ABU DHABI // When Jacqueline Wood moved to Abu Dhabi she did not know that one day she would become an integral part of the emirate’s social and cultural scene.
After 14 years living on an island off Hong Kong, a transfer in her husband’s job led Ms Wood to the capital in 2008 and today she introduces newcomers to the emirate through the Abu Dhabi Women’s Group, a forum which she founded to help expatriates settle.
“Having never been to Abu Dhabi before, I came here on a recce and my husband asked me what I thought. I said there was absolutely no reason for not moving here,” the Briton said. “I came in August, at the peak of summer, and I still could not find a reason to not move.
“Yes, it is hot and you need to do things sensibly and slowly. You don’t tear around or run around but there was no one thing that made me feel I could not move here.”
Soon after relocating, Mrs Wood decided to start organising coffee mornings for women she had come to know.
The women would meet and ask questions they had about the emirate or discuss issues of their interest.
“When I first arrived here I had a dear friend who helped me,” said Ms Wood. “Other than that, I had to work it out for myself and I had many questions: ‘What to do?’, ‘Where to go?’, ‘Where to buy your water dispenser?’
“It struck me that everyone who gets here must be in the same situation and have many questions.”
In 2013, Ms Wood started the Abu Dhabi Women’s Group Facebook page, which she defines as “primarily a question-and-answer group” – a forum where women ask advice from anything from the best place for a haircut to a good nursery for children.
Although it started with a group of 50 who attended the first coffee mornings, now more than 109 nationalities are represented and the page boasts about 10,200 followers.
Women who are planning on moving to the emirate have the opportunity to inquire about everyday questions before they pack their suitcases.
“It is advice that you can get before coming here and this makes it less stressful for women and also it makes life simpler,” said Ms Wood. “It is a huge family support network for most of us who are not lucky enough to have our families with us in Abu Dhabi.
“Facebook gives everyone an opportunity to ask questions and you get a lot of help and support from people.”
Ms Wood posts questions on behalf of members if they send her a private message and are hesitant to ask it themselves.
Janine Thompson, Amy Nolan Strawser, Amanda Middlebrook Hayden and Jean Glen are members who work to ensure that people’s requests are accepted and monitor day-to-day activities on the group.
“Without them it would not function and I thank them,” said Ms Wood. “They joined the group and offered to help. It is growing so fast. We are getting between 30 to 80 requests to join every day. Not all are appropriate and many don’t get admitted.
“We keep it purely to people in Abu Dhabi or people who are moving here.”
Apart from running the Abu Dhabi Women’s Group, Ms Wood finds time to pursue a degree in gemmology and enjoys making antique and vintage jewellery.
arizvi2@thenational.ae
PSL FINAL
Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi
8pm, Thursday
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
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Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
