The Woodstock Society

Meetings begin at 8 p.m.

in the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Woodstock

21 September 2026

Leeanne McGee

A Registered General and Mental Health nurse by background, Leeanne has recently retired as the Executive Director of High Secure and Forensic Services in West London NHS Trust, after thirty-five years’ service. Based at Broadmoor, she oversaw the rebuilding of the unit which today has ratings of Outstanding and Good in all areas.

A History of Broadmoor Hospital

19 October 2026

Nigel Bryant

Woodstock resident, Nigel Bryant, a former theatre director and BBC drama producer, is an award-winning translator of medieval literature. He has translated not only medieval fiction, including the earliest stories of King Arthur's knights, but also non-fiction: biographies of real medieval knights.

The Life and Loves of a Medieval Knight

16 November 2026

7.30 p.m. Annual General Meeting

Dr Jean-Luc Schwenninger

Jean-Luc is a research Fellow at the University of Oxford and specialises in the development and application of scientific dating methods for determining the age of archaeological sites and materials. He is head of the Luminescence Dating Laboratory at the School of Archaeology and his work has contributed to major international projects on human origins and migrations, including Neanderthal populations in Europe.

A Different Kind of Dating:

When Light Meets a Grain of Sand

21 December 2026

7.30 p.m. Christmas Drinks and Nibbles

Stephen Blundell

Stephen Blundell is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics, University of Oxford. He is based in the Clarendon Laboratory but is also a Professorial Fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford. He received the Yamazaki Prize in 2022 and the Lawrence Bragg Medal, a Gold Medal of the Institute of Physics, in 2024. He has appeared several times on Radio 4's programme, In Our Time, and is the author of several books.

The North/South Divide: How Magnetism

Has Repeatedly Revolutionised the World

18 January 2027

Liz Woolley

Liz is a freelance local historian who lives in Oxford. She has an MSc in English Local History from the University’s Department for Continuing Education. She is particularly interested in the history of Oxford’s ‘town’ as opposed to ‘gown’ – and in how the city developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of extraordinary growth.

The Men Who Built Oxford

15 February 2027

Michael Edwards MBE

Following a long career in the RAF, Michael became involved with the Indian Air Force and is now Chief Advisor to both Indian and Jordanian Vintage Flights. He is author of the ‘Spitfire Singh’ about a WW2 pilot, a story of the contribution to British war efforts by a small Indian contingent – against all odds.

The Indian Air Force Vintage Flight

15 March 2027

Caroline Butler and Dave Townsend

This will be a concert of songs and instrumental music, linked by spoken extracts from Hardy’s works and other writings and documents, celebrating the vigorous tradition Hardy knew, bringing to life the songs and stories of the rural working-class women of nineteenth-century Dorset.

Songs and Tales of the Working Women of Wessex

19 April 2027

Dr John Anson

John spent sixteen years at Amersham Biosciences/GE in both R&D and business development. During the next sixteen years he was at Oxford Gene Technology, rising to CEO and eventually overseeing the sale of the business. He has been responsible for the development of a range of innovative genetics research solutions to molecular medicine.

Has the Genome Project Delivered? A Personal Perspective

17 May 2027

Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One

Recently rebranded with Gucci, Alpine Formula One is our closest F1 team, based in Enstone. We will hear how an F1 team works and what it takes to be a global competitor.

It's All About a Team

Previous Talks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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