Events

Dr Anna Joy Drury Did you know Earth’s climate varies with a semi-periodic beat that is controlled by Earth’s location in our solar system? Using oceanic sediments recovered from deep below the sea floor, we will explore how astronomical processes influence Earth’s climate beat and why it sometimes changes – seemingly unpredictably.   Anna is a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow with the Geography, Geology and Environment Unit at Leicester University. Her research interests span palaeoceanography, geochemistry and stratigraphy, with a strong focus on understanding climate evolution and dynamics. She has helped develop the Code for Ocean Drilling Data (CODD) to facilitate analysis of ocean drilling data and the creation of composite core images. ...

Mariam Shalvashvili   The talk explores how Muslim Communities have been ‘securitised‘ following the War on Terror policies.   Mariam Shalvashvili studied sociology and social anthropology at Central European University and social sciences at Free University of Tbilisi.  In 2022 she was a research fellow of the Center for Eastern European Studies (CEES) program at the University of Zurich. She has worked as a researcher for Social Justice Center in Tbilisi from 2019 to 2022 and continues to collaborate with the organization.    All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover  cost...

 We have a break in our programme at Yuletide, Easter and in the summer holiday period. The new programmes commence in January, April and September.

Guest Speaker: 'Polyp' (author of the visual biography of Tom Paine)  plus readings, music from the Falling Angels , traditional fayre and toasts at Secular Hall.     Tickets £16 (members £12)  We can only accommodate 40 so it is "first come first served" and the final date for booking a place is 31st January (provided there are places remaining).   For tickets contact Mike either by email to tickets@Lsec.org.uk or phone 07722 782727. Please indicate if you want the vegetarian option. No bar, bring your own drinks.    

The lived experience of female ex-Muslims often involves profound liberation and self-discovery alongside significant challenges, including social ostracision, family rejection, fear of violence, and navigating a new identity free from religious constraints, with many finding community and empowerment through public activism or support groups. Key themes include escaping patriarchal control (like forced marriage or FGM), reclaiming autonomy over their bodies and choices (hijab, career, relationships), battling shame and stigma, and the difficult process of rebuilding lives and finding belonging.  The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session.  For security , registration through Eventbrite is required. This event is free for LSS members and £5 for non-members.  Ima...

Hugh McClintock   River bridges cause obvious points of convergence and are often very heavily populated by motor traffic, making such routes unpleasant for walkers and cyclists. Separate bridges for these travel modes can encourage active travel by providing shorter, safe and pleasant routes. This talk will concentrate on the proposed foot-cycle bridge over the Trent to connect the former Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station site and East Midlands Parkway Station on the south side with the Chilwell, Toton, Attenborough and Long Eaton areas on the north side.   Hugh McClintock is a retired Nottingham University lecturer in town planning and is very active in cycle campaigning, nationally, regionally and locally, with Pedals (Nottingham Cycling Campaign) since 1979.   All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover  costs. ...

Ned Newitt Ned will look at the post World War II decisions relating to housing in the City and how it arrived at a programme of improving housing rather than demolishing and rebuilding.   Ned was born in Southend-on-Sea in 1946. He studied at Cardiff College of Art and came to Leicester in 1971. From 1984-2003, he was a Leicester City Councillor. He is a long standing member of the Society and is the current Chair.   Ned has written several books, most relating to the history of Leicester, including -   The Secular Hall - A History The Anthology of Leicester Chartist Song, Poetry & Verse...

Christopher Hitchens was known as one of the "Four Horsemen" of New Atheism (along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett). His epistemological razor, which states that "what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence", is still of mark in philosophy and law. Hitchens described himself as an anti-theist and saw all religions as false, harmful, and authoritarian. He endorsed free expression, scientific scepticism, and separation of church and state, arguing science and philosophy are superior to religion as an ethical code of conduct for human civilisation. All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover  costs.

 

Alejandro Sanchez Alejandro Sanchez from the National Secular Society asks whether this practice is a harmless tradition or a violation of human rights    All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.

Anthony Matthew Apart from religion there are many other ways in which people view their identity: by sex, race, class, sexual orientation, politics and others. The general question is: how far is it a matter of individual decision?   All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.

Dr Sara Lemos How to get the best out of neurodivergent friends, colleagues and family and the best out of yourself.   All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.

George Locke This engaging talk will explore how early Christian communities understood and navigated issues of sex, gender roles, and identity. Our speaker sheds light on the theological, cultural, and social influences that shaped early Christian views and practices.    All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.

The Society's annual general meeting is only open to members.

Vandana Aparanti This talk explores how religious beliefs and institutions can both perpetuate and help prevent abuse. It will show the importance of engaging with faith communities to challenge harmful practices, uphold human rights, and promote gender equality. Vandana was born in Mumbai (India) in 1961. She trained as a dentist there, and met her husband, Sanjay, whilst at university. Both Vandana and Sanjay come from an Oppressed Caste background, from a community often known as Dalits. Vandana rejects this term. Now in the UK, Vandana has dedicated her life to supporting women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. She worked in domestic abuse services at Harrow Council for Racial Equality and the Asian Wom...

Martin Pantling & Suzi Felsted The talk will cover who magistrates are, what they do and how they sentence guilty defendants. It will include some history and how criminal justice is changing. There may also be a scenario of a mock trial if the audience is prepared to participate.    All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs. Image generated by Gemini AI.

Sunday 26th October 6.30pm Unholy Alliance: Religion and Patriarchy Rahila Gupta Rahila Gupta argues that religious shackles prevent the liberation of women, in particular in Russia, El Salvador and Saudi Arabia. Rahila Gupta is a freelance journalist, author and activist. She is Chair of Southall Black Sisters , a group which has campaigned and advocated for black and minoritised women escaping violence.  Her books include:   From Homebreakers to Jailbreakers : Southall Black Sisters in 2003  - a collection of essays she edited; Provoked - the story of a battered woman who killed her violent husband. She co- wrote this with Kiranjit Ahluwalia and the screenplay of the film which was released in 2007;  Enslaved: The New British Slavery - on immigration controls, was published in 2007. Planet Patriarchy - co-written with Beatrix Campbell, argues that religious shackles p...

Directed by Somnath Waghmare   An American Fulbright scholar from Minneapolis – Gail Omvedt – arrived in India in the 1970s. Shocked by its caste system, she dedicated her life to the struggles of Dalits. Alongside her partner, the brilliant anti-caste activist Bharat Patankar, she forged a lifelong fight for justice in Kasegav, Maharashtra.    This intimate new film explores their shared journey and Gail’s impactful final years in rural India.    Join us for a special screening followed by an in-person discussion with the director, Somnath Waghmare,  who was born to a rural Dalit-Buddhist family in Malewadi, Western Maharashtra, India. His mother worked as an agricultu...

The film is introduced by scientist Dr Caroline Vincent. It shows how a group of scientists, frustrated by the UK government ignoring the mounting evidence, turn to civil disobedience to warn the public of climate breakdown. Caroline is volunteering for Scientists for Extinction Rebellion after 20 years of experience developing forecasting models and analytical tools in the pharmaceutical industry. All welcome - admission free. Tea & biscuits. Donations welcome - £5 suggested to cover speaker and other costs.

Ian Myson Ian speaks about Amnesty’s campaign to curb the abuse of the UN Security Council veto. Wars today in Ukraine and the Middle East are just two examples of the UN’s repeated failure because of the use of the veto held by the permanent five members of the Security Council.   Ian has been involved as a volunteer with Amnesty International for over 40 years and currently hold a number of voluntary roles: Activism Representative for the South Midlands Lead organiser for the Amnesty Central England Network Chair of Banbury Amnesty Group. Representive of Amnesty’s local activists on the relevant Amnesty UK Board Committee Education lead for the United Nations Network and Veto Campaign Organising a campaign against human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. He has been a Director of the main professional institute for management and leadership, workin...