Democratic Socialists

Five candidates have accepted the invitation to take part on the panel of the hustings organised by East London Humanists in the run up to the 7 May council elections: * Jo Blackman (Labour) * David Davies (Reform) * Mark Gitsham (Liberal Democrats) * Kabir Ali (Green) * Paul Canal (Conservative) While all participating candidates are from the Wanstead area, the event is a microcosm of the unprecedented five way contest unfolding across London. It should be hugely interesting whether or not you are local. East London Humanists is proud to have organised a similar hustings at each national and local election since 2019. They have been widely regarded as fair, interesting and beneficial to the community. The environment covers many issues of concern to local residents, from potholes, parking and planning to nature and the climate. Questions can be submitted in writing at the event, or in advance to chaireastlondonhumanists@gmail.com. Doors open 19.00. Hustings commence 19.30. Free and open to all. Disabled access. 2 minute walk from Wanstead Station (Central Line). Numerous adjacent buses. Free adjacent parking.

Join us next Tuesday where we’ll be cross- stitching some bookmarks!

**BOOK HERE**: https://sportas.co.uk/games/45376 **Game Description:** Come and play in a casual​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ friendly & social badminton session. The session is for mixed ability players (mainly beginners & intermediate players). So please be respectful and kind towards less experienced players - we all have to start somewhere 🧡 🌱 We use YONEX MAVIS 300 Nylon Shuttlecocks. 🏸 We have a few spare rackets if needed. Format: We play doubles for the whole time and keep rotating opponents/partners across courts so everyone plays each other. Venue: 🚪Entrance to the sports hall is on the corner of Celebration Avenue and Temple Mills Ln 🧼There are showers, changing rooms & a water fountain at the venue 🚶‍♂️5 minute walk from Stratford International DLR Station 🚗 Paid car parking is available on site **Rules** Classic doubles rules - can be explained at the start of the session if you’re new to badminton or need a reminder 🤝

Bi the Way is a regular social group for bi and pan people (or other bi+ identities) who are over 50. Once run by Opening Doors London, a 50+ LGBT charity, Bi the Way is now continues independently thanks to 2 lovely hosts. It is now on the SECOND Monday of each month at the London LGBTQ Community Centre. There is often a visiting speaker to talk on a relevant topic or a themed discussion planned for the first part. ⚫Accessibility: * Closest station: Blackfriars (southeast exit of mainline station) which is step-free - centre is next to the Tate-side exit * Bus Routes: Blackfriars Road Stop SM - 381, N343, N381; Black Friars station South Entrance Stop D - 40, 63, N63, N89. * Accessible Toilets: No - suggest using Tate Modern (until 6.00 pm) or the Founders arms pub opposite (if after 6.00 pm Mon-Thu) which has a ramp and disabled toilet * Disabled Car Parking: Yes, Blue badge parking space near venue; [click here](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/parking/disabled-badge-holders#:~:text=The%20Blue%20Badge%20scheme%20does,with%20disabilities%20who%20are%20permanent) for more details * Car Parking: Street parking on Hopton Street; max stay 2 hours £6.50 per hour * Induction Loop: No * BSL service: No * Step Free access: Yes * Wheel Chair Access: Yes ⚫ Tickets/Registration? There are [Eventbrite events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bi-the-way-over-50s-tickets-964380527117) posted for it but signing up for these is not required. ⚫ More Info: To keep up to date with what's happening with the group, please email: [sophiebtwgroup@gmail.com](mailto:sophiebtwgroup@gmail.com) Sadly ODL had to close due a lack of funding ([reference the announcement](https://www.openingdoors.lgbt/News/important-closure-announcement-for-opening-doors) / [archived versions](https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.openingdoors.lgbt/News/important-closure-announcement-for-opening-doors*)). The old Bi the Way event details at Opening Doors London website (while the website is still up): [https://www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk/bi-the-way-meetup](https://www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk/bi-the-way-meetup) Venue website: [londonlgbtqcentre.org](https://londonlgbtqcentre.org/)

Check out what we do: https://youtu.be/HSf4QTQpLQ0 Dance West Coast Swing in Covent Garden on Tuesdays. Learn the partner dance taking Europe by storm. Come and join our already well established class night. Danced to a range of music from contemporary to blues, you can find a class in many of the major cities in Europe or America - so it's a great way to combine dance, travel and socialising. The first class is FREE if you've haven't danced West Coast Swing before. No experience, no partner, no problem! Only one trial night allowed per person. After this it's pay per night. It's best to wear flat shoes, other than that come as you are! Doors open at 7.20pm, come early to register and so you don't miss the start of the class. Beginners class starts 7.30pm sharp! Don't be late otherwise you will miss the fundamentals of the dance. Here is the Facebook event - https://fb.me/e/4qvQkkEeM If you would like to keep up to date with what's going on please like us on fb: https://www.facebook.com/swingacademyuk We also have the following classes: Thursday WCS Holborn - https://fb.me/e/3bdhSXHW7 \- Please do not attend any classes if you have any flu like symptoms or are generally feeling unwell \- Wash and sanitise your hands regularly \- Although face masks are not mandatory please feel free to wear one throughout the night if you wish \- Please be respectful of other people's choices

J.G. Ballard's mesmerizing and ferociously prescient novel imagines a terrifying future in which solar radiation and global warming have melted the polar ice caps and Triassic-era jungles have overrun a submerged and tropical London. Set during the year 2145, the novel follows biologist Dr. Robert Kerans and his team of scientists as they confront a surreal cityscape populated by giant iguanas, albino alligators, and endless swarms of malarial insects. Nature has swallowed all but a few remnants of human civilization, and, slowly, Kerans and his companions are transformed—both physically and psychologically—by this prehistoric environment. A thrilling adventure and a haunting examination of the effects of environmental collapse on the human mind. Available from all good libraries and book shops. You don't have to have read it to join us - but it'll probably help. We will be meeting in The Ludski Bar in the Rio Cinema. [https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/](https://www.riocinema.org.uk/your-visit/) You are welcome to bring outside food in with you but please buy your drinks from inside the cinema. Thank you. We hope to see you there. ... To join the Brain Worms WhatsApp Group please click here: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EvFibn1d6AsEwdVGmwkhko](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EvFibn1d6AsEwdVGmwkhko) (in order to stop spam bots this will take you to a Waiting Room. Once in please write your name and we will join you to the main chat). Meetup charges subscription fees. If you would like to make a donation please click here: [https://paypal.me/philosophycollective](https://paypal.me/philosophycollective) You can also find the Brain Worms Book Club here: [https://www.meetup.com/brain-worms-book-club/](https://www.meetup.com/brain-worms-book-club/)

**Join LCC Sunday, March 8th at the Hackney Marshes playing field as we make another attempt at playing the Soviet Union's very own *Zarnitsa,* a capture-the-flag alternative with a small twist.** **WHAT IS ZARNITSA?** Zarnitsa (Зарница), or heat-lightning, officially known as the All-Union Young Pioneer military sports game "Zarnitsa", is a massive multi-player physical sports game developed and practiced by the Young Pioneers communist youth organisation during the Soviet era. The game provides a simulation of military actions such as reconnaissance, co-ordinated offensives, giving chase, etc. Popular once again in modern Russia, this is a simple game designed for children and young people in military/cadet organisations, but great fun for active people of all ages. The rules of Zarnitsa are based on the classic capture the flag concept. Two teams each have a "base area" with a flag contained within, concealed or otherwise. Each team's goal is to protect their own flag and seize the other team's and bring it back to the base area. Players can walk, run, sneak, hide, create diversions and use any means short of physical violence to achieve their objectives. What makes Zarnitsa different from classic CTF is simply this: every player has two velcro-attached shoulder straps that serve as health indicators and can be torn off by the opponents. Losing one indicates "wounded", losing two indicates "dead". The "wounded" players cannot run and should only walk. The "dead" players return to a respawn point or leave the game in some modes. Why are we doing this? Capture the flag is simply top fun and anyone who says otherwise is joking themselves. Zarnitsa's slightly elevated level of complexity should give us just that extra challenge needed to really make it interesting. That said, this is our first go with organising multiplayer sports games, so we'll see what the results are! As always comments, questions, suggestions and concerns are more than welcome - just contact an organiser. Sports games are a great way to get and stay active, meet new people, and break the monotony of everyday life under British capitalism. Let's get out there! For our first attempt at organising a little Zarnitsa league here in London, we'll hit up Hackney Marshes and Wick Woodland. We'll divide into two teams; each will receive coloured vests or other garments to which the health indicator strips are attached. Then we'll take up our places, count down from 60 seconds, and let the games begin! **Note: we'll want at least five people per team for this to really work right, so we'll cancel or reschedule if this one gets less than 9 RSVPs.** There's no limit to how big our group can be of course, so please do join us! Just be sure to either turn up on the day or change your RSVP if you can't make it in the end, just so we know what to expect. Take care and see you on the pitch!

Our monthly pub evenings are always a great opportunity to meet interesting people, chat, do a little networking, and enjoy a fun evening out. Whether you’re new to Humanism or already a member, this is a fantastic space for anyone who is non-religious, questioning their beliefs, or open-minded and looking to mingle. **Time: From 6pm** Feel free to join us whenever you’re able to – we’re often there until closing time. **Venue: Somers Town Coffee House** A lovely pub, close to Euston & Kings Cross stations. You’ll find us towards the back of the pub, on the left of the bar – look out for the Humanist signs on the tables. **What we talk about:** The conversations are different every time – from current events to humanism and secularism, with plenty of good laughs in between! If there’s something specific you’d like to talk about, we’d love to hear about it. We kindly request a contribution of £3 for our events to help cover various admin costs - but first-timers are welcome to give us a free trial. If you prefer you can also pay online by [clicking here](https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML71XMH66FX5E/checkout/ALWCDLQ3S7AVPLFZ62PZGXLU). We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information at our events but ask people to keep their interactions cordial. Any views expressed are those of the individual sharing them and may not reflect those of CLH. More about the venue: All indoor facilities are wheelchair-friendly/accessible. Free Wi-fi is available. It’s easy to reach – close to Euston and Kings Cross stations, and on 18 different bus routes! View a map [here](https://g.page/Somerstowncoffeehouse?share) More about Humanism: https://www.centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/about-humanism/ We look forward to seeing you!

Weekly cycling club open to members of that club only. Membership enquiries to creativewellnesswon@outlook.com

Hello and welcome velocipedestrians! Here at Left Culture Club, we're always looking for new and exciting ways to build community and share experiences while also increasing our ability to kick ass. \ That's why for our latest instalment in the never-ending LCC physical culture series, we're hitting a small section of the [EuroVelo 2 route.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EV2_The_Capitals_Route) This trans-European touring track can supposedly take you all the way from Ireland to Moscow by way of various European capitals, although it's likely you wouldn't be able to do the whole journey past Belarus these days. Our route (EV2 line, shown in red) on the day should be viewable here: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/51.47064/-0.24453&layers=C It starts just outside Putney Bridge station and ends (for us) at Staines. This is our first time organising one of these, so I'll keep it simple. We'll meet out in front of at Putney Bridge station at noon and hit the track together at half past. The route takes us through some beautiful country including right through the heart of the gorgeous Richmond Park, which LCC loyalists will remember from one of our more spectacular nature walks last year. Watch out for the wild deer! **The distance to Staines, from which we can get spacious trains back into central London in about 20 minutes, is approximately 15 miles, so be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks** \- I'll do likewise and be sure to have enough to share\! Bring your own bike and make sure it's fit for service! You can hire a Lime or such like, but for a journey of this distance you'll rack up a serious bill with those parasites. Take care and see you on the roads!

**\*FREE FOR MEMBERS, JOIN WHEN YOU ARRIVE!\*** Come and join us at the **Living Room Club Glengal Groove** on Fridays between 1 p.m. and 3 pm to upcycle second-hand clothes. We gather for creative transformation and upcycling of second-hand clothing items and materials to sell in our cafe. The income from this project supports our Homeless Project in Soho. For further information, please contact Neide on 07585560345

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

Feeling down? Sometimes depressed? Can't focus? Negativity & stress? Recent losses? Creativity in career and personal life hindered by mental blocks? Sometimes we never fully recover from traumatic experiences. Whether it was yesterday, last week or a year ago, traumatic experiences - a loss of a loved one, losing a job, a breakup - can leave you scarred. You talk about it and feel a little better, but it never goes away. After you hang up the phone, it's still there; the sadness, the cloud, the over-thinking, the worry, the guilt. You try to focus, but you're blocked. You try to look forward into new experiences, new relationships but a cloud is hanging over you, casting a shadow on what you once considered a bright, cheerful future. What happened to your courage? Your strength of character? You're 'why not' attitude? Whoever said 'time heals' must have had a special time machine, because after weeks, months, years, you're wondering - when exactly does that kick in? Sometimes it seems like drinking or drugs are the way to go. But they wear off, and now the problem is still there with added side effects from the drugs. At this free local Meetup event we will talk about: * What causes grief, anxiety and depression to become chronic. * Is it possible to regain your joy and happiness even after traumatic experiences? * How to break away from negativity and focus on the future * What are the steps to take to get control of your mind and your emotions? Learn about a safe, gentle, do-it-yourself counseling that can be done in the comfort of your own home. Let's explore safe, effective solutions for healing from traumatic experiences. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to the event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center.

When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches. * **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason. * **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes. ## Discussion Questions 1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie. 2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?** 3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome? 4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend? 5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles? 6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way? 7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time? 8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?

Start your week the right way with Manic Mondays. Giving you an enjoyable Bachata lesson with a push of cool moves. The second hour has Beginner/Intermediate Salsa on 1. You must understand basic Salsa skills to participate. 730pm-830pm Bachata Cool Moves 830pm-930pm Salsa On 1 (Beginner/Intermediate) $15 for One Class $20 for Both Free Parking & Plenty of Dance Space.

The Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless is seeking compassionate volunteers who would like to help serve and uplift members of our homeless community. This group is dedicated to sharing kindness, resources, and support with individuals who may be experiencing difficult circumstances. Anyone with a heart for service is welcome to join us as we work together to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Community members are also invited to contribute by bringing helpful items for those in need. Donations of items can be contributed at the meeting and will be distributed to assist members of the homeless community. Please consider joining us and sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or associates who may also wish to help. Learn more about Unity of Columbus at www.unityofcolumbus.org or call (614) 267-4959. Together we can extend compassion, dignity, and support to our community. 💛

**$1 Slices of Pizza!!!** #5xNWPizzaCrawl is back!! Start at Barrell & Tap where Brenz pizza will serve slices at the bar and you can grab the voting link from our booth. Then take a walk to Fibonaccis, Halwanis, Deweys, and finally Jets to choose your favorite! (the walk is about a 10 block square) Join us for this great community event and check back for more information on our route. (Grandview area)

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!