In January Martin Allen indulged us in some fascinating facts around mortality and dying; Anne Alexander shared her passion for women warriors and the journey she went on to create her own combat attire. Richard Drew ended the night with a talk; Television, My Part in Its Downfall, offering an insider’s perspective on TV production as a set designer on everything from Mandy and Grange Hill to Ghostwatch.

We’re back Feb 17th with Nick Sayers, Chris Blumzon and a third TBC.

Jay Griffiths

The presence of animals can help heal the epidemic of loneliness. Animal sounds, from insects to birdsong and the purring of cats, are directly medicinal. Dogs can smell cancer and give an alert for a diabetic incident. Animals can be natural therapists for the hurt psyche, alleviating trauma, fear and depression.

True health includes the wellbeing of society, in terms of morality, justice and indeed politics, and animals can be good role models. Tonight Jay Griffiths explores some of the big themes from her book How Animals Heal Us putting animals at the heart of a restorative vision of health.

Jay Griffiths is the award-winning author of ‘How Animals Heal Us,’ ‘Wild: An Elemental Journey’ and ‘Why Rebel’ among many others. Brian Eno has said: “Nobody writes about Nature – the world and us in it – with more beauty and grace than Jay Griffiths”

Max Milligan Wildlife and Nature Photographer 

Max is an author, raconteur and fine art photographer. He began his career working as a wildlife cameraman for the BBC and National Geographic Video in the Amazon jungle before becoming a documentary editor at the BBC and Channel 4 in London. 

Tonight he will take us on a dazzling journey with some of his most extraordinary wildlife photographs from around the world.

30 years of Ancient Site Exploring on the Web with The Megalithic Portal’s Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham – founder of The Megalithic Portal ancient sites web resource and Editor of the community’s award-winning book The Old Stones – looks back on an incredible 30 years of stones enthusiasm. Embarking on a whistlestop tour of sites, stories, theories, discoveries and early web geekery … he asks, ‘Was it all worth it* – and what’s next?’ 
* spoiler: yes

A brief History of Stone Club with Matthew Shaw and Lally Macbeth 
Through their explorations of landscape and ancient sites, Stone Club, aim to bring new perspectives to prehistory in a collaborative way. In this talk, Matthew and Lally cover the founding of the club and explore how their approach and aims have formed a deeply engaged community that although has stone at its heart has opened up a much wider conversation around land access, inclusivity, mental health and forming positive solutions to climate anxiety and navigating the world in an increasingly unstable environment. 
Lally MacBeth is an artist, writer and curator based in Cornwall. Her work takes in history, folklore, performance, ritual and artifice – and the links between high and low culture. The Lost Folk, published by Faber, is her first book.
Matthew Shaw is an artist, author & curator based in Cornwall. Atmosphere of Mona, a book of poetry and photography was published by Annwyn House in 2020. Matthew is a co-founder of Stone Club with artist Lally MacBeth.

Operation Bogeyman: The Folk Horror Landscape of 1970s Northern Ireland (director Simon Aeppli 67min) plus Q&A with Simon Aeppli

An essay film that navigates the intersections of folklore, horror, and psychological warfare during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Beginning in the filmmaker’s childhood home of Carrickfergus, Simon Aeppli embarks on a personal journey through haunting landscapes and archival discoveries to reveal a past steeped in strangeness and horror. The film examines a bizarre propaganda operation in which the British army staged fake black magic rituals to smear the IRA as ‘Satanists’. This unique blend of video essay and desktop documentary explores the spectres of Northern Ireland’s history through landscape and archival footage, audio interviews, and personal reflections. 

Born in Belfast, Simon Aeppli is a documentary and essay filmmaker whose work explores overlooked and marginal histories from the region’s troubled past. His films have screened at festivals and galleries across the UK and internationally.
www.simonaeppli.co.uk

​Hosted by David Bramwell, Matthew Shaw and Lally Macbeth

**We don’t want anyone to not come through lack of funds. If money is really tight just drop us a line.**