Lovember in Leeds
Cold mornings, dark evenings, rain, wind; November can be a miserable month. That's why some people at the Universities Chaplaincy in Leeds decided to rename it 'Lovember', creating opportunities to bring people together, show kindness and love. I joined the chaplaincy just in time to see Team Unity (a group of chaplains and University of Leeds staff) step into action to bring Lovember 2023 to life.
Events through the month included litter-picks, soup runs, a human library and a prize for the most Lovember welcome board around campus. And every event was accompanied, of course, by the tea trolley and lots of snacks! Students and staff learnt about wellbeing services across campus, connected over coffee and were encouraged to participate in random acts of kindness for friends, neighbours or strangers.
The idea of Lovember came from the Muslim Student Advisor at the University of Leeds a few years ago and it is now an established item in the university calendar. For me, it provided an opportunity to get out on campus with my colleagues and meet the staff and students that we, as chaplains, serve. Lovember serves as a pick-me-up to a sometimes long and dreary month – much like how the regular Quaker-style worship on campus brings opportunity for reflection and reset each week. Two connected, but very different, ways that chaplaincy can enhance university life.