Things To Do In London: Tuesday 3 February 2015

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Get your sequins on at Idler Academy's workshop

Listings

ENTERPRISE WEEK: Wandsworth Enterprise Week is on until Saturday with various events to help those who want to set up their own business. Today, there’s a day-long Twitter masterclass for small businesses, and advice for enterprising over 50s. See the full list of events, including social media workshops and a youth enterprise day. Free, prebook, 2-7 February

KNITTING: The Fleming Collection runs free knitting drop in sessions, where you can help with making knitted booties which will be donated to Knit For Peace. Materials and refreshments provided. Free, just turn up, 1pm-3pm

DINOSAUR LECTURE: UCL’s lunchtime lecture, by Professor Steve Miller, is about the role that the media has played in making it known that dinosaurs were wiped out by the impact of a large asteroid about 66 million years ago. Free, just turn up, 1.15pm-1.55pm

PARKINSON'S TALK: Join Parkinson's UK for a free talk at 16 St John’s Lane, EC1. Hear how others have dealt with their own Parkinson’s diagnoses and how they go on living as normally as possible. Discuss living and working with Parkinson’s, accessing care and anticipating financial concerns. Free, prebook by phone 020 7932 1328 or email [email protected], 5.30pm

CHINA DURING WORLD WAR I: Asia House hosts a talk on a more unusual chapter of the Great War. Five of the UK’s most prominent thinkers on China today will speak about a given topic, including Jonathan Fenby and Paul French. £10/£8, prebook, 6.30pm  

MY DEAR BESSIE: Foyles on Charing Cross Road celebrates the publication of My Dear Bessie, a volume of letters sent in World War Two between Chris Barker, part of the Royal Corps of Signals, and his ex-colleague Bessie Moore, as their friendship turned into a love affair. Simon Garfield, editor of the volume, discusses the couple's lives with their son. £5, prebook, 7pm

LIFE DRAWING: Ben Uri Gallery kicks off a new series of life drawing evenings, to tie in with the current Refiguring the 50s exhibition. £15, prebook by calling 020 7604 3991, 7pm

SEQUIN WORKSHOP: Head to Westbourne Park for The Idler Academy's sequinification workshop with artist Sequin Kay. Learn how to embellish your old, unusual or unloved items, and leave with the skills to rejuvenate and give new life to items in your wardrobe. Materials are provided, just bring along the item that you would like to rejuvenate. £45, prebook, 7pm-10pm

REFLECTIONS ON WAR: Faber Social and the Royal Society of Literature pair up for an evening of readings, music and performance at Islington Assembly Hall to mark the publication of Andrew O'Hagan's fifth novel,The Illuminations. O'Hagan shares the stage with novelist, poet and playwright Edna O'Brien and performance poet Kate Tempest. £10, prebook, 7.30pm

POETRY: Burn After Reading Poetry is at Seven Dials Club in Covent Garden with a performance from spoken word artist Maria Ferguson and readings from the BAR poets. £5, just turn up, 7.45pm

THE LATE DAVID TURPIN: One of Ireland's most unusual and accomplished alternative music artists, The Late David Turpin makes his London debut at Rich Mix. Expect a blend of popular music and experimental theatre. £6/£4, prebook, 8pm

COMEDY: *SCREAM* Luisa Omielan’s doing another run of her sell-out show Am I Right, Ladies? at Soho Theatre. We love her so much. She’s on until Saturday. £12.50-£20, prebook, 9pm

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at The Hop Exchange on Southwark Street, Bishopsgate Institute and the usual donor centres. See site for terms and conditions. Scared of donating blood? Watch our video.

Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at [email protected] at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note: due to high volumes of email, we can’t always reply.


Good Cause of the Day

Environmental charity Hubbub have teamed up with the boutique mother and baby brand JoJo Maman Bébé and children’s charity Barnado’s to launch From a Mother to Another asking mothers to gift good-quality, unwanted baby and children’s clothing to other mothers in the UK in the run up to Mother’s Day. The aim is to decrease the amount of clothing sent to expensive landfill sites. Collections today from 10am-5pm in the Upper Terrace at Somerset House.

From The Archive

Take a wander through the past houses of some of London's best-known authors; Freud, Dickens, Johnson, Carlyle, Conan Doyle and Keats have all wandered the capital’s streets, seeking inspiration and escape, and have left behind story-filled houses infused with their character and creations.