Date/
Speaker

Title/
Description

The Bourne Society and Bourne Villages
Taking its name from the intermittent streams that run in the A22 and A23 valleys, the Bourne Society aims to extend the knowledge of local history in Caterham, Chaldon, Chelsham, Chipstead, Coulsdon, Farleigh, Godstone, Kenley, Purley, Sanderstead, Whyteleafe, Warlingham and Woldingham, and to ensure the preservation of records and objects of historical interest.
Chairman Roger Packham will tell us about the Society and our local history.

50 Years of bringing colour and joy into architecture at CZWG
The architectural practice CZWG was co-founded in 1975 by Nicholas Campbell, Roger Zogolovich, Rex Wilkinson and Piers Gough. CZWG brings originality, innovation and flair to its designs.
Director Adam West will tell us about their latest projects.

Scientific Research at the Crick
The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute researching the biology underlying human health. It is based in a large new building behind the British Library, at St Pancras.
Nikolaus, a master of biological science, joined the Crick in 2022, and is a specialist at communicating the impact of research. He will take us through some of the science underlying medical treatments.

The Surrey Iron Railway
John is a volunteer at the Wandle Industrial Museum and at the Merton Priory Chapter House Museum. He conducts industrial heritage guided walks along parts of the Wandle and he edits the museum's quarterly bulletin (free of charge to members of the museum).
John will tell us about the world's first public railway, opened in 1803.
The Links page has a pointer to the museum’s website. Please visit!

Medieval and Renaissance Musical Instruments
Michael is a multi-instrumentalist and an experienced conductor and arranger, as well as being a member of Faronel - a late medieval and renaissance music group.
He will talk about the development of the string and woodwind instruments, with demonstrations on his own impressive collection.

Please join us for refreshments after the talk

1st Jan,
2026

A Happy New Year to all our Members and Friends

From Bedlam to Bethlem, 778 years of Bethlem Royal Hospital
Bethlem Royal Hospital is one of the oldest mental health institutions in the world and is still running as part of the NHS in Beckenham. Hear about the history of the hospital and mental health treatment, and what you can expect to find on display in Bethlem Museum of the Mind today.

Tibet, Roof of the World
Tibet has been an autonomous region of China since the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. It is still occupied and militarily controlled but the culture and spirit of the Tibetan people lives on. My trip took in the history and culture, as well as looking at the unique birds and animals of the area, including the giant panda.
Sue’s main passion is travelling, and she has worked as a teacher in Thailand, and visited over 100 countries.

Introducing Jane Austen: The Woman and the Writer
The Jane Austen Society was formed in 1940 with the aim of purchasing the house in Chawton, Hampshire, in which Jane Austen had lived for the last 8 years of her life. Having bought the House and transferred it into a separate Trust, the Society became a literary Society; its purpose to foster the appreciation and study of the life, works and times of Jane Austen and the Austen family.
Maureen will tell us about her life from birth to death, taking in her novels and letters.

WAAFs, War Brides, and Widows
For nearly ten years, Linda and a small team of volunteers have been uncovering the rich history of RAF Kenley, Surrey’s renowned Battle of Britain Fighter Station.
In this talk, Linda shares the remarkable stories of the women linked to the airfield, exploring their lives, their resilience, and the unique challenges they faced during wartime.

Why is re-wilding so controversial?
An exploration into the challenges and solutions to species and ecosystem restoration
Sam Thomas is a sustainability consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers helping governments as well as private businesses in the field of nature and biodiversity. The subject of 'rewilding' has fascinated Sam since he wrote his master's thesis on the subject whilst studying at Cambridge and he will present a comprehensive overview of both the potential benefits rewilding offers and also the likely challenges for the UK context. From beavers to wolves, white-tailed eagles to bears, Sam will traverse the complexities of reintroducing keystone species and highlight the policies needed to make these projects a success.

At 7:30, the AGM for this season.

     Then at about 8:00...

The Weird and Wonderful World of the Law
An enjoyable romp through the legal world, drawing on over 25 years as a locum solicitor travelling around the country, encountering raging judges, dotty clients, and weird cases.
Join David on a sideways journey through bizarre true-life oddities, daft old laws still in place, and political correctness gone raving mad!

Please join us for refreshments after the talk