Civic Engagement London

UXers Nature Walk and How We Can Create Social Impact

The weather is getting absolutely gorgeous in London ☀️ It has been a long winter, and now it is time to go out and enjoy nature. Join us on this unique UXers Nature Walk and learn about the area we are focused on this year to drive social impact through our [Responsible Design for Change Fellowship](https://www.ux4change.org/responsible-design-for-change-fellowship/). Get a chance to meet our founder, Sandra Gonzalez, and some of the fellows who are currently enrolled in the third cohort of the Fellowship. This is a very lovely opportunity to connect with nature and our community. You are welcome to bring your pet and/or your children, especially if you are juggling half-term at the moment. We will end the walk at the Princess of Wales to share a drink and network a bit. We look forward to spending a lovely afternoon with you.

Free* English conversation class at International café

Discover the World at International Cafe! We are a group of Christian volunteers set out to create a friendly community that welcomes everyone! Come and practice speaking English with our English speaking volunteers. You will learn more about British culture and discuss life with NEW topics each week. We also include a Bible story at the end of our sessions. At International Cafe, we start our meet up with Tea & Coffee and continue in engaging conversations. Each week, we'll look at NEW topics about British culture and history, so you can learn and socialize. Best of all, it's a free event and open to everyone! So mark your calendars: 🕕 Time: **Sunday at 2:30 PM** 📍 Address: ECIR OEA, Inspire at St James Questions? Text Organiser at 07708228436.

Introvert friendly volunteering walk through LDN listening, helping homeless

BritBangla presents London Bengal Walk

Tickets need to be bought from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-bengal-walk-by-britbangla-tickets-1990716057316 A heritage walk uncovering London–Bengal histories, revealing hidden stories of empire, migration, community resilience, and cultural legacy **LONDON BENGAL WALK: City of London & the British Empire by BritBangla** **Meeting Point: Duke of Wellington Statue - Royal Exchange (Bank Station)** Uncover the City’s hidden architecture of empire — from East India Company power to the Bengal trade that fuelled Britain’s wealth. Follow alleys, warehouses, and trading sites linked to muslin, indigo, tea, coffee, silks, and cotton, and meet the ayahs, lascars, and migrants who shaped these streets. We end in Brick Lane, tracing the Bengali community’s journey from struggle to Banglatown. BritBangla is a forum for advancing the empowerment and leadership of the dynamic Bengali community. It provides a platform to reflect the views and aspirations of British Bengalis growing up within a dual culture. BritBangla is the only existing professional network for British Bengalis in the UK. British Bengalis who are proud of their culture, heritage, and success. About the Walk Lead: Taryn Khanam BEM Taryn Khanam BEM is a heritage researcher, community leader, and Chair of BritBangla, recognised for her work exploring the intertwined histories of London and Bengal. As a researcher on the East India Company Monuments Trail at St Paul’s Cathedral, she has spent years uncovering the stories of empire, trade, and migration embedded in the City’s streets. Her guided walks bring together rigorous historical insight, community memory, and a commitment to making hidden histories visible. Taryn’s work centres British Bengali heritage, amplifying the voices of ayahs, lascars, merchants, activists, and early settlers whose presence shaped London long before modern migration Part of Tower Hamlets South Asian Heritage Month \* Bengali Professionals London is publicising this event and is not the organiser of the event\*

An Exploration of Human Expression and Its Future

What makes us human, and what do we risk losing when AI begin to mirror our most intimate forms of expression? As AI becomes woven into our everyday workflows, from vibe coding to documentation, it's easy to focus on efficiency. But what about the rest of our lives? This session invites you to slow down and turn your attention toward something deeper: the arts. Dancing, singing, drawing, making, not as hobbies, but as expressions of something fundamental about who we are and where we come from. Whether you're excited about what AI can create, cautious about what it might erode, or somewhere in between, this conversation is for you. We're not here to reach consensus. We're here to share our views and think together. **What we'll explore** Inspired by the [Centre for Humane Technology](https://www.humanetech.com/ai-and-humanity)'s report *Preserving What Makes Us Deeply Human in the Age of AI*, we'll explore questions around why we create. What role does art play in our lives, not just aesthetically, but psychologically, socially, and spiritually? And as AI enters these spaces, what questions should we be asking ourselves? **From reflection to practice** We won't leave it abstract. Towards the end of the session, we'll bring the conversation back to our work as UX Designers and Researchers, exploring how these reflections can meaningfully shape the way we design, research, and lead. *** **🎓 A moment of celebration** We'll close the evening by celebrating the nine fellows who have completed the third [Responsible Design for Change Fellowship](https://www.ux4change.org/responsible-design-for-change-fellowship/) cohort. Their dedication to advancing social impact at the East London Waterworks Park, while deepening their practice in regenerative design and leadership, is worth sharing with our UX for Change community. *** **🎟️ Free spots available** We believe access to these conversations matters. If you'd like to be considered for one of the 7 free tickets, please fill out this short form: 👉[https://forms.gle/YgPFKeSXtZDMVaVU9](https://forms.gle/YgPFKeSXtZDMVaVU9)

Novice | 10-12pm July 11 Vortex upstairs

update: full for vocals, bass, lead instruments, 1 of 2 spots taken for guitar and piano **Please use this link to sign up and pay** https://tickts.co.uk/events/novice-10-12pm-july-11-vortex-upstairs (Note you must already be accepted as a member of this group, otherwise your ticket will be cancelled) There will be a delay in the attendee list here being manually updated - please always check tickts.co.uk link above which is always up to date for what instruments are available. full list of scheduled sessions: https://www.meetup.com/Practice-Jazz-Jam-Sessions/events/ **What is it** The novice rehearsal sessions provide an opportunity for people who are relatively new to jazz, to play in a friendly, low-pressure environment. With a short set list that attendees can prepare in advance, it becomes a little less daunting to play and get the most out of practising in a group. See below for this week's setlist. Please sign up before attending. Already full for your instrument? Please check back every other Wednesday, when new sessions go live. If you keep not being able to get a spot, please message the organiser (Xie). Location: Vortex upstairs **Who's it for** Anyone who has practised following the forms (chord progressions) of jazz tunes - maybe on their own at home - and would like to build up playing experience, expand repertoire and practice performing with other musicians. There are various introductions on how jazz jams work - see e.g. https://jazznightschool.org/pages/jam-session-basics You don't need to get all these details right for these novice practice sessions. The set list format should offer opportunities for those at different levels of developing their playing. While at the beginning one might struggle to follow/comp the chords or play through the melody, it gets easier over time and one can start to develop approaches to improvisation, harmonise lead lines, add intros/endings, work on communication between band members, and even listen to recordings together and pick up specific arrangements. Bass players are expected to be able to play a walking bass line on swing tunes, and simple bossa lines for bossa novas. Playing the melody, or "head" - the responsibility is shared between horns players (e.g. sax, trumpet, violin), guitar and piano. Feel free to discuss among the group before each song - different parts of the head or the starting / ending heads can be played by different players. Some melodies will better suit several voices at the same time, whereas others are sensitive to variations in how they are played and may prefer a single instrument at a time. **What it's like** A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - please put aside any worries of making mistakes if you’re thinking of joining us for the first time. To ensure the group is accessible for those at different levels, I ask that each novice session should work on only the below four songs of the set list, unless each and every attendee feels they prefer to move on. Each novice session is limited to up to: 1 drummer, 2 bass, 2 keys, 2 guitar, 3/4 lead instruments. The tickts.co.uk page will have tickets available only for the instruments/vocals with spots remaining. **Tunes this week (Sat July 11)** * Tenor madness in Bb (Blake, Roberts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SsRegn8IG4 * Corcovado in C (note odd number of measures) (Stan Getz) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5XTnAQqczw * Little Sunflower in Dm (Freddie Hubbard) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZBu0ARDGxs * Lullaby of Birdland in Ab (Chad LB) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPqqVjfK2f4 Everyone is encouraged to listen to a variety of recordings for each song, but please ensure you are familiar with the recording provided as a primary reference. (Note the recordings provide stylistic reference, but may not be in the key listed, with the latter based on common real books) **Tune preview - next novice session (Sat July 18)** * All of me in C (Sonny Stitt) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUdIsccV9M * Like someone in love in Eb (Morgan, Jordan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwv4KAw9h1g * On Green Dolphin Street in Eb (John Coltrane) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJBy3N7ZfRo * Adam's Apple in Ab (learn comping riff) (Dave Piero) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Pfl_j9iZI **Preparing for the session** The chordal form of each song follow the iReal Pro app as a common reference, or you can use sheet music from Real Books. Resource for sheet music: https://www.seventhstring.com/fbindex.html http://therealbook.info/ Try to immerse yourself in the songs by listening to recordings by different artists on youtube, spotify etc. Learn the head (main melody) of the song if you can. Don't hesitate to let the band know you can play it so you can start things off **Playing well together** The rehearsal groups are often quite large for a jazz ensemble setting. Please follow the below arrangements, which are designed to help the group be mindful of each other's volumes, and to build good habits for playing as a group * Every tune should be played at least twice. Swap the bass, piano and guitar players between the two renditions (if there are two attending) * Only one guitarist should comp - i.e. play chords - for each rendition (both guitarists can solo, and comp without amplification) * After each rendition of the warm up tune, the whole group should take a moment together and help each other to check on volumes, including: \*\* Can everyone hear themselves? \*\* Are the drums too loud? \*\* Can everyone hear the bass? \*\* Is the guitar comping too loud? \*\* Is the piano loud enough? (staff at the office can turn this up) \*\* Feel free to revisit volumes after subsequent songs * For any song, if at least two people in the group feel it would be better, the guitar and piano should share the choruses for comping (instead of comping together) - e.g. guitar comps the first time through the head, then piano, then guitar, etc. **Equipment** there is a piano, drum kit (no cymbals or high hat clutch), bass and guitar amps, stands, and microphones. Drummers: please bring cymbals (none available for rental) and hi hat clutch **Percussion** Percussionists are welcome to join with their instruments, alongside the drummer. Feel free to sign up to any session, even one that says "full for all instruments" at the top, unless it explicitly mentions "full for percussion". **Vocalists** Singers are welcome, however please note that the songs have fixed keys, and some of the repertoire are likely not in the right key for your range. If you are an experienced singer, it may be possible to arrange sessions with repertoire catered to you - to explore this, please first come to the "Afternoon Open Jams" so I can get a sense of your singing. **Observing** Would you like to attend a session without playing/singing, to get an idea of the format or to get a sense of what to practise first at home? You can sign up as usual to any novice session, and send me a message that you'd like only to watch the session. When you feel ready, the fee paid can be carried over toward any future session where you join to play or sing at the rehearsal. **Cancellation policy** Please try to make it to any session you sign up to, as the jams are organised around a particular mix of instruments. However, if things do come up and you can no longer make a session, please send a message to the organiser, Xie, as soon as possible. Places are non-refundable if your plans change, but if you provide over 1 week notice it may be possible to carry over the fee for a future session. \-\-\-\-\- any questions do get in touch!

Balancers Community Volunteering - Goodge Street

Hi Balancers, We believe community is about more than meeting new people. It's also about showing up for those who need support. As part of our ongoing partnership with Refugee Community Kitchen, we're inviting you to join us for a special evening helping distribute summer care kits to people experiencing homelessness in London. We'll be working alongside the Refugee Community Kitchen team during their evening meal service in Archway, helping hand out essential care kits to those who need them most. **💛 What to Expect** \* A meaningful evening giving back to the local community. \* Work alongside the Refugee Community Kitchen team during their meal distribution. \* Help distribute summer care kits to people experiencing homelessness. \* Meet other Balancers who want to make a positive impact. **📍 Meeting Point** 6:00 PM Outside \*\*Goodge Street Underground Station\*\* We'll begin with a short briefing from the Refugee Community Kitchen team, who will explain how the distribution works and answer any questions. The process is simple. Camden Council requires a short form to be completed for each care kit distributed, and you'll be shown exactly how to do this during the briefing. No previous volunteering experience is needed. 🔹 Stay connected: [Join our WhatsApp group \[here\] for last-minute updates.](https://chat.whatsapp.com/HYbCWaNidNV9aYK3TW9WGm) 🌱 **About Refugee Community Kitchen** Refugee Community Kitchen is a grassroots, volunteer-led organisation that has served over 3.5 million meals to displaced people and those experiencing food insecurity in the UK and northern France. Their mission: to serve warm, nourishing meals with dignity and build community through food. 👉 Learn more: [refugeecommunitykitchen.org](https://refugeecommunitykitchen.org) *** 💡 **Can’t Make It This Time?** You can still contribute: * **Donate directly (100% goes to RCK):** [https://www.justgiving.com/charity/refugeecommunitykitchen](https://www.justgiving.com/charity/refugeecommunitykitchen) * **Volunteer with RCK:** [Sign up here](https://rck.my.salesforce-sites.com/outreachvolunteer/) * **Spread the word** to others who’d love to join in Let’s keep showing what our community can do when we act with heart. See you there 💛

Balancers Community Volunteering - Archway

Hi Balancers, We believe community is about more than meeting new people. It's also about showing up for those who need support. As part of our ongoing partnership with Refugee Community Kitchen, we're inviting you to join us for a special evening helping distribute summer care kits to people experiencing homelessness in London. We'll be working alongside the Refugee Community Kitchen team during their evening meal service in Archway, helping hand out essential care kits to those who need them most. **💛 What to Expect** \* A meaningful evening giving back to the local community. \* Work alongside the Refugee Community Kitchen team during their meal distribution. \* Help distribute summer care kits to people experiencing homelessness. \* Meet other Balancers who want to make a positive impact. **📍 Meeting Point** 17.30 PM Outside \*\*Archway Underground Station\*\* We'll begin with a short briefing from the Refugee Community Kitchen team, who will explain how the distribution works and answer any questions. The process is simple. Camden Council requires a short form to be completed for each care kit distributed, and you'll be shown exactly how to do this during the briefing. No previous volunteering experience is needed. 🔹 Stay connected: [Join our WhatsApp group \[here\] for last-minute updates.](https://chat.whatsapp.com/HYbCWaNidNV9aYK3TW9WGm) 🌱 **About Refugee Community Kitchen** Refugee Community Kitchen is a grassroots, volunteer-led organisation that has served over 3.5 million meals to displaced people and those experiencing food insecurity in the UK and northern France. Their mission: to serve warm, nourishing meals with dignity and build community through food. 👉 Learn more: [refugeecommunitykitchen.org](https://refugeecommunitykitchen.org) *** 💡 **Can’t Make It This Time?** You can still contribute: * **Donate directly (100% goes to RCK):** [https://www.justgiving.com/charity/refugeecommunitykitchen](https://www.justgiving.com/charity/refugeecommunitykitchen) * **Volunteer with RCK:** [Sign up here](https://rck.my.salesforce-sites.com/outreachvolunteer/) * **Spread the word** to others who’d love to join in Let’s keep showing what our community can do when we act with heart. See you there 💛17

Volunteering walk through LDN listening, helping homeless 07877920245

Sanjay's Birthday Picnic @ Richmond Green - Donation to Cancer Research

Hi All, **No host fee, but a mandatory donation for cancer research. If you don't attend the event, you can of course still donate. After all, it's for a good cause, and I doubt it will break your bank. No cards or gifts, just donations, thank you.** **Donation Link - [https://www.justgiving.com/page/sanjay-patel-6](https://www.justgiving.com/page/sanjay-patel-6)** **I'll try to have a QR code for on-the-day donations. You don't need to wait till the day to donate 😀** Why not come along after the Richmond festival to sit & relax, and mingle with others, which isn't easy to do at the festival. All picnics are weather-dependent, so I may need to change the date in the worst case or change to an indoor event. I will confirm nearer the time. I'll let you know what I'll be wearing and my number nearer the time. The location is on the corner of Richmond Green near the pubs The Prince’s Head and The Cricketers. As per the location pic. All previous picnics have been popular, so come along to enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts. Get a dose of Vitamin D, have a good old chit-chat, and enjoy some food & drinks with friendly people. Bring your own food and drinks, thought I'll mention it just in case someone is expecting me to provide a 5\* luxury picnic complimentary 😂 Welcome to bring a speaker 🔈<= yes that's a pic of a speaker 🙈 And yes, more bad jokes to come on the day. 🌞😎💃🕺🧺🍺🍸🥤 Cheers, Sanjay

Results London Group in-person meeting

**Join with campaigners like yourself to organise locally to end global poverty!** Each month, Results grassroots advocates – people from all walks of life around the city – meet in person to take action to benefit people around the world who are living with poverty and injustice, persuading politicians of all parties to make specific changes that will result in a fairer and more sustainable world. It may sound incredible, but it’s as simple as speaking up for what you believe in. We have a track record of making a difference, persuading successive UK Governments to fund important initiatives that help provide health and education worldwide, tackle malnutrition, and protect children against killer diseases. These meetings are open to everyone, no matter what your level of experience. At each meeting you will: 🤝 **Meet** like-minded people dedicated to ending global poverty 🗣️ **Discuss** the monthly campaign action, and learn more about how this will help tackle some of the biggest challenges we face today 🔍 **Discover** how else you can use your voice to influence the UK’s stance of poverty eradication 🌱 **Contribute** to group activities and future political actions – everyone is welcome and every opinion is valued ✨ **Leave** feeling energised and enriched at the prospect of helping to create real change! At Results, we believe that poverty and injustice don’t have to be tolerated. The world has the knowledge to change things; all that's needed is the will to do so. If you feel this way, then you’re not alone, but part of a community of like-minded people who believe that they can make a small but real difference to the systems that affect the lives of people around the world.

BIG FREE TEiP PARTY IN THE PARK • REGENTS PARK | Thought Experiments in Pubs

We're having a PARTY! 🎈😊 Where I plan to announce an exciting new (and free) thing from the 'house of TEiP' 💭 Sign up to our newsletter to [hear about upcoming events first](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/) 💌 Instagram [scrapbook and thought provoking stuff](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs) ❤️ **Last year** **it rained... and we still had an amazing time** with a great turn out and some creative collective problem solving! So things can only get better if it happens to be a sunny day (shh, don't jinx it). As usual, we will discuss three **thought experiments** (tiny stories designed to invite different conversations, ideas, and connections). The theme is still to be decided... **let me know your suggestions** in the comments or on [@thoughtexperimentsinpubs](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs) 😊 The **[EXACT LOCATION](https://what3words.com/life.loves.precautions)** \- \(see directions below\) **The idea:** A chance to meet and get straight into meaningful conversations - both [deep and light](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/p/light-and-dark-levity-and-depth) are welcome! **How we'll do it** (timings approximate)**:** * 3:00pm - Meet in the park ([exact location](https://what3words.com/life.loves.precautions)) * Organise ourselves into small groups (3-6ish) * Have a look at the thought experiments (posted in the comments on the day of the event). * 3:15pm - First rotation begins - Talk about the first thought experiment. Feel free to let your conversations flow organically and wander off topic. If you'd like to bring things back, you have several 'questions to consider' that you can suggest to the group. * 3:40pm - Optional shuffle: swap groups, move on to the second thought experiment. * 4:10pm - Optional shuffle: swap groups, move on to the third thought experiment. * 4:40pm - Votes! (optional, unscientific votes to get a sense of the group's opinions) 5:00 - Organised meetup ‘ends’. Party continues! **Notes on the general atmosphere:** * The vibe is to let conversation flow rather than stick strictly to one topic. * While we'd like to talk about 'meaningful things', we also see the value in lighter topics, so don't worry about not being 'deep' enough! * Feel free to suggest ideas for future Thought Experiments in Pubs meetup groups, both in terms of structure and topics to discuss. **Who should come:** Everyone! We believe that the more perspectives, the richer the conversation. This group is not about being experts in Philosophy, it is about *doing* philosophy. That is, bringing our various life experiences and lenses on the world to group discussions about the human experience, the nature of reality... etc. etc.... **What to bring**: * Something to sit on - picnic rug, plastic bag, whatever you prefer * Drinks/snacks for yourself (you can share if you want to, but there's no pressure) * Layers, sunglasses, umbrella... it's London **Where we'll meet:** * Very precise location: https://what3words.com/life.loves.precautions * General location/directions: The nearest entrances to the park are Gloucester Gate or Chester Road. The meeting point is near the Broadwalk, on the Eastern edge of the playing fields. **I have chosen this spot because there is a cafe (with toilets) close by, there are trees for shade/shelter, and it worked really well last year**. * Our banners will be hanging in the trees, so we should be easy to spot! (see the attached photos for what to look out for.) Some relevant links: Newsletter - [Hear about upcoming events first](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/). 💌 Instagram -[Scrapbook and thought provoking stuff](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs) ❤️ Whatsapp - [Occasional announcements](https://chat.whatsapp.com/DapwAXpnOHO5DRYThobpe4) Looking forward to meeting & talking & celebrating SUMMER with you! Bonny ❤️ #TEiPinthepark #thoughtexperimentsinpubs #thegreatoutdoors #BritishSummer #philosophy #thinking #conversation #inclusivity #openmindedness