Palmers Green and Southgate are blessed with the presence of one of London's best Blues clubs. Every Friday night St Monica's social club on Cannon Hill is transformed into "St Harmonica's" and plays host to some great musicians, some local, others from further afield, who play for free - the only money they take home is what goes into the collecting hat.
Entry to the club is also free - you just need to pay a membership fee of a mere £2.50 a year. And prices at the bar are as cheap as they come.
After tonight's Half Term Jam Session the musicians won't be taking home any money at all. The contents of the hat will be passed on to a notable local charity - the Enfield Refugees Welcome Group.
This is how the Welcome Group describe their mission:
We are a group of Enfield Citizens who want to make sure that Enfield is a welcoming and supportive place for vulnerable refugees. We are a diverse group - with lawyers, teachers, charity workers, childcare experts, retired and committed individuals who just want to make a difference.
We are currently applying for community sponsorship and are in the process of securing housing, funds, ESOL, a community welcome plan and other aspects of resettlement in order to settle (initially one) family of Syrian refugees. We are working with relevant local organisations such as schools, colleges, health providers, churches, mosques and private landlords to provide these refugees with the support they need to integrate successfully into our community. We are supported by Citizen UK’s national refugee welcome programme: https://www.refugees-welcome.org.uk/. Caritas, a Westminster Diocese charity supporting social action, is our charity partner, (a Home Office requirement).
Coming soon at St Harmonica's and friends
Feb 10 Half-term blues jam
Feb 17 Hill Street Blues Band
Feb 24 Guy Tortora Band
Mar 3 The Low Down Dogs
Mar 10 Mark Harrison Band
Mar 17 Blues Chapter(ish) & Tressel
Mar 24 The Hokum Blues Band
Mar 31 The Cadillac Kings
Apr 7 Easter Blues Jam
Apr 14 CLOSED
Apr 21 Blues Chapter
Apr 28 The John Edmonds Band