Grimshaw's AGM Report: First event of 2025/26

In case you missed our first event, check out this post for an overview of what Grimshaw offers, how you can get involved, and what you can expect over the coming year. This piece was written by Bluebird Blog editor Frankie Finch.

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A packed out MAR 1.04 hosted the 2025 Grimshaw AGM on Monday 29th September, giving incoming and continuing Grimshaw members a first glance at the new Executive Committee and their plans for the year. This report will serve as an in-depth catch up for anyone who could not make it (or could not fit) and wants to know what’s in store at The Grimshaw Club this academic year.

The new President Lili Krasznai began the meeting with a quick introduction of Grimshaw, LSE’s oldest student-led society founded in 1923 named after one of its founding members, Harold Grimshaw.

The newly elected Vice-President Jinyi Li introduced the diverse range of captivating events Grimshaw will offer over the coming year. The ‘Insights’ series include speaker events attracting academics and experts for a wide range of topics in IR, as well as coffee mornings, career events, speaker panels and discussion forums for students. Grimshaw also offers workshops for first year IR students, should they need help writing their IR100 and IR101 essays, a challenge that should not be underestimated!

She then moved on to Grimshaw’s outreach events, some of the most anticipated events the society has to offer. Last year, these ranged from visits to embassies, NGOs and Think Tanks. Also promoted was the Grimshaw Club’s flagship networking event ‘The Diplomatic Breakfast’, which offers a chance to network with ambassadors, high commissioners and diplomats from all over the world. The applications for this event will open later in October.

The final series of events were Socials, including the GIAG Social on Monday 6th October, Pizza and Trivia Night, where no membership is required. Other socials included last year’s popular ‘wine and painting’ as well as other events tailored to postgrads, alumni and first years.

Launched last year by the President Lili, Grimshaw also offers an extensive Alumni Mentorship Programme which allows the past and present of the club to connect and network over coffee chats, workshops and other such events. Details about this program and everything else the Grimshaw Club has in store can be found in the weekly Harold Grimshaw newsletter, available to all with membership.

New Trips Officer Paulina Dauth then introduced the society's annual trips abroad. These student-led excursions bring Grimshaw members to every corner of the globe and the institutions and organisations at the forefront of international relations. Paulina outlined her plan for 25/26 to make the trips more accessible and affordable for all, whilst still providing the same opportunities to make connections with high-ranking ambassadors and leaders. Also highlighted was the opportunity to be a trip-leader, who will receive more technical support from the trips officer to make the trips accessible for all. Trip leaders will also have the freedom to organise visits to embassies institutions, think tanks, consulting firms or historical sites and museums, offering invaluable experiences to study IR beyond the textbooks and readings. Applications to become a trips leader open soon, so keep checking our Instagram and WhatsApp group chats.

Incumbent Diplomacy Ball Officer Charlie Mylechreest then detailed one of Grimshaw’s most exciting events, The Diplomacy Ball. This involves other LSE societies, and student groups from KCL, UCL, SOAS and Oxford. Although this will not take place until March, lots of work is going on behind the scenes and more information will be available in the new year.

Secretary Carmen Leung and Treasurer Judy Albattal covered the multitude of fundraising events that Grimshaw held last year. These included an anti-apartheid initiative week, bake sales and festive events. One of Grimshaw’s most popular charitable events was Giving Tuesday, in collaboration with the RAG society.

Head of the Bluebird Blog, Koshiki Chauhan, spoke on the diverse media wings that Grimshaw runs. If you’re looking to listen to weekly news roundups and in-depth conversations with LSE professors and IR experts, Grimshaw’s podcast series ‘Spotlights’ is perfect. For further advancement in a career in research and the opportunity to get published, then the Grimshaw Review provides such chances for writers of all ages. For something more informal, the Bluebird Blog allows writers to get published with responses to the writer’s callout or on any topic that personally interests you. More information is available on the Grimshaw Media Instagram.

The evening then concluded with a fun game, ‘Guess the world leader from their lips’, in true Grimshaw fashion, where chocolate prizes were distributed to the beady-eyed.

For more fun taster events, Grimshaw is hosting its Give it a Go Pizza and Trivia Night on Monday 6th October. For those looking to try out Grimshaw’s academic events, the GIAG speaker event on International Human Rights Law will be happening on Wednesday 8th October. The final GIAG is a coffee morning on Postcolonial states and International norms on Thursday 9th October. More details will become available on the social media pages and WhatsApp group chats.

Finally, applications for the General Committee have opened and will close on Sunday 12th October if you wish to actively participate in the organising and execution of the aforementioned events.

We wish to see you at all of Grimshaw’s upcoming events and trips this year!