Liberal Democrat

Hello comrades! We're trying something special for this one. Longtime LMRG-heads will remember our well-attended online meetups during the Covid lockdown era, in which we were honoured to welcome attendees from all around the world. Since then, group members in the US and elsewhere have occasionally asked if we'll ever be hosting online readings again. We can finally say that the answer is yes! For this first one, we're going to take it easy with a casual discussion of the subject that's been on everyones' minds lately: the state of US politics, the ongoing rise of fascism during the second Trump administration, and the prospects for socialist organising, especially at the local electoral level, where groups like the Democratic Socialists of America have, famously, recently been enjoying well-publicised successes. We'll be talking, of course, about what Zohran Mamdani means for NYC and socialist electoralism more broadly, as well as Marxist former councilwoman Kshama Sawant's recently-announced bid for Congress and the democratic socialist mayor-elect of Seattle, Katie Wilson. Here are a few article links if you want something to read up on before the event: On Mamdani, his outlook, and the meaning of that Trump meeting: https://jacobin.com/2025/11/trump-mamdani-policy-capitalism-socialism A little bit about Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson: https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/11/14/seattle-mayor-elect-katie-wilson-organizer-socialist-transit Former Seattle city councilwoman Kshama Sawant's announcement of her Congressional candidacy: https://www.kshamasawant.org/why-im-running/ We're welcoming everyone, everywhere to attend this meeting, which will be held over the end-to-end encrypted video chat platform [Jitsi Meet.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jitsi) Think of it like the security-conscious paranoic's answer to Google Meet or Zoom. Fear not: you won't need to download any apps, just click the link, which will be shared here in the Meetup description for this event in the next few days (check back for the edit) and we'll let you in. In future, we'll aim to hold two International Cafe meetups on alternating weeks: one for the western and one for the eastern hemisphere. Western hemisphere meetings will probably continue to take place at 8PM GMT/UTC (London time), meaning 5PM in Brazil (UTC -3) 3PM on the Eastern US (UTC -5), and noon on the Pacific Coast (UTC -8). If we get some interest, we'll also try to host meetings around noon here in London, for late afternoon in (for examples) India or early evening in China. Take care and hope to see you there!

Make sure to **Pre-book** your ticket through [our website](www.ontherocksbarcrawl.com/london/book-now) We're rated number 1 for nightlife on TripAdvisor in Brighton and Barcelona, and 12th in London so you know you'll have a great time ◡̈ People come from LOTS of other channels so please ignore the meetup RSVP number ◡̈ Whether you're new to London or just expanding your social circle, bar crawling is a fantastic way to meet people! Every day our crawl is full of lively people who are just there to meet new friends and have a good time. Guides will take you to at least 5 great bars and clubs in the centre of London. The guides make sure to make everyone feel included, encourage mixing within the group and introduce everyone. This makes it a great activity whether you come alone or with friends. We hope to meet you soon :) INFO: exact meeting point shared once you purchase a ticket (prices vary depending on when you book but start at £19.50) Included is : \- Entry to four bars and a club \- A free shot at each bar \- exclusive reduced drink deals at every venue \- access to the photos that we take with our big fancy camera BRING ID! 18+ years old only (Sorry, it's the law :/ ) Make sure to bring a valid Driving Licence or Passport, other forms of ID (including photocopies of the above) are unlikely to be accepted by the venues that we visit. Make sure to bring ID no matter your age. \*\*\*Please note: Due to previous bad experiences, we are unfortunately no longer able to accept stag/hen dos (or same-sex groups of more than 9) on our main crawl. To book a private crawl with us, please contact london@ontherocksbarcrawl.com\*\*\* Ts&Cs apply: [https://ontherocksbarcrawl.com/brighton/terms-and-conditions/](https://ontherocksbarcrawl.com/brighton/terms-and-conditions/)

This week we'll look at the third chapter of [Science and Human Values](https://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/students/envs_5110/bronowski_1956.pdf), by Jacob Bronowski. In this work Bronowski contends that science is not merely a technical method, but instead is grounded in the same philosophical principles which characterise an open society. These values include honesty, freedom, and tolerance of uncertainty and, he argues, abandoning them leads to intellectual and moral disaster. Please read the chapter before attending.

This House Believes UK Museums Should Return Artefacts to Their Countries of Origin **Why Are We Having This Debate** Should museum artifacts be repatriated? Who actually owns the artifacts? Are there any legal obligations to return artefacts? **Articles** [List of contested artefacts at the british museum - British Museum](https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection "https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection") [Public opinion polls on the topic - YouGov](https://yougov.co.uk/entertainment/articles/36778-should-britain-return-historical-artefacts-their-c "https://yougov.co.uk/entertainment/articles/36778-should-britain-return-historical-artefacts-their-c") **Come along and have your vote!** **What To Expect** 3v3 panel debate where our members explore the strongest arguments for a given topic. A debate should tell the audience what they need to know and not just what the speakers think. If you feel the same way, then we want to meet you. Debate London is the year-round series of free public debates held across London. The series is run by Debate London, a social enterprise that helps its members to advance their personal and professional development by teaching them how to debate. All of our speakers are club members who have agreed to defend a particular perspective the audience need to hear, rather than just share their own personal opinion. After presenting the point of view assigned to them, the audience are then given the floor to cross-examine them and share their own position. The only time we hear what the speakers really think is at the end of the debate when they tell us where they really stand and whether this changed at all while learning how to defend the perspective assigned to them.

Supporters argue that adaptation is necessary to protect lives, infrastructure, and the economy from the impacts of flooding and heatwaves. Preparing for these changes can help reduce long-term costs and enable communities to remain resilient as the climate continues to evolve. Such changes should be prioritised over unrealistic attempts at a "Zero Carbon lifestyle" Opponents argue that focusing on adaptation may encourage acceptance of climate change and reduce efforts to cut emissions. They also believe adaptation can be costly and unfair, and that resources should instead be focused on preventing climate change in the first place. Moreover, net-zero goals are necessary benchmarks for preventing catastrophic climate change **Come and join us for drinks and debates!**

**Level up your social life with this fun and inclusive event** This is a videogames + Boardgames based social event in a queer venue. The main aim is to provide casual games as ice breakers to develop new frienships. We have many activities such as Giant jenga, boardgames and videogames The event runs every 2 months **Reserved space** We have a large space reserved for the use of Boardgames + Videogames. Multiple games console stations. a projector for multiplayer gaming + jackbox trivia games. Many people just come for a drink + chat too! Upon entry you will see a table with nametags. **Current Gen Games** We have a Switch 1, Switch 2 + Xbox Series S, Wii and a super nintendo available with many current gen multiplayer games + indy games. **Boardgames** An assortment of Boardgames will be available which are all easy to play. we tend to play more social games that are quick and easy to join in. **Food & Drink** They do not serve food but you can bring in outside food (or order in) **Not a Gaymer?** Join us for the social aspect. socialising with an activity is a great icebreaker breaker so this event is also very ideal for newbies and regulars alike.. **Location** Betty & Joan’s 9 Hewson Wy, Elephant Park, London SE17 1JS 7 - 11pm Please RSVP and Join our whatsapp https://chat.whatsapp.com/HOKXRrCEnFwFawuQYDbNFO?mode=ems_copy_t We will post updates within the chat. **Hosts** We always require help hosting events and also a selection of events we would like hosts for to create more fun events 💪. **Community group** We are a community group which keeps its events free to attend and welcomes everyone under the LGBTQIA+ Umbrella as well as allies. Running the group has high costs such as meetup subscription fees, games, posters, pens, nametags, occasional food and any other costs such as upgrading events. Thanks in advance for your yearly donations. Name: Mark Geer Account number: 03450947 Sort code: 04-00-04 Reference - Donate Alternatively you can give me cash at events or transfer to me at any events. Easy!

January is shit, isn't it? Everyone is mentally, emotionally and financially exhausted after Christmas. The weather is just grey and drizzly. Everyone is on a diet. Most of your friends are doing Dry January. The gym will be heaving for the next six weeks. If you happen to have a birthday in January then nobody wants to go out and do anything because they’re broke, sober or trying Veganuary (or perhaps even all three, for the true trifecta of misery). On top of all of this, we are mere weeks away from the shiny promise of the new year dissolving into familiar, crushing disappointment. Because of all of this, your favourite small craft breweries, bars and pubs have a tough time this month. The good news is that we can all collectively do something to help them out, and all we have to do is drink beer! The CBGB Annual Dry January Bermondsey Beer Mile MeetUp is back for 2026. Welcome to Wet January. When: Saturday 17th January 2026 Kick-off time: 2pm Proposed route: **· Southwark Brewing Company (46 Druid Street) – 2pm-3pm** **· Anspach & Hobday (The Arch House) (118 Druid Street) – 3:10pm – 4:10pm** **· Cloudwater (73 Enid Street) – 4:20pm – 5:30pm** **· The Kernel Brewery (132 Spa Road) – 5:40 – 7:00pm** Afterwards, should anyone still wish to, then suggest we head to **Craft Beer Junction (86 Enid Street).** The whole route is roughly a mile to walk and there will be around a 5 minute walk in between venues. Anspach & Hobday are happy for you to bring food in from the market on nearby Maltby Street and the Kernel have a proper kitchen serving food with a rotating residency – I believe it is a Japanese-inspired menu currently. There is also usually a food truck outside one of the other taprooms on Enid Street that sells pizza.

**Welcome 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](https://www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park/faqs) 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: \-\-\-\-\- 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,](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6148340/) heal [brain damage](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6148340/) in affected individuals, and foster [better mental health](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running) 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](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/the-mental-health-benefits-of-nature-spending-time-outdoors-to-refresh-your-mind/) 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](https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/) system. \-\-\-\-\- Take care and see you on the trails!

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

***They*** *say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but they're wrong!* **[FoodCycle](https://foodcycle.org.uk/who-we-are/)**'s lovely volunteers use [unwanted food](https://cityharvest.org.uk/about-city-harvest) to produce three course, [meat-free recipe](https://foodcycle.org.uk/recipes/) (tell them you're vegan) **[community meals](https://foodcycle.org.uk/community-meals/)** across [England](https://foodcycle.org.uk/find-a-meal/), that are free to all. [FoodCycle Woolwich](https://foodcycle.org.uk/location/foodcycle-woolwich/) ([map](https://maps.app.goo.gl/XVEi9poq68YRxQX86)\|[video](https://youtu.be/5VEIsN1aCk4)) is every Friday (with rare exception; I'm notified by text), at **[Woolwich Common Community Centre](https://www.wccc.org.uk/)**'s accessible [main hall](https://www.wccc.org.uk/gallery?pgid=l3le3lp7-1daa7232-8086-4a0d-82cb-1c2a7887d105). I sometimes help the Hosting team, and have met a few other vegan [volunteers](https://volunteer.foodcycle.org.uk/opportunity/a1dQs000000fmvPIAQ), inc. chef and fellow [SE18 Vegans](https://www.facebook.com/groups/SE18Vegans) member John, who has a vegan daughter like me :-) P.S. You can bring food containers, in case of leftovers.

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

**Calling all queer crochet enthusiasts;** I am a visual artist located in Columbus that is searching for people who may want to gather while also participating in creating a piece of artwork. My goal is to spend time enjoying one another’s company while making a work of art that will be displayed within our community. I plan to teach people to crochet (if unfamiliar) while also inviting current fiber artists to join us for some much-needed social interaction. There are no expectations from those who attend, materials will be included, and any amount of participation is welcome! If you have a favorite crochet hook or current project you are welcome to bring that along too! The primary goal is to foster a safe space for our community to chat, create and be. For further information please email [landerknits@outlook.com.](http://landerknits@outlook.com.) \*This will be our 2nd meeting, bring friends and make new ones. Come as you are and make along side other like-minded folks.

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

Volunteer with Westerville Queer Collective and the Neurospicy Meetup to build care packages for local unhoused folks, which will be distributed throughout local camps and neighborhoods via Heer2Serve (501c3). Will you donate any items? If so, comment what will you bring Please make sure clothing items are clean and if you’re donating food, ready to be eaten without a stove or microwave. We expect to assemble around 50-100 packages, so if you’ll purchase items, please consider that amount (ie bulk individually packaged candies etc.). Fun and interesting book or entertainment item donation also welcome! Package assembly will take place on January 17th from 10-12 am. Location TBA but will be in Westerville, Ohio.

This is a very informal coffee group where you can stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole two hours. This is a group for anyone who has been affected by having a loved one with dementia. We can tell our stories, make friends, and spend time with others going through or who have gone through the same thing. We will meet at the table with the purple flowers. I will be wearing a name tag. My name is Sandra.

We're collaborating with Westerville Queer Collective to gather supplies and pack care packages. Head over to their event page to [register](https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-wroejsfn/events/312453970/) officially. We’ll be assembling care packages with food, warm weather supplies, recreational items like books, and resource guides for local unhoused folks. Packages will then be delivered to HEER2SERVE, local nonprofit that has weekly “serves”, when they go out into local encampment areas and deliver needed items and food. Our care packages will be a part of that. WQC will supply containers and food items for the care packages. So this time we are primarily focusing on gathering donations for keeping warm, including up to 50 of the following items: Clean or new socks, hats, scarves and gloves Handwarmers Sanitizing wipes Lighters You are welcome to contribute items or just come and help pack. Leave a comment if you are bringing donations. We can also accept money donations through WQC.

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. I've been hardware hacking a See N Say to make it say whatever I want - while the project is in progress still, it should be working by this meetup! I'll bring it for demo. [See N Say Project](https://github.com/cdeever/esp32-see-n-say) While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.