Events

Speaker:  Chris O'Grady

Having enthralled us all with the details of his walk to Rome last year, Chris O’Grady will speak after the AGM about another passion - antiques. His talk is called ‘Fakes and Fortunes, Art and Antiques, Dealers and Forgers’. He will tell stores of amazing finds, of money made and lost in the world of Art and Antiques. After the talk, Chris is happy to provide informal appraisals of items that you may wish to bring along.

Image: Peter Heeling, Skitterphoto

Speaker: TBC

A member of Cirencester Beekeepers will talk about the beekeeping year. Beekeepers launch into action from April to September but that’s not to say they are dormant the rest of the year! Come and find out what goes on in the intriguing world of the beehive.

Speaker:  Martin Hannant

July brings something very different with Martin Hannant giving us ‘The History of Pantomime Dames’ which promises to be fascinating for all, even if you are not a particular fan of pantomimes. He will explain the history from the early days of Harlequinade and Grimaldi through to some famous modern dames. Martin has played dames himself and will arrive with a selection of costumes and lots of embarrassing stories.

Speaker:  Robert Bryant

Robert Bryant will talk about ’The Villa Gardens of the Italian Lakes’. Robert was a garden designer for many years and also a garden guide at Highgrove. In addition he is a keen amateur photographer and an associate of the Royal Photographic Society so we will enjoy his photographs of gardens by Lakes Como, Garda and Maggiore.

Image: Shan Chen

Speaker: John Butterworth

Our speaker this month, John Butterworth, will talk about a trip which he calls 'Off the Beaten Track’. With seven friends, he drove across Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to deliver the Land Rover to a Nepalese leprosy hospital. He will tell of the many dramas and funny stories on this 8,500 mile trip.

Image Credit:  Wiki Commons

Speaker: Ken Kelly

Hidden away in rural Buckinghamshire was Bletchley Park, the nerve centre of the intelligence war during World War II. It was staffed by some of the most single-minded men and women you are ever likely to meet - from university professors and academics to debutants and factory girls. Ken Kelly will tell us their stories and about their steely determination to help win the war.

Image Credit:  Wiki Commons

Speaker:  Di Whitaker

Rupert Brook and Robert Frost are just two of the Dymock poets Di Whitaker will bring to life in November. Some died during the first world war and others went on to greater fame. She will tell us about their lives with stories and their own poetry.

Image credit: Gloucestersire Live

Speaker:  Joanna McKerlie

As it will be nearly Christmas, Joanna McKerlie is coming to entertain us with poems which could not be further away from those we heard last month.  Using her very great acting skills, she will amuse us with a range of very funny seasonal offerings.

Image Credit:  Jennifer C.