit work for review so that you get to know us and have a good understanding of how we operate. This will help you to get the most from a critique of your own work. Extracts should be approx 3,000 words and the full document (extract plus blurbs, questions etc) should not exceed 3,500 words in total. Extracts must be mailed to me (gpatrick66@hotmail.com) at the latest by 9pm on the Saturday before the session so that I can share your work with the rest of the group. We have a limit of 4 extracts per session to give adequate time to review work properly. Feel free to give guidance on any specific areas on which you would like feedback. E.g. Plot, pacing, structure or character development etc. (If you have not received the extracts by the Sunday before the session, mail me.) The group is friendly and relaxed, so please don't feel nervous about sharing your work! We will normally review extracts according to the order in which they are sent to me but if you need a particular slot let me know when you submit your extract and we will try to accommodate that. Please note that all phones MUST be switched to silent mode for the duration of the meeting.

Evening critiquing session

SOLAR

**Celebrate summer solstice** Join the Cyphermunk House community to celebrated the longest day of the year on London’s highest natural green point. Promotional activities related to altcoins not permitted. No unsolicited photography. Peace and love.

London Read Together – Midsummer edition!

Drinks at the Castle Tooting

Join me at the Castle ! Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can sit outside !

Revealing Writing

**A space for exploring creative writing as practice and journaling for self reflection. There will the support of the group, suggested exercises, methods and forms. Space to share your words, space to choose not to. Share your struggles and surprises with your creativity. A space in your week to connect, drop deeper and breathe some life into some familiar and strange ideas.** **Writing can be a practice of journaling to get your thoughts and feelings onto the page and have some distance and perspective. There can be a sense of finding out something new through writing that brings up unexpected thoughts, stories and emotions. This can be a therapy of taking more care of yourself, mind and heart.** **Writing slows our words down, and gives us time to taste, observe and pay attention to the flow and receiving of words and language. Did I really say that? And who said that? Can be revealing questions and open new ways of being yourself with others. We can also be with our choices to share, not to share, exploring privacy and secrets in our communications. Our words often reveal what we are not able or willing to say and so we may ask ourselves, how is this true? And stay interested in the gaps, pauses and shadows of our descriptions.** I will be writing a case study on this group, I will anonymise everyone and anything that could identify the members of the group.