Leeds Humanists

19/08/2026

It's almost time for our next Leeds Humanists Book Club. DEATH AND THE PENGUIN

23 September 2026, 17:00 -18:45
Holding Patterns, 2 Albion Place (below Renaissance Salon), Leeds, LS1 6JL.

The penguin is called Misha. His owner is Viktor Zolotaryov. Kurkov uses Misha the penguin as a mirror of Viktor’s own alienation and vulnerability, highlighting themes of loneliness, displacement, and the search for meaning. They live in Kyiv soon after the end of the Soviet era.

Viktor used to be a short story writer. Now, he writes newspaper obituaries. Something unusual is wrong with the obituaries. Their subjects are not dead. Then they are. Is any of this Viktor's fault?

The book focuses on the corruption and chaos of a newly individualistic society after the collapse of communism. It combines surrealism, dark humour, and existential themes to explore life in a society marked by corruption, poverty, and uncertainty.

Four years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, how do we approach such concerns - looking ahead as well as looking back?

We meet at Holding Patterns, 2 Albion Place (below Renaissance Salon), Leeds, LS1 6JL. There are steps down from the street, so if you have access issues, please get in touch.

Please register to let us know you are coming. https://humanists.uk/events/leeds-humanists-book-club-3/?civiwp=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fevent%2Fregister&id=2991&reset=1

The event is free, but we welcome donations to help cover our running costs. There is a paid bar.

Leeds Humanists Book Club Register Now 23 September 2026, 17:00 -- 18:45 The penguin is called Misha. His owner is Viktor Zolotaryov. Kurkov uses Misha the penguin as a mirror of Viktor’s own alienation and vulnerability, highlighting themes of loneliness, displacement, and the search for meanin...

20/07/2026

20/07/2026

Leeds Humanists proudly represented Humanists UK at Leeds Pride on Sunday 19 July 2026. Here is a selection of the photos on what was a joyous and fun parade, very much helped by the sunshine and great company.

19/07/2026

If you’re attending Leeds Pride today and walking with Leeds Humanists, We will meet outside Brown's on the Headrow from 11.30, just a short distance from the starting point on Great George Street; then we'll walk to the start point together, to be in place at 11.45. The parade begins at 12.30. If you can't find us on the day, please call Hannah on 07971 342274 (or head for Group Three and look out for us).

Feel free to dress in rainbow colours, and if you have an LGBT+ Humanists t-shirt from previous years, please don't forget to wear it! We will have spare t-shirts for anyone who needs one, as well as placards and a walking banner, so no-one will be able to miss us!

Enjoy and please share your photos from the day.

13/07/2026

Local Prides are one of the most important events in our annual calendar. They give us a unique opportunity to promote humanism to thousands of people in the LGBT+ community. They allow us to network and develop relationships with organisations that share similar goals. And they enable us to celebrate the contributions that humanists have made throughout history to LGBT+ rights, freedom of expression, and the pursuit of building a fairer, more rational society.

Leeds Pride is now in its 30th year. Over the last 21 years, Leeds Pride has evolved into more than just a celebratory event for the LGBTQ+ community; it has become a testament to the progress and acceptance achieved. Leeds Pride celebrates the incredible diversity within our city and acts as a platform for education, highlighting the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion. In 2025, over 60,000 visitors and 167 different organisations attended throughout the day. This year, it is set to be bigger and better than ever.

We’d love you to join LGBT+ Humanists and Leeds Humanists there – please register your attendance so we can let you know where to meet up! https://humanists.uk/events/leeds-pride-leeds-humanists-lgbt-humanists/

LGBT+ Humanists and Leeds Humanists will also have a joint stall at Leeds Pride, and we need volunteers to help us cover this throughout the day. Can you help for an hour or two? If so, please email [email protected]. The stall will be open 11.00 - 16.00 on Sunday 19 July 2026.

Leeds Pride | Leeds Humanists & LGBT+ Humanists Register Now 19 July 2026, 12:00 -- 15:00 Local Prides are one of the most important events in our annual calendar. They give us a unique opportunity to promote humanism to thousands of people in the LGBT+ community. They allow us to network and deve...

13/07/2026

The Leeds Humanist Book Club is this Wednesday, 15 July 2026, 17:00 - 18:45.

Sounds like your idea of a fun evening out? Join us at Holding Patterns Bar, 2 Albion Street, for lively discussion, argument, coffee and cake (paid for at the bar). Please note the bar is in the basement, down the steps. Unfortunately, there is no lift.

Please register to let us know you are coming.

The event is free, but we welcome any donation to help cover our running costs.

Leeds Humanists Book Club Register Now 15 July 2026, 17:00 -- 18:45 Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel about science or possibly about a scientist - in fact, of course, it is about both. The scientist has worked on the nuclear bomb, and it turns out he had a few extra tricks up his sleeve. F...

25/06/2026

Leeds Humanists (your Humanists UK Local Group) would like to invite you to their upcoming event: Leeds Humanists Book Club

When: 15 July 2026, 17:00 --18:45

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel about science or possibly about a scientist - in fact, of course, it is about both. The scientist has worked on the nuclear bomb, and it turns out he had a few extra tricks up his sleeve. Felix Hoenikker did stuff because he could, but maybe he should have walked away. In real life, should science set boundaries? Where should they lie and why? A few examples to whet our discursive appetites - A.I. with generalised intelligence, synthetic life forms, geoengineering projects which may or may not save the planet. There are many more. As humanists, we know there are no easy answers, but that's not going to stop us asking questions.

Sounds like your idea of a fun evening out? Join us at Holding Patterns Bar, 2 Albion Street, for lively discussion, argument, coffee and cake. Please note the bar is in a basement down steps. Unfortunately, there is no lift.

Please register to let us know you are coming. https://humanists.uk/events/leeds-humanists-book-club-2/

The event is free, but we welcome any donation to help cover our running costs.

Location: Holding Patterns, 2 Albion Place, Leeds, LS1 6JL
(Basement below Renaissance hair salon)

Leeds Humanists Book Club Register Now 15 July 2026, 17:00 -- 18:45 Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel about science or possibly about a scientist - in fact, of course, it is about both. The scientist has worked on the nuclear bomb, and it turns out he had a few extra tricks up his sleeve. F...

10/06/2026

The talk on Freedom & Enslavement in Humanist Thought at the Concord Meeting on Monday, 8 June, at Leeds Quaker House was an interesting and thought-provoking evening that everyone enjoyed. We had a great question-and-answer session after the presentation, which was invigorating.

Thank you to everyone who attended or joined in via Zoom.

Humanist Ceremonies Leeds Humanists West Yorkshire Humanists Humanists UK Humanist Ceremonies Sheffield Humanists York Humanists Greater Manchester Humanists

07/06/2026

If you are free tomorrow night, join Leeds Humanists at a talk on Freedom & Enslavement in Humanist Thought at the Concord Meeting on Monday, 8 June at 7.30pm at the Carlton Hill Quaker Meeting House (LS2 9DX opposite the University Engineering Dept). Please park on the road nearby.

Please register at: [https://humanists.uk/.../freedom-and-enslavement-in.../]

Alternatively, you can watch on Zoom:
[https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89098178614...]
Meeting ID: 890 9817 8614 Passcode: 088158 See less

02/06/2026

Are you a humanist interested in education? Do you believe that children should receive a broad education about both religious and non-religious beliefs and values? Are you willing to work cooperatively and patiently with members of religious organisations to make religious education and school assemblies more inclusive? Then you could be a humanist SACRE or SAC representative.

Humanists UK is looking for humanists who are interested in joining their local Standing Advisory Committee for Religious Education (SACRE) in England or Standing Advisory Council for Religion, Values and Ethics (SAC) in Wales. These local committees, made up of teachers, councillors, and volunteer representatives of belief groups, determine and manage Religious Education (RE) / Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) and collective worship in most local state schools.

Posts currently available in Wakefield and York.

Volunteer role