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Saturday 21st June – Social: Walk around Bere Ferrers

Our June walk is around Bere Ferrers. We’ll take the 10:24 train out and the 15:40 or 18:00 back. After the walk and before returning we’ll spend some time at The Olde Plough Inn. The route and other details are here https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/walk/gnatham-the-river-tavy-from-bere-ferrers-station/. Thanks to Roger for suggesting the route. Let us know if you’d like to join us.

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Tuesday 24th June at 19:30 – Talk: Wave loading on lighthouses

Lighthouses have stood along the British coastline for hundreds of years and still play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the global shipping industry. But in the face of the increasingly stormy conditions and rising sea levels resulting from climate change, how resilient are these structures – particularly when you consider they are already up to two centuries old. Our June talk is from Professor Alison Raby who is coming to speak to us about the engineering challenges of maintaining the lighthouses built on rocks around the south west coast

Alison is a Professor of Environmental Fluid Mechanics at the University of Plymouth, where she leads the COAST Engineering Research Group. Alison is an expert on the interactions of extreme waves with coastal structures, having obtained her doctorate in extreme wave overtopping at the University of Oxford. She has recently led the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK General Lighthouse Authority-funded STORMLAMP project, a collaboration with UCL and Exeter University that has shed light on the structural response of rock lighthouses to wave impacts. She also conducts international post-tsunami reconnaissance missions under the auspices of the Institution of Structural Engineers. She is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Venue: The B-Bar, The Barbican Theatre, Castle St, Plymouth PL1 2NJ (accessibility information can be found here www.accessable.co.uk/plymouth-city-council/access-guides/barbican-theatre ). Please enjoy the excellent food they serve and take advantage of the bar.

This event is free and all are welcome, although a voluntary contribution (cash or card) to help cover speakers’ costs would be appreciated.

Saturday 19th July at 15:00 – AGM 2025

Our 2025 AGM is being held at 15:00 on Saturday the 19th July at Cafe Momus on Manor Street in Stonehouse, just off Union Street.

As well as the AGM itself, the meeting will be an opportunity to let the committee know what the successes of the last twelve months were, and what you’d like to see the group doing over the next year. All are welcome, although only paid up members can vote.

Becoming a member is a great way of helping us with the work we do. It costs £10 (or £5 for the unwaged) and not only supports us financially, but also gives you the opportunity to get more closely involved in our future strategy and campaigns. If you would like to join, let one of the committee know at a meeting. We can now accept contactless card payment

We’re going to follow the AGM with a meal (see below). Let us know if you’d like to come to either or both events

Saturday 19th July at 17:30 – Post AGM meal

We’re having a post AGM meal at a Veggie Perrin’s (tbc) on Mayflower Street. All are welcome (and no need to have gone to the AGM) but please let us know if you’d like to join us so we can reserve a big enough table

Tuesday 28th October at 19:30 – Talk: The Uganda Humanist Schools Trust

A talk on the important work carried out by the UHST. Read more about them here: https://ugandahumanistschoolstrust.org/