For the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic the Society is cancelling its public meetings and activities.
In normal circumstances the Society holds talks once a month from September through to our AGM in the following May. The Programme of these talks is published each summer in time for the coming season.
At present the Society will hold the talks using Zoom video conferencing. Where this is not possible previously arranged talks will be rescheduled to a later date. The next two talks, to be held by Zoom, are:
Looking ahead – what the railway can do in a ‘new normal’: Ian Baxter; Thursday, October 22th, 7.30. Ian will review the ways in which the railway network can respond to and support the new post-Covid 19 world, look at some of the initiatives happening in the Midlands, and look back to old Great Western Railway days
Toy join this talk any time from 7.15 click on
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81443504919
Meeting ID: 814 4350 4919
Witch: Finbar Hawkins; Thursday, November 26th, 7.30. Finbar will talk about his forthcoming novel, set in the Civil wars and the witch hunts of 1646-7.
Six special trees in Jephson Gardens. The Society has produced a short film about selected trees in the gardens to replace the Society’s guided walks normally held as part of the annual Heritage Open Days (HODs). These will not be held in 2020 due to social distancing requirements. To watch the film go to
Six special trees in Jephson Gardens
and to Jephson Gardens Tree Walk for a plan showing the location of the six trees.
Past talks. Talks are recorded with the agreement of the speaker.
In July Kristie Naimo of ARC (Achieving Results in the Community) spoke about the transformation of a piece of derelict land known as Foundry Wood into a small local urban nature reserve. To see a previous earlier version of her talk go to
Foundry Wood with Kristie Naimo
Architectural Awards. In normal circumstances, every other year the Society presents awards for significant architectural improvements in the town; these improvements must have been completed within the preceding two years and be visible to the public. For more information on the scheme see Awards.
The Architectural Awards for 2020 have been postponed until 2021 when the Society hopes to hold this event as normal.
All are welcome at our Zoom talks as they will be will be welcome when they resume physically