Monthly Meetings and Speakers
Our monthly meetings take place on the first Monday of each month, or the second Monday when the first Monday is a bank holiday.
The meetings are held at the Charis Centre in Water Lane, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2JZ.
Doors will open at 1.30pm and our guest speaker will normally start at 2.15pm.
Please do not arrive before 1.30pm as it makes it very difficult to get the hall ready for the meeting. Group leaders are invited to attend from 1.00pm to set up their tables.
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Monday 13th May
Barrow To Baghdad and Back Again - Philip Caine
My talk begins with me leaving school and ends with the writing of my first novel. I talk about things that happened to me in the various places I have worked, with plenty of interest, humour and inspiration.
Finally, I talk about my factitious adventure/thriller novels (currently 7), all inspired by my ten years in the Middle East.
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Monday 3rd June
So Far So Good - Malcolm Wells MBE
Army Life, behind the scenes in Buckingham Palace and dog training.
My experience of 24 years in the Army as a musician playing cello on state occasions and banquets at Kensington and Buckingham Palace – amusing stories including the occasion when we played the wrong National Anthem! Light hearted stories of my time at Canine Partners, including working with Sir Terry Wogan and how to teach a dog to use a washing machine!
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Monday 1st July
You're Never Too Old To Rock 'n Roll - Vince Eager
Vince recalls the heady days when, as a major pop star in the late 1950s & 60s he appeared on prime time television on such shows as the "Six Five Special", "Drumbeat" and "Oh Boy". Vince takes us behind the scenes whilst touring with pals such as Joe Brown, Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Adam Faith, Cliff Richard, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and many more. He reveals the mischief and mayhem they created, including an altercation with TV's smallest big star!
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Monday 5th August
After the Covid Storm - Andrew Baker
Covid 19 has been unlike anything in our lifetimes. How will we, our society, our politics, our economy and the world be different when normality returns?
Will some things change forever?
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Monday 2nd September
Monet's Giverny - Cherry Mullins
Stories of the life of Monet and how he came to create one of the most stunning gardens. Having spent many years conducting guided tours of France, Cherry provides an interesting insight into this fascinating character and his beloved Giverny.
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Monday 7th October
Death in Disguise - Gary Powell
The Amazing True Story of the Chelsea Murders. This talk examines the facts from a detective’s viewpoint and asks the question of its audience: if you were a member of the jury listening to a prosecution case that had not substantiated a motive, found a murder weapon or even proved that the defendant had been at the murder scenes at the relevant times would you have condemned him to the hangman’s rope?
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Monday 4th November
Where Novelists Get Ideas - Bobbbie Derbyshire
A beginning, a muddle and an end; where novelists get ideas. A novelist herself, Bobbie describes how character, location, plot and sub plot make a successful story.
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