Women’s Bookclub 18 Dec 2025

As part of the Coronation Celebrations of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort in Northampton, Northampton Town Council, Northampton BID and West Northamptonshire Council are partnering to improve St Katherine’s Gardens for the Coronation ‘Big Help Out’ on Monday 8th May.

Come and see what the Northamptonshire Natural History Society has to offer.

Hear from therapists Jodie Cariss and Chance Marshall about their tools for “mental health maintenance” to help people care for their own wellbeing.  Their discussion with BBC Radio Northampton host Helen Blaby will cover how to support yourself so you can feel more confident, hopeful and anchored through life’s ups and downs

Joe Tracini will be discussing his book Ten Things I Hate About Me, which delivers a frank and honest account of living with Borderline Personality Disorder that reveals essential information about the complexities of the condition in an accessible, entertaining and even uplifting way. 15% of people with BPD die by suicide, and 40% try. Joe is in the 40%, and has written this book about what staying alive has taught him, and how being honest about what’s happening in our heads is so important. His hope is that if he helps even one person living with a challenging mental illness, then it will have been worth it. Joe Tracini is an actor, author, presenter, comedian and British champion magician. He’s starred in many TV shows including Hollyoaks, Coming of Age and The Great Outdoors, and he’s the host of the BAFTA winning ‘The Dengineers’. He’s been acting like an idiot and talking about his broken brain on Twitter for a while now, and since March 2020 when there were suddenly a lot more people with a lot less on, his videos have been viewed over 90 million times. His top 3 favourite things are food, sleep and avoiding social interactions, and he has a deep...

Based on the Sunday Times bestseller which inspired one of this century’s most treasured films, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel takes us on a journey to India with an eclectic group of British retirees as they embark on a new life. The luxury residence is far from the opulence they were promised, but as their lives begin to intertwine, they are charmed in unexpected and life-changing ways. Starring Belinda Lang (2 Point 4 Children, Oklahoma!), Paul Nicholas (Jesus Christ Superstar, Just Good Friends, Eastenders), Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) and Graham Seed (The Archers, The Mousetrap). Also featuring Rekha John-Cheriyan (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Tomb Raider, Hollyoaks), Nishad More (King Lear, My Mother’s Wedding) and Marlene Sidaway (Coronation Street, Pride and Prejudice).

Award-winning blogger and author Claire Eastham has experienced 371 panic attacks (and counting) and knows how to manage them. Claire talks to Helen Blaby about her own experience, her research interviews with scientists, dieticians, psychologists and people dealing with panic, and how anyone can learn to live well with panic.

After 21 years and 224 days Hal’s back being single. But it’s all going to be fine. Instead of getting the therapy he clearly needs, he’s made a cracking show about it. He’s lost enough weight to almost get his wedding ring off and, while he may be flying solo, he’s far from alone; he’s got his grown-up daughters, his dogs and his divorce lawyer. The fickle finger of fate has turned Hal’s life upside down but he’s sticking a finger right back at it.

Journalists Charlie Brinkhurst Cuff and Timi Sotire edited the groundbreaking anthology Black Joy, a true celebration of Black British culture in all its glory and an examination of what brings us joy.  Helen Blaby will interview Charlie and Timi about the process of putting together their uplifting and empowering book, and what they’ve learned from their iconic contributors and their own thinking about joy.

A tour of the historic Guildhall to include parts of the building not open to the public

Featuring: Scott Bennett, Matt Bragg, James Ellis, Robyn Perkins.

Fresh from his sold-out, critically-acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run and becoming the most viewed British comedian of all time on TikTok, world-famous prankster and Lee Nelson creator Simon Brodkin is back with an outrageous new stand-up show. In Screwed Up Simon rips into celebrity culture, social media, the police, Putin, Prince Andrew and Jesus. Nothing is off limits in this hilarious show, including his own mental health, his family, his five arrests and how he once found himself at an underground sex party.

Lucy is a writer on a mission – to challenge the stereotypes and stigma around mental health.  Lucy examines the negative impacts of common but harmful ways of talking about people who are experiencing mental health problems.  Join her in conversation with Helen Blaby about how we can better understand mental health and feel empowered to discuss it in more positive ways.

In his intimate and highly-anticipated debut hour, Rich Hardisty (Channel 4, Netflix, BBC) takes us on a journey through the highs and lows of his unusual life. Expect anecdotes and observations about momentous movies, missing dads and mania, all from his warm, inquisitive, childlike perspective.

With the popularity of these quizzes, we thought what about a magical one! This is an adult only event, prices are £35 pp which includes £5 from every ticket going to the prize fund. Themed Cocktails and Prosecco available for the duration and a cake stand full of goodies. Let’s face it eatings cheating on a bottomless brunch. Deposit of £10 pp must be paid to secure at time of booking m, give us a call on 01604 626977

FORMED IN 1977 TO PROMOTE IAN DURYS’ ALBUM NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES ON THE FIRST STIFF RECORDS TOUR OF THE U.K. – CHAZ JANKEL, NORMAN WATT-ROY, CHARLIE CHARLES, JOHN TURNBULL, AND MICK GALLAGHER – BECAME KNOWN AS THE BLOCKHEADS.

They call me Mum. Everyone calls me Mum now. Or Mummy. I had a name before. Where did that go? Inspired by true events, Katie Guicciardi’s Fox is a brutally honest and insightful exploration of new motherhood in an increasingly isolating society. A sharply observed drama that examines our complex relationship with ‘help’ – our desire to give it and the need to seek it for ourselves. This “small but perfectly formed” play (Telegraph) is “a brave, eye-opening show” (What’s On Stage). First produced at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, Fox was praised for being “a really poignant and insightful piece” (Three Weeks) and “deep, mature, and nuanced. A must-see.” (Feminist Fringe). Directed by Offie Award nominee, Lisa Cagnacci (Associate Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), Fox is “a compelling monologue rings relatably true to life” (Telegraph).

Join us for the heats of this year’s Dancing Schools UK Northamptonshire! This is the 10th year of this fabulous Ballroom and Latin dance event designed to encourage school children from across the region to have a try at dancing and nurture team work. From its early days as Strictly Junior, the show has now evolved to Dancing Schools UK and seen over 3000 children having braved the stage, stepped out into the spotlight and done something they never thought they would do – dance in front of hundreds of people.

Award-winning comedy curators Upfront are back with a heavyweight international line up to guarantee belly laughs. The phenomenal Stephen K Amos is joined by fun and fiery Sukh Ojla and London-Irish gangster John Ryan, with host comedian turned Teletubbie, John Simmit.