2025 PROGRAM

(Updated as information becomes available)

This year’s program highlights including lectures, luncheons, trips, and special events

SERIES 1 – 2025

Series 1: ITS ALL ABOUT HEALTH

February 20th  A.G.M. & Lecture #1
The Bare Bones of Ageing, Dr John Geddes

February 27th   Lecture #2
Movement is Medicine, Anthony Bush

March 6th  Lecture #3
Brain Fitness Matters at all Ages, Ina Meeten 

March 13th  Lecture #4
Its all in your Head, Jeremy Hornibrook

March 20th  Lecture #5
Healthy Hearing, Anna McMillan

March 27th - Rest Day

SERIES 2 – 2025

Series 2: EMERGENCY SERVICES

April 3rd  Lecture #1
Saving Lives on the Sea, Luke Gardiner

April 10th  Lecture #2
The Role of a Paramedic, Helen Bickers

April 17th  Lecture #3
Emergency Management & Personal Preparedness, Nathan Black

April 24th  Lecture #4
Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Steve Davis

May 1st  Lecture #5
Air Rescue, Rachael McNutt

May 8th - Rest Day

SERIES 3 – 2025

Series 3: SCOTLAND - the Picts to the Present - about 3,000 yrs, Frieda Looser

May 15th  Lecture #1     
Who were the Picts?

May 22rd  Lecture #2    
Medieval Kingdom of the Scots

May 29th  Lecture #3    
Rough Wooing to Act of Union

June 5th  Lecture #4    
British Empire & Bonnie Prince Charlie

June 12th  Lecture #5    
Highland Clearances to Scottish Parliament

June 21st - Rest Day

SERIES 4 – 2025

Series 4: POT POURRI

June 26th  Lecture #1    

The Bank of Mum & Dad, Helen Wallace, Rachael $ Richard

July 3rd  Lecture #2    
A Layman’s Introduction to Cryptocurrencies, Stephen Wingreen

July 10th  Lecture #3    

Hager NZ  –  Fighting Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, Kate Russell

July 17th  Lecture #4    

The Aftermath of Disaster in Christchurch, Helen Trappit

July 24th  Lecture #5    

From Soil to Self: Regeneration, Conan Moynahan

July 31st - Rest Day

SERIES 5 – 2025

Series 5: A VILLAGE CALLED CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT

August 7th  Lecture #1    
My 30 Years in Airport Management, Rhys Boswell 

August 14th  Lecture #2    
Airways Corporation - Air Traffic Control in New Zealand, Bill Graves

August 21st  Lecture #3
My Aviation Challenges for over more than 56 years, Hans Nagelkerke

August 28th  Lecture #4    
1953 London to Christchurch Air Race, David Laughlin

September 4th  Lecture #5    
From the White Heron to Sudhima Hotel, Warren Barnes

September 11th - Rest Day 

SERIES 6 – 2025

Series 6: POT POURRI

September 18th  Lecture #1    
Is our Agriculture already Regenerative?  Professor Derrick Moot

September 25th  Lecture #2    
Roles & Experiences at Independent Provedoring Company & Polish Consul in ChCh, Winsome Dormer

October 2nd  Lecture #3    
Exotic Pine Forests - Their Future as a New Zealand Land Use, Dave Janett

October 9th  Lecture #4    
My 35+ Years in Journalism, Martyn Van Beynen

October 16th  Lecture #5    
The Life & Times of a Toxicologist in a Dangerous World, Professor Ian Shaw

October 23rd - Rest Day 

SERIES 7 – 2025

Series 7 POT POURRI

October 30th Lecture #1    
Robert Keable - utterly immoral WW1 Chaplain?  Simon Keable-Elliot 

November 6th Lecture #2
Architectural Model Making, Richard Gardiner

November 13th - Rest Day / Speaker Series Ends

November 20th
Christmas Lunch

Sample Topics

A sample of program topics covered in recent years includes:

  • An Interesting Variety of Writers and Books
  • Art
  • Birds and Bees and Biodiversity
  • Balance of Power
  • Books and Print
  • Books
  • Catching the Wave
  • Chocolate: Food of the Gods and Elixir of Empires
  • Christchurch - The Garden City?
  • Disabilities
  • Eco Architecture
  • Exploring the Cosmos
  • From Gold Card to the Grave
  • Getting Started in Canterbury
  • Happenings in Canterbury
  • Law and Disorder
  • London: From the Romans to The Fire
  • Matters of the Heart
  • Medical Research Foundation
  • Music
  • Music, Music, Music
  • People in Uniform
  • Pills, Patients & Problems
  • Pot Pourri
  • History Through the Lens of a Political Scientist
  • Travellers’ Tales
  • Water Hotspots
  • World Religions