10.30                                 1.15                         2.30

NOTES ON SPEAKERS

1. Thursday 12^th January.  David Hempleman Adams.

            We welcome back David Hempleman-Adams who is a British adventurer.   He was the first person in history to reach the Geographic and Magnetic North and South Poles, as well as to climb the highest peaks in all seven continents.  He has made thirty Arctic expeditions and has reached the various Poles a record of 14 times. 

            His talk covers his journey made to the highest peaks in the world.

2. Thursday 19^th January Jean Hosie

Jean is a longstanding Brecon U3A member and a former Chairman and Secretary.   Worked for the NHS, the Welsh National School of Medicine and Powys Health Authority, and then has worked in the Voluntary Sector.  Strengths lie in meeting people and in organisation.  Jean is an enthusiast about classical music, art, literature and gardening. 

3.  Thursday 28^th January .   Phil Hughes and David Morgan

David Morgan is the Development Manager for the Monmouth & Brecon Canal 2000 Anniversary Celebrations.  Based at the Govilon office David is co-ordinating the bi-centenary celebrations, working in partnership with many local authorities and voluntary groups.  The Anniversary Celebrations aim to engage communities along the canal from Brecon to Newport and also along the Crumlin arm of the canal to Pontywaun .
Phil Hughes is Centre Manager at The Fourteen Locks Canal Centre, Rogerstone, Newport and Honorary Treasurer / Member of the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canals Trust.
The Monmouthshire and Brecon canal was formed in 1812 when two canals - The Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal and the Monmouthshire Canal were joined at Pontymoile Basin. The first record of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is in the minutes of the Canal Company Meeting held in February 1812 at the Angel Hotel, Abergavenny.  Phil will provide a talk and slide show on the canal from 1812 - 2012

4.   Thursday 2^nd February. Geoff Brookes

He is a recently retired Deputy Headteacher.  His main interest is History and he has written a number of books over the years.  His next two books are “Bloody Welsh History- Swansea” and “Swansea- Then and Now” He has a webpage :http://www.storiesinwelshstone.co.uk.

His talk will centre on the stories behind headstones.  He became fascinated and began researching the history behind the stories..

5.  Thursday 9^th February.   Deanna Leboff

After a hotchpotch career in London -  Promotion Manager of a MSC project, ten years as an Age Concern Volunteer Organiser, co-owner of a printing shop – she moved to Brecon 17 years ago. Here she was lucky enough to get a job that turned a personal commitment into paid employment, as she worked for the next eleven years for the Lib Dems, first with Richard Livesey and then with Roger Williams.  

6. Thursday 16^th February    Professor Christopher Meredith

Writing a Mountain

A couple of years ago, novelist and poet Christopher Meredith was asked to take part in two projects initiated by artist Pip Woolf: one was to help with an experiment in repairing deep fire damage to the ancient peat-bog uplands in the Black Mountains using sheep's wool; the second was a commission to collaborate with five visual artists in responding to both the landscape and repair project. The results so far have been an exhibition and a set of poems. Chris will describe these extraordinary enterprises and talk through his working processes and the genesis of some of the poems he produced for the commission.

Christopher Meredith is a novelist, poet and translator. He was born in Tredegar, lives in Brecon, and is Professor of Creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. Chris has given readings and talks all round the world. His work has won an Eric Gregory Award, the Welsh Arts Council Fiction prize, and he has been shortlisted for the Book of the Year Award. His most recent publication is the booklet Black Mountains: Poems & Images from the Bog-Mawnog Project. His fourth novel will be published next spring and a new full-length collection of poems is scheduled for 2013.

8.  Thursday March 1^st March   -   Keith Noble

Keith Noble is a keen all-round naturalist with a special interest in birds, who has been showing his photographs and talking about wildlife for 40 years.  Much of his working life was with the RSPB in south east England.  After retiring, he and his wife Alison moved to Brecon in 2007.  Keith regularly reports his sightings to www.brecknoxkbirds.co.uk. He is Chairman of Brecknock Wildlife Trust and Dragonfly Recorder for the County.

Flourishing Kites, declining lapwings, wintering wildfowl, familiar garden birds and scarce visitors with many locally taken pictures, his presentation will look at birds around Brecon, where to enjoy watching them and how to contribute to their recording and conservation.

9. Thursday March 8^th 2012     Pamela Smith    

 Pam Smith is the National Trust’s Garden Consultant for Wales and the Midlands.  She works with garden staff, property managers and other Trust colleagues to support the National Trust’s work as custodians of these special historic places.  Pam is originally from Anglesey and has worked in amenity and botanical horticulture for over 25 years.

Pam’s talk will give behind the scenes insight into the work of the Trust’s garden staff and introduce a selection of garden restoration projects happening in Wales and England.  She also hopes to get some answers to some interesting restoration dilemmas!

10.  Thursday 15^th March.  Charles Bryant

Charles Bryant comes from a family that has been interested in radio for a very long time.   His uncle had a radio transmitting licence in 1914 and he obtained one in 1936 when he was at school.  With it, he has contacted other amateurs all over the world in all 5 continents as well as over 100 countries.

11.   Thursday 22^nd March.   Sonia Hammond 

After seven years with county music teachers, Sonia began lessons at the age of 16 with Florence Hooton OBE and two years later won an entrance scholarship to study at the Birmingham School of Music under Naomi Butterworth and John Todd.  In 1988 she graduated with a 1^st Class BA Honours Degree in Music and ABSM diplomas in Teaching, Performing and Recital, all distinction.  Sonia then moved to London to study as a postgraduate at the Royal College of Music with Christopher Bunting.

As a freelance musician, Sonia’s career encompasses playing Folk, Jazz, Rock and Classical music.  Currently, Sonia works intensively with professional musicians in and around the Welsh Borders. She also supports and plays with local orchestras such as the Brecknock Sinfonia.

“Journey with a Big Violin” will describe in words and music her journey from Staffordshire to Timbuktu with her cello.  The stops on the way include the Persian Gulf, Russia, The North Yorkshire Moors, Shetland Folk Festival, South Africa, Kenya and Mainland Europe.

12.  Thursday 29^th March.   Dr Gillian B. Todd

She is a retired doctor who had an exciting and challenging career of 42 years in the NHS. She qualified at the Welsh National School of Medicine and spent time as a General Practitioner, Public Health Physician and Health Service Manager. She is a Reader in the Church in Wales and is involved in the championship of the role of women in the church.

Since retirement she has been able to spend time enjoying the things she found little time for when she was working. She is a keen fly fisher, beekeeper and gardener. She knits, sews and makes quilts.