Saturday 13th January 2024
(Holocaust Memorial Day 29th Jan)
Imperfect Beginnings Speaker: Viv Fogel
Viv’s first poem was published in Peace News when she was 16. A second generation adopted child of Holocaust survivor-refugees, she’s passionate about human rights & conflict resolution. She’s been part of a feminist quartet of performance poets, The Evettes. Her poem A Memo for Peace, published in Greenham Women Everywhere (Pluto 1982) was used for the benefit poster at the Roundhouse (read by Juliet Stephenson) & re-published in Women For Peace: Banners from Greenham Common (Four Corners 2021.) She took part in the international Poets for Ukraine benefit, opening the event with her poem Prayer for Peace. As part of Exile Ink Writers, she co-organised a Flames of Remembrance poetry event to honour Holocaust Memorial Day – not just for 2nd or 3rd generations, but for other oppressed countries. Her acclaimed second collection Imperfect Beginnings (Fly on the Wall 2023) explores the impact of inherited trauma, dislocation, embedded memories, & what sustains & nurtures us. Once an art teacher, Viv works as a psychotherapist. Her 40 years of practice now incorporates energy psychotherapy, trauma healing, & teaching/mentoring therapists in this field. She lives in London with her partner, near her grandchildren & still enjoys dancing & singing. Her signed books will be on sale.
Saturday 10th February 2024
Class, ‘Race’ Inequality & Repression: A Marxist social, political & academic autobiography
Speaker: Dave Hill
Dave, a long-time Marxist academic (currently a professor) & political activist from an East End working class background, has been involved in direct action especially in anti-racist & anti-fascist actions, & in the electoral arena fighting numerous local & parliamentary elections for Labour (1973-1987) & for the Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition (2010-2023. At one time – long ago- he led a Labour group of councillors. Currently he’s involved in attempts to work with others to set up a mass working-class movement & socialist political party to the left of Labour – pretty much a holy grail of Marxists & Socialists in Britain & elsewhere. In academic terms/life-writing, he publishes, speaks, organises Radical Left international conferences, & local & national political events. He works collaboratively/collectively, focusing on social class, critical education/Marxist education, & political activism & organisation. He‘s been `made redundant’/ `moved on’ from 5 of his 8 jobs – the lot of many Marxist/ trade union activists.
Saturday 9thh March 2024
‘World peace starts in your own heart’: The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)
Speakers: Leasa Lambert and Arthur Charlton
AVP was originally a programme developed together by Quakers and prisoners in a US prison in 1976. It is now a thriving international organisation running weekend workshops in many countries, in prisons and community settings. It teaches participants to handle conflicts non-violently & thereby build better, healthier relationships. Leasa & Arthur from Walthamstow are both experienced AVP facilitators & will show us some of the lively ways they teach. ‘World peace starts in your own heart.’ How peaceful are you? Leasa has been a social worker & is a university Quaker chaplain. Arthur is a retired architect. Both are constantly active in movements for a better world.
Saturday 13th April 2024
East London Wild Birds Rescue Speaker: Margaret Winniak
Margaret, an Australian, has lived in east London for the last 38 years. In 2017 she became a volunteer for London Wildlife Protection, where she began rescuing pigeons, crows & other birds. As her knowledge of caring for sick, injured & baby pigeons grew, so did her realisation that the public had become disconnected with nature, & that wild birds, in particular pigeons, are thought of & treated very badly. As a result, in 2023, Margaret formed East London Wild Bird Rescue, a community interest company created to protect & care for wild birds, educate local people about wild birds in east London, to provide education on humane ways to control urban bird populations & one day, open a rehab centre. Margaret’s talk will enlighten us on how we can live in harmony with the wild birds that surround us.
News From Nowhere Club 