talks programme
1st January to 30th April 2025
We all eat food. What we eat affects our health, our budgets, and the environment. Exeter Growers Co-operative owns 5 acres of organic land at Shillingford, near Exeter. Rachel will explain how the Co-operative strives to promote understanding, enjoyment and sustainable use of the land, especially through organic food production. Wednesday 1 January 2025
No meeting- Christmas break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 8 January 2025
Todd Gray
Elizabethan Insults in Devon
Todd’s talk will draw on his historical research to show the language used to insult people in Elizabethan Devon. Although most of the words used appear in Shakespeare, people should note that this talk is occasionally a bit fruity and not for the easily offended!
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 15 January 2025
Robert Hesketh
Weirdest Buildings of the West Country
We welcome Robert back to give a talk on the weird and wonderful buildings of Devon and Cornwall. This talk is a follow up to his story of Devon’s Castles and looks at both historic and recent buildings and why they were constructed.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 22 January 2025 - No meeting
Exeter Forum Members' Christmas Lunch _______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 29 January 2025
Mike Harrison
Cybercrime
Mike will provide an insight into the issues of Cybercrime from his perspective in the Police Force with plenty of practical advice.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 5 February 2025
Bethan Rose
What is Character Education, and how can it be taught?
Bethan will draw on her experience as a Deputy Head (Enrichment and Community) to explain what is meant by Character Education and why it has an important place in the School Curriculum. She will describe how character education can be taught and developed during the school day and beyond the classroom.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 12 February
Mike Richards
Being an Operational Detective and Traffic Policeman
Mike will take us on a journey to see the real world of Detectives and Traffic Policemen, reflecting back on his own experiences of a career in Devon.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 19 February 2025
Rachel Russell
Exeter Growers Co-operative: why local food growing through cooperation matters.
We all eat food. What we eat affects our health, our budgets, and the environment. Exeter Growers Co-operative owns 5 acres of organic land at Shillingford, near Exeter. Rachel will explain how the Co-operative strives to promote understanding, enjoyment and sustainable use of the land, especially through organic food production.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 26 February 2025
David Oates
High Treason and a Medieval Royal Insult in a Cambridgeshire Village Church
This is the story told by the Heraldry of Orwell Church Chancel Roof. The 39 coats of arms on the Orwell chancel ceiling are a remarkable and unique survival from the fourteenth century, commemorating the rise, fall and restoration of Sir Simon Burley, an important figure during the troubled reign of the young King Richard II. The coats of arms include many of the local gentry and national figures of the nobility. David has been interested in Heraldry since his schooldays and has given talks to the Heraldry Society, the Cambridge University Heraldry and Genealogy Society, and the Devonshire Association.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 5 March 2025
Phil Badcott
The Gilberts of Compton Castle – the family that founded the Empire.
This talk will trace the fascinating history of the Gilbert family of Compton Castle from 1329 to 2023. Members of the family have served the County of Devon and the country in many amazing and brave ways. Their story includes the life of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who founded the Empire in 1583.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 12 March 2025
John Ellis
The Newton Abbot Union Workhouse - from creation to national scandal
John will make a welcome return visit to look at the history of the Newton Abbot Union Workhouse. It covered the majority of the parishes in South Devon, and such was controlled by the 2nd biggest Board of Guardians west of Bristol. However, this did not prevent the treatment of its inmates becoming a late Victorian national scandal.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 19 March 2025
Andrew Millington
A life in the organ loft
Andrew Millington will give examples of his varied career as a British Cathedral Organist and Composer, which culminated in his role as Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral from 1999 and 2015. His presentation will include some musical extracts played on the organ in the Mint.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 26 March 2025
David McLarin
How a Honeybee Colony Functions and how we can all help our Pollinators.
David will return to give the follow up to his autumn talk on Bees. He will look at how the Bee colony functions, and the bees find their sustenance. Using examples from around Exeter and his own garden, he will show how we can all help our pollinators through planting and garden cultivation.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 2 April 2025
Dr Martin Grossel
Andrea Angel - Local Hero
Andrea Angel grew up in Exeter and won an Open Exhibition to study Chemistry at Christ Church Oxford, graduating with a First in 1899. In the First World War, he was Chief Chemist overseeing the manufacture of TNT at the Brunner Mond factory in Silvertown, London. Dr Martin Grossel, a tutor of Chemistry at Christ Church, will reveal the life of Andrea Angel from his time in Exeter to the events of World War One. The story concludes with the act of great heroism which led to Andrea being awarded the Edward Medal of the First Class, the highest award for civilian bravery, equivalent to today’s George Cross.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 9 April 2025
John Bell
Dead famous in Exeter
Exeter Redcoat Guide Jon Bell will make a welcome return to the Exeter Forum to tell the stories of the famous and sometimes infamous people who died in Exeter.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 16 April 2025
No meeting - Easter break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 23 April 2025
No meeting - Easter break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 30 April 2025
Joanna Bogle
Sue Ryder - the remarkable story of Baroness Ryder of Warsaw.
Joanna will tell the story of Sue Ryder, a British volunteer with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in World War 2, and a member of the First Aid Yeomanry. She went on to establish various charitable organisations, notably the Sue Ryder Foundation.
_______________________________________________________________________
No meeting- Christmas break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 8 January 2025
Todd Gray
Elizabethan Insults in Devon
Todd’s talk will draw on his historical research to show the language used to insult people in Elizabethan Devon. Although most of the words used appear in Shakespeare, people should note that this talk is occasionally a bit fruity and not for the easily offended!
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 15 January 2025
Robert Hesketh
Weirdest Buildings of the West Country
We welcome Robert back to give a talk on the weird and wonderful buildings of Devon and Cornwall. This talk is a follow up to his story of Devon’s Castles and looks at both historic and recent buildings and why they were constructed.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 22 January 2025 - No meeting
Exeter Forum Members' Christmas Lunch _______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 29 January 2025
Mike Harrison
Cybercrime
Mike will provide an insight into the issues of Cybercrime from his perspective in the Police Force with plenty of practical advice.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 5 February 2025
Bethan Rose
What is Character Education, and how can it be taught?
Bethan will draw on her experience as a Deputy Head (Enrichment and Community) to explain what is meant by Character Education and why it has an important place in the School Curriculum. She will describe how character education can be taught and developed during the school day and beyond the classroom.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 12 February
Mike Richards
Being an Operational Detective and Traffic Policeman
Mike will take us on a journey to see the real world of Detectives and Traffic Policemen, reflecting back on his own experiences of a career in Devon.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 19 February 2025
Rachel Russell
Exeter Growers Co-operative: why local food growing through cooperation matters.
We all eat food. What we eat affects our health, our budgets, and the environment. Exeter Growers Co-operative owns 5 acres of organic land at Shillingford, near Exeter. Rachel will explain how the Co-operative strives to promote understanding, enjoyment and sustainable use of the land, especially through organic food production.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 26 February 2025
David Oates
High Treason and a Medieval Royal Insult in a Cambridgeshire Village Church
This is the story told by the Heraldry of Orwell Church Chancel Roof. The 39 coats of arms on the Orwell chancel ceiling are a remarkable and unique survival from the fourteenth century, commemorating the rise, fall and restoration of Sir Simon Burley, an important figure during the troubled reign of the young King Richard II. The coats of arms include many of the local gentry and national figures of the nobility. David has been interested in Heraldry since his schooldays and has given talks to the Heraldry Society, the Cambridge University Heraldry and Genealogy Society, and the Devonshire Association.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 5 March 2025
Phil Badcott
The Gilberts of Compton Castle – the family that founded the Empire.
This talk will trace the fascinating history of the Gilbert family of Compton Castle from 1329 to 2023. Members of the family have served the County of Devon and the country in many amazing and brave ways. Their story includes the life of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who founded the Empire in 1583.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 12 March 2025
John Ellis
The Newton Abbot Union Workhouse - from creation to national scandal
John will make a welcome return visit to look at the history of the Newton Abbot Union Workhouse. It covered the majority of the parishes in South Devon, and such was controlled by the 2nd biggest Board of Guardians west of Bristol. However, this did not prevent the treatment of its inmates becoming a late Victorian national scandal.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 19 March 2025
Andrew Millington
A life in the organ loft
Andrew Millington will give examples of his varied career as a British Cathedral Organist and Composer, which culminated in his role as Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral from 1999 and 2015. His presentation will include some musical extracts played on the organ in the Mint.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 26 March 2025
David McLarin
How a Honeybee Colony Functions and how we can all help our Pollinators.
David will return to give the follow up to his autumn talk on Bees. He will look at how the Bee colony functions, and the bees find their sustenance. Using examples from around Exeter and his own garden, he will show how we can all help our pollinators through planting and garden cultivation.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 2 April 2025
Dr Martin Grossel
Andrea Angel - Local Hero
Andrea Angel grew up in Exeter and won an Open Exhibition to study Chemistry at Christ Church Oxford, graduating with a First in 1899. In the First World War, he was Chief Chemist overseeing the manufacture of TNT at the Brunner Mond factory in Silvertown, London. Dr Martin Grossel, a tutor of Chemistry at Christ Church, will reveal the life of Andrea Angel from his time in Exeter to the events of World War One. The story concludes with the act of great heroism which led to Andrea being awarded the Edward Medal of the First Class, the highest award for civilian bravery, equivalent to today’s George Cross.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 9 April 2025
John Bell
Dead famous in Exeter
Exeter Redcoat Guide Jon Bell will make a welcome return to the Exeter Forum to tell the stories of the famous and sometimes infamous people who died in Exeter.
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 16 April 2025
No meeting - Easter break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 23 April 2025
No meeting - Easter break
_______________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 30 April 2025
Joanna Bogle
Sue Ryder - the remarkable story of Baroness Ryder of Warsaw.
Joanna will tell the story of Sue Ryder, a British volunteer with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in World War 2, and a member of the First Aid Yeomanry. She went on to establish various charitable organisations, notably the Sue Ryder Foundation.
_______________________________________________________________________