The Woodstock Society

Meetings begin at 8 p.m.

in the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Woodstock

20 October 2025

Anne Maskell and Jackie Barker

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Anne Maskell and Jackie Barker will be joined by a team of volunteers to explain the life of a guide dog, as well as examples of their endeavours! The organisation also fights for the rights of those with vision impairments.

The Life of a Guide Dog

17 November 2025

7.30 p.m. Annual General Meeting

Malcolm Brecht

For over eight years Malcolm has been Director of C-17 International Field Services and Program Integration for Boeing. He is responsible for all C-17 support outside the US, which includes the UK, Australia, Canada, Hungary, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, India and Kuwait. He also serves as a Reserve commanding 601 Squadron, a unique unit that provides diverse thinking and advice to the RAF’s senior leaders.

Culturally Aware Leadership

15 December 2025

Mr Charlie Ross

Charlie has run his own auction house in Woburn for over 25 years and has conducted a wide variety of auctions, ranging from antiques, commercial and residential properties through to vintage cars and intellectual property. The very first lot that he sold in 1968 was a pen of chickens!

Tales from an Antique Auctioneer

19 January 2026

Mr James Dillon Godfray

James came to Oxford Airport in 1998, initially on the engineering side with CSE Aviation, and became involved in the development and evolution of the airport away from the historic dominance of the professional pilot training activity which was at the time over 95% of all flights. In May 2025, James stood back from his development role at Kidlington and now assumes a non-executive director position with the airport’s parent company.

Oxford Airport: Past, Present and Future

16 February 2026

Alice Foster

Alice has been a freelance art historian for more than 25 years.

Among her regular places of work are The University of Oxford, Department of Continuing Education, The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

Women's Work

16 March 2026

Jyotveer Singh Gill

Jyotveer is the Associate Director of Education Technology and Web Development at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, where he oversees three business-critical technology areas. He has over seventeen years of experience in the health and education sector, as well as tech start-ups. He has been recognised as one of the next generation of top technology leaders in the UK.

The Human Side of AI: Myths, Realities and Future Possibilities

20 April 2026

David Lowe

Composer and Producer, David Lowe has an impressive musical career, spanning hit records and international success. Beyond the charts, David has shaped the sound of British television. He is the creative force behind some of the UK’s most recognizable theme music, including The One Show, Countryfile, Laura Kuenssberg and Grand Designs. He also arranged and produced the current themes for Antiques Roadshow, Panorama, BBC Elections, X Factor and the legendary Chariots of Fire. David’s most well-known work is probably the iconic BBC News theme.

Secrets of the TV Theme Tune

18 May 2026

Jill Cable

Many will know Jill from the decade that she spent as Practice Nurse at The Woodstock Surgery until her retirement but the majority of Jill’s career since she qualified in 1969 was spent in the field of liver and renal transplantation in the very early days of procedures which we now consider routine. Her passion to learn from the best led her around the world, working with the leaders in their field in Cambridge, Cape Town, Denver and Oxford.

The Early Days of Human Organ Transplants

Previous Talks

22 September 2025

7 p.m. 60th Anniversary Reception

Ashley Jackson

Ashley Jackson is Professor of Imperial and Military History at King's College, London, and a Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College, Oxford. He has written extensively on the history of Britain, the Empire and the Second World War.

Superpower Britain - the 1945 Vision and why it failed