What we’re about
The Left Culture Club hosts social events, skill-sharing workshops, cultural activities, film screenings, reading groups and games nights for London's progressives, dissidents, and radicals. Everyone is welcome, whatever your politics or your level of political committment.
The Club was created to solve a problem: how do we bring together all people trying to face the political, economic and social challenges of our times and give them a space to understand each other better, without making political parties or activist organisations the starting point? There's nothing worse than trying to get to know people and explore progressive politics when the price of admission to these spaces is making all the right political committments, reading all the right literature, or having the right backstory. The LCC wants to make the political left a welcoming place again, and that means providing a space for progressives and radicals to move together without having to sign up to each others' newsletters from day one.
If you ever wanted to learn more about emancipatory politics, or if you've ever felt like your activist group or political org wasn't providing the social space that every broad movement needs in order to hold itself together, then the Left Culture Club is for you.
We're committed to making every one of our events welcoming and safe for everybody. Our spaces are non-partisan, but not apolitical. Racism, sexism, antisemitism, classism, forms of discrimination based on sexual preference or gender identity: all these are obviously way out of line. If you are a victim of bigotry or harrasment at any of our events, please raise this with an organiser who will act appropriately. We broadly follow this code of conduct https://wiki.dbzer0.com/the-anarchist-code-of-conduct/.
Upcoming events
6
![LCC RUNNERS: Hyde Park Trail Running [~3km] EVENING SESSION](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/d/4/e/highres_527779790.jpeg)
LCC RUNNERS: Hyde Park Trail Running [~3km] EVENING SESSION
Marble Arch Tube Station Exit 3, Oxford Street, London, GBWelcome back to LCC's Trail Running Club! For our next outing we're heading to Hyde Park in central London for our first experiment in weekday, evening running.
Hyde Park will provide us a nice flat trail run. We'll be looking at roughly 30-45 minutes, covering around 3km at a moderate pace, ideal for beginners and intermediate runners. Whatever your speed, our organisers will always keep you in sight!
Our Hyde Park route will take us from the actual Marble Arch structure, by the Marble Arch tube station (on the Central line), south over the open ground to the long Rotten Row track running west, north and over the Serpentine Bridge crossing the lake, through the Hyde Park forest and finish out the run back at the Arch.
There are toilet facilities in Hyde Park which cost 20 pence (£0.20) to access; contactless payment cards are accepted but cash is not. If you haven't got a card but need the loo, don't worry, the organisers carry cards and will gladly spot you 20p. How generous is that?
I'll also be bringing plenty of water along with me, so if you forget yours, fear not. I've got a few spare bits of kit as well - if you would like a running sleeve to put your phone in or a pouch belt for keys and things, just shoot me a message on here ahead of time!
All are welcome - we're a mix of skill levels and leg lengths, so I'll be maintaining a relatively relaxed pace and will make sure no one winds up too far behind.
Our standard bit of info about our running group and why it's good is provided below:
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Humans evolved to run and sprint; no wonder then that when we do it regularly (within moderation and with plenty of rest days), our brains as well as bodies thank us. Running has recently been shown to improve neuroplasticity, heal brain damage in affected individuals, and foster better mental health including elevated mood at rest and enhanced task-switching ability. Doing all this in nature, as opposed to busy London roads dodging commuters and street cleaners, also helps deliver the well-known benefits of time spent in nature to mood, anxiety levels, cognition and memory. All these things matter a great deal in an age where burnout and exhaustion are a constant presence either in our own lives or those of the people we care about [who you should totally invite along]. It matters especially for people trying to eke out a percentage of their time and mental capacity for transformative social and political organising: the better we feel, the more we'll be able to do.
In a nutshell, running is great for you and you should do it. Trail running is even better. Best of all is doing all this with a supportive group of comrades, especially one which includes knowledgeable folks who can provide some structure to what can be a puzzling sport to get started with if building up to something, like a 10k or half marathon, is your goal. Part of our running group's programming will be building a series of events aimed at building people up, slowly but surely, towards specific goals, using progressive programmes similar to the NHS's Couch to 5k system.
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Take care and see you on the trails!
6 attendees![WILD SWIMMING @ Hampstead Heath Mixed Pond [£4.80 MORNING SESSIONS]](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/5/d/f/highres_529354271.jpeg)
WILD SWIMMING @ Hampstead Heath Mixed Pond [£4.80 MORNING SESSIONS]
Hampstead Heath Mixed Bathing Ponds, Centre of Hampstead Heath, NW3, GB🌊 LCC COLD SWIMMING:
⏱️ MORNING SESSION: 10:30 AM
📅 SATURDAY 8th NOVEMBER 2025
📍 HAMPSTEAD MIXED POND (FIND IT HERE)
💷 COST: £4.80 (NO PRE-BOOKING REQUIRED)Supplies to bring:
- Swimming costume
- Towel(s)
- Something warm to throw on after getting out (I'll be bringing electric hand warmers for everyone's use)
- Flip-flops or slip-ons recommended
- A hot drink or snack!
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Join LCC's wild swimming club at Hampstead Heath: we usually meet mornings at 10:30 AM directly at the Mixed Pond and all are welcome! Summer is over, so no pre-booking necessary at any time; just turn up on the day. Brace yourself, face the cold and feel invincible!
Why wild swim? Swimming is one of the best low-impact full-body workouts you can do, and it requires almost nothing in terms of gear or equipment - just a piece of swimwear. Forget the Lidos (manmade pools) with their jostling crowds and pre-booking: access to the Mixed Pond is just £4.80, payable on-site. Summer's gone for now, so no pre-booking required. Hampstead's ponds feature all the essentials found at a Lido including lifeguards, changing areas, showers, toilets, and stepped access into the water via ladders.
Ok, sure: but wild, cold swimming? Unlike a Lido, these ponds ain't heated or treated. Jump in and brace for a shock! But cold swimming and cold plunges however aren't all pain, no gain: cold therapy has been shown to help fight inflammation, improve metabolism, regulate stress hormones like cortisol, improve rest and recovery, promote the immune system, and of course provide an endorphin rush that you have to experience to explain. That said, Hampstead's ponds are nowhere near icy cold - they present the opportunity for some relatively easy-going cold therapy that won't send shivers too far down your spine.
Sounds great - but is it socialist? You bet it is! Call it swimming as an act of defiance. Britain's wettest capitalists (Thames Water, Severn Trent, etc) may have set their hearts on turning our waterways into one great solid mass of waste. But the bond between the people and the water refuses to break, with wild swimming clubs booming since the pandemic. Per the BBC:
"Swimming has always been a popular sport in the UK, with accounts of 16th-century knights struggling to paddle in full armour and Victorians embracing dips in the sea. But [since] the pandemic, the hobby of outdoor swimming has been rediscovered. Public swimming pools closed, and people could not travel, so they looked closer to home for opportunities to swim, creating a spike in interest and soaring club memberships."
Across the country access to this ancient, popular, indeed working-class pastime is under threat. Fortunately for us, here in London we have options. Wild swimming at Hampstead Heath's Mixed Bathing Ponds is a great way to get your wild aquatic fix, set back in the Heath's lush forest.
NOTE: the waters at the Mixed Pond are deep and dark, so swimming ability is a must!
Also note LCC's Code of Conduct is in effect at all our events and at all times, especially swimsuit times. If you harass or make any of our attendees feel comfortable, you will, as you can no doubt imagine, be ejected from the group straightaway.
Find out everything else you need to know here:
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/hampstead-heath/where-to-go-at-hampstead-heath/mixed-pond
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hampstead-heath-swimming-33053495103
Take care and see you on the water!
9 attendeesLCC RUNNERS: Hampstead Heath Trail Running [4-5km] ALL SPEEDS
Gospel Oak Overground station, London, NW5 1LT, London, GBWelcome back to LCC's Trail Running Club! For our next outing we're heading to Hampstead Heath. This is a moderately hilly run, but we'll be making for the uplands and forests at the top of the Heath where the terrain evens out and doing most of our run there. We'll be looking at a roughly 45-60 minute run, covering between 4 and 5 kilometres or thereabouts.
Our route will take us from Gospel Oak Overground Station (on the Mildmay and Suffragette lines) through the east side of the Heath, up Parliament Hill (at a relaxed pace), around Hampstead Heath Woods and its ponds in the north, and then back down through the Vale of Heath into Hampstead itself, with transport at Hampstead tube station (Northern line) and Hampstead Heath Overground station (Mildmay line).
All are welcome - we're a mix of skill levels and leg lengths, so I'll be maintaining a relatively relaxed pace and will make sure no one winds up too far behind.
Afterwards we may hit a cafe or pub to refuel and potentially discuss strategies and next steps for this little project.
I'll be bringing plenty of water along with me, so if you forget yours, fear not. I'll also have some misting sprays and microfibre towels if the day's weather feels over-hot for anyone.
Our standard bit of info about our running group and why it's good is provided below:
-----
Humans evolved to run and sprint; no wonder then that when we do it regularly (within moderation and with plenty of rest days), our brains as well as bodies thank us. Running has recently been shown to improve neuroplasticity, heal brain damage in affected individuals, and foster better mental health including elevated mood at rest and enhanced task-switching ability. Doing all this in nature, as opposed to busy London roads dodging commuters and street cleaners, also helps deliver the well-known benefits of time spent in nature to mood, anxiety levels, cognition and memory. All these things matter a great deal in an age where burnout and exhaustion are a constant presence either in our own lives or those of the people we care about [who you should totally invite along]. It matters especially for people trying to eke out a percentage of their time and mental capacity for transformative social and political organising: the better we feel, the more we'll be able to do.
In a nutshell, running is great for you and you should do it. Trail running is even better. Best of all is doing all this with a supportive group of comrades, especially one which includes knowledgeable folks who can provide some structure to what can be a puzzling sport to get started with if building up to something, like a 10k or half marathon, is your goal. Part of our running group's programming will be building a series of events aimed at building people up, slowly but surely, towards specific goals, using progressive programmes similar to the NHS's Couch to 5k system.
-----
Take care and see you on the trails!
3 attendees
LCC CITY DRIFTING: Docks & Docklands of Rotherhithe | SE LONDON
Canada Water station , Deal Porter Way, Surrey Quays, London SE16 7BB, GBWelcome back ramblers, rovers, loungers and loafers - our City Drifting series is back, this time taking on an oft-overlooked corner of inner-SE London: Rotherhithe and its old docks.
Since these walks are about discovery, I won't say much more than that. We'll meet out in front of Canada Water station on the day and let curiosity be our guide. With that in mind, Rotherhithe is packed with industrial history, from the Water in Canada Water to Greenland Dock, as well as natural history including Russia Dock Woodland and Stave Hill. We'll be within earshot of Millwall Stadium and the shadow of Canary Wharf, with the Isle of Dogs peninsula accessible via the ancient Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the River Thames. Be there!
A little background on our City Drifting project here:
Now just wait a minute. What the hell is a drift (dérive)? A drift is any unplanned journey through the urban landscape in which participants practice a form of radical mindfulness, collectively exploring new ways of relating mentally, ideologically and materially to the "ordinary" urban environment we all think we know so well.
First theorised publicly by Situationist thinker, artist and provocateur Guy Debord in his 1956 essay Theory of the Dérive, drifting is a sort of critique of ideology done by walking, looking, and feeling. The urban environment of London is not a neutral space: it is packed with surveillance equipment, anti-homeless architecture, consumerist Gruen transfers, crowd management systems and security perimeters, among a thousand other subtle and not-so-subtle methods of population control. Moreover, our everyday relationship to the city and its pathways is conditioned deeply by our habits of movement and our habitual perceptions: our commute to work, to school, our nips down to the shops, etc. All these routines create what Marxists call a reified relationship with the urban environment: through over-familiarity it becomes something seemingly natural, "just there", ordinary, unchangeable - boring. This boredom and familiarity kills the radical imagination, without which we're fucked.
To be able to start to imagine how society could be transformed, we also need to imagine how spaces, buildings, their use, their whole purpose (and who these serve) could themselves be transformed. A necessary step in this process, according to Debord and the Situationists, is the drift. Like the 19th-century gentleman flâneur, by wandering the city with an attitude of "fresh eyes", we can shake loose our ingrained sense of what London and its streets are like. As a collective, we will work to "estrange our senses" and see the streets, buildings and people differently, as if we were encountering them for the first time. That is to say: these aren't just random walks around London - with the right frame of mind, they will be opportunities to turn the world upside down, if only for a moment!
But don't take it from me - as Debord observed:
"In a dérive one or more persons during a certain period drop their relations, their work and leisure activities, and all their other usual motives for movement and action, and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there. Chance is a less important factor in this activity than one might think: from a dérive point of view cities have psychogeographical contours, with constant currents, fixed points and vortexes that strongly discourage entry into or exit from certain zones."
See you on the streets comrades, and remember, as Raoul Vaneigem once wrote: "All space is occupied by the enemy. We are living under a permanent curfew. Not just the cops — the geometry".
16 attendees
Past events
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