Aberystwyth

Past events, 2010-2023

Archive of previous programmes' guest speakers, and other events

: - To return to previous page click here: Events

Some of our talks are available to listen to online or download.
Click (***) alongside the talk, or Audio Recordings of guest speakers

2024
February - The Margaret & Alick Potter Charitable Trust - The work of the Trust, role of volunteers and the experience of those living with dementia, as patients or as carers (Joan Miller & Geraldine Taylor)
January - Erasmus Darwin: a man of many roles (Ron Pateman)

2023
December - Christmas Social, Guest speaker Professor Jamie Medhurst, Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University, Christmas and early BBC television
November - What is AI? And how will it affect us? (Dr Amanda Clare, Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University)
October - Visitor Experience Manager, RSPB Ynys-hir (Beverley Dimmock)

September - The HOPE Advocacy project (Luc-antoine Bonte, Age Cymru)
July - The Samaritans (Graham Rees)
June - The Aber Eco Hub (Kate Rollt)
May - Detective Cats and Baking Spies - Everything I learned on my author journey (Sarah Todd Taylor)
April - Information Security in the modern world (Dr Hannah Dee)
March - AGM, followed by Sarah Greener from Versus Arthritis. This will be an informal session with time for questions. Sarah’s work comes under the banner of Cwtch Cymru which is a Welsh Government funded initiative, as well as Cymru Versus Arthritis.
February - Wealth protection (Ben Ashenden, BPA Associates)
January - Why do we eat so few crops? (Dr John Warren)

2022

December - 50 years of Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Louise Amery)
November - Turning Back the Tone Wheels of Time: The forgotten genius of engineer & inventor Laurens Hammond (John Grant)
October - What is the leadership we need to address Climate Change? (and how can we help make that happen) [Dr Rachel Lilley]
September - The Cambrian Mountains Society (Dwynen Belsey)
July - The Art of the Cartoonist (Harry Venning)
May - Building a family tree, and discovering real ancestors through DNA (Aislinn Knight)
April - How Aberystwyth began life in Antarctica (Bill Bagley)
March - Outreach activity in maths and physics at Aberystwyth University (Natalie Roberts)
February - Recent Excavations at Pendinas (Fran Murphy)
January - The Talyllyn Railway (Sue Whitehouse)

2021

December 2021 - Social
November 2021 - The work of the Freemasons in the community and beyond (John Fitzpatrick)

2020

Jan 2020 -A Layperson's Guide to Public Key Encryption (Dr Fred Long)

2019

Dec 2019-"A Solstice Celebration" with great fun and entertainment provided by our interest groups!
Nov 2019-Welsh Mythology and How It Claimed Me (Milly Jackdaw)
Oct 2019-Old Land and Traditional Spirits; A Celebration of Ceredigion & Carmarthenshire Ghost Stories.
. -(Jennifer Cairns)
Sep 2019-Keeping the Family Alive - Women in 18th & 19th Century Wales (Michael Freeman) (***)
Jul 2019-Keep Still and Don't Blink - interesting old photos in the Ceredigion Archives
. -(Dr Ania Skarzynska)
Jul 2019-Summer Excursion - Corris Craft Centre and Aberdyfi
Jun 2019-Old Maps (Dr Ania Skarzynska)
May 2019-Fast, clean, quiet public transport - why a Victorian innovation failed (Roger Boyle)
Apr 2019-Students and Statues (History of the Old College) by Elgan Davies
Mar 2019-AGM - followed by a General Knowledge Quiz
Feb 2019-Yeti (by Mike Lewis of the Cambrian News)
Jan 2019-Wales to Argentina - the 19th century merchant & explorer Henry Libanus Jones
. -(Monica Lloyd Williams)

2018

Dec 2018-Group presentations and Christmas social
Nov 2018-The Mabinogi - a retelling for our time (Matthew Francis) (***)
Oct 2018-Cancelled
Sep 2018-Women tourists in Wales during the 18th & 19th centuries' (Michael Freeman) (***)
Jul 2018-Stories & Stones - History & Mystery in West Ceredigion (Jennifer Cairns)
Jun 2018-Chwedlau mewn Gemwaith/Legends in Jewellery (Rhiannon Evans)
May 2018-The Equine Dick Whittington - the history of the Dyfed Shires
. -- & Celt, the Queen's Welsh Drum Horse (Mark Cole) (***)
Apr 2018-Dunton’s 50-guinea inspiration: ingenious questions & discreet answers in the 1690s
. -- about the earliest question & answer periodical. (Philip Henry Jones)
Mar 2018-AGM - followed by a General Knowledge Quiz
Feb 2018-Llanerchaeron: Tales from the Herb Beds (Penny David) (***)
Jan 2018-The Lone Welshman at Custer's Last Stand (Mike Lewis) (***)

2017

Dec 2017-Christmas meeting: with presentations by our interest groups
Nov 2017-Curious Travellers: Adventures in 18th Century Wales (by Mary-Ann Constantine)
Oct 2017-Why birds sing - the science of birdsong (by Dr Rupert Marshall) (***)
Sep 2017-Aberystwyth Through Time (by William Troughton)
Aug 2017-An outing to Llanon Cottage
Jul 2017-Health Visiting in Afghanistan (by Yvonne Hughes)
Jun 2017-Lead mines in Ceredigion (by Stephen Hughes)
May 2017-Tales from the Coliseum (by Carrie Canham - Curator of Ceredigion Museum)
Apr 2017-Cors Dyfi reserve and the Osprey Project (Kim Williams)
Mar 2017-AGM, followed by a fun Quiz
Feb 2017-Some Treasures of the Hugh Owen Library (Bill Hines)
Jan 2017-An introduction to Mindfulness" (Rachel Lilley)

2016

Dec 2016-Christmas meeting: with presentations by our interest groups
Nov 2016-William Morris's Chemical Adventure (Dr Brian Davies)
Oct 2016-Montague Burton: the full Monty – chevrons, fans & elephants (Dr Roger Boyle)
Sep 2016-The Davieses of Llandinam & Gregynog, & the University (Mary Oldham)
Jul 2016-Making new Opera (Michael McCarthy)
Jun 2016-The submerged forests on our foreshores (Dr Martin Bates)
May 2016-The BBC and the Future (Jean Seaton)
Apr 2016-1816: The year without a Summer" (Philip Henry Jones)
Mar 2016-AGM - followed by a General Knowledge Quiz
Feb 2016-Foreigners in Wales in Victorian times (Gerald Morgan)
Jan 2016-Reading Yesterday's Handwriting: A New Skill for Tomorrow?" (Dr. Susan Davies)
Jan 2016-Visit: The Printing rooms in the Aberystwyth School of Art.

2015

Dec 2015-Christmas meeting: with presentations from our interest groups
Nov 2015-Central Asia (Thomas Brian Morgan)
Oct 2015-U3A Aberystwyth took part in the Morlan's 50+Fair
. -The Rivers of Wales (John Gee)
Sep 2015-Dr Humphrey Foulkes (1673-1737): the antiquary & an intriguing epitaph
. -(Mary Burdett-Jones)
Jul 2015-Aberystwyth Farmers' Market (Jan Eldridge)
: -Visit: RSPB Ynys-hir & Osprey Project
: -"Film Sessions" - our own thought-provoking cinema event...
Jun 2015-Threatened & threatening small mammals in Pembrokeshire: animals & diseases
. (Dr Claire Risley)
May 2015-'Whodunnits' (Geraint Evans)
Apr 2015-U3A Aberyswtyth had stall at Morlan's Celebratory Fair
. -(for their 10th Anniversary Weekend)
Apr 2015-Alternatives to Violence (Elizabeth Darlington)
Mar 2015-AGM - followed by a Quiz
Feb 2015-Snowdonian Houses (Richard Suggett)
Jan 2015-'Waxing Lyrical: recorded music as we used to hear it' (Hugh Parry)

2014

Dec 2014-Christmas entertainment - Group Showcases (presentations/readings, by the
: -Play Reading, Recorder, Poetry, German, and Literature, Activity Groups)
Nov 2014-Making & Colouring the Medieval Book (by Brian Davies)
: -Visit: National Plant Phenomics Centre, Gogerddan
Oct 2014-'A Performance Artist Tells Her Story'(by Mar Shro Gora/Margaret Sharrow)
: -U3A at Aberystwyth 50+Fair on 1st October
. -(U3A Aberyswtywth had an information stand at this event)
Sep 2014-Abraham Cooper (1787-1868) R.A. Animal painter (by Mary Burdett-Jones)
Jul 2014-CAVO volunteer centre (by Rik Mowbray)
: -Visit: Felin Ganol Watermill, Llanrhystud
Jun 2014-David Lloyd, the tenor 1912-1969 (by Rhidian Griffiths)
May 2014-Life In a Care Home (by Nicky Herriot)
Apr 2014-Minority Languages in Britain (by Glanville Price)
: -"Film Sessions" - thought-provoking cinema visit event...
. -films, & introduction talk on the issues of equality
Mar 2014-AGM - followed by a Quiz
Feb 2014-The Other Ethiopia (by Kay Edwards)
Jan 2014-Visit: Art exhibition & poetry-reading at Tabernacle, Machynlleth
: -"My experiences as a Book Editor" (by Janet Thomas)

2013

Dec 2013-Christmas entertainment (presentations & readings, by our Interest Groups)
Nov 2013-China: a story of three generations (by Pru Bell)
Oct 2013-Jane Austen: her Life, Death & Home (by Lindsay Ashford)
: -Viewing and discussion of DVD, "Talking Justice - Does Prison Work".
: -Visit: Art exhibition at Tabernacle in Machynlleth
Sep 2013-Britain from Above - RCAHMW (by Natasha Scullion)
Jul 2013-Visit: Bronant Wildlife Garden
: -"Film Sessions" third of our thought-provoking cinema visit events.
Jun 2013-Age Cymru Ceredigion
: -Visit: RSPB Ynys-hir and Osprey Project
May 2013-Birds of Ceredigion (by Mike Hayward)
Apr 2013-How to Enjoy and Write Haiku and Haiku-Stories (by Ken Jones)
: -"Film Sessions" second cinema screening
Mar 2013-AGM - followed by a Quiz
Feb 2013-What is a land plant? Do they grow in communities? (by Andrew Agnew)
Jan 2013-Kindertransport (by Dr Andrea Hammel)
: -"Film Sessions" first-ever cinema event (& supporting U3A groups' feature)

2012

Dec 2012-Christmas entertainment - (presentations & readings, by our Interest Groups) &
... -Introduction by Noragh Jones to her book "The Art of Growing Old: Stories We Tell About Old Age"
Nov 2012-Time in the Theatre (by Richard Hogger)
Oct 2012-Rainbows (by Professor Len Kersley)
Sep 2012-Art Nouveau (1890-1914): Its Roots, Development & Impact (by Ian Barclay)
Jul 2012-Visit: Landre's "Poetry Path" (& Rhydypennau Craft Centre)
Jun 2012-Visit: Guided tour of the Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
May 2012-Renewable Energy (by Christopher Lord Smith)
Apr 2012-Conspiracy Theories (by Dr David Steeds)
Mar 2012-AGM & premiere performance of "The Long Christmas Dynasty" (by our play reading group)
Feb 2012-Bee Keeping (by Anne Ovens)
Jan 2012-The Danube from the Black Forest to the Black Sea (by Glanville Price)

2011

Dec 2011-Christmas entertainment inc. play reading "Broken Threads" by Dyfi U3A Creative Writing group
Nov 2011-Aberystywth twin-town Marda, Palestine & Israeli Peace Groups (by Elizabeth Morley)
Oct 2011-Old Postcards (by Sue Whitehouse)
Sep 2011-British Humorous & Political Prints (by Phil Garratt)
Jul 2011-Visit: Welsh Assembly Building Aberystwyth
Jun 2011-Visit: Talyllyn Railway
: -Politics & Sport (by Dr David Steeds)
May 2011-Treating Arthritis Naturally (Arthritic Assoc.)
Apr 2011-R.S.Thomas (by Damian Walford Davies)
Mar 2011-AGM (followed by Members Quiz)
Feb 2011-Magistrates in the Community (by Glenda Johnson) &
... -Margaret Frost - on being a wartime aircraft delivery pilot
- -(see magazine feature of Margaret Frost's visit, on Gallery page)
Jan 2011-Quakers, Then & Now (by O.G.Evans)

2010

Dec 2010-Christmas entertainment (presentations & readings, by our Interest Groups)
Oct 2010-Landscapes & Flora of Kenya (by Andrew Agnew)
Nov 2010-Talyllyn Railway (by Roger Whitehouse)
Jul 2012-Visit: Rheidol Hydroelectric Scheme, & Butterfly Farm at Capel Bangor
Jun 2010-Censorship of Aberystwyth Film - "Monty Python's Life of Brian" (by Sue Jones-Davies)
May 2010-Guided tour of the RSPB Ynyshir Reserve
Apr 2010-Welsh Chapels - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (by Lionel Madden)
Mar 2010-AGM & Quiz

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