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Medical Detection Dogs
Medical Detection Dogs was co-founded by Dr Claire Guest OBE and Dr John Church in 2007. Claire had always believed in the extraordinary ability of dogs to use their noses to detect diseases, and the charity trains dogs to detect cancers, neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and bacterial and viral infections with accuracy levels significantly higher than existing medical tests.
The charity also trains dogs to serve as alert assistance dogs for people who have conditions which can cause sudden and unexpected episodes, such as fits, comas or collapse. The dogs are able to warn the person in time to allow them to take medication or find a safe place to sit or lie as appropriate.
James will be accompanied by Drimmie, mother to Bumper - the first dog to detect Parkinson’s.
The Links page has a pointer to the charity website. Please visit!

Wild Herzegovina
Denis grew up in Mostar, and he has led both birding and cultural trips to Herzegovina for over 10 years. He will take us on a journey to this region that lies on the Adriatic Flyway migratory route where several endangered European bird species still thrive.
Twice a year, millions of migratory birds use this route to fly between their wintering and breeding grounds, stopping over in Herzegovina's breathtaking and diverse scenery. This ranges from wetlands, alpine meadows with spectacular floral displays, deep canyons and crystal clear rivers to an infinite variety of karst landscapes with their ever changing habitats influenced by seasonal water movement.
The Links page has a pointer to Denis’ website. Please visit!

Peru
Alan’s career as an engineering geologist took him to the north of Peru in 1972, close to where Pizarro and his conquistadores landed 500 years earlier.
Starting with Pizarro and the Incas, Alan will lead us on an historic journey, via conquest and independence, Admiral Grau, and the 95 year old artist Victor Delfin, to the 20th century.
A more geographical tour will encompass Lima, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Cuzco, Macchu Pichu, Piura, the Amazon jungle resorts and even the pornographic pottery museum! All this plus the construction and benefits of the Chira Piura Dam and Irrigation Project.

Monet's Giverny and Van Gogh's Provence
Colin, a gifted horticulturist and speaker, will tell us what an impressionist is, and talk about two of its greatest practitioners.
How Monet created his great garden and its water lilies; its decline after his death; and the rebuilding by rich Americans.
How Van Gogh’s life in Provence was poor: both monetarily and in mental state; and his paintings and their settings.

Beckenham Cemetery
Whilst not one of the big five, the former ‘Crystal Palace District Cemetery’ is unfortunately much underrated. Local historian John will talk about the controversial origin of the cemetery, the symbolism of some headstones, as well as ‘meeting’ some of the well known (permanent) residents.

Please join us for an End of Term Party after this talk

1st Jan,
2027

A Happy New Year to all our Members and Friends

The Life of a Master Carver at St Paul’s Cathedral
Tony learnt the art of carving wood and stone, and went on to spend much of his career at St Paul’s Cathedral. He will tell us about his formal apprenticeship, through to becoming the Master Carver in residence at St Paul’s.

The Columbian Exposition of 1893
A descendent of the Great Exhibition of 1851, this Chicago World’s Fair dazzled its 27 million visitors with the wonders of the new age of electricity.
Tesla and Edison played key parts in its dramatic story, alongside the world's first Ferris wheel.

Gillett & Johnston
Former Croydon company, Gillett & Johnston, made clocks and cast bells for buildings great and small, on a world-wide basis. Ranging from modest St Mary’s church, Balcombe to the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Lindsay Ould will tell us the story of this giant in its field.

My Grandmother was a Suffragette
Eleanor Beatrice Higginson was a member of the suffragette movement in Preston, and by 1914, she was involved in running the local branch of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU).
Her grand-daughter and former teacher (also named Eleanor) will tell us about her grandmother’s life, and her arrest during the campaign for women’s suffrage.

Fingerprints and other branches of Forensic Science
Rosie will explain the history & science of fingerprints, and why police forces use them for identification purposes.
There will be demonstrations of some of the techniques involved, and there may be the chance for audience participation!

At 7:30, the AGM for this season.

     Then at about 8:00...

Hercule Poirot ‘in Person’
Agatha Christie was probably the famous woman in the world when she mysteriously disappeared a hundred years ago this year.
She was found safe and well but nobody ever got to the bottom of her case.
Now her best-loved sleuth, Hercule Poirot, takes on the case, - brought to life by popular performer at Purley Lit, Tony Harris!

Please join us for our End of Season Party after the talk