Archive of previous programmes' guest speakers, and other events
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Some of our talks are available to listen to online or download.
Click (***) alongside the talk, or Audio Recordings of guest speakers
2024
January 18th Ron Pateman - 'Erasmus Darwin: a man of many roles'
June 20th: Professor Len Kersley, 'Aberystwyth - birthplace of the microwave oven?' The talk will outline a little-known story from the history of science with an interesting local connection.
July 18th: Dr David Stoker - 'The children’s printer and his lady authors.' [ David is an Emeritus Senior Lecture, Aberystwyth and current Chair of Aberystwyth Bibliographical Group. His talk will focus on the work of John Marshall, an 18th century printer of illustrated children's literature. Lots of illustrations to show. Based on his recent chapter in a book on children's literature published by Princeton University ]
August: no meeting
September 19th: Rebecca Jones, 'Keeping affordably warm and well in Winter (and how to deal with your energy company!)'. Rebecca is Project Development Coordinator, National Energy Action (NEA).
October 17th: Melanie Walters, 'Age Friendly Ceredigion'. Melanie is, 'Carers and Community Development Co-ordinator of North Ceredigion Age Friendly Ceredigion (Cymraeg) Age Friendly Ceredigion (English)
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)
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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