Tuesday 11^th August 2026

NO MEETING - Hall closed for maintenance/refurbishment

Tuesday 8^th September 2026 Stalking the Stalker by Hamish Brown MBE

Hamish is the recognized leading authority on the interpretation and application of stalking legislation in the United Kingdom. In 2004 Hamish retired from New Scotland Yard’s Specialist Crime Directorate after over 30 years’ service with the Metropolitan Police. He was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to victims of harassment. Hamish now offers his services as a consultant, trainer and lecturer on stalking legislation, celebrity stalking and workplace violence as well as one-to-one advice for those in fear of being stalked.

He is the author of ‘Stalking and other forms of harassment, an investigator’s guide. ‘ He was commended by the then Home Secretary, Rt. Hon. Jack Straw, for his research into this booklet. This is the most requested Home Office publication with a print run of over 10,000 copies.

Tuesday 13^th October 2026

Rhyme and Reason - Nursery Rhyme History by Susan Ackroyd

Brought up in country NSW, in Nowra. She gained a teaching scholarship to uni where she majored in history. After a varied career she retired to the Blue Mountains and about 10 years ago decided to research the political satire we know as nursery rhymes. The first edition of Rhyme and Reason was published in 2023, with the second edition in 2025.

Rhyme and Reason – the real reasons for ‘nursery’ rhymes. What can ‘nursery’ rhymes tell us about the politics, economy, society, religion of England from the 1200s to the 1700s? Who was the frog courting the mouse? What was mother Hubbard looking for?

When and why did subversive political satire morph into nursery fodder?  Brush up on your nursery rhymes and be prepared to be amazed.

Tuesday 10th November 2026

Swan: Portrait of  Majestic bird by Dan Keel

A local wildlife writer and photographer's celebration of the mute swan, Britain's most iconic breed, exploring the bird's significance across myth and history alongside vivid observations on its habits and habitats - including those on Hampshire and Berkshire's lakes and canal. The swan is both a lover and a fighter. A graceful angel and a clumsy oaf. Immortalized by artists over the ages yet misunderstood and threatened in the present day. The mute swan - with its orange beak and aura of stately silence - is the breed we know best in Britain.

Dan Keel has been captivated by these birds since boyhood, studying their contrasting qualities over more than three decades. He's spent countless hours documenting their power, beauty and vulnerability as a writer of nature journalism, as a wildlife photographer looking for the perfect shot, and as a pilot sharing the skies. In this labour of love, Dan speaks up for the mute, displays photographs, and answers essential questions about the swan's nature and future.

Along the way, weaving his first-hand observations into the narrative, he shows us how swans have been portrayed in myth, art and culture for millennia, and how they have been venerated and imitated as well as harmed by humans. Does anybody still eat swan? Can a swan really break your arm? Does the King own them all? With an eye for the humour as well as the tragedy of the swan's story, Dan lays out the facts, guides us to our lakes and riverbanks, and urges us to see these familiar creatures in a fresh light.