This is where Speaker Finders/Booking Secretaries who are familiar with the website will quickly be able to find speakers who are possibly new to the website since your last visit and also new talks by existing speakers. So if you use this website regularly, you’ll be able to quickly ascertain if one of your group’s favourite speakers has created another talk, or whether we have a new speaker who covers your area.
New Talks by Existing Speakers on the Public Speakers Corner Website
VE Day - 75 Years Anniversary Talk
Although VE Day is the 8 May 1945, the road to VE Day started on 1st September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.
Our talk will remember some of the key events during WW2, through some of the highs and lows, victories and losses.
We will be remembering all the celebrations held up and down the country in the form of street parties which would always inevitably include that great British tradition of tea drinking. We have been a nation of tea drinkers since the reign of Queen Victoria in the 19th century - a good cuppa will always give you a lift.
So, as part of the Talk we will add some interesting tea facts. (7.3)
David Bardell
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
The Pursuit and Sinking of Bismarck
The pursuit and sinking of Bismarck is one of the enduring stories of WW2 which continues to fascinate. More than a hundred British warships were involved in the 5 day, 1,750 mile hunt. The British battlecruiser, HMS Hood was sunk within 10 minutes of engaging the mighty Bismarck which disappeared for more than 24 hours and she was almost within reach of safety before the British won the day.
I was inspired to delve further into this historical event as my father was a crewman aboard HMS Dorsetshire which was involved in the final showdown and I have compiled a 60 minute PowerPoint presentation. A shorter presentation can be offered on request.
It is worth noting that 2021 sees the 80th anniversary of this event.
David Bickerton
Waterlooville, Hampshire
"Well he would, wouldn’t he?"...... The Profumo Scandal
In 1961 John Profumo was the Secretary of State for War and a rising star in Harold MacMillan’s Conservative government. When initially accused of having an affair with Christine Keller, a 19 year old model, Profumo denied any involvement. The scandal rolled on for two years until Profumo resigned from the government, Prime Minister MacMillan resigned and the Conservatives lost the 1964 General Election. (28.1)
Geoff Barton
London, Manchester & Edinburgh
Harry and Meghan.... What Next?
Lady Diana Spencer, Sarah Ferguson and Meghan Markle…the Royal Family has found it increasingly difficult to find “suitable” young ladies to marry their young men needing wives in recent years. So what are the requirements to be a good Royal wife?
So how has it come to this position? Just what is the current situation and what does the future hold?
This talk is kept up to the minute and updated as and when necessary. (28.1)
Geoff Barton
London, Manchester & Edinburgh
Legal Cannabis. The health benefits of CBD and Hemp
CBD, THC, Hemp, Marijuana! You may have heard of one or all of these and might be wondering what the differences are and whether there are any health benefits for you or your family. In my talk I shed some light on it all, why Hemp is a phenomenal plant, how CBD interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system, and about the company that single-handedly created the exploding market we are witnessing today.
This talk presents very well with illustrations via a projector and screen. I have the necessary illustrations if a projector and screen can’t be provided. If the venue does not have viewing facilities I can bring laminated A4 size photos to show around during my talk. (21.2)
Louise Camby
Tadworth, Surrey
Singing My Way to the Stars
Leaving the Black Country to seek my fame and fortune in London during the 'swinging sixties,' I soon learned that fame can be fleeting and fortunes can falter! Choosing a show-biz life was not without its challenges and my talks describe the ups and downs I encountered as a singer as well as the rewards. Overall, I feel my whole life has been enriched by my experiences and I wouldn't change a thing! (20.2)
Val Wiseman
Twickenham, West London
Publishing and Publicising YOUR Bestselling Book
Vast numbers of people decide to write a book; few complete it and even fewer get a book published.
- Learn how to finish your book
- Discuss ways to get your book published
- Consider techniques for dealing with the media
- Successful authors need considerable knowledge, a wide range of skills and experience and great inner strength, not least of which is the strength to deal with personal criticism, much of which will certainly be unjustified
(20.1)
Geoff Barton
London, Manchester & Edinburgh
From Simon Cowell to Dragons Den
Just what does it take to make it in the music industry? And how did I get the chance to appear (and be successful) on Dragons Den?
My life has been a roller coaster ride of which I have been signed to Simon Cowell, managed top ten chart acts and invented a new patented technology, taking it through to market. I am also the lead singer for Urban Cookie Collective – who had a number 1 hit with "The Key The Secret" and I tour the world to this day, singing in front of hundreds of thousands of people! I will tell you my life story.....
Danielle A Barnett
Romford Essex
'Staff Nurse Emily Connell’s Autograph Book'
Emily Connell was a remarkable woman; hailing from Bootle and having enrolled in the Territorial Force Nursing Service in 1908, she was appointed as Staff Nurse at 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff when war broke out in 1914. As well as serving there throughout the First World War, she kept an autograph book in which her patients drew and wrote messages. This is the story of her own highs and lows and struggles with the system. It is also the story of the remarkable work the TFNS did with Shell Shock sufferers and sheds light on some of the soldiers who left their incredible pictures and anecdotes in her book.
John Griffiths-Colby
Reigate, Surrey
"An Odd Thing Happened Today at the Airport"
International airports are fascinating places to pass through. But have you ever wondered what happens if you work at one……especially as a police officer at Britain’s second busiest airport,London Gatwick.
· Where was the 1917 Grand National horse race held?
· What have Vinnie Jones, Naomi Campbell and Peter Buck got in common?
· Do you know your LAX from your LHR airport codes?
· The “Golden age” of air travel
· The very expensive sleep-over or The stowaway to freedom;
Neil Sadler
Haywards Heath, West Sussex
It Wasn't All About the Pankhursts
An in-depth, illustrated talk about the suffragette movement and other, conflicting movements of the time. Please note! This is not only for women’s groups
Charlotte Gringras
Altrincham, Greater Manchester
Elizabeth Barton: The Maid of Kent 1506 -1534
This young visionary of Aldington in Kent was so dangerous to Henry VIII, Ann Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon that she had to be executed. Hear why in this commissioned talk. The talk includes the work of artist Lauren McMahan.
Melanie Gibson-Barton
Dymchurch, Kent
Me! Me! Me!
Or ‘How to Write Your Memoirs’
Forget money! Forget property and forget the family jewels! The most important legacy you can leave is the story of your life. Your memoirs will take your children into another world. Your world. A world perhaps where buses had conductors, phones were not in the least mobile and music was played on something called a gramophone. Writing your memoirs will help you to understand the times through which you have lived. Even more important, it will help you understand yourself. Whether you want to write a full autobiography, articles for a local magazine or simply keep a diary this talk will introduce you to the writing skills that will make your story sparkle.
Nick Cook
Ruislip, Greater London
Baked Alaska or Mexican Chilly? Climate change explained.
In July 2019 people sunbathed in a baking Alaska as temperatures soared to an unprecedented 32oC. In the same month the normally baking city of Guadalajara in Mexico shivered beneath chilly 3 foot blanket of freak hailstones. Both events made the headlines. What is going on here? Some blame climate change. Others shrug and say “That’s what weather does. Always has done and always will.”
What climate change does to weather is just one of the topics covered in this talk. It will also present the fascinating history, science and politics of climate change in a clear and entertaining way so that your opinions, whatever they may be, are fully informed. The speaker talks from a background of providing environmental advice and training to multinational company.
Nick Cook
Ruislip, Greater London
A Cleaner Greener Life
How to reduce plastic and your toxic footprint
Do you want to reduce plastic in your life but don’t know where to start? Do you ever think about the chemicals you use and worry about the impact on your health?
Everyone is talking about plastic pollution at the moment and the impact on our oceans and the micro-plastics that end up back in our food chain.
If you want a no-nonsense, practical session on easy to implement ways to:
· Reduce plastic
· Detox your environment
· Detox your body
· Have a cleaner greener life
Let’s face it, who wants to use a cleaning product that warns not to use it in an enclosed space. Yet the alternatives are healthier for you, your environment and your purse.
Helping you on your way to better health.
This is a 45 minute talk and can be done as part demo.
Alison Charles
London E6
Fashionable Fashionistas
An engaging, fascinating and fun perspective into how a group of women, determined to look fabulous, have fun into their 60`s, 70’s, 80`s and 90`s are redefining the ageing process and in some cases carving out new careers for themselves.
Brenda Cameron
Farningham, Kent
The Art of Aging
Can you trick your ageing body into feeling younger? To find out a group of celebrities go back in time 20 years to their heyday, living as they did in the 70`s in a time capsule for a week with remarkable results.
In today`s affluent countries people are living well into their hundreds and different cultures have different attitudes and practices around age, this talk takes a look at how we can all do far more than we ever imagined, regardless of our age or current physical ability
Brenda Cameron
Farningham, Kent
American Presidents... Who... Why...and... When
A light hearted look at some of the more interesting Presidents, how they came to power and what was happening in their era. What did they achieve, why did they fail, does history show them to be exceptional, atrocious or just plain ordinary - “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
Simon Cork
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Talks by New Speakers to the Public Speakers Corner Website
The Antarctic Adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton
This presentation is about the heroic adventures of one of the world’s greatest ever explorers. It provides an account of the various expeditions that Sir Ernest Shackleton undertook to the Antarctic. He was an inspirational leader; determined to succeed even under the harshest of conditions but was never afraid of admitting defeat, if the welfare of his men was at risk. He led the infamous Endurance Expedition to the Antarctic which resulted in an open boat journey across the most hostile ocean in the world. Shackleton inspired his men like no other explorer of his time, as will be demonstrated during the talk. (CVLD)
Rodney Paul
Burton on Trent, Staffordshire
Judaism, The Legacy of The Holocaust and Antisemitism - A Personal Story
I relate my own personal family story, how my Mother and Grandparents fled Nazi Germany as refugees from persecution, that my Great-Grandmother survived the camps and how my Great Aunt and Uncle both perished in Auschwitz. I myself have been the victim of prejudice both at school and while working professionally and I talk about how I dealt with this matter and how my views were shaped by these experiences. Contemporary issues of anti-semitism, ignorance and intolerance, challenging myths and stereotypes are also discussed. (12.3)
Freddy Naftel
Whitefield, Greater Manchester
The Secret Life of a Wood
When we walk through a typical broad leafed woodland, we often do not see the wealth and breadth of the diversity of the wildlife that lives there. This talk shows some of the birds, mammals, reptiles , wild flowers and fungi found there, as well as some of the unusual subjects which at first sight are not always clearly visible.(12.3)
Roger Hance
Colchester, Essex
The Coldest Place on Earth - Antarctica
‘The Coldest Place on Earth’ covers some of the geographical aspects of the continent, then onto the early expeditions, including Shackleton, Mawson and some more recent exploits into the region and then a series of pictures on the wildlife and ice. I am fortunate to have been there twice and consequently have a wealth of pictures. I describe myself as ‘not an expert, but passionate about the place’.
I have a number of artefacts connected to Shackleton which I am happy to show at a presentation, in addition to letting people have a ‘wee dram’ of Shackleton whisky (venu’s restrictions permitting) and telling the story behind the bottle. (10.3)
Rodney Paul
Burton on Trent, Staffordshire
Singing for Victory: the Forces' Sweethearts of WW2
Singing sentimental songs in a popular style, the Forces’ Sweethearts kept spirits up at home during the Blitz and abroad in every theatre of war. Many performed with ENSA in very difficult circumstances; many were not professional performers and went back to other jobs when the war ended; some, like Gracie Fields, Joyce Grenfell and Vera Lynn, became national treasures. This talk explores the songs, singing styles and experiences of the Forces’ Sweethearts, and includes performances (audience participation encouraged!) of such standards as We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover. (Can be delivered with powerpoint or standalone). (9.3)
Melody Flyte
Grantham, Lincolnshire
Westerns on the West of England Main Line
Join the speaker on a photographic journey from Paddington to Penzance and South Wales illustrated by a variety of photographs from the author’s collection across all livery eras. The talk includes a myriad of interesting anecdotes and facts as well as some wonderful photographs taken during the lives of the fleet.(12.3)
Adrian Curtis
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
How to Speak Your Truth & Live Your Fullest Self Expressed Life
In this talk I will take you on a journey. It starts with how I was so ashamed of who I was that I could neither speak nor stand up for myself to uncovering my unique self expression and developing the confidence to speak my message to thousands of people. Through finding the confidence to speak I become an award winning inspirational speaker.
My ventures along the way include performing my very well received Stand Up comedy act at the Great Yorkshire Fringe 2019 and acting as a flamboyant 1980’s swinger in ‘A Chorus of Disapproval’ to thousands of people.
I will teach you the three absolute musts you need so that you can uncover your voice and find the courage to unapologetically self express to the World! (8.1)
Sacha Chapman
Walthamstow, Greater London
I didn't realise I had, until my research took me an unexpected journey. Discover some of the sources I found whilst proving that these were true stories of people in my family tree. (7.1)
The Long Road to Publication
My first book, a crime thriller called The Trail, is going to be published by Unbound in spring 2020.
It’s taken me 10 years, and my talk is the story of how and why it’s taken so long. The talk covers my writing journey from magazine articles on mountaineering, to an MA in Creative Writing, to soon-to-be published author, and also my attempts at the various routes to publication (traditional / independent / self-publishing / hybrid). And it highlights the route which worked for me.
James Ellson
Hayfield, Derbyshire
Principles of Garden Design
Do you look at your garden and wonder how you could make it look more pleasing to the eye? Want to know what plants would work best in your outdoor space you have, or how to make it work better for you? As a qualified Garden Designer, in this talk I’ll take you through the basic principles of garden design to help create beautiful and practical gardens. Those feeling inspired after the talk, have the opportunity to book a design consultation for their own garden.
Jacquie Felix-Mitchell
Torquay, Devon
The First World War contribution of Dulmial Village, present day Pakistan
My illustrated talk tells the unique story of the 460 soldiers, including my Greatgrandfathers, from Dulmial Village, present day Pakistan who fought in the Great War and their subsequent reward of a 200-year-old Scottish cannon. The presentation also explores the wider role of the Muslim soldiers in the First World War.
I have been researching this topic since 2014 and have been featured on Sky News, BBC News, Channel 5 News and The Daily Telegraph.
Dr Irfan Malik
Carlton, Nottinghamshire
"Who the hell is Arthur?"
A truly investigative approach to genealogy told through a personal and fascinating account of the search for my father’s parentage and medical ancestry. The journey takes the audience on a countrywide tour, exposing lies, deceit, discovery and deception.
Delivering traditional family history techniques with a modern twist.
Neil Littleales
Lee on the Solent, Hampshire
Behind The Scenes On Centre Court
For 40 years I was the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s steward on Centre Court with the responsibility for organising and overseeing the seating arrangements and security of the great tennis players whose guests came up to watch the matches. With 4 matches a day this involved much complicated reassigning of seats to the next lot of guests, amongst whom were many top celebrities. My first was Frank Sinatra and amongst the many others were Barbra Streisand, Larry Adler, Lewis Hamilton, David Beckham, Sting, and Kate Middleton’s family. I met and chatted with all of these and especially the great former Wimbledon champions stretching back as far as 1924. My talk is in two parts, firstly about how the AELTC is run and how they run the Championships. Secondly I talk about the great matches and players with many associated anecdotes on a decade by decade basis (1920 to 2018) which allows me to start and finish the talk in precise segments.
Alan Chalmers
Midhurst, West Sussex
Ban Conkers? That's Bonkers!!!
Nanny state gone mad or enlightened care? Decide for yourself as you fasten your seat belt and take a roller coaster ride through the past, present and precarious future of Health and Safety.
We will consider the health hazards from those faced by stone-age flint axe makers to modern dangers such as the perils of simply sitting and the hidden hazards you inhale while flying in today’s modern airliners.
While your final views of this controversial subject are entirely your own, this talk will hopefully help to inform those opinions.
Nick Cook
Ruislip, Greater London
The Tottenham Outrage and Walthamstow Tram Chase
On Saturday 23 January 1909, two Russians carried out a wages snatch at the Schnurrmann Rubber factory in Tottenham. They fire six shots at the driver of the car making the delivery. This alerted the people next door, Tottenham Police, who jumped out of bed and abseiled out on the windows to give chase in their pyjamas. Having not used them for a while, they were unable to find the keys to the gun cupboard, so the PCs were issued with cutlasses instead.......