David Chandler spoke on the wildlife of Bugs Bottom in 1992. That theme
has continued at intervals with Mark Hillyer from Caversham Court Environment
Centre in 1994, and Tricia Marcouse from Reading Urban Wildlife Group
in 1995; followed up with Tina Gower in 1997 and Anne Latto 2000, both
representing Friends of Clayfield Copse. We really spread our wings in
2003 when Mt Kilimanjaro was on the agenda, courtesy of Graham Horn.
The services have been represented with Thames Water 1993, Crime Prevention
1996, Thames Valley and Chilterns Air Ambulance Trust 2005 and the local
police, PC Small on community policing in 1986 and Sgt Warren McGowan
and his team in 2007. Reading Borough Council sent along representatives
to speak on trees in 1986, in 1990 the Chief Executive, John Filkin,
spoke on environmental issues and Frances Smith pollution (1991). Steve
Green informed us about the North Reading Youth Project in 1998, and
Tina Heaford is set to bring us up to date on that in 2008. Other speakers
have been Bill Mander from The Berkshire Woodcarvers (1999), Bet Tickner
from the BBC Monitoring Station (2001), Lady Audrey Durant speaking on
the history of Surley Row (2002), Gill Franklin from Cross Lanes Apple
Farm (2004), and local artist Jenny Leach (2006).
