Speaking on Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, we have :

1st: Jo Bradshaw – Mountains of Patience – Climbing Everest and The 7 Summits. 

As the famous saying goes ‘All good things come to those who wait’ and this is particularly relevant to Jo and her 7 summits project. She will take you on a whistle stop tour to all 7 continents, from the jungle to the polar regions and everywhere in between whilst following in the footsteps of the first woman to climb all 7, Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei. What makes each mountain so unique and why on earth did she take on this monumental project whilst raising funds and awareness for children’s mental health charity Place2Be.  

Find out more at these links:

• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_jobradshaw/
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jobradshawadventurer/
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-bradshaw-keynotespeaker/
• 7 summits web page – https://www.jobradshaw.co.uk/7-summits

2nd: Maria Hickey – Japan Unfolded: A Cultural Journey with Maria Hickey

Join Maria Hickey (aka Sakura) on Saturday 3rd May for a unique cultural experience through Japan!

Maria, a passionate photographer, will offer you an exclusive look at Japan, showcasing its beauty through her lens. From lesser-known festivals to ancient temples framed by delicate cherry blossoms (sakura), you’ll explore a side of Japan that few get to see.

Having spent approximately three years living and working in Japan with programmes like the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, the Ship for World Youth Programme, Peace Boat and the GET Programme, Maria brings a wealth of authentic experiences. She’s even participated in the Queen Himiko contest!

As an avid artist with a love for crafting, Maria will also lead you in a hands-on demonstration of making an origami heart to take home. All you’ll need is a square piece of paper if you’d like to join in.

We encourage you to submit any questions for Maria in advance for the Q&A session.

• Facebook: sakura.154356
• Instagram: sakura_crafts_mh

Date & Time: Saturday 3rd May 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, June 7, 2025, we have:

• 1st: Ash Bhardwaj – Why We Travel.
• 2nd: Mary Fogarty – Sri Lankan voyages round my father.

1st: Ash Bhardwaj – Why We Travel

Join award-winning journalist, podcaster and broadcaster Ash Bhardwaj for a captivating talk inspired by his critically acclaimed book, Why We Travel, covering what makes a journey truly meaningful, and why do some trips fall flat? Ash shares lessons from his global adventures and bestselling book “Why We Travel”. Blending psychology, storytelling, and real-world experience—from trekking across Uganda to soldiering in Estonia — Ash reveals how understanding your motivation can transform travel, work, and life.

Ash has reported from 50+ countries for the BBC, The Telegraph, Guardian, and more—and brings unmatched insight to the intersection of culture, purpose, and exploration.

2nd: Mary Fogarty – Sri Lankan voyages round my father.

Returning to Sri Lanka in 2023 – for the first time since 1986, when she went to visit her father who was working in Colombo – Mary was surprised by how much the country began to affect her.

She arrived at 3 am and only discovered what lay outside her hotel window three hours later – a beach of golden sand and the glistening Indian Ocean. Soon she was off to see bears in the national park, followed by Buddhas, stupas, temples and sacred mountains. In Kandy, visits to the Temple of the Tooth and the Botanical Gardens began to bring back memories of being there with her parents – with more and more flooding back at the tea estates in Nuwara Eliya and then the wonderful fort area at Galle, back once more on the Indian Ocean.

The country slowly took its hold of her, and she went back again last year to explore more memories and discover new ground. Now, with another trip looming, Mary outlines just why and how the country means so much to her.

Date & Time: Saturday 7th June 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, July 5, 2025, we have :

1st: Stuart Bradford – Across Russia from Moscow to Kamchatka

Stuart Bradford lived and worked in Russia for over seven years, a period which was the inspiration for his book Caviar Vodka and Tears. He will share some of his travel experiences in this huge and varied country, from Moscow overland to Vladivostok, and also the magical and remote region of Kamchatka.

Find out more at:

•  trouspinettravels.com
• caviarvodkaandtears.com

2nd: Sophy Roberts – A Training School for Elephants

Sophy Roberts, author of ‘The Lost Pianos of Siberia’, will be talking about her latest Sunday Times bestselling book: ‘A Training School for Elephants’. Tracing a strange, 1879 journey made to Lake Tanganyika by four Indian elephants, her tale weaves history and modern travel writing in a fascinating journey that takes her to Congo, Tanzania, Belgium, India and Iraq. Sophy’s illustrated talk will feature both contemporary photography from her travels, as well as rare archive footage.

Find out more at:

• www.atrainingschoolforelephants.com
• www.lostpianosofsiberia.com
• www.sophyroberts.com
• Instagram – @sophy_roberts

The previously advertised talk by Laura Coffey – Enchanted Islands has had to be postponed until November.

Date & Time: Saturday 5th July 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, September 6, 2025, we have :

1st: Russell Maddicks – El Salvador – Transformation of a Nation.

This tiny Central American country, known as the Pulgarcita de las Americas (Thumbelina of the Americas), has gone from being the most dangerous in the region to being the safest.

Travel writer and guidebook author Russell Maddicks explains why now is the time to visit and all the places you must not miss, including the volcanoes you should climb, the crater lakes you should bathe in, the quaint colonial coffee towns you should spend time in, and the Pacific beaches blessed with golden sands and warm shallow waves that await you.

He will also take you to the heart of San Salvador, the capital city that was once shunned by travellers due to its risky reputation but is now a delight to explore.

Russell Maddicks is a freelance journalist, travel writer, and guidebook author who focuses on Latin America and Spain.

A member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, he has spent the last 30 years exploring Latin America and has written guides to Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

He is currently researching and writing a series of articles about El Salvador, which he has visited extensively, witnessing firsthand the dramatic changes in the country’s security situation and honing his pupusa making skills to the point of near perfection.

Follow him on X and Instagram – @LatAmTravelist

2nd: Olivia McGregor – Guyana

Olivia travelled to one of the last biodiverse wildernesses on earth, commonly referred to as ‘The Lost World’ in Guyana. She spent a month living in an indigenous Makushi Amerindian village, as their first foreign visitor. She documented the profound changes that are radically altering their way of life in light of the transformation Guyana is undergoing. 

Guyana has been undergoing a transformation since the recent discovery of crude oil which has made it, by some accounts, the world’s fastest-growing economy. Olivia went to investigate the implications of this for the region’s unrivalled biological and cultural diversity, and specifically for Makushi people.

Since time immemorial Makushi people have been the caretakers of ‘The Lost World’ that has helped protect this vestige of the world’s biodiversity. Olivia went to find out whether that is changing in light of their changing ways of life. 

The talk Darran Rees – Love Letter to Romania has had to be postponed.

Date & Time: Saturday 6th September 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, October 4, 2025, we have :

1st: Oliver Smith – On This Holy Island: A Modern Pilgrimage around Britain

Acclaimed travel writer Oliver Smith embarks on an epic adventure across sacred British landscapes – climbing into remote sea caves, sleeping inside Neolithic tombs, scaling forgotten holy mountains and once marooning himself at sea. Following holy roads to churches, cathedrals and standing stones, this evocative and enlightening travelogue explores places prehistoric, pagan and Christian, but also reveals how football stadiums and music festivals have become contemporary places of pilgrimage.

The routes walked are often ancient, the pilgrims he meets are always modern. But underpinning the book is a timeless truth: that making journeys has always been a way of making meaning. So often, Oliver finds, “the unravelling of a path goes in tandem with the unravelling of the soul.”

2nd: Lola, John & Danny – Wild Guide Morocco

Join the authors of Wild Guide Morocco for stories of wild swims, desert adventures and slow travel from their five-month campervan journey across Morocco. 

Lola Culsan, John Weller and Danny Weller are a London-based family of travel writers and wild swimmers, known for their immersive adventures and off-the-beaten-path discoveries.

Authors of Wild Swimming Spain, Hidden Beaches Spain, Outdoor Swimming London and now Wild Guide Morocco (March 2025), they spent five months exploring Morocco by campervan – uncovering hidden waterfalls, desert oases, and remote mountain villages. 

Lola is a Jamaican-born, half-Spanish writer and former stand-up comic; John is a photographer, writer and lifelong wild swimmer; Danny is a linguist, journalist and explorer. Together, they share a passion for freedom, nature, and meaningful travel.

Date & Time: Saturday 4th October 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

On Saturday, November 8, 2025, we have :

AGM: The club AGM starts at noon (card-carrying members only)

Speaking at 2.45 pm we have: 

1st: Laura Coffey – Enchanted Islands.

Join Laura for on a mythical journey through the real world. Together we will travel through tiny archipelagos and explore mystical Mediterranean islands thought to be the setting of Odysseus’s epic journey.

We will encounter sea monsters and sex goddesses, fragile masculinity, toxic gods, polyamory and plenty of narcissism as we look again at this old text with fresh eyes. Together, we will explore what myths are, the importance of the stories we tell ourselves, and the magical task of mapping imaginary worlds. 

Laura Coffey is not a classics scholar, she cannot read Ancient Greek, often finds herself utterly lost, and so is an unlikely author of a book on mapping The Odyssey.

Stephen Fry said it’s “a magical and hugely captivating journey – a simply marvellous read, hugely recommended”. 

Laura’s book Enchanted Islands: A Mediterranean Odyssey, has also been selected by Wanderlust and Citizen Femme as a top travel book for 2024, and by Blackwells as recommended summer reading. It has been long listed for the Anglo Hellenic League Runciman Award

Laura is happy to sign copies after the talk.

You can find out more about the book: Enchanted Islands: A Mediterranean Odyssey

2nd: Richard Loosley – A Butterfield’s Overland to India in the 1970s by Public Transport.

Join lifelong traveller Richard Loosley  who will talk about his early experiences on the overland route to India that he took with his business partner, Ashley Butterfield.

Richard retraces his journey across ten countries to India—armed only with a backpack, a sense of humour, and public transport. In this vivid memoir of the 1970s, Loosley shares tales of border crossings, hashish-laced buses, and the raw charm of a bygone era of travel.

A celebration of spontaneity, grit, and the joy of getting gloriously lost.

You can review Richards book at https://richardloosley.com/

Date & Time: Saturday 8th November 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

Tickets go on sale just before the meetings.

Speaking on Saturday, December 20, 2025, we have :

1st: Shafik Meghji – Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America

In his new book Small Earthquakes, award-winning travel writer and author Shafik Meghji uncovers the fascinating story of Britain’s forgotten connections with South America, from the Atacama Desert to Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island to South Georgia.

Focusing on Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, the book tells a tale of footballers and pirates, nitrate kings and wool barons, polar explorers and cowboys, missionaries and radical MPs.

From a ghost town in one of the world’s driest deserts to a far-flung ranch in the sub-polar tundra; rusting whaling stations in the South Atlantic to an isolated railway built by convicts; the southernmost city on the planet to a crumbling port known as the ‘Jewel of the Pacific’, Small Earthquakes brings to life the past, present and future of this remarkable continent.

‘Meghji has the true travel writer’s eye for the comic, pathetic and tragic, and for the places where they collide… This is writing full of rust, wind and sadness. It captures splendidly the air of South America and the long, withdrawing roar of an empire whose influence once reached far beyond its political borders.’ – The Times

‘Rekindles a sense of wonder and expands our idea of what travel can be… Combining the immediacy of a travel memoir with the depth of a scholarly history lesson.’ – BBC Travel

Shafik will be happy to sign copies of the book after his talk.

2nd: Justyna Hellebrand – Three trips to Paraguay.

Justyna will present her journey to Paraguay, a country often overlooked, this captivating nation is a hidden gem, offering a truly unique experience for those fascinated by rich biodiversity, or natural wonders such as the Monday Falls and Cerro Koi.

A country with the remarkable story of a Catholic bishop who ascended to the presidency, a traditional “sopa paraguaya” that’s actually not a soup but corn bread  and the origin of mate drinking,(not a beer with your mates 😉 a practice first discovered by the indigenous Guaraní people.

She’ll tell the story of a sticky situation (for not having an entry stamp in her passport!) and talk about 2 Christian communities –   Mennonites, who, originated from a region of Poland occupied by Prussia, have played a pivotal role in flourishing Paraguayan agriculture and the Bruderhof community, with whom Justyna has maintained a personal connection for over 40 years.

Expect the unexpected as we weave in a surprising mention of origami and the intriguing tale of how she met the “German Super Papa” – a man who adopted many children in Paraguay and faced a 30-month prison sentence. She’ll also talk about ñandutí lace and the enchanting melodies of the Paraguayan harp.

This talk will be an unforgettable adventure into the soul of Paraguay – a country waiting to be discovered!

Date & Time: Saturday 20th December 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

Tickets go on sale just before the meetings.

Speaking on Saturday, April 5, 2025, we have :

1st: Christopher Forse – Fifty years of Travel in South East Asia

Five decades of travel through an exotic land of beautiful landscapes, beautiful cultures, beautiful people and tragic recent histories.

Chris Forse, a former resident of Hong Kong, describes his five decades of travel through the exotic landscapes and cultures of this beautiful part of the world, where until quite recently only five countries (The Philippines, Thailand. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) were open to foreign travellers.  He has hiked in jungles in Thailand, taken boats deep into Borneo and down the Mekong River in Laos, crossed tragic Cambodia by bus, and travelled overland through Sumatra and Java to exotic Bali. He was among the first to travel to Vietnam on an individual visa, later to explore Burma/Myanmar, a land that time forgot. As in his talk on Thirty Years of Travel in China, he witnessed the enormous changes that economic development (and mass tourism) has brought, for good or ill.

2nd: Jacqui Trotter –  – Homegoing: Part 4

Jacqui will be talking about travelling in 2019 back to Australia through Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand.

Vietnam was a delight. Cambodia was fascinating and visiting Angkor Wat was a long-held dream! Thailand was a great place to take stock, play tourist and still visit places I had not been before.

Going home was something I had done many times before but this time was different – it would be my home for the next five years (and still is) and the world of travel would not be quite the same for any of us ever again.

Date & Time: Saturday 5th April 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, March 1, 2025, we have :

1st: Anthony Britton: A summer 2024 road trip to the Aegean, via the Carpathians and the Black Sea.

In June 2024, Anthony and Julia set off on a long round road trip to Eastern Europe. They explored their Polish roots, visited World Heritage sites in Romania, discovered what King Charles likes about the Carpathians and trailed the Black Sea coast to the Aegean. They met families who remember the Cold War and those whose livelihoods are threatened by climate change.

2nd: Simon Johnson – Cycling a Camino Route by Accident

Exploring the Longest Spanish Pilgrimage Route

Join Simon Johnson as he shares his captivating journey of cycling a thousand kilometers solo along the Camino de Santiago’s southern route—from Seville to Santiago de Compostela. With no prior experience in long-distance cycling or any detailed planning, Simon embarked on this unexpected adventure, filled with challenges, surprises, and moments of self-discovery.

In this talk, Simon will recount his mishaps, lessons learned, and the unique joys of cycling through Spain’s diverse landscapes, historic towns, and spiritual pathways. Discover how the combination of the Camino’s rich cultural heritage and the spontaneity of unplanned travel turned his journey into a deeply rewarding experience. Whether you’re a cyclist, a Camino enthusiast, or simply curious about adventure travel, this talk will inspire you to embrace the unexpected and take on your own journey—on two wheels or otherwise.

Date & Time: Saturday 1st March 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking on Saturday, February 1, 2025, we have :

1st: Elizabeth Mioduchowski – Travelling in Russia

Elizabeth will discuss travelling in Russia, a land of vast landscapes, rich history, and dynamic cultural and political significance. This talk will explore the multifaceted identity of the world’s largest country, examining its history and contemporary challenges.

Elizabeth travelled in Russia before the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to Russia due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

2nd: Sarah Cook – Cycling Journey in Chile

Sarah has kindly offered to give a talk she gave to her local cycling club a few months ago about her Cycling Journey in Chile.

The talk by Olivia McGregor on Guiana has had to be postponed.

Date & Time: Saturday 1st February 2025

Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.

Admission costs:

• £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets: