Things To Do In London Today: Thursday 8 May 2014

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Brugal Emporio Eivissa rooftop bar in Shoreditch. Details below

Listings

BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at the Marriott Hotel in Canary Wharf and at Parking Bays 35-36 outside Well House, in Bromley. See site for terms and conditions

ROOFTOP: Here's another one to add to our list of best rooftop bars in London. Brugal Emporio Eivissa comes to the rooftop of Rockwell House, just off Shoreditch High Street Station. Tickets are now sold out on the website but you can still turn up and get tickets on the door. Opening times vary every day. Free, just turn up, until 11 May

LUNCH BREAK: Take your lunch with you and enjoy a free talk about about floods and their causes. From natural disaster to deliberate acts of war, listen to the story of the deadliest floods told by John Withington, at the Shoe Lane Library. Free, prebook by email, 12.30pm

MUSIC IN A MUSEUM: The Foundling Museum offers a different lunch break, hosting a concert by Violinist Rose Hsien. The event is included in the entry ticket. £7.50/£5, just turn up, 1pm

HISTORY TALK: The National Archives hosts a talk about the trial of Charles I. You will be able to see the trial papers in The Keeper's Gallery. Free, just turn up, 2pm

LONDON AT WAR: Jerry White opens a season of talks about London at war, beginning with his keynote on the city during the First World War, at Queen Mary on Mile End Road. Free, prebook, 6pm

BRITISH LIBRARY: Professor Wole Soyinka, Nigerian playwright, poet and novelist, became the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, he gives a talk at the British Library, about his life and career. £10/£8, prebook, 6.30pm

OPEN DEBATE: The recession in the UK officially ended in 2009, while salaries remain the same and the prices of primary goods continue to rise. Join this debate about the cost of living at the Institute for Economic Affairs. Free, prebook by email, 6.30pm

GUIDED WALKS: Footprints London presents two discovery tours in two different London areas. You can decide whether to discover the old and new of the Docklands — meeting point is Canary Wharf tube station (£10/£7.50, prebook, 6.30pm) or listen to stories of ancient Merrie Islington — meeting point is Angel tube station (£10/£7.50, prebook, 7pm)  

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE: The House of St Barnabas hosts a cultural debate lead by Miranda Sawyer and Ekow Eshun called 37 Things You Need to Know about Modern Britain, focusing on British contemporary celebrities. £10+bf, prebook, 7pm

ROYAL INSTITUTION: If civilisation as we know it came to an end through natural disaster or war, what would happen afterwards? How to rebuild the world from scratch is a talk from Lewis Dartnell. £12/£8, prebook,  7pm

FILM CLUB: The Duke of Wellington pub hosts a science fiction film club. On screen there's 1970 Colossus: The Forbin Project. £5/£4, prebook, 8pm   

JAZZ NIGHT: 606 Club in Chelsea presents a one-off event featuring musicians Vikki Stone and Tom Cawley & his Quartet. They start with a single performance and then continue together, for a show characterised by improvisations. £10, prebook, 8.30pm

Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings.


Good Cause of the Day

You're still in time to book tickets for tonight's The Big Laugh, otherwise known as Friends of the Earth’s comedy night, taking place at the Eventim Apollo. Comedy giants include Greg Davies, Josh Widdicombe, Katherine Ryan, Paul Chowdhry, Dan Antopolski, Adam Buxton and The Boy with Tape on his Face. There will also be live music from singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle, and money raised will benefit Friends of the Earth. £21-52, prebook, 7.30pm

London Connection Puzzle

Your clues so far have been BRIDE LANE and PARKGATE ROAD. Today's addition is TALBOT ROAD. What's the London connection? We already have a winner, so no need to email in.

From the Archive

Feel like trying somewhere new for lunch today? Grab a slice of pizza in a small and cosy restaurant in Neal's Yard. On this day last year we reviewed Homeslice.

Name That Statue!

Who is this poop-pated fellow? Where in London can you find him? And can anyone guess yesterday's puzzle?

Henry Holland and pigeon friend