Inside Wimbledon's largest running club
Plus: Merton builds its first council homes in over a generation
Good morning, Wimblers — I hope that everyone is having a lovely time in the run-up to Easter.
This week we’ve got an interview with Richard Cohen, the chair of SW19’s largest running club, the Wimbledon Windmilers. Formed in 1980 and now with over 550 active members, the Windmilers are nothing short of a Wimbledon institution. But not all of us are avid runners. In fact, many of us — myself included — are out of practice when it comes to running. Sitting down with Richard, I asked him how such a large group of runners deals with novices (like myself) joining. Scroll down to see what he said.
We also have your usual news snippets, a great property of the week and some recommendations to keep you busy in the days ahead. Let us know in the comments below if you have any Easter activities or traditions that you fancy sharing with other readers.
Happy reading!
News snippets 🗞
🏗 Construction begins on Merton’s first new council homes in a generation. The work is being carried out on 75 new council homes across three sites in the borough. The developments are supported by a multimillion-pound investment from the Mayor of London’s Affordable Homes programme (2021–26). Each home will have “PassivHaus” principles, which means they will be energy-efficient and more sustainable, and are set to be finished in 2027. Elm Nursery in Mitcham will have 21 homes, and Raleigh Gardens in Mitcham will have 36 homes made up of one and two-bedroom flats. Farm Road in Morden will have 18 new council homes made up of one and two-bedroom flats and larger homes for families. Click here to read more.
🌳 New “pocket parks” have been opening across Merton. These small but impactful spaces aim to bring nature closer to communities by supporting wellbeing and creating habitats for wildlife. There are 20 locations across the borough (one in each ward) and have been introduced as part of Merton’s 60th anniversary. Click here to see where your nearest “pocket park” is.
🗳 Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler, is among 12 councillors stepping down from Merton council ahead of the upcoming local elections. The 12 known departing councillors come from Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Kohler, a Lib Dem, is stepping down to focus on his parliamentary duties full-time. Click here to read a full list of those stepping down.
🐄 The date for Deen City Farm’s annual fundraiser event “Farm Fest” has just been announced. Join the farm on Saturday 27 June for a day of fun and celebrations. The itinerary is yet to be revealed, but if it’s anything like last year, we’re in for a treat. Tickets are £2 for 16+, £1 for those ages 12—15 and children under 11 go free. The festival will last from 10am – 7pm, with the last entry being at 6pm. Keep your eyes peeled for more info.
Property of the week 🏡
This three-bedroom Grade II-listed apartment is only a short walk from Wimbledon town centre and south Wimbledon. It has a great amount of space for an apartment, though I think its most winning feature is that metal spiral staircase that leads to the upstairs bedroom. But what does it cost? This particular flat will set you back just shy of £1.1m. Not the cheapest flat in Wimbledon. Not the most expensive, either. Check out more photos here.
The Wimble’s to-do list 🎯
🎨 Easter face painting: Join the landlady of the Rose & Crown and the rest of her team for a day of face painting and Easter celebrations. There will even be a chance for your children to show off their Easter card-making skills. This event is free, and no booking is required.
Where: Rose & Crown
When: Saturday 4 April, 12–3pm
🐇 Meet the Easter Bunny: Celebrate the magic of Easter with a special “Meet the Easter Bunny” event. There will be an Easter storytime, a meet and greet, arts and crafts, magic tricks, face painting and more. Tickets are £10 per child. Book here.
Where: Wimbledon Quarter
When: Saturday 4 April, 11am–5pm (each session is 45 minutes)
🐴 Holistic horse care: This is your chance to spend a calm 75 minutes connecting with horses in a safe and relaxed environment. The session begins with an introduction to horse behaviour, including flight instincts, body language, and how horses perceive their surroundings. Then you will move on to hands-on time with the horses, guided by experienced instructors, where you’ll learn the basics of safe handling and grooming, observe how horses respond to calm, consistent communication, and discover techniques that promote horse well-being. Note that there is no riding involved. Tickets are £40 for non-members. Book your spot here.
Where: Wimbledon Village Stables
When: Tuesday 7 April, 1.45–3pm
📜 Cleopatra: Image and Reality: Cleopatra is undeniably one of the most interesting figures in history. This lecture by Dr Stephen Kershaw will focus on her personality, the events of her life, the men in it and the cultural context of the time. Members go free. £10 for everyone else. Click here for more information.
Where: The Sacred Heart Church Hall
When: Wednesday 8 April, 8pm
🍾 Castelnau Champagne sampling: A grower cooperative, Champagne Castelnau sources their grapes from over 800 hectares across 150 crus, producing some exceptional-value and highly acclaimed Champagnes, well known for their extensive lees ageing. Some very technical words there, but all you really need to know is that it tastes delicious. You’ll be guided through three of Castelnau’s cuvées – their Brut NV, Rosé NV and exceptional vintage Blanc de Blancs – and understand what all the fuss is about. Oh, and did I mention that this tasting is free? That’s right. What are you waiting for?
Where: Amathus, Wimbledon Village
When: Saturday 11 April, 12–4pm
🎉 2026 Songkran Festival: Celebrate the Thai New Year and experience the beautiful traditions of Thai culture. Join others at Buddhapadipa Temple for traditional blessings, Thai food and community celebrations. Members, volunteers and children under 12 go free. Tickets are £3 for non-members. This year’s event also coincides with the temple’s 60th anniversary.
Where: Buddhapadipa Temple
When: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 April, 10am – 5pm
🥕 Taste of The Rooftop Farm: Join The Rooftop Farm for an exclusive evening to taste a variety of dishes made using ingredients from the farm. The event is hosted in The Fire Station Café, located on Queens Road on the ground floor of Wimbledon Quarter (opposite the police station). Expect cocktails and mocktails made with the farm’s honey, tasting bites with fresh farm produce, talks by special guests Vanessa Marx (Bingham Riverhouse) and Toby Cartwright (Black Radish), a chat with resident beekeeper Barnaby and a guided tour of the farm itself. Tickets are £27 per person and will sell out very fast, so grab them here now!
Where: The Fire Station Café, Wimbledon Quarter
When: Tuesday 12 May, 6–8pm
‘We believe that running is for everyone’: Meet Wimbledon’s largest running club 🏃 💨
Formed in 1980, Wimbledon Windmilers are one of SW19’s oldest and biggest running clubs. I think the name “running club” can be a little scary for people (like me) who consider themselves “bad” at running. But it needn’t be that way. In fact, running clubs are for people of all abilities. They are spaces where everyone should feel welcome. And that ethos is at the heart of the Wimbledon Windmilers’ mission. This week, I sat down with Richard Cohen, the club’s chair, to talk about the impact of running on the community and what it means to be a Windmiler.
Let’s start with your backstory, Richard. How did you join the Windmilers?
I always ran growing up. When I moved from South Africa to the UK, I started running with a friend. But I wanted to build my network. I wanted to find a community of like-minded people that I could call friends. This was over ten years ago, and you didn’t have the running influencers of social media that you see today. You had to rely on more traditional groups like the Windmilers. So I was offered a free trial and was hooked from there. And it was just over a year ago that I took on the role of chair.
What would be your elevator pitch for the Wimbledon Windmilers?
So we’re a running and multi-sports club. Having “multi-sports” adds an additional dimension to the club. First and foremost, we are primarily a running club, but within that we have aspects of swimming and cycling too — and therefore we offer a broader range of activity. Our schedule is very accessible and provides options for everyone. For instance, there are the Tuesday and Thursday night runs around the streets of Wimbledon (or the common during the summer). On a Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, we’ll have track sessions at Wimbledon Park’s track. And on Sunday, we tend to have the social runs. That can be anything from a three mile to seven mile social jog — accommodating all speeds — through to some longer 11+ mile options for those wanting to go longer. If marathons and personal bests are your thing, we can accommodate that. But if you’re just looking for a sociable club to run with once a week, we can be that too.
And what sort of impact do running clubs like the Windmilers have on our community?
Personally, it helped me to be a better and healthier person. I think the community makes you more accountable in a way. I think the communities that form within the club also push you to be better. And these micro-communities work in different ways. There’s a group of Windmilers who meet every Tuesday lunchtime. It’s a very casual social run with a coffee afterwards. Most of these runners are retired or working from home, and thus they have less of an opportunity to meet people. That’s where a club like ours can have a profound impact on the community. It’s a really lovely thing to see. So many of my closest friends have come from the running club.
What I love about our club specifically is how we support one another. Unlike clubs that are focused primarily on performance, our club looks out for our runners. We will always stand by the finish line of a race waiting to clap the last Windmiler in. That sense of community — of cheering people on — is so important to us.
Even now, if I head up to the common for a solo run, I’ll bump into someone I know from the club. To me, that’s so special. When you live in a city that’s as big as London, that feeling of locality is integral. It’s also worth noting for your readers that “running clubs” can sound quite elitist. That’s really not what we’re aiming for. As a club, we’ve got runners who run ultra marathons on a regular basis and people who can complete marathons in two hours and thirty minutes. But we also have people who join us for a short jog each week.
We want a broad range of people joining our club, people from all walks of life. As we continue to grow, I’d like to see even more diversity and variety in the Windmilers.
Membership for Wimbledon Windmilers starts at £37 per person. Anyone interested is welcome to attend a trial session. Membership gives you access to unlimited running and coaching sessions.
Question of the week 🔍
Last week, I gave you a list and asked which of the films was shot locally. The answer: Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Q: What is the name of the Roman road that passed through Colliers Wood and connected London to Chichester
You’re up to date 👋
Thank you for reading this week’s edition of The Wimble. We hope you enjoyed our interview with Richard Cohen, chair of Wimbledon Windmilers. We’re currently getting back to those of you who reached out about the London Marathon. If you haven’t got in touch yet but would like to share your reason for running, email zak@thewimble.com. Other than that, have a great rest of the week and we’ll see you next Thursday!
You do such a brilliant job of these newsletters, thank you so much! Just the right length, tone, and level of detail to be an informative and enjoyable read. With love from a Head of Communications :)