Sierra Club

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!**

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for January is **Our Evenings** by **Alan Hollinghurst**. Dave Win is thirteen years old when he first goes to stay with the Hadlows, the sponsors of his scholarship at a local boarding school where their son Giles is his contemporary. For Dave this weekend, with its games and challenges and surprising encounters, will open up heady new possibilities, even as it exposes him to Giles’s envy and violence. As *Our Evenings* unfolds over half a century, the two boys’ careers will diverge dramatically, Dave a gifted actor struggling with convention and discrimination, Giles an increasingly powerful and dangerous politician. *Our Evenings* is Dave Win’s own account of his life as a schoolboy and student, his first love affairs, in London, and on the road with an experimental theatre company, and of a late-life affair, which transforms his sixties with a new sense of happiness and a perilous security; but it is also, very movingly, the story of his hard-working widowed mother, whose own life takes an unexpected new turn after her son leaves home. Both dark and luminous, poignant and wickedly funny, Alan Hollinghurst’s new novel gives us a portrait of modern England through the lens of one man’s acutely observed and often unnerving experience. It is a story of race and class, theatre and sexuality, love and the cruel shock of violence, from the finest writer of our age. Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

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.

We're finally back at Sobell Leisure Centre: \- Tuesdays 7pm\-10pm \- Courts 1a\-1d \(courts 1a\-1c after 9\.20pm\) \- Sobell Leisure Centre\, Tollington Rd\, London N7 7NY\. We are a friendly, competitive club for players at high intermediate to advanced / league standard. Not suitable for beginners or lower intermediates. We are always looking for new competitive players. The club always has a regular attendance of around 25 players, and will be participating in the Middlesex league in ladies' doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles in the 2025/26 season. We play doubles or mixed doubles only, with top quality feather shuttles. Please RSVP if you like to attend, or don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Guest Fee is £17 for the 3-hour session. Enquire for our membership options. Please be prepared to pay by bank transfer or cash. Bank details: Sobell Badminton Club / Account 43745220 / SC 230580

Join Us for a Hot Choc Mob Evening! We’ll be hitting the streets of London with something simple but powerful: warm drinks, snacks, and human connection. The Hot Choc Mob is a group of volunteers who believe a small act of kindness can mean a lot to someone sleeping rough or living through a tough time. We’re not a charity or religious group—just people who care and want to make a difference in our city. You don’t need any experience to join us. You’ll be welcomed by our walk leader and introduced to the group. From there, we’ll spend about an hour sharing hot chocolate, food, clothing, and friendly conversation with people who need it most. Afterwards, if you’d like to stay, we’ll regroup at a local pub to share stories and get to know each other. Items to bring along that are highly appreciated include bottled water or juice, soft fruit, tinned sardines, new socks, boxer shorts and t-shirts. And if you have a flask for hot water - instant coffee, tea bags, instant hot chocolate, sugar and milk enable us to make hot drinks for those we meet. If you can’t attend but still want to support us, we also have an [Amazon Wishlist](https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3T0FPY3DHUG9A?type=wishlist&filter=all&sort=priority&viewType=list) for essential items. This is your chance to make a real impact in someone’s day while meeting like-minded people who care about community and connection. Spaces are limited, so click RSVP now and join us for an evening that truly matters. Questions? Message Lynn on 07970 983340 Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/hotchocmob/)

Hi all (Please note the session price is now £12) We are a small, competitive but friendly badminton club who are playing at Swiss cottage leisure centre in London on Tuesdays. We are opening up a few spots each week for advanced players only to attend our members club night session with a view hopefully to joining the club permanently. Any known members of other clubs that have no intention of joining the club who sign up will not be allowed to attend. We play on 4 courts at Swiss cottage leisure centre from 8-10pm. We play with feather shuttles and charge £12 per session. Please transfer your guest fee to our club account prior to attending and send an email to us at info@crescentbadminton.co.uk and pay it to the details below: The Crescent Badminton Club Sort Code: 40-05-33 Account Number: 11372297 We normally go to the pub after each session for a well-deserved beer! For any more information please contact info@crescentbadminton.co.uk or visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CrescentBadmintonClub Please note that we do not accept any responsibility for personal injury, stolen or damaged property or any other damage occurred in our club sessions. Late Cancellations Penalty: Cancel after 30 hours before the event, ie 2pm on Monday. £6 fee will be added on the next visit. No Show Fees: Full fee £12 will be added to the profile on the next visit.

**London's first multi-sensory aerial relaxation experience with live ambient music, gongs, aromatherapy and aerial hammocks. An Oasis of Calm in our Busy Lives.** # Aerial Relaxation Pods - Sound Journey Gong Bath Meditation in Hammocks ### **ABOUT AERIAL RELAXATION PODS™** London's first **multi-sensory aerial relaxation experience with a short guided meditation, live ambient music: gongs, crystal bowls, vocals, other live instruments and nurturing electronica, aromatherapy eye pillows and scents, sky-blue silky aerial hammocks** to soothe your stresses away and lift your spirit! **A very unique, next level sound journey experience!** *"An oasis of calm in our busy lives."* Londoners stressed out by their busy lives can now turn to Aerial Relaxation Pods™ to transform their tension to calm, and restore the body’s natural healing wisdom. ***(please confirm all dates / times / venue via eventbrite. Not all dates are correct on meetup!)*** **PLEASE NOTE:** Please book via eventbrite. There are very limited spaces, and no sales on the door. an RSVP here on meetup is not a ticket! **For more information and bookings:** [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aerial-relaxation-pods-sound-journey-gong-bath-meditation-in-hammocks-tickets-84883457707?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aerial-relaxation-pods-sound-journey-gong-bath-meditation-in-hammocks-tickets-84883457707?aff=oddtdtcreator) *“Our pods are here to help Londoners relax. As a former teacher myself, I am fully aware of just how busy and stressed a lot of people are. And most of us just don't find the time to unwind. Our **Aerial Relaxation Pods** are going to help you alleviate stress, providing time & space to allow your body to deeply rest, harmonising your nervous system. You’ll feel rejuvenated and refreshed after one session.” -* Seth Newman, co-founder of Aerial Relaxation Pods**™**.

“Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine.” Come join us to discuss Patti Smith's Horses, rated 26th best album ever made by rolling stones magazine, but not on my radar until recently when it celebrated its 50th anniversary. Have a listen in advance and come along to nextdoor records two with your thoughts!

**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!

**[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? ❄️🏒

PLEASE ENSURE YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS AT [www.esgnetwork.co.uk](https://www.esgnetwork.co.uk/) **ESG Network is a Business Network dedicated to professionals working within London’s many Environmental, Social /Sustainable and Governance sectors**. Join us at the Private Room at the **Famous Jaks of Mayfair** for our **January 2026 Networking Breakfast** and join us in sampling their wonderful Food, Drinks and the opportunity to **chat about the ESG sector, learn more about the many related topics and make new friends and seek out fresh business leads**. PLEASE ENSURE YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE AT [www.esgnetwork.co.uk](https://www.esgnetwork.co.uk/)

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!

**Backabush has some exciting plans for another expedition. This time we are heading for Kenya, to the trekkers summit of Africa's second highest mountain!** FOR MORE INFO VISIT: [https://www.meetup.com/backabush/events/306401149/](https://www.meetup.com/backabush/events/306401149/)

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. *The 5AM Club* by Robin Sharma explores how waking up early and following a structured morning routine can dramatically improve productivity, mindset, and overall life mastery. Through a blend of storytelling and practical frameworks, it teaches high performers how to build discipline, focus, and long-term success by owning the first hour of the day. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

Interested? Contact Preston Moore k.preston.moore@gmail.com 614-300-5989 ———————————— Engaging in men’s work is the new way to forge friendships while being open-minded to personal growth. Many men experience healthier relationships, personally and professionally, by engaging in this work. Open Men’s Group is a container for men to share vulnerably without receiving judgment or feedback. We believe that emotionally mature, powerful, compassionate, and purpose-driven men will help heal some of society’s deepest wounds. We support the powerful brilliance of men and we are willing to look at, and take full responsibility for, the pain we are also capable of creating – and suffering. We care deeply about men, our families, communities, and the planet. Visit ManKind Project USA to discover more. https://mkpusa.org/

**Our January novel is: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan** **This month's featured novel is a 20th-century biographical fiction, coming-of-age, historical romance, women’s fiction, world literature, student biography, heartfelt, magic, and feel-good novel. The book is 311 pages in print and 7 hours and 8 minutes on audiobook.** 1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?" Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers. Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he shares the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life. After holding so tightly to logic and reason, her brother's request leads Megs to absorb a more profound truth: "The way stories change us can't be explained. It can only be felt. Like love."

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

We meet at lunch each week and each meeting follows a fairly organized agenda. First all participants pass their business cards around. Then each member and guest is invited to give a one-minute overview of their company and what is a perfect referral for the week. We always have a 10 minute presentation from one of the members about their business in more detail. And finally we pass referrals. You're welcome to visit. Nobody is ever put on the spot. Bring plenty of cards!

We are recruiting new group leaders for virtual men's groups! Our primary groups are outdoor movement groups, but we are launching virtual groups for the state of Ohio and beyond and the groups will move outside in the spring, creating room for men's groups, women's groups and coed groups all over the country. Read below to learn about our groups and click the links at the bottom to apply. ### **What is an Outdoor Empowerment Group?** Our Outdoor Movement & Community Empowerment Groups are simple, guided experiences designed to help people reconnect with nature, themselves, and others. We combine some form of movement (hike, walk, run, bike, yoga, workout) and meaningful conversation within a simple community circle to create a space where individuals can support each other while prioritizing mental and physical well-being. Whether you’re seeking stress relief, personal growth, or community, our groups offer everyone a unique and welcoming environment. ## **Why Join?** * **Improve Mental & Physical Well-Being** – Movement, nature, and supportive conversations reduce stress and promote balance. * **Feel Less Alone** – Build genuine connections with like-minded people in a safe, welcoming space. * **Gain Clarity & Perspective** – Step outside daily routines and into a space designed for personal growth and reflection. ## **The Ideal Group Leader** The ideal group leader * Has a born-in passion for mental health, movement, connecting with nature and building community. * Has 5 extra hours per week to dedicate to a meaningful cause for at least one year. Yes, you can leave any organization at any time and we can also ask you to leave, but we are building with legacy in mind and we need people who can commit and be ALL IN on this mission to build with us. * Is independently financially stable with the ability to volunteer with no expectation of pay. This is a deeply beautiful journey of service that all participants commit to at Speak Your Mind. * An ability to manage groups with high emotional intelligence and desire for human connection. * An ability to self-motivate and market/promote their group on Facebook and other social platforms. * Nature informed therapy or clinical therapists/psychologists a plus. ## **Our Impact**  Since launching, we have helped thousands find support, connection, and healing through our Outdoor Movement Groups. 100% of participants surveyed have reported: * A noticeable improvement in mental clarity and emotional well-being. * An increase in social connection and a sense of belonging. * Said they would return again. We believe mental health should be accessible, community-driven, and rooted in nature. Join us and take the first step toward a more connected, grounded, and supported version of yourself. ### **Why Our Groups are Donation-Based** Our Outdoor Movement Groups are made possible through a donation-based model. This approach allows us to keep our events accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, while also ensuring that we can continue expanding our reach. It’s a great way to pay it forward and support the growth of this beautiful mission! Every contribution helps us: * **Cover Essential Costs** – Donations allow us to pay essential legal, marketing, insurance, and admin costs as well as nourish the important people who run the organization. * **Grow Our Mission** – With your support, we can bring these healing experiences to thousands more people in the future and execute our long term plan to expand across the USA, affecting up to 500,000 people per year. By choosing to contribute, you’re not just leading an event—you’re helping build a mental health movement that supports long-term well-being and connection for all during a severe mental health epidemic. ## **Come Join Us!** We’d love to have you be part of this growing community of people prioritizing their mental health, movement, and connection. 🔹 **Visit Our Website to Learn More:** https://speakyourmind.men/joinusoutside 🔹 **Apply Here to Lead Your Own Group!** – https://form.jotform.com/taketimespeakyourmind/sym-group-leader-application 🔹 **Support the mission**: If you resonate with the mission and want to support, feel free to join a group before applying or donate to help us reach our goals to help more people! You can donate here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/angels-for-angels/speak-your-mind Please text Mario with any questions: (808) 855-8831

For January, we’re reading Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. For fans of Flight Behavior and Station Eleven, a novel set on the brink of catastrophe, as a young woman chases the world's last birds--and her own final chance for redemption. Franny Stone has always been a wanderer. By following the ocean's tides and the birds that soar above, she can forget the losses that have haunted her life. But when the wild she loves begins to disappear, Franny can no longer wander without a destination. She arrives in remote Greenland with one purpose: to find the world's last flock of Arctic terns and track their final migration. She convinces Ennis Malone, captain of the Saghani, to take her onboard, winning over his eccentric crew with promises that the birds will lead them to fish. As the Saghani fights its way south, Franny's dark history begins to unspool. Battered by night terrors, accumulating a pile of unsent letters, and obsessed with pursuing the terns at any cost, Franny is full of secrets. When her quest threatens the safety of the entire crew, Franny must ask herself what she is really running toward--and running from. Propelled by a narrator as fierce and fragile as the terns she is following, Charlotte McConaghy's Migrations is both an ode to our threatened world and a breathtaking page-turner about the lengths we will go for the people we love.