Rotary Club

…who created it, why and how the pioneers rode Vespas throughout the night to climb in Snowdonia. Speakers Jeremy Schwartz & Anthony Williams Social gathering and drinks from 18:30. Talk starts at 19:30.

**This Is How You Lose the Time War** (288 pages) **Genre:** Science Fiction, Romance, Epistolary, Time Travel **Summary:** In a war fought across centuries, timelines, and realities, two rival agents—Red and Blue—begin leaving taunting notes for each other in the ruins and wonders of worlds they’ve shaped. What starts as playful antagonism grows into something dangerous, intimate, and universe-shaking. Told through razor-sharp prose and coded letters scattered across the multiverse, *This Is How You Lose the Time War* is poetic, haunting, and unexpectedly tender—a story about connection, rebellion, and finding love in the unlikeliest corners of time. *** **Join Our Book Club Bingo! ⏳📚** For our February pick, we’re diving into something lyrical, romantic, and time-bending. Expect paradoxes, emotions, and possibly several gentle existential crises. And of course… Book Club Bingo! **How It Works:** ⏳ **Grab Your Bingo Card:** Filled with quotes, time-travel oddities, and iconic Red vs. Blue moments. ✅ **Mark Your Cards:** Check off squares as we discuss the twists, timelines, and letters. 🎉 **Shout “Bingo!”** Be the first to complete **two rows, columns, or diagonals**. 📚 **Win a Book:** Two readers will leave with a fresh new title for their TBR pile! Prepare for love, war, tangled timelines, and overly dramatic notes hidden in impossible places. 📍 **Dog & Bull (Surrey street) in Croydon** 📅 **18th of February 2026 (Wednesday) at 7:00 PM**

What issues are you encountering and what are your plans for 2026? Meet us in the cafe for a chat with other organisers about your plans for your group and share ideas and tips. **It will suit organisers who have recently setup a Meetup group, who are planning to setup a group and experienced organisers.** I will have a 'Meetup Organisers' sign on the table, so you can find us. Hope to see you there! Robert Organiser If you can't see us in the cafe, please text me: 07905 901 834.

Artists of all ability are welcome at the All Good Bookshop Art Club. Each session has a theme to inspire creativity but there is no set image to create, allowing attendees to explore their own skills and interests. A range of art materials are supplied, but bringing your own supplies is also welcomed. Suggested donation £5

The Central London Humanists (CLH) Committee is pleased to invite all members and supporters – past, current, and future - to our **2026 Annual General Meeting.** The AGM is always a thought-provoking occasion and a great time to connect or catch up with fellow Humanists. We’ll review the past year’s progress, select the 2026 Committee, and discuss the future of CLH and how we can make every event and interaction even better, in 2026 and beyond. \-\-\- **Date: Wednesday 18th February 2026** **Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm** Please join us from 6:15pm to enjoy a glass of wine or soft drink - on us! 6:30PM **AGM** will begin promptly 7:30PM Guest Speaker: **Jessie Hayes**, Humanist Celebrant presents an Introduction to Humanist Ceremonies **[More info here](https://www.meetup.com/central-london-humanists/events/313062160/)** **Venue: Old Diorama Arts Centre** We'll then move on to a nearby pub for drinks. We look forward to seeing you there to kick off an exciting year. \-\-\- **AGM Documents** [2026 AGMdocuments can be viewed here.](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MGLB1aE8wNYCQItGJqoxqLcSp_YiN9XO?usp=sharing) * Agenda * Minutes of 2025 AGM * Nominations for Committee Positions * Candidate Statements * Annual Report (including Chair's Review and Treasurer's audited accounts) * CLH Constitution \-\-\- This year, we invite your active participation in shaping the future of Central London Humanists through the following three action points: ### 1\. Nominations for Committee Membership Nominations are open for new committee members to help shape the future of CLH. If you’d like to apply to join the CLH Committee, please complete this **[committee nomination form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnmkP-GrFfuCwXl2kKfiAlHT7gp_qwm2V2NEeJWroHJZO4SQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108277749265148016490).** Applications close on **11th February 2026.** ### 2\. Have Your Say If you have any recommendations, nominations, or matters arising that you would like to raise at the AGM, please email **[info@centrallondonhumanists.org.uk](mailto:info@centrallondonhumanists.org.uk?subject=CLH%20AGM%202025&body=)** by **11th February 2026.** We look forward to welcoming you at the AGM and working together for another fantastic year of campaigning, events, and support. Your involvement is what keeps our community thriving! **Voting** Anyone who is registered as a full member of CLH and is a paid-up member of Humanists UK (HUK) is automatically a voting member of CLH. You will be able to vote on resolutions and are eligible for election to the Committee. Please bring your HUK membership details with you to the meeting. Non-voting members and supporters are also very welcome to join us for the AGM and participate in our discussions. Nominations for Committee positions must be submitted to the Secretary (info@centrallondonhumanists.org.uk) at least 14 days before the AGM (i.e. no later than 22nd January 2025). * Each nomination needs to be **proposed and seconded** by voting members of CLH. * Brief candidacy statements can also be included along with the nominations. * **[Members can register interest in joining the CLH Committee by completing this short form.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnmkP-GrFfuCwXl2kKfiAlHT7gp_qwm2V2NEeJWroHJZO4SQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108277749265148016490)** \-\-\- **Have Your Say** We encourage anyone who is interested in Humanism and CLH to consider becoming a voting member: * If you are already a HUK member and wish to register as a full member of CLH (no membership fee) please register on our website: [https://centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/signup](https://centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/signup) * If you wish to join HUK and support its work to promote humanism in British life, please go to: [https://humanism.org.uk/join](https://humanism.org.uk/join) We also welcome other contributions, particularly in helping to manage our events. The more hands and minds involved, the more we can do, so please do get in touch if you’d like to get involved in some way. \-\-\- **Please Note:** Events are advertised on multiple online portals and through email, so RSVP numbers on any one portal may not be fully indicative of the greater attendance on the day. We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information, but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any individual's views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the group at large.

4u Badminton Club is a sociable group who enjoy badminton at an higher intermediate level. A reasonable standard of play is expected: guests should be regular players with a few years’ experience – no beginners, please. We do have regular members down and meetup spots are limted. Winter league begins September and you can be a guest for 3 sessions for trialing out to play at the club before requiring to join as a member. 
Join us for two hours of friendly, competitive badminton with like-minded enthusiasts. We use four courts, but even so we need to limit numbers so that everybody gets a fair number of games. We play from 8 to 10pm, water fountain and toilets and changing rooms on site.
The cost of £12 per two-hour session includes feather shuttles. You can pay in cash at the session, or via bank transfer:
• Account name: Edward cheng
• Account number: 30786473
• Sort code: 60-83-71 
Our commitment is to ensure that you have an enjoyable evening. However, since we are a non- profit club with tight finances, we expect that once you RSVP you commit yourself to play. You may cancel up to 24 hours before the the session to avoid any attendance charge and to allow other people on the wait list to play. If you do not show without notice we reserve the right to charge a full non-attendance fee if you come again and persistent offenders may be blocked from our club. So please be thoughtful and let us know in good time if you cannot attend. Entrance is via an intercom gate located at the back of the school see photo.

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)**

London is packed—on the Tube, at gigs, at restaurants, everywhere you go. And yet, for many of us (especially expats), it can feel unexpectedly lonely. Making friends here doesn’t just happen accidentally—it happens intentionally. That’s how I found my people: book clubs, movie nights, small, cosy gatherings. Now, I want to create that same environment for others, in the way that feels most natural to me—over food. Food is how I unwind after a long day at work, how I stay close to home, and how I learn about new cultures—whether I’m adapting foreign flavors to my restricted chicken-etarian diet or my boyfriend’s vegan one. I have found that while pub catch-ups with friends are fun, the most organic and enriching conversations and connections happen in a homely environment around a shared table of food. My supper club is about bringing people together for good drinks, comforting fusion food, ice-breaker games, and workshops with kind, curious people. To know the menu, agenda and get a seat, visit: [Link to book](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nivs-supper-club-tickets-1982009073493?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile) Come hungry. Leave a little fuller—in every way. 🌿🍽️ Hope to see you there.

**This is a ticketed fundraising event! Get your ticket and make whatever donation you can here:** https://www.outsavvy.com/event/33294/aid-for-rojava-fundraising-night-wmovie-music-dancing All across the world, imperialism, neo-fascism and the capitalists that these forces ultimately serve have had a booming few years. From the genocide in Gaza, to Sudan, to Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Greenland and many more, the powers of the world are making moves and burning bodies. It's enough to make your head spin and it's easy to burn out hearing about it all. It's especially discouraging to see what's happening to one of the more celebrated "bright spots" in global geopolitics of the past decade, namely the Rojava Revolution and, apparently, its imminent end under armed aggression by the Turkish military and the US/Israel-backed Al-Qaeda-turned-technocratic liberals of the HTS militia which currently rules Syria. At the start of January, a full-scale invasion of the Rojava region began. As of the 20th, a [shaky ceasefire](https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/syria-kobani-kurds-sdf-aid-convoy-q74640) is in effect. This fragile situation may be our one opportunity to raise vital funds for humanitarian support to the people of northeastern Syria, who desperately need resources for medical care, food, and transportation to safety. That's why LCC will be hosting a mega-night of fun and fundraising in partnership with The Bath House, Hackney Wick this February, raising money for the people of Rojava. There will be a film screening on the struggle between ISIS and the Rojava revolution at the [Battle of Tishrin Dam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tishrin_Dam_offensive), a Q&A with its director, as well as music and dancing with food and drink available at the bar. The ongoing offensive has resulted in significant casualties, including approximately 1,000 people killed, with at least 152 civilians reported dead and 322 injured as of January 18, 2026. The situation remains dire, particularly in the besieged town of Kobani, where ongoing attacks have led to civilian deaths, hunger, and a humanitarian crisis. What is, or was, the Rojava Revolution? Some resources can be found [here](https://riseup4rojava.org/en/rojava-people-in-arms/), but in a nutshell Rojava is an autonomous Kurdish territory in north-eastern Syria where a broad coalition of forces have, since the start of the Syrian Civil War till now, been attempting to practice directly-democratic, libertarian-communist, feminist, ecological emancipatory politics as part of a generations-long struggle for Kurdish national liberation. The leading force in Rojava, the Democratic Union Party and its armed wing the YPG, have in the past made common cause with the US to [defeat shared enemies like the so-called Islamic State](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/magazine/a-dream-of-utopia-in-hell.html). Recent events have shown, once again, that the west is always a false friend, with the [US and Israel reportedly having given the go-ahead](https://hannohauenstein.substack.com/p/rojava-is-the-red-line-its-being) to HTS and Turkey to launch their ongoing invasion of Rojava. The collapse of democratic, autonomous administration in Rojava is not the end of their revolution, which was always, from the beginning, internationalist. It demonstrates that, no matter how genuinely inspiring it is to see a small nation, with few resources, take on the world and build something we can barely dream of in the west, it is ultimately up to those of us living within the great imperialist core to take up that inspiration and put its principles into practice here and now, so that the next time the Kurdish people rise up in freedom, they will have friends to back them that are both powerful and true. In the meantime, we owe it to these comrades to give them every aid they need to survive the present danger, prepare for future ones, and make themselves able to fight on. Donations benefiting the Kurdish Red Crescent can be made to our fundraising page here or on the night via cash or card. The most generous donors will get a shout-out from the stage! Capacity is huge, so come one, come all, share this event and bring your friends!

We will be meeting at The Racketeer! We will divide into smaller groups to discuss this month's book. It will be very obvious when you arrive to the pub, where our group is, but please feel free to give me a call if you are struggling to find us. For new members, shoot me a message on meetup and I will send through my phone number!

**​Founders Running Club (FRC)** brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. ​9:15 Bag drop at the Regent's Bar and Kitchen, Regent's Park: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MmZdAVM8yXT9euKc7 ​9:30 Warm Up starts at the Inner Circle & York Bridge, South Gate: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6) 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 27 cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats)** **Stay updated:** **Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/)** **Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/)** **LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/)** **Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC)** **Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)**

Start your weekend by watching the sunrise from one of London's best viewpoints. Meet fellow early birds. Get a big dose of nature: wild sky, abundant green space, and occasional wildlife. And then warm up in a nearby cafe. Conversations fuelled by early morning light and coffee tend to be good ones. On Saturday 21st February, we will: * Meet from: 6:45AM at the top of Primrose Hill * **Sunrise at: 7:01AM** * Take in the view for a little while * Walk to a nearby cafe (Roots on Regent's Park Road) * Warm up with coffee (with 10% off) Become part of our community of regulars, or just drop by for a one off experience. We meet frequently - sometimes weekly, sometimes fortnightly - to create and sustain community. New people are always welcome :-)Start your weekend by watching the sunrise from one of London's best viewpoints. Meet fellow early birds. Get a big dose of nature: wild sky, abundant green space, and occasional wildlife. And then warm up in a nearby cafe. Conversations fuelled by early morning light and coffee tend to be good ones. Become part of our community of regulars, or just drop by for a one off experience :-)

CLOSEST TRAIN STATIONS
• Harrow & Wealdstone 4minwalk.
• Harrow on the hill 10 min bus (get off at stop: Harrow and Wealdstone station) and then it’s a 4minwalk.
• There is bus stop for H9 and H10 right outside The Palm House, stop: Palmerston Road.

PARKING
• Palmerston Road car park 2minwalk (quite a small car park)
• Harrow and Wealdstone station car park, about 4min walk
• Some street parking but not loads

**Distance**: 24km (15 miles approx) circular route **Ascent**: 265m **Duration**: 6 hours walking **Grade**: Moderate Savernake Forest is a quiet, hidden wonder that holds more veteran trees than anywhere else in Europe - walking here feels like moving through deep time. My plan is to visit this February when the forest stands bare, allowing the full presence of the trees to be seen and felt. Without leaves, their vast forms and ancient structures are revealed in a way that is really striking . I’ll return again in autumn, when the same paths are transformed by colour, offering a very different, equally powerful experience. Savernake is the largest privately owned forest in Britain, set within the North Wessex Downs. Its damp, heavy soils are particularly well suited to oak and beech, and many of the trees have immense girths that are awe-inspiring. Some are over 1,000 years old, bearing the marks of centuries of weather, growth, and survival. Some of trees to see are: King of Limbs (Radioheads 2011 album is named after it), Cathedral Oak, Big Belly Oak, New Queen Oak, Replacement King Oak to name but a few! There will be an optional pub stop at the end of the walk. The toilets in the forest are closed for the winter and there are no cafes along our way, so come prepared with enough food and water for the day. **COST AND LOGISTICS** **Cost**: £10 **Group size:** 20 **Start**: 8.40am London Paddington for Group Save **Meet:** 8:50 for those who buy their own tickets **MORNING train from London** **Dep**: 09:05 London Paddington **Arr:** 10.30 Great Bedwyn **RETURN:** **Finish:** 5.30pm at the pub **Return train**: 17:41. Next train is an hour later **Arr:** 18.57 in London Paddington. **Recommended train ticket** Off-Peak Day Return to Great Bedywn * **£29 group save/ network rail price** Recommended: yearly Network Railcard for reduced train prices www.network-railcard.co.uk **Meeting Point:** In front of Heathrow Express Ticket Office **REVIEWS** [Trip Advisor](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d19994843-Reviews-AAA_Hiking_Outdoor_Group-London_England.html) \| [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AAAHikingUK/reviews) \| [MeetUp](https://www.meetup.com/aaa-outdoor-hiking-adventure-travel/feedback-overview/) **PRICE INCLUDES** · Guided hike planned and led by an experienced AAA leader, trained in Outdoor First Aid. **PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE** · Travel costs · Lunch, drinks or any refreshments · PayPal fees **RECOMMENDED KIT LIST** [(](https://mailchi.mp/aaalondongroup.com/kitlist)[complete list]()[)](https://mailchi.mp/aaalondongroup.com/kitlist) · Suitable hiking shoes or boots · Packed lunch and snacks · Water - 2 litres recommended · Waterproof jacket and trousers (Please no jeans!) · Warm windproof layer e.g. Down/Primaloft/Fleece · Wicking base layer e.g. Polyester/Tencel/Merino **CANCELLING/REFUNDS** If you can no longer join the hike, please message the Host listed on here, and update your RSVP status to 'Not going', to allow others to take your place. If the hike is full, and you have messaged us and have changed your RSVP to 'Not going', we will refund you, less than the PayPal/Meetup fees. To obtain this, please email info@aaalondongroup.com **after the event**, with the email address you use on your PayPal account and transaction reference. If the hike is not full, unfortunately we will not be able to provide any refund. **QUESTIONS** If you have any other questions, please check visit our [FAQ page](https://mailchi.mp/aaalondongroup.com/frequently-asked-questions). If you are still unsure, contact the event Host shown on this page. We have operated over 1,000 events without significant incidents in the last ten years, achieved through meticulous planning. All participants (members and their guests) in any AAA Hiking event or activity are personally responsible for their fitness, safety and welfare, and must be equipped accordingly. If you have signed up for the event, you acknowledge and accept the AAA London Group Terms and Conditions. © AAA London Group Ltd. Errors and Omissions Excepted

This Month's Book: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. Join us for discussion at the Granville Public Library from 6 to 7pm. Follow us on Instagram: @granvillepridebookclub

Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! For this event, we’ll help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents, wash dishes and clean surfaces at Fath Mission – Grant Kitchen. We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “Create a better world” by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event: FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. Our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces. PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for BRUNCH from 10:30am to 12:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 10:15am and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1, indicated in the attached map. On-site and street parking are available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details: \* LSS Volunteer Guidelines: Uploaded to photos. \* Parking Map Info: Uploaded to photos. \* LSS Faith Mission Orientation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp46_6ay6iA \* Link with Additional Details / Info: https://lss.vomo.org/opportunity/faith-mission-grant-kitchen-2025 IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing the all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With very few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. THANK YOU: This CMG Gives Back event provides an opportunity for YOU to get involved in helping others! Benefits go well beyond the help we give to others. Volunteering provides a wide range of personal benefits, including positive effects on mental and physical health, reduced stress/depression/anxiety, increased happiness and improved purpose, life-satisfaction and personal well-being! Plus, the opportunity to get involved, connect with others and help those in need. PARTNER AGENCY: This event is hosted by Lutheran Social Services (LSS), which serves thousands of people in need each day in 27 Ohio counties by addressing the four core societal issues of food, shelter, safety and healing. LSS offers food through the LSS Food Pantries, housing and supportive services through LSS Faith Mission and LSS Faith Mission of Fairfield County homeless shelters, domestic violence services through LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, senior living and health care, affordable housing communities, and other services that uplift families and strengthen communities. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.