A Men's Panel on Mental Wellbeing

Join us for an essential and open discussion on men's mental wellbeing, hosted by Tom Dickinson and featuring inspiring special guests. This event is a vital space for men to share their honest experiences and perspectives, highlighting why it's so important for us to talk openly about mental health. Come and be part of a supportive conversation designed to empower and help one another navigate the journey to better mental wellbeing.

Host:

Tom Dickinson

Join us for the Afrikindness Parent & Inclusion Conference (APIC2025) – a groundbreaking event designed to support and empower parents, carers, and professionals navigating the world of parenting, neurodiversity, and mental health.

This dynamic gathering will feature thought-provoking conversations, real-life stories, expert speakers, and 20+ exhibitors offering resources on autism, ADHD, safeguarding, emotional well-being, and parenting in communities.

Highlights include:

Keynote Address by the Lord Mayor of Leeds

We’re excited to announce the return of our Rally Legends Saturday Social and this one’s something truly special. In the evening we’re honoured to welcome Louise Aitken-Walker MBE, 1990 Ladies World Rally Champion and one of British rallying’s most celebrated figures.

A true icon of British rallying, Louise made history by winning the 1990 Ladies World Rally Championship and is now one of British rallying’s most celebrated figures. Join us to hear her story, and enjoy a great summer evening with delicious food and fellow rally enthusiasts.

Evening Event Timings

Join historian Lesley Newnham as she discusses  Burmantofts Pottery, the Leeds Victorian ceramics company which rivalled Doulton and Minton.

Burmantofts Pottery employed some of the leading sculptural and architectural names of the age and invented many new techniques and remains collectable today.

The talk will be accompanied by archives from Burmantofts along side ceramics form the collection held at the Discovery Centre. 

On 23 September 2025, a milestone of sculpture scholarship will be reached by the publication of a catalogue of 1,800 works of European Sculpture in the Royal Collection.

To mark the appearance of this major new work in four volumes, the author Jonathan Marsden (former Director of the Royal Collection) will speak about the Collection with John Chu, Senior Curator of Pictures and Sculpture for the National Trust.

This splendid mosque, built in 2018, with one of the largest chandeliers in Leeds, invites you to discover the architecture and the faith, customs and culture of Islam. Timed to allow a follow on visit to the nearby GNNSJ Gurudwara (Sikh).

The tour will explain the history of this impressive mosque, the high quality of the building materials used, the symbolism on the bronze doors and throughout the building. There are five floors used for prayers which can accommodate 1000 people each Friday. The main floor has the aforementioned chandelier.

Great Scott!!! We’re channelling 1.21 GigaWatts of electricity, going where we don’t need roads, and marking Back To The Future day!

A trio of talks linked to your top time-travelling trilogy, including:

Kristin Lohwasser: 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity?! Dispatches from the High-Energy Frontier

Ben Evans: We don’t need roads! Fast cars, planes, evolution and artificial intelligence.

Robbie McAllister: It Runs on Steam! Steampunk goes to the Movies

As has become tradition, we will be closing the exhibition with the Lunchtime Conversation. An opportunity for a home-cooked meal around the kitchen table here at BasementHQ and lively chat with the artist and other guests before a guided tour of the exhibition.

The world can be a mundane and underwhelming place, @Pheemakesthings stand out. The monotony of the working week and the things we see so often that we stop noticing them are undone in the hyper-realistic work of Phee Jeffries.

Workshop: 10:00am – 11:30am

Networking Session: 11:30am – 12:30pm

John R. Ellis has lived in Yorkshire for most of his life and has spent many years exploring Yorkshire's diverse landscapes, history, language and communities.

After a career in teaching, he turned to writing and started his bestselling Yorkshire Murder Mystery series, as well as writing poetry and ghost stories amongst other things.

If you pop along to the Courthouse on a Monday morning though, you can spot him behind the counter of the Cafe - he has been a volunteer at the Courthouse for more than 10 years!