Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society

Providing lectures at the cutting edge
of modern thinking since 1835

Forthcoming Lit&Phil Events

This page lists this season's Lit&Phil events - you can also download a summary here.

Click here for the Natural History Section events. 

The Geology Section has a separate website: www.charnia.org.uk/

Scroll to the end of the page for past events.

    • 29 Sep 2025
    • 18:40 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    Hansom HallPhoto: Alan Murray-Rust / Hansom Hall, Belvoir Street / CC BY-SA 2.0

    The Annual Members' Meeting, is open to all members of the Lit&Phil.

    The meeitng will start at 6:40 PM.

    Further details to follow

    The Annual Members Meeting will take place in Hansom Hall, beginning at 6.40pm. The meeting will be the first of the 2025 - 2026 season. 

    The Annual Members' Meeting is an opportunity to hear about, and discuss, the Society’s business and plans for the 2025/26 season, as well as any other matters which members wish to raise.

    • 13 Oct 2025
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Images courtesy of the speaker

    The President's Address

    Hazel Graves

    Retired Medical Research Technician, Retired Special Needs Education Technician,

    Currently Amateur Naturalist.

    Lecture outline

    Conservation of our natural environment is now widely recognised as essential for the welfare of future generations.  We cannot conserve what we don’t know about. This lecture will give a flavour of the endeavours of Leicestershire naturalists past and present to identify and understand the wealth of wildlife in Leicestershire and beyond.

    Biographical note

    After a career in medical research followed by a short spell as a stay-at-home parent, I re-entered the workforce specialising in Education for Children with Visual Impairment and Braille production.  Following retirement I initially immersed myself in Botany, volunteering for Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, undertaking grassland, woodland and hedge surveys, and for the BSBI, spending many hours square-bashing for the 2020 Atlas. I then branched out into other areas of natural history such as regular moth recording at home and on Wildlife Trust reserves, butterfly and bird transects on farmland being managed for nature, plus a keen interest in recording hoverflies, leaf mines and plant galls and anything else that I find. I have been Chairman of both Leicester Lit & Phil Natural History Section and Loughborough Naturalists’ Club for approximately 7 years until recently and often lead Field Meetings to places of natural history interest for these organisations.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.



    • 27 Oct 2025
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100
    Corinne seated by Wordsworth Museum - copyright Gary Calton

    Professor Corinne Fowler MA PhD

    Professor of Colonialism and Heritage, Museum Studies, University of Leicester.

    Lecture outline

    In this talk, Professor Fowler entwines local and global stories in illustrated journeys to show how Empire profoundly shaped the British countryside.

    Biographical note

    Leading historian Corinne Fowler wrote the National Trust’s 2020 report on the historical links between its Country Houses and the British Empire and now has written the critically acclaimed Our Island Stories: Ten Walks Through Rural Britain and its Hidden History of Empire (Penguin 2024).

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.

    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of the speaker

    Professor Bryan Williams OBE

    MD FMedSci

    Chair of Medicine Population Science & Experimental Medicine, UCL, and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, British Heart Foundation.



    Lecture outline

    Lecture to mark the University of Leicester Medical School’s Anniversary 2025

    ( Lecture outline to be confirmed)


    Biographical note

    Bryan joined the BHF in 2023. He oversees one of the largest funding portfolios for academic cardiovascular research portfolios globally. He has 40 years’ experience in the NHS where he works as a Consultant Physician with a specialist clinical interest in hypertension in which he is recognised as a world leading authority. Bryan is currently Chair of Medicine at University College London and was formerly Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Biomedical Research Centre. As Director of Research at UCLH he oversaw one of the most complex clinical trial programmes in the NHS (2012-2023).

    He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and in the 2023 Clarivate listings was recognised as one of the worlds' most influential scientists in his field. He has published extensively in major medical and scientific journals and has contributed to many pivotal clinical trials in hypertension and cardiovascular medicine.

    Bryan is a Trustee for Blood Pressure UK and In2Science, a charity supporting mentoring for talented young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to increase their chances to study science at the UK’s leading universities. He was awarded an OBE in the 2024 New Year’s honours list, for his services to medicine.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.

    • 8 Dec 2025
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of the speaker

    copyright Nicola Tree All rights reserved

    The Arthur and Jean Humphreys Lecture

    Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth 

    Dr Elizabeth Eger PhD

    Reader Emerita English Department, Kings College London.





    Lecture outline

    Jane Austen’s novels are famous for their depiction of human character as revealed through the practice of conversation. From the verbal sparring of Pride and Prejudice to the dangerous wit of Emma, from the dramatic disclosures of Sense and Sensibility to the ‘dead silence’ of Mansfield Park, or in the gradual intimations of Persuasion, Austen’s novels depict a world in which speech matters.

    By making some comparisons with the with her sister authors in late eighteenth-century, revolutionary Europe, I will aim to illuminate Austen’s investment in the moral force of conversation and her lasting contribution to the history of the novel as a critical tool in defining modern notions of culture, education and freedom of speech.

    Biographical note

    Elizabeth Eger is Reader Emerita, King’s College London. She has published widely on various eighteenth- century topics, including Luxury, Bluestockings and the history of collecting. She is currently completing a biography of Elizabeth Montagu, Queen of the Bluestockings.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.

    • 12 Jan 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Details to follow.

    • 26 Jan 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of the speaker

    Lecture sponsored by Loughborough University

    Nanu Badu BEM, DUniv Loughborough

    CEO & Founder of BADU




    Lecture outline

    This talk explores "The Badu Way"—a values-led approach that uses sport and community empowerment as tools for meaningful behaviour change and positive life outcomes. Centered on the principles of unlearning harmful beliefs and adopting new, constructive mindsets, the session will highlight how individuals can break cycles of disadvantage through purpose-driven engagement. Drawing from real experiences and practices within the Badu community, the talk will show how sport, mentorship, and community support can create environments where growth, self worth, and leadership thrive.

    Biographical note

    Nana Badu is the founder and CEO of BADU. BADU is a social impact organisation that uses Sports, Education and Health to achieve positive outcomes for the underserved groups. 

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.


    • 9 Feb 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of the speaker

    Sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry

    Professor Averil Macdonald OBE

    DSc Hon DUniv Hon FInstP FRSA   

    Emeritus Professor University of Reading






    Lecture outline

    Plastic is vilified as the environmental baddie with many advocating for banning it altogether. This talk will look at the environmental impact of polymers and the consider whether they have any redeeming features. Should they be banned – or at least severely limited? Or should we embrace them as saviours of the planet?

    Biographical note

    Averil Macdonald is Emeritus Professor at the University of Reading, was formerly Professor of Inclusion and Equality at University of Birmingham and has now joined Cornerstone, University of Southampton, as EDI Lead.

    Averil was awarded the international Bragg Medal and Prize (1999) by the Institute of Physics, London, the accolade of Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science (2007) in recognition of her work in Science Communication, the prestigious Plastics Industry Award for Personal Contribution to the Industry (2007), Honorary Doctorates by the University of York (2010) and Kingston University (2015) and an OBE in the Birthday Honours list 2015 for services to women in science. Most recently she was elected Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics in recognition of lifetime achievement encouraging diversity in Physics.

    From 2019-2021 Averil was Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers in the City of London working alongside HRH Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex as Royal Master. Throughout her time as she championed future energy solutions to decarbonise the UK, with a particular emphasis on using hydrogen. Averil was Chair of the Board of UKOOG, the professional association for UK Onshore Oil and Gas industry, advocating decarbonising natural gas to generate blue hydrogen.

    Averil’s other focus is supporting underrepresented groups in STEM careers. She was a member of the Women’s Business Council, advising the UK Government, sat on the board of Directors of WISE, (the Campaign for Women in Science and Engineering), and has served as a Trustee of the Science Museum Group, a Director of the Cheltenham Festivals and sat on the Court of Imperial College.

    At international Level Averil represented the UK at the 2016 G7 Summit in Japan on Women in Business, has chaired Forum for Physics in Society in the European Physical Society and sat on the EU Helsinki Group for Gender in Research and Innovation advising the EU Commission on gender issues.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.


    • 23 Feb 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Details to follow.


    • 9 Mar 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100
    Register
    Image courtesy of the speaker  (credit Lois Wendon)

    Natural History Section Joint Lecture

    Dr George McGavin PhD FLS Hon FRES Hon FBNA Hon FRSB Hon RSGS

    Zoologist, Author, Broadcaster





    Lecture outline

    Insects are the most diverse and successful group of animals on Earth. They are an essential component of every terrestrial and aquatic food chain- without them the world would be a very different place. But insects have a dark side - they have changed the short course of human history by killing hundreds of millions of people and destroying their crops.

    Biographical note

    George McGavin studied Zoology at Edinburgh University, followed by a PhD in entomology at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London. After 30 years as an academic, mostly at Oxford University, he became an award-winning broadcaster. George is an Honorary Research Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and an Honorary Principal Research Fellow at Imperial College. In 2019 George became the President of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. 

    Recent books

    The Hidden World (2024) Welbeck Hachette

    The Good Bug (2024) Michael O'Mara Books

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.

    • 23 Mar 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Images courtesy of the speaker

    The Geology Section Joint Lecture

    Professor Mike Searle PhD 

    Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences Worcester College University of Oxford











    Lecture outline

    The talk will discuss how we can unravel tectonic processes of mountain building by looking at the geology of the Himalaya (mainly in Ladakh, Zanskar, and Nepal) and the Karakoram (north Pakistan).

    Biographical note

    Professor Searle is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences and a Fellow of Worcester College at the University of Oxford.

    Over the past 30 years he has undertaken field-based geological research in the Himalaya, carrying out numerous treks and climbs in the Annapurna region, as well as the Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, Everest and Makalu regions of Nepal and Tibet. He has published numerous books and scientific papers on the geology of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Tibet.

    Awarded the Murchison Medal of the Geological Society of London (2008), he was elected as a Foreign Fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (2014) and in to the Academia Europea (2018). In 2025 he was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Nepal Geological Society.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.


    • 13 Apr 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of the speaker

    Joint Lecture with the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery

    Sandra Penketh MA

    Director of Collections & Research, National Museums Liverpool



    Lecture outline

    The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, is approaching its 150th anniversary. Now part of the National Museums Liverpool group, it first opened in 1877. Often called the National Gallery of the North, the Walker has a long history of acquiring art for the city, supporting contemporary practice while at the same time building an outstanding historic collection of fine and decorative arts. This lecture will explore some of the key moments in this significant history, considering how the Gallery has developed its collection while remembering its role as the local art gallery. It will also consider how a Gallery founded 150 years ago can remain relevant, young and vital for today’s visitors.

    Biographical note

    Sandra has been Director of Collections and Research at National Museums Liverpool (NML) since 2024. She has oversight of NML’s seven public venues, their collections and curatorial teams, and the Collections Care and Research departments. She has been a member of NML’s Executive Leadership Team since 2018, responsible for the strategic management of the organisation with 650 staff and over 4 million collection items. Sandra has been involved in several major collection redisplays, capital schemes and over 30 exhibition projects, including three international tours. Sandra joined NML in 1989 as an assistant curator in fine art at the Walker Art Gallery before moving on to work in art galleries education, capital project management and venue management. All at NML.

    Sandra studied History of Art at the Sainsbury Centre, University of East Anglia, has a Masters Degree in Medieval Studies from the University of Liverpool and a postgraduate diploma in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.


    • 27 Apr 2026
    • 19:30 - 21:00
    • Hansom Hall in the Leicester Adult Education College, 50-54 Belvoir St, Leicester LE1 6QL
    • 100

    Image courtesy of 

    The F.L. Attenborough Lecture

    Alastair Fothergill OBE

    CEO of Silverback Films









    Lecture outline

    In this lavishly illustrated lecture, Alastair Fothergill recalls nearly forty years of close collaboration with Sir David that took them both from the North Pole to the South Pole, and many other global locations

    Biographical note

    Alastair Fothergill, WWF Ambassador, is a director and co-founder of Silverback Films . Recent productions include Sir David Attenborough’s “Wild Isles’ and ‘Our Planet” for Netflix. Alastair is behind 5 of the top 10 grossing natural history cinema films ever. Alastair joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1983 and was appointed Head of the Unit in November 1992, aged 32. Alastair’s collaborations with Sir David include ‘The Trials of Life’, ‘Life in the Freezer’, ‘The Blue Planet’, ‘Frozen Planet’, ‘Planet Earth’ and its companion feature film ‘Earth’ In November 2012 Alastair left the BBC to set up his own production company Silverback Films. Alastair is a fellow of the Royal Television Society and of the Royal Geographic Society, who awarded him their gold medal in 2012. He has honorary doctorates from the University of Durham, Bristol, Hull and York St. John.

    Attending the lecture

    The lecture is open both to members of the Society and to guests.

    The lecture will take place in Hansom Hall - how to find Hansom Hall.

    Please note that tea and coffee drinks will be available between 7.00pm and 7.15pm before the formal start of the event at 7.30pm.

    The lecture will also be streamed on Zoom. A recording of the lecture may be available to members only.


Summaries of Lit&Phil lectures from previous years are available in the Transactions.

Listings of Lit&Phil events in the recent past are given below.

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