What’s on in December?
02 Dec 2024
Welcome to December’s edition of ‘What’s on?’. Here you will find everything you can get involved in for free each month, ranging from cultural, extracurricular and celebratory events and activities.
Events
Wood Street Mission’s Christmas Appeal
Support struggling families in Manchester and Salford by donating new, unwrapped toys, gifts, books, chocolates, selection boxes, and wrapping paper for children aged 0-14.
- Donate at People Services on 1st floor of Simon Building (10am to 3pm Wednesday to Friday) until Wednesday, 4 December
Wrap Up Warm Human Appeal (UMSA)
The University of Manchester Staff Association (UMSA) is supporting the Human Appeal by donating coats to support those in need in Greater Manchester.
- Donate at the UMSA Lounge in Simon Building, Room G060 by Monday, 9 December
Carols by Candlelight
Everyone is welcome to join our carol service this week.
- Find Carols by Candlelight on Wednesday, 11 December 7pm at Holy Name Church on Oxford Road (Opposite Students' Union)
Christmas at the Whitworth Hall
You are warmly invited to a festive celebration by a collaboration of University choirs and chaplains. Come and join us at the Whitworth Hall for songs, carols, traditional readings and contemporary poetry.
- Find 'Christmas songs and carols' on Wednesday, 18 December 1pm at the Whitworth Hall
Centre for Digital Trust and Society Seed Corn Showcase 2023-24
The Centre for Digital Trust and Society (The Centre) is excited to present the CDTS Seed Corn Showcase. This event celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of the five research projects funded in our 2023-2024 Seed Corn Funding.
- Book your free place on Wednesday, 11 December 2.30pm to 5pm
Instruments in Chinese music: The guzheng
Our final event in this series focuses on the guzheng with special guest Li Yang, an MA Performance Studies student at the University. The session will focus on her reimagined tradition of the guzheng by integrating Chinese philosophies found in painting and ancient literature.
- Book your free place on Wednesday, 11 December 6pm to 7pm at Manchester Central Library
Our cultural institutions
Manchester Museum
All December: Wild exhibitions
Saturday, 7 December (2pm to 3.30pm): Wild Talks: Animal architecture
Tuesday, 10 December (11am to 2pm): Art of collections
Wednesday, 11 December (12pm to 12.50pm): Introductory tai chi qigong
Wednesday, 19 December (6pm to 7.30pm): Critical Conversations
Whitworth Art Gallery
All December:
- Alison Wilding: Sculptor's Drawings
- Barbara Walker: Being here
- The ‘Death’ of the Life Room
- Shirley Craven’s post-war designer exhibition
- Everyday Art School
- Anya Gallaccio’s commission on nature and architecture
Sunday, 8 December: Still Parents project
Sunday, 8 December (3pm): Friends of the Whitworth Sunday Concerts
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Thursday, 5 December (6pm to 7.30pm): Solstice and Equinox’ Series with Jeanette Winterson CBE
Our community
Religious celebrations and traditions
Sunday, 1 December: Advent begins (Christianity)
Friday, 6 December: Shaheedi Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji (Sikhism)
Friday, 13 December: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
Tuesday, 24 December: Christmas Eve (Christianity)
Wednesday, 25 December: Christmas Day (Christianity)
Wednesday, 25 December to Thursday, 2 January: Hanukkah (Judaism)
Awareness days
Sunday, 1 December: World AIDS Day
Tuesday, 3 December: International Day of People with Disabilities
Groups and societies
Book club
For the new year our book will be Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley. We will also share our recommendations from any additional reading we managed to do over the festive period.
You don't even need to have finished the book (although there will be spoilers!).
Why not head over to our Viva Engage (yammer) group for more reading inspiration!
- Contact Fiona.Lynch@manchester.ac.uk for the zoom link for Friday 31 January 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Want to feature your event next month?
If your event is free and open to all colleagues at the University, you can advertise it here next month!
Submit your suggestion to uninews@manchester.ac.uk by 25 of each month to feature in the following month. Please send us a short description (max 30 words) and any relevant links you may have too.
Please note that we unfortunately cannot guarantee your submission will feature, but we will do our best to feature as many as we can.
The deadline to feature in January’s ‘What’s on?’ is 25 December. Any questions, just drop us an email!