Kairos in Tottenham Court Road

AN event space for radical ideas in response to the climate crisis has opened in Tottenham Court Road.

Kairos – a club which hosts affordable workshops and talks with thinkers who haven’t got a platform – is the brainchild of ex-journalist and Extinction Rebellion court reporter Zoë Blackler.

Set up a year ago, Kairos has now found a permanent home in an unoccupied former sofa shop. Stretching over two floors, the industrial rooms facilitate film screenings, book clubs and discussions set out café-style, served with food and drinks. Previous speakers include philosopher AC Grayling and climate psychologist Caroline Hickman.

Ms Blackler said: “It’s very informal. It’s not somebody sitting on a stage. I try and make the discussion less about a Q&A and more about let’s all have a conversation.

“When you come in, you have to turn your phone off and what it means is people don’t come early and sit in the corner on their own. It’s respectful to the speakers as well.”

She added: “I think that the kind of people who come here are desperate to spend time with each other. And there’s one person who comes a lot and he said to me, ‘this is a safe space’. And what he means is that he can come here and he can have a conversation about climate grief or not but just know that the person that he’s talking to understands it.”

She added: “I came out of the lockdown thinking I need to be around people. I need to have some engagement with ideas beyond just the problems and beyond the technical solutions within the current model.

“I think what XR really helped do is massively shift the conversation around and acknowledge that there’s a big problem. But what hasn’t happened yet is a big shift to go: ‘OK where do we go with that?’”

Now is a crucial moment in the movement, one that is full of opportunity and grief at the same time, she said. The Ancient Greeks’ multiple meanings for time inspired the name behind the club.

Ms Blackler said: “There’s chronos and kairos. Kairos is qualitative time. It waxes and wanes. There are moments that are more important than others. So a kairotic moment is one where it’s sort of heavy with possibility, but it doesn’t last for very long.

“I thought, ‘I can’t call my club Kairos because it’s so pretentious’. And then I just couldn’t get away from it.”

Talks, which include food and booze, for members cost £10. For non-members it’s £15.

Dec 9: LDN COP & Christmas Fair

GET a pen and write the London COP into your diary for December 9.

Everybody is welcome at the London Irish Centre on that day for a series of fascinating talks and debates on the environment and climate change.

In the main hall, meanwhile, there will be a Christmas Fair for people to pick up unique and environmentally friendly gifts for the festive season.

The LDN COP is in its second year and we are finalising our list of top speakers who will help make the often scary subject accessible to all.

It is taking place to coincide with the global COP in Dubai. World leaders are due to fly into the United Arab Emirates – but what will they achieve?

There’s no need to add to your carbon footprint and get a jumbo jet to the London Irish Centre.

It’s in Camden Square, close to Camden Road – a short walk or bus ride from Camden Town.

The event is completely free and there will be a chance to browse stalls and information stands throughout the day.

We now have limited space available for the fair but if you would like to have a pitch to sell Christmas crafts, contact Dan Carrier: dan@camden­new­journal.co.uk / 020 7419 9000.