Life in Leam

A group of local women have gone a little bit Calendar Girls all in the name of raising money for 33 local charities.
The brainchild of Tracey McAtamney, founder of Ladies First Professional Development, this remarkable calendar celebrates a wonderfully diverse collection of Midlands women, each championing a charity close to her heart.
Tracey joins two of the calendar's other stars – photographer Jane Collier and broadcaster Kirsty Leahy – to reveal how the calendar went from a cheeky idea to a beautifully photographed reality, how one of the original Calendar Girls became involved, how you can get your hands on a copy of this very special limited-edition item, and even get it signed by some of the ladies involved!
https://www.ladies-first-charity.co.uk/
 

Global human rights movement Amnesty International has an active Mid-Warwickshire group based in Leamington Spa, and this November they're hosting a very special event.
Anoosheh Ashoori was imprisoned in Iran's notorious Evin Prison alongside Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Both were finally released in March 2022, following years of campaigning by Amnesty International and others. Since his release, Anoosheh has dedicated himself to raising awareness of human rights and sharing his remarkable story of imprisonment and survival.
In this episode, Fiona Clayton and Jo Hobbs introduce us to the work of Amnesty's Mid-Warwickshire group and tell us about Anoosheh's free talk, "Surviving Evin", at All Saints' Church on 11th November, together with an accompanying exhibition running from 4th–17th November.
https://www.facebook.com/MidWarksAmnesty
 
 

La Violette Società was a long-running live performance event series hosted by Violette Records in Liverpool.  It successfully ran for 10 years showcasing an eclectic mix of performers and sharing the proceeds equally between them.
On its conclusion in Liverpool, the baton passed to Brendan and Jas, two enthusiasts who wanted to bring the same concept to their own home town of Leamington Spa and the result is our first ever Scéal & Sound event at The Duke on 3rd November 2026.
With presale tickets quickly snapped-up and only a few left for at-the-door purchase, the signs are that this first event will be a great success. 
But to better understand it, listen to Brendan and Jas as they explain their plans to Life in Leam - so you can decide if you should queue for the final November tickets, bookmark it for future, or perhaps even offer your own performance specialty for a Scéal & Sound evening!
https://scealandsound.com/
https://www.instagram.com/scealandsound/
 

Since setting up The Central School of Massage in 2009, Kathryn Ellis has helped over 1,000 people to learn massage skills, gain qualifications or build businesses offering holistic and sports therapies.  Her enthusiasm for the power of these treatment methods and the opportunity they bring for people to develop income is unabated as she explains her methods, which help people to transform from novice to professional practitioner in just a few months. 
If you enjoy working with people and have an interest in learning a new skills, and potentially starting a business then this episode is for you..
https://www.centralschoolmassage.com/
 
  

What's it like to sleep on the streets? Lucky for most of us we don't have the experience to be able to answer that question. 
And yet, to really comprehend, even for one night, what it is to be homeless there's no substitute for actually sleeping out, and that's why local charity Helping Hands Community Project organises its annual BIG Sleep Out at All Saints' Church, now in its 11th year.
For this episode, two of its service users Colin and Antonio share their personal perspectives on their own homeless experiences and charity workers Sophie, Jacqui and Kev explain the power of the event and how Helping Hands helps homeless people in Leamington and Warwickshire to rebuild their lives.
https://helpinghandscharity.org.uk/ 
 

Back again after a brilliant first campaign in October 2025, Cancer Research UK is again turning the town centre pink on 3-11 October.  You can wear a splash of pink, visit the participating businesses, take part in the entertainments, make a donation or join other revellers at one of their  parties.
Deborah and Ann from the organising team explain all the juicy details, how you can get still get involved as a business and how to join in all the action when you’re in town.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRUKLeamington
Email: crukleamingtonandwarwick@gmail.com

Leamington is becoming a little bit of Poland for the weekend of 25-27 September.  The brainchild of Helen Beecroft of Leamington Music and Dawid Kozlowski of the Polish Centre, the festival features five concerts, two world-premieres, an illustrated talk, a visit from the Polish Ambassador and even some Polish food to try.  Who wouldn’t be a little bit excited by that prospect! 
Helen and David share the mic to highlight what makes this a very special first for Leamington and warmly invite you to come along and share in the celebrations.
 
https://www.leamingtonmusic.org/focus-on-poland-festival-weekend/

There's rather more to the Rage Rooms than you might first think, as I discovered when I met founder Lucy Bee and her operations manager Fi.
Yes of course you can book-in for a smash-and-go session, a team-build, birthday (or even divorce) party. But there is also a serious therapeutic method behind the madness.  Lucy explains that as a trained therapist specialising in anger and conflict, she wanted to create a safe space to help people process and gain release from their rage.
So whether you're just looking for a bit of a stress-buster, a party with a difference, or have some heavier things to deal with, the Rage Rooms might have the perfect answer for you.
https://ragerooms-leamingtonspa.co.uk/ 

The Leamington Food & Drink Festival is back for 2026, running on 12th and 13th September in Pump Room Gardens.  And no-one knows this landmark event in Leamington’s calendar like Alison Shaw, who has been its organiser for the last 16 years!
Who better then to explain the cuisines, the drinks, the activities, the music and how to get the very best out of this delicious weekend without busting a gut!
Like only a true master-chef can, she condenses the best of the entire weekend into this mouthwatering 10 minute reduction. Lick your lips and have a listen!
https://leamingtonfoodfestival.co.uk/information/

Fancy sampling some of Leamington’s brilliant independent restaurants while raising money for two great causes?
A Taste of Leamington is a one-night dine-around experience that takes you on a culinary tour of the town, with proceeds supporting Parkinson’s UK and Warwickshire Search and Rescue.
In this episode, Linda John from Leamington Rotary Club explains how the evening works, how to book, and gives us a tantalising hint of some of the restaurants taking part.
We also meet Tom and Tess from Warwickshire Search and Rescue, who reveal what goes on behind the scenes of this volunteer-led organisation, how they help people across Warwickshire, and why fundraising like this makes such a difference.
📅 Tuesday 15 September 2026🎟️ Ticket sales close at 4pm on 10 September
Leamington Rotary: https://leamingtonrotary.co.uk/
Warwickshire Search & Rescue: https://warksar.org.uk/
Parkinson’s UK: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/
Ticket Booking Link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/royalleamingtonsparotaryclub/2213203
Photo: Aubrey Allen