What we're reading
- Public fears for rough sleepers as snow blankets Britain.
- London housing market hits historic lows.
- Richmond Council is closing a road for some mating toads (seriously).
- Has London's outer borough cycling scheme worked?
- Fourth London bus route goes fully electric.
Things to do:
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY:... may not be for another week, but that's not stopping Seven Dials marking the occasion early. Special events are going on all week including in-store events, a Suffragette-inspired jewellery range, and a special chocolate pannacotta with marmalade from CasaLorena, a women’s organisation based in Naples who support women affected by domestic violence. Seven Dials, 1-8 March
GARDEN OF LIGHT: It wouldn't be St David's Day without a daff or two... what about 4,000 of the blighters, all illuminated outside St Paul's Cathedral? That's what you'll see at Marie Curie Cancer Care's Garden of Light, where each daffodil represents a person Marie Curie will support this March. Wordsworth had nothing on this lot. Paternoster Square, free (but do consider making a donation), just turn up, 1-11 March
GARAGE SALE: Dalston vintage shop Beyond Retro is having a huge clear out and flogging off the old stock at a four-day garage sale. Prices start from £1, with tops from £5 and jeans from a tenner. Beyond Retro, free entry, just turn up, 10am-7pm (until 4 March)
DIGITAL ARCHIVES: With technology developing at such a pace, what will digital archives look like in the future? This free talk by Digital Director John Sheridan marks 40 years since the National Archives moved to Kew. National Archives (Kew), free, book ahead, 2pm
BIRTHDAY PARTY: Hackney Wick events venue Number 90 may only be four years old, but it's earned itself one heck of a reputation in that time. To celebrate, it's throwing itself a four-day birthday party, kicking off today with live music, film screenings, workshops, food and drink offers, and more. Number 90, free, book ahead, 4pm-midnight (and until 4 March)
HOLDING THE BABY: Attend the launch of a new oral history exhibition about childcare and parenting in the East End. Hear tales of working mums, stay-at-home dads, postnatal depression and family support. There will be speakers at tonight's launch, and the exhibition will tour the borough over the coming year. Plaistow Library (Newham), free, book ahead for the launch, 5.30pm-7.30pm
WALLIS IN LOVE: Former royal correspondent Jennie Bond chats to Andrew Morton, author of a new book about Wallis Simpson. Wallis In Love apparently puts forward new findings about Simpson's life, and her feelings towards King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne for her. Waterstones King's Road, £5/£3, book ahead, 6.30pm
8 BORDER, 8 DAYS: Why do migrants risk their lives on board smugglers' rafts to Europe? This documentary tells the story of a Syrian mother who did just that with her kids. Watch their story, followed by a panel discussion. Bertha DocHouse (Bloomsbury), £12.50/£10, book ahead, 6.45pm
CLIMATE COMEDY: Climate change is no laughing matter but that's not stopping comedian and environmental economist Matt Winning making it the subject of his next show. See it while it's a work in progress. The Bill Murray (Islington), £5, book ahead, 6.45pm
IF WALLS COULD TALK: Henry VIII's private life, cloistered nuns and a pope's daughter all feature on this talk about history's hidden stories, told by historians Bettany Hughes and Suzannah Lipscomb. Royal Geographical Society (Kensington Gore), £15-£20, book ahead, 7pm-9.30pm
LONELY IN LONDON: 8.7 million people live in London, and yet loneliness is rife. New play The Sea explores isolation in London, demonstrating how easy it is to feel insignificant among such a huge number of people. Camden People's Theatre, £11/£9, book ahead, 7.30pm (until 3 March)
BLACK VOICES: Royal Albert Hall's Women and the Hall series of events takes over tonight's late night jazz session with a performance from Black Voices, Europe's leading all-female a capella group. They've opened shows for the likes of Ray Charles and Nina Simone, so you're in very capable hands. Elgar Room (Royal Albert Hall), £15, book ahead, doors 9.10pm, show 9.30pm
Good cause of the day:
Mark St David's Day at this fundraising concert by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir, with proceeds going to homeless charity Passage. Methodist Central Hall (Westminster), £20-£25, book ahead, 7.30pm-9.30pm
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