Young Democrats

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

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

**Welcome! 😄** This is a friendly, informal social event to meet new people, have great conversations, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. There’s no structure or pressure – it’s all about good vibes and building genuine connections. 🥂 \-\-\- **Who is the event for?** People in their 20s & 30s living or working in London who want to meet others and expand their social circle in a natural, low-pressure setting. \-\-\- **You’ll meet people who are:** * in their 20s & 30s living or working in London * open to meeting new people and making connections * up for good conversation and a relaxed evening 😊 \-\-\- **Why should you join?** * Meet new people and grow your social circle * Enjoy meaningful, easy-going conversations * Discover new friendships and connections * It’s a great way to spend your evening * It’s a lot of fun! 🚀 \-\-\- **How it works…** **🎟️ 1. Secure your spot** **To attend:** * **Initial spots/RSVPs are free** — grab one now while early bird is available. Once the free ones are gone it's only £6.99. * Or **for the best value, join as a member (£6.99/month)** on okgather.com — which includes access to all gatherings fortnightly, so you can join regularly. 😊 **2\. Turn up & enjoy** * The tables will be booked under the **"London Social Circle"** so ask the staff to point you to the tables. There should also be a sign on the table so it's easy to find the group. * Expect a friendly, welcoming group and a great atmosphere. The gatherings are generally self hosted with support from the venue. If you have any questions, feel free to email info@okgather.com Please try your best to arrive on time at 7pm - this is important because people will be introducing themselves and getting to know each other at the start. This is to help ensure everyone has a great time! It’s a simple, enjoyable way to meet new people and have a great evening.

**Discussion overview:** How much power should we have over our own life? While some say that we should have total bodily autonomy no matter what, others argue that suffering and despair can lead to irreversible mistakes - and that society should have rules to protect us from them. Should bodily autonomy be entirely our own, or must society have safeguards or step in to protect us from ourselves? *Join us for a relaxed group conversation where we explore the real life, the grey areas, and how our different cultures and backgrounds shape our views about key topics.* *Expect real talk, no judgment, and a chance to learn how others see it.* **\*Come for the discussion, stay for the friendships. Our weekly discussion series brings together thoughtful people for honest conversations on relationships, life, and society - with warm social vibes before and after.\*** **WHAT TO EXPECT:** * Good vibes only: we chat big topics in a chill, respectful way. No arguing - just open-minded exchange. * We warm up with casual socializing (come solo or with friends!) * The topic starts around 7:45/8pm, wraps around 9:30. * 🍕 There's pizza, drinks, milkshakes and snacks available at the bar (incl plant-based options) * And most people stay until late for drinks and mingling! **DISCUSSION FORMAT:** **\- Our group conversations are open and flexible\! There is a very soft guided flow to ensure we focus on the key questions\, and to ensure that everyone gets a balanced opportunity to speak\.** \- We rotate groups intentionally during the discussion so everyone gets to meet a wider mix of people and perspectives\. \- After the structured part\, you’re free to mix and mingle with anyone\. **Here's a typical discussion structure, but we may adjust this depending on the turnout:** \- Introductions and initial thoughts *(\~5 mins).* \- Group breakouts per question *(\~20 mins x 3).* \- Final round of opinions *(\~10 mins)*. \- Mix and mingle\, make new friends\, get drinks etc *(\~until late)* **Rules & etiquette:** 1\. Debate the topic\, not the participants \- no personal attacks please\. 2\. No phones\, no interrupting\, no bystanding\. 3\. Always follow the moderator/host instructions and guidelines\. **WHAT IS WORLD CITIZENS?** We're one of London's longest-running and largest communities. Since 2012 we run socials, cultural activities and stimulating discussions to foster meaningful exchange and learning among London's global professionals. They are inspired by MUN (Model United Nations) and salon discussions and offer a more relaxed and social evening version. **LOCATION DETAILS** What: Discussion session followed by social/networking When: Tuesday, 7:30pm until late. Where: Curzon Aldgate (bar area), 2 Canter Way, E1 8PS Closest stations: Aldgate East, Aldgate, Tower Hill/Gateway Cost: Pay for your own meals or drinks Hosts: We have a rotating team and the actual host of each event varies. Our regular members can also help you out with basic matters. *NOTE: like most guests, our volunteer hosts join after work and may arrive after the start time. If you are punctual or earlier than our hosts, we highly appreciate this! Please feel free to start socializing already and/or get something to eat or drink - that’s the point of our events anyway! Our regular members can also help you out with any basic matters.* **\*Our other weekly events\*** \- Friday evening socials every week \- Saturday afternoon cafe in Chelsea \- Canary Wharf socials every other Wednesday \- Outdoor fun \(hiking\, kayaking\, etc\) every weekend \- Dining\, cultural and travel activities on\-demand **JOIN OUR TEAM!** We're all volunteers, so if you enjoy organizing activities or events in your spare time, while meeting great people every week, send a message to our team account "TP"! **DISCLAIMER** We are a 100% volunteer-run team. Though we have high standards in planning, this is a private informal activity so we cannot be liable for any damage or inconvenience. However, we put safety and comfort first. We take all complaints seriously, and take severe action against any harassment, verbal or non-verbal, and anti-social behaviour, towards our guests or team members. We collaborate with the police when needed. We take photos and videos which may include you to help promote the community in line with GDPR Data Protection law, as well as stock photos from Pexels or Unsplash. We may restrict or prioritize guests at our own discretion for safety, quality and logistics reasons. While our team's decisions may not be perfect we ask that you follow our decisions first and raise any disputes to discuss with us later and privately. By attending you understand, agree with and respect all terms of this disclaimer.

**Open debate and discussion in small rotating groups of 3-6 people,** based on the existing propositions from the Political Compass Quiz and original propositions submitted by members (Controversy Corner) to be presented in '(strongly) agree/disagree' format **How the event works**: Intro: 0-20 min: Welcomes and introductions for new members. We come together in one big group and explain the format/framework for the discussion. A wide-ranging series of propositions will be read out from the political compass quiz, and people will be invited to step up and provide their own controversial statements (Controversy Corner) for debating. People will take a vote on topics of interest and self-organise with assistance from the host into smaller groups for meaningful discussion **Main: 30mins x 3: Small group discussions x3** Each group will have a moderator whose job is to control the discussion, ensuring fair participation from all members, and bring the discussion back to the question if it strays excessively Discussion begins with a quick instinctive vote on the proposition; if all members agree can play devil's advocate or pick a new proposition to spark more debate Then the discussion of the proposition and the taking of a vote at the end of the discussion, noting any changes in the proposition **End: 15 mins:** all groups come back together to share interesting insights you heard from OTHER people Feel free to stay after and extend the discussion and enjoy a drink or two, but the hosted/organised portion of the event will end here. Socioeconomic, cultural and political debates \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Political Compass Quiz**: Measures social and economic positions to give you a political position along left/right and authoritarian libertarian axes - recommended but not essential https://www.politicalcompass.org/test/en?page=1 **Controversy Corner:** An open format where attendees can propose any position/statement of their choosing, formulated in an agree/disagree format, provided that it is in some way related to society, the economy, politics, and human values, with emphasis on pragmatic discussion rather than philosophical abstractions \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **GENERAL RULES/PRINCIPLES**: * This is meant to be a fun environment, please put this first before anything else, bring an open mind and warmth, the objective here is not to convince anyone of your opinions, nor intellectual showboating, but rather state your case freely, learn new perspectives, and possibly make new connections with someone with a different worldview and background from yourself * Opinions and ideologies may be different and even controversial or extreme, but abuse/harassment or threats against individual members is unacceptable, and you will be asked to leave IMMEDIATELY. Keep discussions general, focused on issues, not personal differences. * Please bring active energy and a willingness to suggest topics or take a clear preference on what to discuss or not to discuss; discourse is better when everyone is invested and contributing * This group is not free therapy to unload your vexations with the world, consider that you may be wrong and that other people have opinions that are different to yours :) * Invite other people into the discussion if you notice they haven't said anything in a while * If you don't like your small group discussion, please feel free to arrange yourself into another group, or speak to me about any concerns

Every week is a badminton academy for improver/intermediate/advanced standard. I also run thirteen teams that play in leagues out of the academy. Unfortunately this class does not cater for beginners! Wanting people who wish to enjoy and improve with games and advice with a coach who has played county and national level badminton, and has also played for England. Just come along, bring a racket, very friendly atmosphere! Class from 7.30 - 9.30pm weekly, £14.00 per session or £35.00 for three sessions t be paid up front and must be used within six months, payable by cash only. I have coached players from beginner to international standard. Please message me with any questions. Thanks

London's slowest pub crawl. A new pub every Thursday where everyone talks to each other. Because in 2026, you shouldn’t need to join a run club to meet new people. Turn up, grab a drink, talk to new people and see them again next week. Come solo or with friends. Stay for one drink or stay all night. **Coming along? Do these two quick things:** 1. **[RSVP on CircleUp](https://circleup.space)** (not just meetup). Meetup only has some of the crowd, the full community is on CircleUp. 2. **Join our [WhatsApp chat](https://circleup.space/whatsapp)** to find the group & stay in the loop. **How to find the group** Check for updates on our **[WhatsApp chat](https://circleup.space/whatsapp)** or ask the bar for the booking under CircleUp. **About [CircleUp](https://circleup.space)** Your social life. Sorted. Like a uni society for your 20s & 30s. We're your circle to show up, connect, and keep seeing the same faces. No cliques, no pressure, just a social scene you can step right into. **Most of our plans aren’t on Meetup. Browse the full calendar on [CircleUp](https://circleup.space).** \*\* See the vibe on our [Insta](instagram.com/circleup.uk).\*\*

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

**On Friday 8th May, we're excited to be hosting another unique edition of Friday night fun... our latest “Territories” Pub Race.** Like our other board game-inspired pub races, this live-action strategy game takes inspiration from the classic board game Risk, reimagined across 32 pubs throughout London. This team game is played on a virtual map and each pub is a territory on the map, that can be claimed or conquered ⚔️ **Over the evening, your mission is to build the biggest empire in 2 hours.** To claim one, you simply visit the pub as a team and have at least one person in your team buy a drink (soft drinks included). Every extra drink you buy will add yet more “troops” to your territory to help fortify it 🍻 This is crucial as if you fail to properly strengthen your territories - these can also be **conquered** (i.e. stolen) from other teams who visit the same pub and outnumber your troop numbers. Alongside the race - there will also be fun, themed challenges at each pub that you can complete to earn extra bonus troops for your garrison 📸 Some territories are worth more than others, and there are bonuses for controlling entire continents… so you’ll need to plan your route, pick your battles, and think like a pub-crawling warlord. At the end of the night, the team with the highest total **territory value** will be crowned champions 🏆 But of course, it’s not just about the game - the evening is also a chance to connect with loads of like-minded 20s and 30s, while enjoying an unforgettable start to the weekend. **\- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \-** **WHERE/WHEN** Meet Point - Gilt of Cain, Fen Court Garden, Hogarth Ct, EC3M 5DL ([https://maps.app.goo.gl/JAphAzeWvxusNT4v5](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JAphAzeWvxusNT4v5)) Closest Tube station: Fenchurch Street (5 min walk), Aldgate (10 min walk), Monument (10 min walk) Start Time - 6:45pm Finish time: 11:00pm \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- **JOIN THE COMMUNITY** Set up in November 2021, our community project was set up to help 20s and 30s in London meet, connect and build life-long friendships. To help make this happen, we also host all kinds of events from free social walks, games evenings, day trips, social events, activity nights to picnics. To learn more about our community or follow us on social media, please follow one of the links below. **Website - [https://friendship-project.co.uk](https://friendship-project.co.uk/)** **Instagram - [https://instagram.com/great.friendship](https://instagram.com/great.friendship)**

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Kittie's Worthington](https://kittiescakes.com/)!

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

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

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

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. 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!!*

Tickets are now on sale!🥳We also will have lunch before. At the Rusty Bucket in Easton which is posted separately. 😊 Park in the East Garage.The restaurant is across the street then we can walk back together to the movie! 🥳