Diversity & Inclusion

### Yay!-DHD Socials: Wednesday Wonders **Mercato Metropolitano**, 42 Newington Causeway, London, SE 6DR **Wednesday, 14th January, 6pm** It’s Wednesday. Somehow this keeps happening. We’re meeting at **Mercato Metropolitano**, a large, echoey food hall specifically engineered to overwhelm you with choice and then judge you gently for choosing badly. So naturally to me, it felt right. \*\*\*I HAVE RESERVED SEATING - CHECK BACK HERE FOR EXACT DETAILS OF WHERE WE WILL BE SAT\*\*\* This is **Yay!-DHD**. It’s a midweek social for people whose brains don’t shut up, won’t queue properly, and occasionally forget what they were saying halfway through a sentence. The aim of the meetup is give people the opportunity to connect with their beautifully spaghetti brained brothers and sisters, build community and relax in a space where everyone gets it. Expect people arriving straight from work looking faintly betrayed by the concept of time. Expect others drifting in later having spent twenty minutes debating whether to come and another ten debating what to order. Conversation will jump tracks without warning. Stories will start in the middle. Someone will say “sorry, what were we talking about?” and it's ok, because nobody will know, least of all them. Mercato Metropolitano is perfect for this because there’s always something else happening. If you lose focus, it just looks like you’re observing the room. If you wander off mid-chat, it reads as confidence. You don’t need to prepare anything. You don’t need to introduce yourself properly. You don’t need to stay longer than your nervous system allows. If you’ve ever looked at a normal social and thought *this feels like admin*, this is the alternative. I (Kieran) will be there from 5.45, trying to make sure reserved tables are ready. Please don't hesitate to message me if you have any questions. **A gentle note on boundaries:** Yay!-DHD is a space where people can **feel safe, and at ease.** These events are socials, they're for developing community - not for dating. Not everyone may want to share their phone number/socials or connect outside of the event. Please consider giving time for trust and friendships to develop. Be mindful of boundaries and respect. Now that being said, **everyone is most warmly welcome!** *** *(Quietly categorised as: ADHD social · London ADHD meetup · inclusive · adult social · neurodivergent-friendly)*

Please read the full description! **Spanish Conversational Club** **Club de conversación en ESPAÑOL** **How does it work?** The Spanglish club is for all people wanting to improve their Spanish outside of a class room. Depending on numbers, there are going to be groups of max 6 people, the groups will be Beginners (A2), Intermediate and Advance. Each group will have a Spanish native speaker who can help you with your Spanish :) We will first meet our table amig@s and socialise, then we will make a fun and interesting activity for you to have a better Spanish speaking experience. Please book only if you are 100% sure to attend as there will be other Spanglishers waiting for you. **Where? Time?** Royal Festival Hall Riverside Bar Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX 19:30 to 21:00 **Google Maps:** **[https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ZY6zDymAM7M6Lju5](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ZY6zDymAM7M6Lju5)** **Note:** We will be at the front of the Riverside Bar. Although, this might change depending on tables’ availability. Please look for Spanglish Flag/t-shirt or simply call us +447870776718. We don’t have a private area, we’ll be at a public space. There will be public noise. You can join the **Whatsapp [https://chat.whatsapp.com/LSUpj7m1tCZ2Vj86dmJR76](https://chat.whatsapp.com/LSUpj7m1tCZ2Vj86dmJR76)** for the latest updates. **How much does it cost?** £10 Your attendance is confirmed once you have booked in this website and paid in our online store. Store: **[https://www.spanglish-lc.com/page/events](https://www.spanglish-lc.com/page/events)** FREE for Native Spanish Speakers. Únete! No pagas por el evento :D **Why should I come?** You should come if you want to be immersed in a Spanish conversation with native speakers for 90 mins and more! You should also come if you want to make new friends and learn about different cultures at the same time. **Can we have a drink during the session?** Of course, it is all about feeling comfortable and we all know that a drink help us with fluency, there is a coffee shop and a bar at the center. **Can I suggest topics or just make an open suggestion?** Of course, just bring your suggestions to the session or send us an email. Your event planner will ensure your suggestion has the right execution. We are here to help and provide you guys with the best environment possible for you to have fun and improve your Spanish speaking. **Note:** This event is not suggested for beginners A1 Zero Spanish learners. Please get in touch if you need some lessons. **Suggestions or Qs** Just drop me a WhatsApp, message or email. Our events are advertised on different platforms. For this event we expect around 20 people. **[Whatsapp](https://wa.me/message/VHD2GRUCYYBDP1),** Calls or MSNs **[+447870776718](https://wa.me/message/VHD2GRUCYYBDP1)** **Instagram** and **Facebook** as **[@spanglishlc](https://www.instagram.com/spanglishlc/)** We have more events and great teachers to enhance your learning, check all our **[events](https://www.spanglish-lc.com/events), [courses](https://www.spanglish-lc.com/learning)**[ ](https://www.spanglish-lc.com/learning)and **[teachers.](https://www.spanglish-lc.com/learning)**

Join us on Wednesday, 14th January 2026 for our first meetup of the year: an AWS re:Invent 2025 Recap & Discussion. NOTE: REGISTRATION ENDS ON THE MONDAY 12th OF JAN. We need to provide numbers to the venue 48 hrs in advance. re:Invent is always packed with announcements, deep dives, and more sessions than any one person can keep up with. This event is your chance to cut through the noise and get a recap from our very own community organiser - [Jon Topper](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtopper). **What to expect** * The announcements and topics he found most interesting * The things that didn’t live up to the hype * Real-world thoughts on what’s useful now vs. “maybe later” * How some of the new services/features might affect the way we build on AWS Rather than a one-way “lecture,” we want this to be interactive and conversational, so after Jon’s recap, we’ll open things up with: * Share your own highlights (whether you attended in person, watched online, or just followed the news) * A chance to discuss what your teams might actually adopt in 2026 – and what you’ll probably ignore If you’ve ever finished re:Invent week thinking, “OK… but what really matters for us?” this is the session for you. Whether you’re brand new to AWS or very experienced, you’re welcome – just bring your curiosity and your questions. RSVP to secure your spot, and feel free to share this event with colleagues. As always, there will be networking with drinks and food after the main sessions. A big thank you to our sponsors [The Scale Factory](https://www.scalefactory.com/) and [Cloudscaler](www.cloudscaler.com). And thank you to [Vorboss](https://vorboss.com) for hosting us! **Programme:** **18:00:** Arrival, registration **18:15:** Talks start **20:00:** Networking with food and a drink provided by the generosity of our sponsors. If you are interested in speaking at one of our events please check out our [call for papers here](https://awsuguk.org/call-for-papers/). We are advocates for greater inclusion & diversity in UK Tech and are especially keen to receive talk submissions from people in underrepresented groups. If you are interested in speaking at a future meetup but would like to discuss what to expect or need assistance please contact our Inclusion & Diversity Lead Natalie Gray - graynataliej@gmail.com or DM her [@natjgray](https://twitter.com/natjgray) Check out our [website](https://awsuguk.org) for more information about our community. Remember to follow us [@AWSUserGroupUK](https://twitter.com/AWSUserGroupUK) and on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aws-ug-uk) for the latest updates and you can find videos of our past meetups on [YouTube](http://bit.ly/2dZnvEE). If you want to chat with other members, join our [Community Discord Server](https://discord.gg/yMa8Rvtsmy).

For our January meetup, we're back at the fabulous Accurx offices. We are finalising our full speaker lineup and the agenda will be: * 6:30pm - arrive, drinks, networking * 7:00pm - Welcome & Housekeeping * 7:15pm - **Talk 1: Measuring your Platform Engineering impact** Platform Engineering is gaining traction, but its value is often lost in translation. To engineering teams, it means golden paths and reusable pipelines. But how do you make its impact resonate with a CEO, a Head of Product, or even Security and Change Management? In this talk, Christopher will explore how the same platform capabilities, such as environments as a service and Continuous Delivery pipelines, can move the needle for different types of stakeholders. The key is choosing the right metric and telling the right story. He will share real examples from working with platform teams at large enterprises, showing how he's helped: * Explain platform engineering in the language of different stakeholders * Define outcome-based KPIs that align with each sponsor’s priorities * Track those metrics over time to demonstrate value and build accountability He will walk through: * Strategic metrics such as faster market entry and fewer launch failures * Delivery metrics such as lead time and deployment frequency * Enabling metrics such as pipeline reliability and environment readiness * Governance metrics such as change success rates, policy coverage, and audit time **Speaker: Christopher Bater, CTO @ Core Engineering Consulting Group** *Over 20 years Christopher has spent time in most areas of software delivery, product development, JVM library development (concurrency/distributed systems), Infrastructure engineering, architecture & system design and most recently Platform Engineering. He has a passion for speed and stability, focusing on what we need to do next to speed up the software delivery lifecycle. Over the years he’s contributed to many open source projects including Akka & Kubernetes.* * 7.45pm - food, more drinks & networking * 8.00pm - **Talk** **2: "TBC"** **Speaker: Lewis Denham-Parry, Staff Solutions Engineer @ Edera** *Lewis Denham-Parry orchestrates containers by day and puts them through rigorous security testing by night. As Staff Solutions Engineer at Edera, he leverages his diverse background to deliver the robust security and isolation that modern systems demand.* *A dynamic speaker at KubeCon, OSS, SANS, and BSides, Lewis enthusiastically shares his expertise with the global tech community, though his heart remains in the Welsh tech scene.* *You can easily find him online, just search for his surname.* * 8.30pm onwards - drinks and networking. So, please come and join us, we look forward to seeing you there. The LOPUG team. * Food and drinks provided * Good time will be had by all

**[Beartown](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33413128-beartown) by Fredrik Backman (432 pages)** *Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Small-Town Drama, Sports* **Summary:** In the small town of Beartown, hockey isn’t just a sport — it’s survival. When the junior ice hockey team carries the hopes of the community, pressure mounts on its young players. But one night changes everything, and the aftermath exposes hidden fractures: loyalty, silence, power, and the cost of protecting the ones we love. Moving, raw, and unflinchingly honest, *Beartown* is a story about a town that refuses to look away — and the individuals forced to reckon with truth, justice, and hope. ***Trigger Warning:*** *This book contains themes of sexual assault, violence, and trauma. Please take care while reading.* *** **Join Our Book Club Bingo! 🏒📚** For our January pick, we’re diving into a powerful and emotional story that will spark big conversations — with a side of Book Club Bingo, of course! **How It Works:** 🎲 Grab Your Bingo Card: We’ll give you a custom card with prompts and themes from the book. ✅ Mark Your Cards: Tick off squares during our discussion. 🎉 Shout “Bingo!”: First to complete 2 rows, columns, or diagonals wins. 🎁 Win a Book: Two lucky winners will go home with a new read! Expect a night of heartfelt discussion on community, resilience, morality, and what it means to belong. Come ready to share your favourite passages and bold opinions! 📍 *The Spread Eagle in Croydon* 📅 *14th of January 2026 (Wednesday) at 7:00 PM* Are you ready to step onto the ice with Beartown? ❄️🏒

**FREE FOR MEMBERS, REGISTER WHEN YOU ARRIVE!** English conversation group for non-native speakers. Join us for 1 hr 30 minutes of varied, interactive, fun and creative English conversation practice. This is a free group which runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday at Living Room Club Glendale Grove. You will have the opportunity to meet new people, build friendships and improve your spoken English. For further details contact Neide at 07585 560 345

Unless otherwise announced this is an in-person social gathering for Smalltalkers to get together and talk about Smalltalk (the Programming Language!). Everyone is welcome from the grizzled and experienced to the merely curious.

A welcoming space for everyone to connect, share experiences, and support each other. We focus on emotional, mental, physical, financial, and personal wellbeing, offering a place to discuss life challenges, reflect, and build community. Online Meetup - Link will follow soon.

**Saturdays \| Every Saturday 1pm \- 3pm** In partnership with The National Lottery, SHYNNE Neurodiverse Weekly Gaming Club provides a welcoming, inclusive space where neurodivergent gamers can connect, play, and be themselves in a supportive environment. **What We Offer** * **Inclusive Gaming Environment**: A sensory-friendly space designed with neurodivergent needs in mind * **Diverse Game Selection**: Board games, card games, tabletop RPGs, and video games catering to various interests * **Structured Activities**: Clear schedules and optional guided gaming sessions * **Social Connection**: Opportunities to meet others with similar interests in a low-pressure setting * **Support Staff**: Knowledgeable facilitators who understand neurodivergent experiences * **Important Details** * **Time**: Fridays, 1 pm - 3 pm * **Cost**: **£5** per session * Carers/support workers attend free * **What to Bring**: Just yourself! All gaming equipment provided * **Accessibility**: Our venue is fully accessible

A social group for anyone attracted to more than one gender.

Join us to network and grab a drink or a meal. We will have a space dedicated for our group. Looking forward to seeing you! This months topic is The high achievers guide to the holidays!

• What we'll do On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy....

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good discourse and deeper community, join us for a Community Dinner in Reston and help blaze the trail to a healthier, more connected society and democracy. Here’s how it works: For just two hours, multiple tables of people set aside the need to "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by experienced table hosts, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. **At this dinner, participants will get to choose between three different topics, including some current events.** Topics could range from the political, to the spiritual, to the philosophical, to the off-the-wall - but no matter which table you choose to sit at, you can be sure it'll be like no dinner conversation you've had before! You can also **suggest a topic** by emailing us at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com. Food will be provided for free. For those who wish to provide a donation to help fund BreadBreakers, you can [give here](https://pushpay.com/g/restorationrestonumc?fnd=pO6G-N7oO7FH7Mp1u-x6mA&fndv=Lock&r=No&lang=en&src=pcgl) or at the event. We'll have vegetarian and gluten-free options available. If you have any additional dietary restrictions (Celiac Disease, vegan, etc.) please let us know at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com so that we can implement the appropriate food handling procedures. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by [Restoration United Methodist Church](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers) in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community. All faiths and all stripes are welcomed. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

**NOTE: This is NOT a screening, please watch the movies before the discussion.** *"Approximately seven hours ago, some... thing attacked the city. I don't know what it is. If you found this tape, I mean if you're watching this right now, then you probably know more about it than I do."* Matt Reeves’ *Cloverfield* captures the feeling of a city realizing, in real time, that it is no longer safe. Framed through a handheld camera passed between friends, the film documents a single night in New York City as celebration gives way to sirens, collapsing streets, and an overwhelming sense of disorientation. Released in the shadow of 9/11, *Cloverfield* channels a specific kind of urban dread — the fear of sudden catastrophe, incomplete information, and the helplessness of watching familiar landmarks fall apart. By restricting the audience to fragments and firsthand panic, the film turns spectacle into anxiety, forcing us to experience disaster the way the characters do: confused, trapped, and desperate for answers that never fully arrive.

Games night is back! With our favorite local game store opening back up, Games night will come back starting Monday June 7th! We are an lgbt+ games group that’s been going for nearly 3 years now! We welcome anyone in the lgbt+ community to come play board games every Monday with our fun and chaotic crew! If you’re brand new to board gaming and looking to make some friends or if you love playing 4 hour space operas and are looking to make some rivals, we’re the group for you! We are an lgbt+ group that focuses on creating a safe lgbt+ community. Non-lgbt+ individuals are welcome when attending with an lgbt+ friend, family member, or partner. Huzzah hobbies currently follows cdc guidelines, where customers who are vaccinated are allowed to not wear masks indoors. With their current hours on Mondays, they are open until 9pm; if they change hours and remain open later, games night will continue until close. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to message us here!

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation as we discuss ***Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World* by Naomi Klein** Here's the summary: What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired another self―a double who was almost you and yet not you at all? What if that double shared many of your preoccupations but, in a twisted, upside-down way, furthered the very causes you’d devoted your life to fighting against? Not long ago, the celebrated activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein had just such an experience―she was confronted with a doppelganger whose views she found abhorrent but whose name and public persona were sufficiently similar to her own that many people got confused about who was who. Destabilized, she lost her bearings, until she began to understand the experience as one manifestation of a strangeness many of us have come to know but struggle to define: AI-generated text is blurring the line between genuine and spurious communication; New Age wellness entrepreneurs turned anti-vaxxers are scrambling familiar political allegiances of left and right; and liberal democracies are teetering on the edge of absurdist authoritarianism, even as the oceans rise. Under such conditions, reality itself seems to have become unmoored. Is there a cure for our moment of collective vertigo? Naomi Klein is one of our most trenchant and influential social critics, an essential analyst of what branding, austerity, and climate profiteering have done to our societies and souls. Here she turns her gaze inward to our psychic landscapes, and outward to the possibilities for building hope amid intersecting economic, medical, and political crises. With the assistance of Sigmund Freud, Jordan Peele, Alfred Hitchcock, and bell hooks, among other accomplices, Klein uses wry humor and a keen sense of the ridiculous to face the strange doubles that haunt us―and that have come to feel as intimate and proximate as a warped reflection in the mirror. Combining comic memoir with chilling reportage and cobweb-clearing analysis, Klein seeks to smash that mirror and chart a path beyond despair. Doppelganger What do we neglect as we polish and perfect our digital reflections? Is it possible to dispose of our doubles and overcome the pathologies of a culture of multiplication? Can we create a politics of collective care and undertake a true reckoning with historical crimes? The result is a revelatory treatment of the way many of us think and feel now―and an intellectual adventure story for our times. **Let’s meet at Caboose Commons in Fairfax to enjoy some good discussion and meet new friends.**

We will be meeting at Starbucks to learn together. Come with an online class you're already going through or an interest and we will try to connect you with a course where you can learn it. Already have a skill you want to contribute to a Kaggle Datascience competition? We will work on these too! Laptop required :)