A series of Special Meetings with talks being given by invited Guest Presenters. The talks will be on a range of quite differing and interesting topics. The talks last for approx. 1 hour and then tea/coffee and biscuits are served. We leave the Hall after clearing up at 4pm. (Please note that the Hall is booked from 1pm so the speaker and Veronica and I along with a few helpers can lay out the tables and chairs, check heating etc. Members start arriving from 1.30pm and each quarterly talk starts at 2pm). The talks are held on the 4th Thursday on a quarterly basis in January, April, July and October.

Thu 22 January 2026 - 'How did World War II end in Europe', presented by Peter Stammers. Why didnt World War II in Europe end before 1945? How were thousands of fanatical diehard Nazis with nothing to lose “persuaded” to stop fighting? Who stopped Soviet troops from
entering Denmark? And what part did a Canadian ex-Ice Cream Salesman play? This 40minute illustrated talk with questions afterward explores the tensions between the Allies, the hopes of the last ditch Nazis and the foundations of the Post War and Cold War in Europe.

Thu 23 April - 'The Venetian Connection' presented by Paul WhittleFor over 1,000 years, the power and influence of the Venetian Republic dominated much of the Mediterranean. This well illustrated talk includes some of those places and then explores this unique World Heritage city founded in 421 AD on 127 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Also covered are the current economic and environmental challenges facing Venice - a victim of its own immense popularity for tourism.

Thu 23 July - 'The East India Company' 1600-1874, presented by Alan Freeland. A small private trading company made Britain a world power. The East India Company became the world’s most powerful private company and created the world’s largest Empire. What happens when private companies driven by profit are inadequately regulated? Are there lessons for what we can expect from companies like Meta, Google, Amazon and Elon Musk’s empire?

Thur 22 Oct - 'My Love of Africa' presented by Tom Way. During this talk, Tom will showcase his most recent portfolio of images from his travels around the African Continent. Recent assignments have seen Tom focus on getting close to our largest land mammal; the elephant as well as photographing some of Africa’s most powerful and beautiful wildlife such as cheetahs and leopards. He will also describe his adventures into the forests and mountains to photograph our closest relatives, the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.