TALKS PROGRAMME – april - august 2017
April 26 Rachel Smith Helping Survivors of Modern Day Slavery
Rachel Smith will be giving a presentation titled "Helping Survivors of Modern Slavery". Rachel will be describing the work of Restore, a local project that exists to help survivors of human trafficking by guiding them through a process of rehabilitation to a normal life. Human trafficking affects tens of millions of people globally every year, and upwards of 13,000 in the UK alone.
Restore has a very informative web page which can be accessed with the following link :
http://www.to-restore.org/
_______________________________________________________________________
May 3 Ann Widdecombe Life and Times
Ann has had, and continues to have, a remarkably varied life, from a major role as a politician, particularly during the 1990s when she served as Minister of State in the Department of Employment and the Home Office, to appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Somehow she has also found time to write 5 novels and an autobiography, supports the work of dozen’s of charities, including the Buttercups Goat Sanctuary, and continues to be outspoken on many aspects of modern life.
Ann has an informative web page which can be accessed with the following link :
http://www.annwiddecombe.com/index.php
Copies of Ann’s books will be available for purchase.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 10 Dr Phil Wickham The Bill Douglas Centre - Exeter's Cinema Museum
A World of Moving Images
Dr Wickham is the Curator of the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum and will be outlining the history and holdings that form the Museum, which has a collection of over 75,000 items, making it one of the largest British collections of material relating to the moving image.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum has a very informative web site which can be accessed by using the following link :
http://www.bdcmuseum.org.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
May 17 AGM
_______________________________________________________________________
May 24 Forum Trip to Suffolk Social Meeting
As many members will be on the Exeter Forum Holiday on 24th May there will be an informal Social Meeting in the Wesley Room ( from the front entrance go straight ahead past the Reception Desk, then turn right to the first room on the right ).Tea/Coffee and biscuits will be available from 10.00 until 11.30. This is an opportunity to have a chat with other members over a relaxing drink.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 31 Ian Varndell Exeter Dissenters' Graveyard Trust
Ian is the Treasurer of the Exeter Dissenters Graveyard Trust and will be outlining the origins of the Graveyard, its story after its closure in 1854 to the present, and the formation of the Trust to fund and organise the restoration work, with some stories of families buried there.
The Trust has a very informative web page showing the considerable amount of work the Trust has done, and is continuing to do, and this can be accessed with the following link :
http://edgt.org.uk/index.html
_______________________________________________________________________
June 7 Gareth Sydenham The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Gareth’s career has spanned over 30 years and he has held a variety of roles but mainly worked as a Firefighter here in Exeter. He is currently a Watch Manager and the Community Safety Prevention Coordinator for Exeter and East Devon. He will be describing the variety of ways in which fire can start in the home and ways in which we can reduce and minimise the risk and all stay safe. He will also explain how the Fire Service carry out home safety checks, and fire protection work with local businesses to ensure they keep you safe in your home and place of work or recreation.
The Service has a very informative web site which can be accessed at the following address :
http://www.dsfire.gov.uk/index.cfm?siteCategoryId=1
_______________________________________________________________________
June 14 Jennifer Evans Butterflies and Moths in the Garden, on the Moor, Devon Rarities
Jennifer will be describing the life-cycle of garden and moorland butterflies and moths throughout the year, with examples of some of those that are amongst Devon's rarest and endangered, and advice on how to help such beautiful and delicate creatures. Jenny is an active member of the Devon Branch of Butterfly Conservation, and is currently their Transect Coordinator and Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey Coordinator.
Butterfly Conservation have a very informative web site, and the following address can be used to access the Devon area details :
http://butterfly-conservation.org/253/devon-branch.html
_______________________________________________________________________
June 21 Ann Head Children in Care
Ann was a Social Worker for more than 40 years, the last 20 years as a self-employed Guardian Ad Litem, helping family and higher courts to make decisions about the future of children from babies up to 17 year olds. She will be describing her role as a Guardian and the need to use imaginative and individual ways to understand and interpret the wishes and feelings of children.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 28 Nicole Baur Remembering the Mental Hospital
From 2015 to 2017 Nicole was the Principal Investigator on the 'Remembering the Mental Hospital' project which aimed to create a digital archive of the former Devon County Mental Hospital, an audio/visual archive exploring mental illness from a social perspective. In her talk Nicole will be describing the project and how its work is available to the general public.
Information about the project is available on the following web site :
http://rememberingdcmh.exeter.ac.uk
There is also a very informative web site which resulted from earlier research by Nicole into the history and work undertaken at the Devon County Lunatic Asylum at Exminster and it is available at the following address :
http://dcmh.exeter.ac.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
July 5 Colin Vosper The Kelly Mine
Colin Vosper will be describing Devon's "secret and hidden", and now restored, ‘shiny ore’ mine entitled "The Kelly Mine". This lively well illustrated talk covers the history and preservation of this unique mine set in a romantically and beautiful woodland setting near Lustleigh, which was worked from 1797 to 1951. This is not a technical mining talk.It is a lively talk full of local history and colour with numerous video clips and will appeal to anyone interested in Devon’s history. In 1984 the Kelly Mine Preservation Society was formed and has been responsible for a considerable amount of work in restoring and preserving the mine and its associated buildings.
By arrangement the society offers the opportunity of guided tours to the site.For more background information see their website at :- www.kellymine.co.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
July 12 Professor David Moss The History of the Poor in Devon
David will be defining the 'poor', covering the period 1500 - 1948, but will also be talking about the future of poverty.
Since being awarded a Doctorate in Economic History by the University of Oxford, David's career has led to him lecturing on various aspects of Economic History and running seminars on various statistical and social areas of interest around the world. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta (Canada), an Honorary Professor at Keio University (Japan) and an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 19 Bridget Baillie & Was it a Tryst with Destiny? India and
Rodney Battey Pakistan after Partition
The partition of India in 1947 involved one of the largest movements of people ever to occur, with the displacement of 10 - 12 million people along religious lines.
Bridget has remained interested in the history of India and Pakistan since living for a couple of years in Pakistani Punjab in the eraly 1960s.
Rodney spent 12 months during 1974/75 in Madhya Pradesh, central India, and has made four return visits covering much of the country, but not Kashmir.
_______________________________________________________________________July July 26 Peter Selley The History of Medicine in Mid Devon over the last 350 years
For almost 200 years there has been a doctor resident in Bow and Peter was the 28th. Following his interest in the history of Bow and the surrounding area Peter has set up a web site containing the history of these doctors with information and stories about Bow and Mid Devon and its local inhabitants. The web site can be accessed at the following address :
http://medicalgentlemen.co.uk/home
_______________________________________________________________________
August 2 Mike Saffin The Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Mike Saffin will be talking about the work of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and the operation of an air ambulance service. The two helicopters that they operate provide a vital service in transporting patients from all over Devon to the most suitable hospital, often from areas which would be very difficult to access in any other way.
The Trust has a very informative web site at the following address :
https://www.daat.org
_______________________________________________________________________
August 9 Keith Badman Gold. How it made Australia
The Australian gold rushes during the nineteenth century had a huge effect on the population and political structure of the colonies which comprised that new country. Illustrated with some of his own photographs and with contemporary maps Keith will show how the gold mining industry developed and how its influence affects our present political situation.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 16 Ian Colquhoun Mercy Ships
Ian will be describing the work of the Mercy Ship organisation which since 1978 has been acquiring and converting ships to be used as charitable floating hospitals to bring free medical care to some of the world's poorest people, staffed almost entirely by volunteer teams of nurses, doctors, surgeons and other crew. Since 1978 they have helped transform the lives of over 2 million people and full details of their work can be seen on their web site :
https://www.mercyships.org.uk/ .
_______________________________________________________________________
August 23 No Meeting
August 30 No Meeting
Rachel Smith will be giving a presentation titled "Helping Survivors of Modern Slavery". Rachel will be describing the work of Restore, a local project that exists to help survivors of human trafficking by guiding them through a process of rehabilitation to a normal life. Human trafficking affects tens of millions of people globally every year, and upwards of 13,000 in the UK alone.
Restore has a very informative web page which can be accessed with the following link :
http://www.to-restore.org/
_______________________________________________________________________
May 3 Ann Widdecombe Life and Times
Ann has had, and continues to have, a remarkably varied life, from a major role as a politician, particularly during the 1990s when she served as Minister of State in the Department of Employment and the Home Office, to appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Somehow she has also found time to write 5 novels and an autobiography, supports the work of dozen’s of charities, including the Buttercups Goat Sanctuary, and continues to be outspoken on many aspects of modern life.
Ann has an informative web page which can be accessed with the following link :
http://www.annwiddecombe.com/index.php
Copies of Ann’s books will be available for purchase.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 10 Dr Phil Wickham The Bill Douglas Centre - Exeter's Cinema Museum
A World of Moving Images
Dr Wickham is the Curator of the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum and will be outlining the history and holdings that form the Museum, which has a collection of over 75,000 items, making it one of the largest British collections of material relating to the moving image.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum has a very informative web site which can be accessed by using the following link :
http://www.bdcmuseum.org.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
May 17 AGM
_______________________________________________________________________
May 24 Forum Trip to Suffolk Social Meeting
As many members will be on the Exeter Forum Holiday on 24th May there will be an informal Social Meeting in the Wesley Room ( from the front entrance go straight ahead past the Reception Desk, then turn right to the first room on the right ).Tea/Coffee and biscuits will be available from 10.00 until 11.30. This is an opportunity to have a chat with other members over a relaxing drink.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 31 Ian Varndell Exeter Dissenters' Graveyard Trust
Ian is the Treasurer of the Exeter Dissenters Graveyard Trust and will be outlining the origins of the Graveyard, its story after its closure in 1854 to the present, and the formation of the Trust to fund and organise the restoration work, with some stories of families buried there.
The Trust has a very informative web page showing the considerable amount of work the Trust has done, and is continuing to do, and this can be accessed with the following link :
http://edgt.org.uk/index.html
_______________________________________________________________________
June 7 Gareth Sydenham The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Gareth’s career has spanned over 30 years and he has held a variety of roles but mainly worked as a Firefighter here in Exeter. He is currently a Watch Manager and the Community Safety Prevention Coordinator for Exeter and East Devon. He will be describing the variety of ways in which fire can start in the home and ways in which we can reduce and minimise the risk and all stay safe. He will also explain how the Fire Service carry out home safety checks, and fire protection work with local businesses to ensure they keep you safe in your home and place of work or recreation.
The Service has a very informative web site which can be accessed at the following address :
http://www.dsfire.gov.uk/index.cfm?siteCategoryId=1
_______________________________________________________________________
June 14 Jennifer Evans Butterflies and Moths in the Garden, on the Moor, Devon Rarities
Jennifer will be describing the life-cycle of garden and moorland butterflies and moths throughout the year, with examples of some of those that are amongst Devon's rarest and endangered, and advice on how to help such beautiful and delicate creatures. Jenny is an active member of the Devon Branch of Butterfly Conservation, and is currently their Transect Coordinator and Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey Coordinator.
Butterfly Conservation have a very informative web site, and the following address can be used to access the Devon area details :
http://butterfly-conservation.org/253/devon-branch.html
_______________________________________________________________________
June 21 Ann Head Children in Care
Ann was a Social Worker for more than 40 years, the last 20 years as a self-employed Guardian Ad Litem, helping family and higher courts to make decisions about the future of children from babies up to 17 year olds. She will be describing her role as a Guardian and the need to use imaginative and individual ways to understand and interpret the wishes and feelings of children.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 28 Nicole Baur Remembering the Mental Hospital
From 2015 to 2017 Nicole was the Principal Investigator on the 'Remembering the Mental Hospital' project which aimed to create a digital archive of the former Devon County Mental Hospital, an audio/visual archive exploring mental illness from a social perspective. In her talk Nicole will be describing the project and how its work is available to the general public.
Information about the project is available on the following web site :
http://rememberingdcmh.exeter.ac.uk
There is also a very informative web site which resulted from earlier research by Nicole into the history and work undertaken at the Devon County Lunatic Asylum at Exminster and it is available at the following address :
http://dcmh.exeter.ac.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
July 5 Colin Vosper The Kelly Mine
Colin Vosper will be describing Devon's "secret and hidden", and now restored, ‘shiny ore’ mine entitled "The Kelly Mine". This lively well illustrated talk covers the history and preservation of this unique mine set in a romantically and beautiful woodland setting near Lustleigh, which was worked from 1797 to 1951. This is not a technical mining talk.It is a lively talk full of local history and colour with numerous video clips and will appeal to anyone interested in Devon’s history. In 1984 the Kelly Mine Preservation Society was formed and has been responsible for a considerable amount of work in restoring and preserving the mine and its associated buildings.
By arrangement the society offers the opportunity of guided tours to the site.For more background information see their website at :- www.kellymine.co.uk
_______________________________________________________________________
July 12 Professor David Moss The History of the Poor in Devon
David will be defining the 'poor', covering the period 1500 - 1948, but will also be talking about the future of poverty.
Since being awarded a Doctorate in Economic History by the University of Oxford, David's career has led to him lecturing on various aspects of Economic History and running seminars on various statistical and social areas of interest around the world. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta (Canada), an Honorary Professor at Keio University (Japan) and an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 19 Bridget Baillie & Was it a Tryst with Destiny? India and
Rodney Battey Pakistan after Partition
The partition of India in 1947 involved one of the largest movements of people ever to occur, with the displacement of 10 - 12 million people along religious lines.
Bridget has remained interested in the history of India and Pakistan since living for a couple of years in Pakistani Punjab in the eraly 1960s.
Rodney spent 12 months during 1974/75 in Madhya Pradesh, central India, and has made four return visits covering much of the country, but not Kashmir.
_______________________________________________________________________July July 26 Peter Selley The History of Medicine in Mid Devon over the last 350 years
For almost 200 years there has been a doctor resident in Bow and Peter was the 28th. Following his interest in the history of Bow and the surrounding area Peter has set up a web site containing the history of these doctors with information and stories about Bow and Mid Devon and its local inhabitants. The web site can be accessed at the following address :
http://medicalgentlemen.co.uk/home
_______________________________________________________________________
August 2 Mike Saffin The Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Mike Saffin will be talking about the work of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and the operation of an air ambulance service. The two helicopters that they operate provide a vital service in transporting patients from all over Devon to the most suitable hospital, often from areas which would be very difficult to access in any other way.
The Trust has a very informative web site at the following address :
https://www.daat.org
_______________________________________________________________________
August 9 Keith Badman Gold. How it made Australia
The Australian gold rushes during the nineteenth century had a huge effect on the population and political structure of the colonies which comprised that new country. Illustrated with some of his own photographs and with contemporary maps Keith will show how the gold mining industry developed and how its influence affects our present political situation.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 16 Ian Colquhoun Mercy Ships
Ian will be describing the work of the Mercy Ship organisation which since 1978 has been acquiring and converting ships to be used as charitable floating hospitals to bring free medical care to some of the world's poorest people, staffed almost entirely by volunteer teams of nurses, doctors, surgeons and other crew. Since 1978 they have helped transform the lives of over 2 million people and full details of their work can be seen on their web site :
https://www.mercyships.org.uk/ .
_______________________________________________________________________
August 23 No Meeting
August 30 No Meeting
