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Spotlight

New Business Spotlight: Don’t Plan A Birthday Bash Without My Little Party

If there’s one good thing that’s come out of lockdown, it’s My Little Party. Envisaged and created by kids’ entertainer Emily Rose Adams, this new party platform is going to revolutionise your kid’s party planning. My Little Party is a huge directory of everything you’ll ever need to plan a party. From supplies and invitations to entertainers and any theme you could ever dream of, it’s all here! I know from experience if you want to host a party with a particular theme, it takes hours of research to get everything perfect. My Little Party has basically done all that for you. I love that you can go to the website, click the theme you want and it gives you a list of the best suppliers and entertainers out there. You get in touch with suppliers through My Little Party and you can leave reviews on there. If you’re based in London, there’s a list of the top party planners too!

I wanted to find out more about My Little Party, so got in touch with Emily for a quick chat.

How did it all begin?

I worked as a kids’ entertainer and music teacher for several years. After working for dozens of families each year, I realised that many of them had a difficult time arranging birthday parties for their children and often complained about having to spend hours looking for party providers. During lockdown, I decided to build a platform which would empower both customers and local businesses to find each other.

What inspired you?

Lockdown has been a really difficult time for small businesses and self-employed entertainers. Most of them lost all of their work overnight and were forced to cut back on expenses. I wanted to use the downtime to create a platform that would make it easier for party providers to connect with customers as soon as restrictions were lifted, and to help them save on advertising costs by being promoted on our website. Lockdown has also been hard on children, many of whom have celebrated birthdays without their friends. By selecting the best entertainers in the business, I wanted to give customers the option to have parties as soon as possible in a safe environment. Most of our providers offer socially-distanced parties, and many of them are now busier than ever!

Who is your ideal customer?

Parents and carers who want to bring some birthday magic to their kids!

What is your top parenting tip?

Relax and let our entertainers do all the work for you.

Emily’s favourites

Shop: Wholefoods

Website: Kinderlist – recently discovered this. It lets you shop for children’s gifts and create wishlists

Holiday destination: Italy

Restaurant: London has too many amazing ones to pick a favourite!

Hotel: I recently stayed in a converted cave hotel called Aquatio Cave in Matera in the south of Italy which had stunning views!

Find out more on MyLittleParty.uk

Looking for something else? Take a peek at my ultimate directory for the best parent and baby recommendations.

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Activities Days Out Places

6 Family Farm Days Under One Hour From London

Back in the day, you would go to a farm and expect to see a couple of domestic animals roaming around, a few farm animals in the field, have a play on a rickety old climbing frame, eat a Mr Whippy and then head home. Oh no. Not nowadays. We expect a farm to entertain our poor little deprived children and not only give them a taste of the countryside but entertain, thrill and stimulate them like a theme park! Fun farms!

Here a few that you can reach in about an hour from London – so go for the day and still be back in time for tea – that definitely won’t disappoint!

Bocketts Farm

Leatherhead, Surrey

Nestled just off the A3, it’s very easy to get to Bocketts. There is lots to do – inside and outside play areas, animal feeling and some lovely lunch options – as well as Bocketts being a working family farm. The farm is home to hundreds of animals, including lambs, piglets, chicks and calves. For us, The Pig Racing was a real highlight. It’s actually a full-on marathon and the children went nuts for it. I didn’t know pigs could run that fast… Very fun.

Address: Young St, Fetcham, Leatherhead KT22 9BS, United Kingdom

Find out more on BockettsFarm.co.uk

Photo credit: @olliedixonphoto, Facebook

Bucklebury Farm Park

Reading, Berkshire

This is a delightful farm and we particularly enjoyed the go karts and play bus. The guys had fun careering down the assault course in the woods too! Bucklebury is very charming and the shabby-chic style cafe was lovely and also very helpful – warming baby food and helping prevent our errant 2 year old from wandering into the kitchen without losing their cool!

Address: Bucklebury, Reading RG7 6RR, United Kingdom

Find out more on BuckleburyFarmPark.co.uk

Credit: buckleburyfarmpark, Facebook

Looking for a short family break? Here are 12 luxury staycations the whole family will love…

Godstone Farm

Godstone, Surrey

The soft play and vast adventure playground alone is worth the entry fee here. There is also a much appreciated section for the under 2’s. The dino trail and designated playground filled with ride on tractors and trucks was also a real hit. They are very generous with the time they allow for rabbit and chicken ‘cuddling’ although the chicks were out of bounds for the 1 year old. ‘They aren’t very good at releasing their grip at that age…’

Update July 2020: Animal holding and the playbarn are currently closed but hopefully we’ll see them opening very soon!

Address: Farm Limited, Tilburstow Hill Rd, Godstone RH9 8LX, United Kingdom

Find out more on GodstoneFarm.co.uk

Credit: Godstonefarm.co.uk

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You will find a gorgeous range of jewellery, accessories and clothes on TLM Edit, all hand-picked by The London Mummy.

Hobbledown

Epsom, Surrey

Hobbledown is the ‘Harry Potter’ of all farms. It is like entering a different land and each area is crafted beautifully. Teepees and tents line the paths and there is something interesting going on at every turn. I could have perused the shop for longer than I did too. There were loads of cool books, games and toys – will definitely stock up on Christmas presents next time we head back!

Address: Horton Ln, Epsom KT19 8PT, United Kingdom

Find out more on Hobbledown.com

Credit: Hobbledown.com

Odds Park Farm

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Odds Park is a huge farm with plenty to do including tractor rides, animal feeding, a wonderful sandpit and plentiful play areas. Everyone’s highlight was the sheep racing though, where you backed a sheep and if it came in, you won a medal. That made a few happy (and unhappy) faces! The staff are very friendly and the map is clear with an extensive plan of what’s on at what time.

Address: Wooburn Common, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe HP10 0LX, United Kingdom

Find out more on OddsFarm.co.uk

Credit: OddsFarm.co.uk

Wellington Country Park

Riseley, Berkshire

We always race straight to the train as soon as we arrive. Hughie, the train driver, always welcomes us aboard with a huge smile. Each time we visit they have added to the collection of little statues, gnomes and animals along the route. Don’t forget to scream when you go through the tunnel! If you manage to get beyond the three different outdoor play areas (they are brilliant – especially the zip wire), there is a sweet little farm area and a beautiful lake to walk around. A top day out.

Address: Odiham Rd, Riseley, Reading RG7 1SP, United Kingdom

Find out more on Wellington-Country-Park.co.uk

Whichever one you choose, you will have a lovely day. They are all perfect destinations to meet friends, escape the grind and fill up one day of the holidays!

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Activities Events

Easter Holidays Covered with London’s Little Thinkers

With the Easter holidays imminent, London’s Little Thinkers is on hand to fill your ‘Little Thinker’s’ time with educational and engaging activities. Below are some of LLT’s top tips of things to do both in London and at home to get your little ones thinking! They always have fantastic ideas and I know you will enjoy this post that Rebecca (from London’s Little Thinkers) has crafted for you… Wow, that sounds like a bit of tongue twister but the tips are as clear as a bell!

Activities in London

We are incredibly excited to introduce you to Bubble Kids Yoga, London. This impressive new venture will immerse your Little Thinker in both yoga and mindfulness in a fun, stress free and interactive way. Bubble Kids offer age appropriate classes for children aged 4-12 during holidays and in term time – our favourite being the storytelling through yoga.

Are you Looking for an Easter Holiday Course for your Little Thinker? Sign up to one of their Easter workshops (2 hours per day) for a bouncy, fun, dynamic and imaginative yoga and mindfulness course. Location: Parsons Green (4, 5, 6th April) or Wimbledon Village (11,12,13th April). Price: £65 (sibling discount applies). Email here for more details.

Events at Discover Children’s Story Centre are both educational and fun for Little Thinkers. Check out their range of literacy inspired events on offer over the Easter Holidays. Why not head over for their Dr Seuss inspired Easter egg hunt. Head out into the Story Garden for a Green Eggs and Ham inspired egg hunt, dreamt up by our Children’s Forum. Your Little Thinker will have to complete the literacy focused challenges before winning their chocolate goodie!

The Robot Zoo at The Horniman Museum will give your Little Thinker the chance to discover the mechanisms which give animals their unique abilities. Why do grasshoppers jump so high? Why do chameleons change colour? All of these questions and more will
be answered through the use of larger-than-life animals that have been “innovatively
recreated using a variety of familiar machine parts and gadgets to reveal how their real life counterparts see, eat, hunt and hide”.

Interactive exhibits also give your Little Thinker the chance to try jet-propelled squid racing, shoot a chameleon’s ‘tongue-gun’ and even design their own ‘mutant’ robot creature.

Child ticket £4.

The Little Art Society was set up by two specialist Art teachers. They run Art, Craft ad Design workshops for Little Thinkers during weekends and the school holidays. Their 3 hour long sessions expose children to new techniques and a diverse range of new skills and materials.

Book your session for the Easter Holidays here

At Home

Shaving Foam Fun: simple yet effective, this is an excellent way to encourage emergent writing or letter/number formation. Cover a big tray in shaving foam and let your Little Thinker get messy whilst practicing their school work. When I taught Reception, the children’s increased enthusiasm to write (especially boys) when shaving foam was involved was amazing to see. My biggest tip would be to keep learning fun, interactive and sensory; when you do this the results are amazing! It’ll leave your house smelling delicious too!

Download Virry : children can discover a world of animal adventures through wild animal live cameras, interactive videos and countless hours of captivating entertainment and learning! Created in collaboration with leading child development researchers and world-renowned wildlife experts, Virry is specifically designed for animal lovers aged 2–7 years olds with a hunger to explore and discover the animal kingdom. Trusted by parents and educators around the world, you can download their app via the App Store.

Mrs Wordsmith: We are a big fan of Mrs Wordsmith vocabulary cards here at LLT. They are hilariously illustrated vocabulary cards which will nourish, support and develop your Little Thinkers vocabulary bank. This subscription-based programme has been academically researched by specialists and will be delivered straight to your door. Your Little Thinker will enjoy vocabulary exercises, daily placemats, flashcards and rewards too.

Order here

If you have enjoyed this post – I certainly have! please sign up to London’s Little Thinkers for information on what’s on and what to do with little ones.

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Activities Food Places

Mummy & Mini Tea, Urban Meadow Cafe

Last Sunday the kids had a fab time at the Princess Diana Memorial playground in Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park. A little tip if you are heading there – I didn’t realise you weren’t allowed in the playground without kids with you, so after letting the rest of them go on ahead (I was taking photos…) I was stumped when they wouldn’t let me in! Don’t make the same mistake…

Once we were reunited and the tummies started rumbling, we hopped across Bayswater Road (lots of pay and display parking btw) to Urban Meadow Cafe for a special family afternoon tea that they are currently offering, Mummy & Mini Tea.

Urban Meadow is a cafe/bistro attached to the Double Tree Hilton Hotel. The entrance is spacious and there are lots of outdoor tables as Urban Meadow attracts a lot of dog walkers and there are heaters and water bowl for your fury friend. Here is a little video.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pskMkek7ISY[/embedyt]

We were greeted by friendly staff who showed us to our table and gave us the Mummy & Mini Tea menu. The interiors are slightly American Diner meets Daylesford!

We ordered 2 adult teas and 3 children’s. The food arrived quickly so there was little time to crack on with the craft packs that they gave the children – not that they minded when they saw the cupcakes! To our delight we were each given a small wicker basket with our tea in, including scones and clotted cream!

It was a tasty as it looks and everyone likes food served a novel way! What a lovely way to finish off the weekend.

Rating 0-5

Ambience : 3 It wasn’t very busy as it was their quietest time of day and they were clearing tables before the rush of dinner guests, so the atmosphere wasn’t electric.

Service : 4 At the beginning the service was a bit slow, but once the kids started kicking off and there were a few tuts from the other patrons, the service hotted up and we were served like kings!

Value : 4 All fed for £30. Not bad! There was so much food it doubled up as the kids tea.

Taste : 4 Soft & tasty sandwiches & large selection of specialist teas.

Overall : 4 It is a great place if you are in the area. Next time you are in Hyde Park and fancy something to eat, don’t go to the cafe’s in the park #ripoff, head to Urban Meadow Cafe. It is a lovely family outing or also a great place to go with friends (or your dog) midweek. We will definitely visit again!

urbanmeadowcafe.com

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Family Life Services

How To Host A Kids Party At Home

At the end of August, I had 48 kids to a party. In our house. Sometimes I can’t even handle a playdate with a couple of kids, so what possessed me? I thought it was time that my sons, less than two years apart, both summer boys – should have a joint party. They like the same things and have ALOT of pairs of other sibling friends, so it seemed ludicrous to have 2 similar parties within a month of eachother.

Why so many? I like to be inclusive! Ok, if I am truthful, I thought as it was summer alot of people would be away, but you know what – people aren’t on holiday ALL THE TIME and so they around. (I am very happy everyone could come btw.)

So, here’s my advice to make it as smooth as possible, also without breaking the bank.

Email the invitation. Go to Canva and design a funky one yourself. It’s free too.

The party should be two 2 hours max. Don’t want any meltdowns. From you.

Get a good entertainer. A great one should be able to keep the children happy & engaged and take the pressure of you by organising them for tea and the cake etc. We have used Mr Marvel 3 years in a row as he does precisely this. He has become a family tradition!

Another recommendation is The Bubble Lady who gives an interractive bubble display.

Check out Hot Hire if you have a fire engine lover. They park outside the party, let the kids explore the engine and then give them a drive around the block!

Kids don’t eat much do they? Especially when they are excited. I spent a lot of time constructing a lunch box in previous parties only to see so much waste. Now I just do a plates to hand round. It is slightly chaotic and survival of the fittest but if children are old enough to walk and talk, they can express to an adult that they are famished and the food has passed them by!

What I would serve –

Jam on brown bread or cream cheese on white bread seems to be popular.
Fruit shoots (take all the plastic lids of first so you aren’t treading on them for the rest of the party – ouch)
Bowl of hula hoops. Old school.
Bowl of mini sausages.
Half a pineapple with pineapple (from a tin – you don’t want to mess around with the actual pineapple) and cheese chunks on cocktail sticks (my attempt at a hedgehog!) and a tomato and cucumber crocodile!

Then pudding is the cake… I ordered and collected these football boots from M and S

For something more bespoke and special, try Victoria Defty Couture Cakes.

If you want to make one yourself… Try Craft & Crumb. They will send you everything you need to make your own celebration cake!

If you don’t have time to do the food – M and S also do kids party platters

Children's Jigsaw Platter - 24 Pieces

If you have tables and chairs for your little darlings, you really should get Lottie from Crate a Party to kit you out with plates, napkins and cutlery all to your chosen theme.

7.PiratesPackage 5.PrincessPackage

She delivered a huge box filled of Star Wars themed goodies – including balloons, confetti, personalised Happy Birthday bunting AND two giant helium darth vadars. Now that is service! All we had to do was blow up the balloons!

Lottie is offering 20% off her HALLOWEEN package if you mention The London Mummy.

Below is a photo of the personalised Halloween bunting! (The numbers were from when we took the boys to Lords!)

If your kids want a pinata, get a pull one, not a whack one. That means everyone gets to hold a piece of the string and pull at once. It saves time and a few broken noses too. We actually had two – one for the 4 year olds and one for 6 year olds. It was amazing how ordered it was.

As a bit of fun, I bought a helium Storm Trooper from Card Factory. The only problem was getting it home in the car….

With regards to party bags, Jasmine Guinesses honeyjam do great party bags and fillers if you want to do them yourself. Personally I go to poundland and buy 50 toys. If you can, wrap them!

If a party at home doesn’t appeal, here are some great London venues.

I hope this post has helped. The most important aspect to remember when you are having a party at home is to make sure you have a chilled bottle of vino in the fridge for you afterwards!!!

For more recommendations, check out TLM Directory.

If you would like to sign up to receive The London Mummy emails – no more than x2 a week, please subscribe here.

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Activities Days Out Events

9 Summer Holiday Camps

One of the things I planned to do before the end of term was to sort out holiday camps. With only three weeks to go, I haven’t done so yet and have been spurred into doing so by the plethora of emails circulating from school and nursery friends about what to book the kiddios into. I have been collating a file of holiday camps over the last 3 months that I am interested in or have done before. Here they are!

Wild Learning

This summer club is a young intrepid explorer’s dream. Between fire making, shelter building, mud sculptures, making dams, whittling, making whistles and crowns, making mini towns, giving the trees faces, making Viking knitting machines or puppets, finding stick men, playing stealth games, learning how to make rope bridges, making and tackling assault courses, making bread or cakes on the fire, mini beast hunts, scent tracking, magic listening stones, ground pictures, story chains, drum and music games, being explorers and much much more no day is the same.

Various locations across the South East including Wimbedon Common and Putney Common in London.

Call Rachel or Julie 01483 424 400

Dance Grooves

Get your kids active and one step ahead of the curve with dance lessons from Dance Grooves.

All over London.

Book here

Clarendon Inspires

If you are keen to get your child educated both culturally and academically, you must try Clarendon Tutors for their cultual itiniaries for kids around London. Not only will it include an hours tutoring, they will be exercised and invigorated at various interesting locations around London.

Contact Henry or Orlando to book here

Danceworks International Ballet Academy

Open to all students 6 to 18 years of age July 18th – 29th 2016

DIBA welcomes you to our second International Ballet Summer School Intensive. This unique two-week programme held in Danceworks London studios for children and teenagers, is founded on the belief that the arts have a unique power to motivate and engage young dancers to achieve excellence. Classes are taught by internationally renowned dancers from leading ballet companies.

Mayfair, London

Apply here

Summer Music Camp in French

Perfect for tiger parents. Music and french in one. If you child is between 8-12, this fun interractive music camp finishes with a performance for parents at the end of the week.

Clapham, London

Book here

Little House of Science

My 5 year old did one of their morning workshops on space and absolutely loved it. Small groups and fully interactive, this is great for a budding scientist.

Various locations in London.

Contact here

My Little Boarders

No, I am not suggesting you pack them off to boarding school for the summer (!) this holiday camp is perfect if you have a budding skate boarder in your midst.

Westway Sports Club & Westminster Academy.

Ages 6-13

Book here

Shooting Starz Holiday Camp

My ultimate favourite football camp (and we have done ALOT of football clubs and classes). The teachers are so kind, interested in the kids, know all the children by name and give specific feedback. The days are super fun and the boys love it.

Ravenscourt, Acton, Fulham.

Book here

Or call Luke to discuss age and siblings (they welcome my 3 year old as he is footy mad!) 07549 982 243

Miss Sophie’s Holiday Club

A spin off from Sophie’s Taste For Knowledge website which supplies cooks and tutors, Sophie has deeveloped days out for children in London. See below!

Contact Sophie here

For more indepth search of holiday camps, try Kidsorted who are up to speed on everything, everywhere! Also, if you want to go it alone in the smoke, sign up to London’s Little Thinkers newsletter with lots of information on what’s on, in and around the Capital.

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Activities Days Out Places Services

London Cultural Trips For Kids

Clarendon Tutors offer a bespoke tutoring service in London. However, it isn’t another tutoring agency that matches child to tutor and leaves you on your way. They understand a parents need for continuous feedback and they also maintain open communication with whichever schools the children attend, ensuring that they are working in co-operation rather than conflict.

‘The thing I loved about Clarendon was the constant support. The agencies I have used in the past have just sent us anonymous tutors and that’s been the end of it. Clarendon helped us through every step of getting ‘M’ into his school.’

The charming and knowledgeable founders, Henry and Orlando, are excellent at matching their highly experienced Oxbridge tutors with a pupil, being tutors themselves, and have a 100% track record of getting your child into the school of your choice.

What makes Clarendon Tutors really unique is their Cultural Trips. Consisting of 1 tutor to 1-2 children, the day out combines traditional learning with experiences such as visiting a museum and also a more active pursuit such as a tennis lesson or a round of crazy golf, for example. Whatever you require, they will endeavor to tailor the day for you and your child including picking them up and taking them home. The tutor also visit a few days before so that you are comfortable with who will be looking after your children for the day.

What’s Included

9am pick up from home (or the train if your child is old enough to come into London for the day)
1 hour of tutoring in the morning
An exhibition or museum such as Imperial, Natural or Design Museum
A healthy lunch
An Afternoon activity such as tennis, football, Go Ape, Putt In The Park
1 hour tutoring
5pm finish

Outside the Ai Wei Wei Exhibition at the RA

Ready for tennis at The Hurlingham Club

For international parents and children that are new to London, they are able to help you by showing them the British culture and system. Whatever your requirements are, these are your guys. With the gaping summer holiday looming, they will be able to take the children off your hands knowing they are being well looked after and educated in a fair few things too!

Tuition rates start at £50/hr. Day trips start from £200/day.

Drop them an email for more information and to ask any questions – henry@clarendontutors.com / orlando@clarendontutors.com or give them a call anytime on 020 7206 2569

clarendontutors.com

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Days Out Places

South Kensington Club : Private Members Club

Just before Christmas. we planned a ‘day date’ in London (without the children, as obviously it ain’t no date with kids in tow) and we were asked if we would like to visit the South Kensington Club. It is a luxury, private members club in the heart of London, so obviously we jumped at the chance to visit and try out the newly opened Bathhouse…

Quick snap of the outside before we went in!

We were welcomed by delightful receptionists who looked like they had just stepped off the Ralph Lauren runway. They guided us to the luxury changing rooms, were we put on our swimming costumes, adorned a bath robe and sexy flip flops.

Couldn’t take the camera in to the Bathhouse so this is as far as it goes…

We then headed to our private Banya suite for our Russian style sauna.

We were advised to only stay in the sauna for a few minutes at first to acclimatize but once we used to it we upped it by a few minutes each time, interspersed with a freezing plunge pool. Incidentally I only went into the plunge pool up to my waist but Alex immersed himself fully, making the most of an opportunity to feel fully refreshed and invigorated!

The South Kensington Club is also home to the “grotta” London’s most beautiful saltwater Watsu pool, allowing members to integrate the primordial element of the sea into their daily workouts. Members can either unwind in the pool that is lined with powerful jets, or enjoy it exclusively while taking a therapy treatment – or “Aquatic Body Work”. The aim is to always feel good and to learn to include fitness and wellbeing in our every day lives. After our sauna experience, we went to this beautiful mini ‘swimming pool’ (where the water is actually imported from Sicily via truck every fortnight) and relaxed even further.

We then had a super duper brunch in the quiet and cosy restaurant. Children are allowed although we went midweek in the morning so we didn’t see any (shame 😉

Loved the juice bar.

Entrance to the roof terrace – the panamas were a nice touch.

Over looking the heart of London from the roof terrace.

The South Kensington Club also provides unparalleled fitness and well-being facilities. SKC’s three studios provide an ideal environment for yoga, hot yoga, pilates, barre, hot barre, cardio, boxing and high-energy dance classes, as well as private fitness assessments. The first floor fitness studios also include personal and functional training areas. Leading trainers are on hand to assist members, explain how to use the machines in the safest and most effective way, create fitness initiatives and give personalised one-to-one sessions to those who require it. To create more holistic and bespoke programs, health and fitness assessments will be available to members by using VO2 Max and spirometric testing. Programs include: “Marathon Fit”, “Ski Fit”, “Hiking Fit” and more. Osteopaths, acupuncturists and physiotherapists will also be available to support members in reaching optimum results.

The Club has been designed with its members every desire in mind. From the cultural and culinary, to the physical and philosophical, they have access to the best services, including exclusive social and travel opportunities as well as a pioneering centre for fitness and well-being. Whether you are visiting for a cocktail, taking a dip in the salt-water Watsu Pool, seeking a moment of calm in the bathhouse or inspiration from the Voyager Programme the South Kensington Club offers excellence in every field. The elegant, unpretentious, homely environment of the South Kensington Club’s interior has been thoughtfully executed to provide a place for reflection, relaxation and respite for its guests.

It does just that!

To apply for membership email members@southkensingtonclub.com
or call 020 3006 6868

southkensingtonclub.com

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