We meet on the 4th Thursday of each month (except in December)

at Hawkwell Village Hall, 210 Main Road, Hawkwell, Hockley Essex SS5 4EH 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

We usually have a guest speaker at each monthly meeting, speaking on a variety of subjects.

You will be invited to participate in our monthly raffle with a range of exciting prizes.

Tea and Coffee will be available at the interval and you will have an opportunity to socialise with other members and find out information about the various groups on offer and planned social events.

Unfortunately due to the size of the hall Affiliate Members can not be accommodated. We do usually have two Open House sessions per month held at the Pavilion where all members can attend to socialise and meet other members.

Monthly Members’ Meetings - Please note meetings may be subject to change

Date	Where	Details
Thursday 23/04/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Brian O'Leary Magician Something a bit different this month.  We can expect magic and lots of it - coins, cards, ropes and mind reading to name but a few. The afternoon should be fun, engaging and with lots of audience participation. Our magician, Brian O’Leary has been a strawberry picker, jam technician (also in the field of strawberries), software developer, support analyst, implementation consultant and finally, magician.  It's a natural career progression!  He is currently the President of the Ilford Magical Society and has won a number of competitions at the club. He is also a member of the prestigious Magic Circle and is an accomplished close-up and cabaret magician.
Thursday 28/05/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Lindsay Whitehouse The Secret History of Essex County Goal Lindsay first visited us in August 2024 and guided us through 'Prison Line of Duty'.  This time he tells us about the history of Chelmsford County Goal, how and why the prison was built. Lindsay shines a light on those stories you never knew, involving executions, scandals, corruption, and famous prisoners, and reveals some very surprising links to national treasures, celebrities, and sportsmen
Thursday 25/06/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Paul Hounsell The History of Gunpowder and the Purfleet Royal Gunpowder Magazines Paul delves into the history of gunpowder dating back to 9th Century China, exploring its global impact and arrival in the British Isles in the 12th century. The magazine was built in 1781 [actually 1762 to 1765], and has room for the safe keeping of 60,000 barrels of gunpowder. He explores why the UK's primary gunpowder storage facilities were situated on the river at Purfleet-on-Thames and why Magazine No 5 is the last remaining of the original five gunpowder magazines. Paul also tells us about the history of the Purfleet Royal Gunpowder magazines, which have been visited by such notable figures as Benjamin Franklin, William Blye and Captain Cook. In addition to its famous visitors, the magazines have supplied a range of historic ships including HMS Bounty, HMS Endeavour, HMS Resolution and HMS Warrior.
Thursday 23/07/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	David Williams POUNDS, SHILLINGS AND POVERTY Why did the Victorians believe there were ‘deserving poor’ and ‘undeserving poor’?     This presentation highlights why those enjoying wealth and status while ignoring the poor who were locked into the poverty of the 19th century.  Britain was one of the richest, most powerful and influential nations of the World but changes necessary when writers like Charles Dickens, Henry Mayhew, Charles Booth W. T. Stead and reformers including, Angela Burdett-C Coutts, Lord Salisbury, Octavia Hill and Annie Besant exposed the inequalities of London life.
Thursday 27/08/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Stephanie Disch Dogs Trust Dogs Trust is the UK’s leading dog welfare charity and since 1891, they have been working for a better future for dogs and the people who love them!When a dog is in distress, they care for them. When a dog needs a home, they find them a loving family. When an owner needs a helping hand (or paw) – or they just can’t cope, they are ready to step in! The talk will cover a brief history of the charity and a little about the local Basildon Rehoming Centre, as well as projects they run & services offered, which people often aren’t aware of. You’ll find out the many ways people can support Dogs Trust and hear a couple of successful dog adoption stories from the past year, as well as videos of some of the dogs in their happy new homes!
Thursday 24/09/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Tony Harris “Poirot” Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by the English writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is Christie's most famous and longest-running character, appearing in 33 novels, two plays (Black Coffee and Alibi) and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 Poirot is noted for his distinctive appearance, including his waxed moustache and fastidious dress, as well as for his reliance on logic, psychology, and what he terms his “little grey cells” to solve cases. The character’s biography is developed gradually across Christie’s works. He is introduced as a former Belgian police officer living in England as a refugee following the First World War. Poirot is portrayed as dignified, meticulous, and occasionally vain, traits that sometimes serve as comic devices but also reflect his precise and methodical approach to detection. His final appearance is in Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case.
Thursday 22/10/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	John Harrison “Concorde” Concorde-20th century icon; a celebration of a golden age in aviation.  A talk covering the history and fascinating facts about this much-loved aircraft. The first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane (or supersonic transport, SST), built jointly by aircraft manufacturers in Great Britain and France. The Concorde made its first transatlantic crossing on September 26, 1973, and it inaugurated the world’s first scheduled supersonic passenger service on January 21, 1976—British Airways initially flying the aircraft from London to Bahrain and Air France flying it from Paris to Rio de Janeiro
Thursday 26/11/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	First Christmas meeting. Attendance by invitation only.
Thursday 3/12/2026	Hawkwell Village Hall	Second Christmas meeting. Attendance by invitation only.
Thursday 28/01/2027	Hawkwell Village Hall	Steve Lester Insights of a Provincial Auctioneer Steve Lester has been a fine art and general Auctioneer for over 25 years, during which time he has sold everything from Crème eggs to Faberge and Corgi cars to Classic cars and most things in between”!!! Steve will tell us about all things auctioneering and Saleroom, how they work, how the public can operate in a Saleroom, tell a few “trade secrets” and if time prevails talk about a couple of items I was involved in finding that turned out to be pretty major “finds”.
Thursday 27/2/2027	Hawkwell Village Hall	Joanne Learner 1066 And All That 1066 is the one date everyone knows from our history – why? Because it changed the whole fabric of our society, our language and our laws, etc. Harold Godwinson was an important and influential man and was voted as King by the Witanagemot after the death of Edward the Confessor. This talk explores his life and times, filling out the story of what happened in 1066 and the political situation leading up to it, and showing him as a more rounded character.
Thursday 25/3/2027	Hawkwell Village Hall	AGM

Please remember if you have any ideas please let us know Brian Pickard