TALKS

My talks have been well-received by a number of community and friendship groups including:

• Probus Clubs
• U3A Groups
• Women's Institute Groups

I supply all necessary equipment to present my talks which are light-hearted and educational. Both talks are richly illustrated with photographs and video clips.

TALK 1: CAVES AND CAVING

Join me vicariously on a light-hearted romp through the world beneath our feet. The underground world is full of excitement, but can also be dangerous for the unwary and inexperienced.

Adventures abound and there is fun to be had. Abseiling down Britain's deepest natural underground cavity, Titan in Derbyshire, at 450 feet deep (as tall as the London Eye) is the ultimate adrenaline rush and there it is a fantastic feeling knowing that very few people ever go to the places and see the sights that cavers are privileged to witness.

I have attempted to capture some of this excitement, danger and fun on video. The tag line for many of these videos is, "Remember we do these caves so that you don't have to." As well as showing a number of clips from my videos, the talk will also be illustrated with photographs from Brendan Marris and Mark Burkey who are both award winning underground photographers and fellow members of Dudley Caving Club.

The talk lasts approximately 50 minutes.

TALK 2: AMATEUR FILM-MAKING

When I made my first film it was actually film, and editing was done by splicing – cutting the film and gluing it back together. How times have changed. Editing is now done on a computer screen and so much more can be done in post-production.

In 2008 I created my YouTube channel which now has over 300 videos, 55 million video views, almost 88 thousand subscribers and over 2000 views a week.

My talk goes systematically through the film production process and covers a number of tips and tricks for budding film-makers, including effective, editing, lighting, sound, music and special effects. Learn how to make people disappear, how to shrink yourself to three inches tall and make inanimate objects talk.

Have you heard about A and B-rolls? Ever wondered what they are? What is a cut-in shot and what are cutaways? How does green-screening work? What makes a successful film? Find out to answers to these questions and many more.
The talk lasts approximately 50 minutes.

2026

FEBRUARY

5th  GEMS, Stoke Prior

12th Solihull Business Discussion Group

17th  Kings Norton Afternoon WI - Postponed

20th  Solihull Widney U3A

MARCH

10th Holy Trinity Women's Fellowship

18th Hereford Probus 3

APRIL

2nd Fellowship of Retired Ambulance Personnel, Tipton

9th Catshill Methodist Church

MAY

13th Every Woman Circle, Redditch

26th Meriden Rotary Club

JULY

2nd Heart of England U3A

14th Kenilworth Probus Club No 2

OCTOBER

5th Friends of Williamson's Tunnels (via ZOOM)

7th Halesowen WI

13th Quinton Local History Society

NOVEMBER

2027

JANUARY

11th Earlswood Historical Society

FEBRUARY

10th Wellesbourne WI

MARCH

18th Ledbury and District U3A

MAY

18th Knowle Probus Club