Local Society: Manchester

At BCS, we’re on a mission to ensure everyone’s experience with technology is positive. It’s something we’ve been committed to since 1957 ... We're over 60,000 members in 150 countries, and a wider community of business leaders, educators, practitioners and policy-makers all committed to our mission ... Whichever your area of interest, our wide-ranging specialist and regional groups offer you a professional and friendly platform to share knowledge and experiences, debate ideas, grow your network and raise your profile.' Apart from the significant number of Events 'open to all' organized by the various BCS Groups, there are also the annual Karen Spärck Jones Lecture, Lovelace Lecture, Roger Needham Lecture, and Turing Talk.

'The national organisation which represents numismatic societies throughout the United Kingdom. It exists to promote the study of numismatics by bringing these societies and their members together to share and increase their interest and expertise in coins, tokens and currency ... BANS holds an annual weekend congress, organised by the local numismatic society, in a different attractive place each year ... BANS sponsors one of the talks at the annual weekend congress, the Marion Archibald Memorial Lecture ... BANS runs an annual autumn lecture course, with a more specifically educational programme. As at the congresses, the lectures are given by the leading museum, trade and amateur experts.'

'We are a network of people including research scientists in universities, commercial and government laboratories and hi-tech companies, engineers, theologians and philosophers, as well as students, school teachers, administrators and anyone interested in science and faith issues ...  There are local groups around the UK and Ireland which provide meetings for members and others, organizing public lectures, talks in local churches, study and prayer groups.'

'Since 1903, The Classical Association has supported the establishment of local branches – classics communities across England and Wales which meet regularly and are run by dedicated volunteers ... providing a mix of lecture programmes, outreach events, competitions, reading groups and other initiatives on classical topics.'

'The CCS is a co-operative venture between the British Computer Society, the Science Museum of London, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the National Museum of Computing and the Bletchley Park Trust ... The Society organises a regular programme of talks and seminars between September and May each year. Our meetings are held in Manchester and in London.'

'Founded in 1942, at the height of the Second World War and the Holocaust, by Archbishop William Temple and Chief Rabbi Joseph Hertz ... Our aim is for Jews and Christians to meet, to understand each other better and to create meaningful engagement between the communities. We have grown into a nationwide network of 30 active branches around the UK, complemented by a professional team that run national programmes in education, dialogue and social action - for Rabbis and clergy, community leaders, students, policy makers, CCJ members and those of all faiths and none.'

'The Embroiderers' Guild exists to build awareness of stitch and textile art. We educate, encourage, inspire and promote the achievement of excellence ... We have a number of independent stitch groups who are affiliated to the Embroiderers' Guild.' (NOTE At the time of Review, the Guild no longer provided Links to the Websites of their affiliated Groups.)

'Our charity brings together thousands of people who share a common belief - that organic growing is essential for a healthy and sustainable world. Through campaigning, advice, community work and research, our aim is to get everyone growing ‘"the organic way" ... Across the UK, there are a large number of fantastic organic gardening groups, clubs, organisations and gardens supporting local residents with their organic growing.'

'We inspire, enable and encourage people to get involved with history, whether in the classroom, at college, in the library or at home. We passionately believe the study of history should be accessible to all people at all levels of study ... The Historical Association is an active organisation with events happening up and down the UK. The local branches all have a lively lecture programme open to both members of the association and any general member of the public wishing to come along.'

'We are the charity that campaigns to protect and restore the country's 7,000 miles of inland waterways ... We campaign locally and nationally for the waterways – supporting restorations, lobbying parliament, championing regeneration and raising waterways users concerns ... Our members and volunteers are waterways-lovers from all walks of life who want to preserve and improve the network for future generations.'

'A major UK engineering institution whose activities encompass the whole materials cycle, from exploration and extraction, through characterisation, processing, forming, finishing and application, to product recycling and land reuse. It exists to promote and develop all aspects of materials science and engineering, geology, mining and associated technologies, mineral and petroleum engineering and extraction metallurgy, as a leading authority in the worldwide materials and mining community ... IOM3 organises a range of events that are ideal opportunities for networking as well as finding out the latest state of the art, updating your technical knowledge, or broadening your materials interests.  Most of our events offer discounts for IOM3 members ... Programmes of events and evening lectures are also organised by our Affiliated Local Societies.'

'We are the IET and we inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world. As a diverse home across engineering and technology, we share knowledge that helps make better sense of the world in order to solve the challenges that matter. It’s why we are uniquely placed to champion engineering ... Local Networks are groups of members that come together to deliver a series of activities designed to promote the importance of science, engineering and technology to the general public, encourage young people to enter the profession and provide opportunities for engineers to share and develop knowledge and network with each other.''

'Members can attend any Branch or Society Meeting free of charge ... All of our Branches organise monthly meetings at which both in-house and invited speakers talk on topics which will be of interest to Branch members. Admission is free to members, a small charge is payable by non-members.'

'Across the calendar year, the Manchester Lit and Phil delivers an eclectic range of lectures and seminars: from Social Philosophy, through the Arts, and Science & Technology; probing current ethical debates and scientific breakthroughs. To deliver the programme, the Society invites a wide-range of specialists and polymaths: from Oxford Professors to current YouTube sensations.'

'The Club is the leading organisation for all who are interested in the microscope and microscopy. We have an international membership, with both amateur and professional microscopists who freely share their knowledge with beginners and new members ... Membership is open to all, from beginner to advanced amateur and professional microscopists ... Club meetings are held monthly at the Natural History Museum in London with regional meetings across the UK on a yearly or twice yearly basis ... We appreciate that not everyone is able to attend Quekett meetings, but there are other clubs and societies of interest to microscopists, in the United Kingdom and in other parts of the world.'

‘Since 1925 the Royal Institute has been dedicated to the advancement of philosophy. Each year we sponsor hundreds of free, open philosophy events, bring critical thinking to more than a thousand young people in schools, publish books, journals, and videos -- and much more ... Membership to the Institute is open to everyone.‘

'The Club was formed in June 1952 by a group of friends in Didsbury, led by Fred Veal FRPS, FRSA, the club's first President. The aim of the club was to encourage "good fellowship through photography" which is now the club's motto ... The Club offers a varied programme, with presentations, demonstrations and print or projected image shows. Regular photographic related events are also arranged.'

'The Theosophical Society is a worldwide organisation founded in 1875. Its primary aim is universal brotherhood without distinction of race, creed, colour, gender or social background. It is based on the realisation that life in all its diverse forms, human and non-human, is indivisibly One ... Toward this end the Headquarters and its National Sections sponsor public lectures, seminars, events and study groups on theosophical and allied themes.'

'Our members' generosity enables us to fight for the Victorian and Edwardian buildings people value. Every day, we work to protect Victorian and Edwardian buildings from demolition and destruction ... We run numerous events and visits, developed by our events committee, and publish books, journals and a membership magazine to entertain educate about our subject ... We have regional groups which run their own events and campaigns.'

'Exists to arouse, stimulate and maintain interest in ships, shipping and related matters amongst the general public; to promote understanding of these subjects and their rich heritage by compiling, publishing and preserving records and illustrative material concerning ships and their part in mercantile and naval activity; and to promote and advance public education in current and historical nautical affairs ... Branch meetings, held throughout the world, allow members to share their knowledge, experience, and joy of the shipping and naval industries. From the young to the elderly, the membership is diverse and reflects a wide range of maritime or naval history. Yet all share an abiding love for the ships that travel the seas.'