Date		Event	Venue and Time
Monday	18 November 2024	34th Annual General Meeting	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		New and old members and guests welcome.
		Followed by: Call My Bluff Style Quiz
Monday	20 January 2025	The History of the RNLI - Anthony Gerrard	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		Anthony’s presentation gives an insight into the history of the RNLI, its development through two hundred years of service, how busy the organisation has become and how it runs proudly as a charity with mostly volunteers. He sheds light on how much it costs to fund RNLI activities, where the funding comes from and the types of equipment used by RNLI teams all around the UK. And at the role the RNLI plays in educating children in water safety both across the UK and internationally.
Monday	17 February 2025	A History ‘Walk’ round Faringdon - Dr Mike Wise	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		In 1681, Thomas Baskerville described Faringdon as ‘pretty well built with some good inns for entertainment’. The talk covers the Faringdon sponge gravels; Faringdon’s strategic location as a crossroads and staging post; the history of the buildings and the market, comparing contemporary and historic images; the ownership of the manor and the role of Faringdon House in the Civil War. But why were Crown Prince Wilhelm and a German delegation at the Bell in 1909?
Monday	17 March 2025	‘Littlecote Roman Villa’ - Dr Hugh Pihlens	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		Littlecote Roman Villa is one of the great treasures of Britain. It was first discovered in the early 18th century, but it was then purposely covered over and abandoned. 250 years later, in 1976, it was rediscovered, and a team of archaeologists worked for 13 years to explore and restore it. More recently it has been further renovated and improved for visitors to enjoy. Littlecote is a very unusual villa, with a history covering the whole period of Roman occupation. It includes one of the finest and largest mosaics in Britain.
Monday	14 April 2025	Queen Katherine Parr – Gloucestershire’s Queen - Mike Bottomley	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		An integrated live presentation of the extraordinary life of Katherine Parr the sixth wife of Henry VIII. Using music, readings and video to recreate the atmosphere and intrigues of the Tudor Court we tell the largely unknown story of this incredible Queen and her journey from obscurity to the heart of English history and on to her final resting place at Sudeley Castle. Stepmother to two Queens, “Bloody Mary” and Elizabeth I, Queen, Queen Regent, Wife and Lover, Katherine’s life story resonates through the ages and is a must for all who are fascinated by our country’s dramatic history.
Monday	19 May 2025	The Road to Peace is Paved with Headstones - The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; its History and Legacy - Dick Richards	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		This talk highlights the role played by those far-sighted men and women who established an organisation, now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, so that remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice will endure in perpetuity. We will look at the architectural and physical characteristics of the cemeteries and memorials as well as the underlying principles that govern their design.
	June 2025	Visit TBA
	July 2025	Visit TBA
Monday	15 September 2025	Place-names and archaeology in and around Gloucestershire - Dr Simon Draper	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		Dr Simon Draper will explore the origins and meanings of place- and fieldnames in our region with special links to archaeological remains, from prehistoric forts to Roman villas and Anglo-Saxon meeting-places. Come along and learn which names to look out for in your local landscape.
Monday	20 October 2025	The History of Stroud - Ian Mackintosh (or Ann Taylor)	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		In the opinion of a Gloucestershire Archivist, Stroud, like Topsy, ‘just grew’. Originally it was part of Bisley parish but in 1304 the Composition of Stroud created ‘the Limitation of Stroud’ centred on what is now the church and the marketplace. Over the centuries Stroud outgrew Bisley and became a parish in its own right and ‘a sort of capital of the clothing villages’.  This talk traces, and explains, the origins of the town, explains the uncomplimentary meaning of the name, and talks about some of Stroud’s past characters.know it today was rooted in Victorian innovation.
Monday	17 November 2025	35th Annual General Meeting	Memorial Hall - 7:30pm
		New and old members and guests welcome.
		Followed by: Cotswolds Cornucopia – Sean Callery
		The Cotswolds is one of Britain’s most scenic areas where rolling green hills are speckled with honey stone villages. There’s a story behind every scenic site, for this area was once the heart of the English economy and its landscape is now regarded as one of the treasures of Britain. Take a whirlwind tour of ten famous Cotswolds villages and towns. Enjoy their scenery and stories - plus at each stop-off, discover a quirky fact that I guarantee will surprise you. The talk reveals how Japan connects with a famous landmark, why a man stares into space for eternity, and some amazing connections with sports, writers and the Houses of Parliament.