Forthcoming events
Events for 2025-2026.
Members and visitors are welcome at all meetings.
Meetings are held either online via Microsoft Teams, or as physical meetings. The choice will be shown here when details are available. In either case they will commence at 7:00 pm.
Wednesday 24th September 2025, at 7:00pm:-
A technical and operational overview of Airlander, by Head of Airworthiness, Andrew Barber.
(Microsoft Teams Presentation).
This presentation can be found at 'Past Events'
Wednesday 29th October 2025, at 7:00 pm :-
Topic: Weeds: Problems, Possibilities and the Future of Farming
Presenter: Dr. Helen Metcalfe, Rothamsted Research.
(MS Teams presentation).
This presentation can be found at 'Past Events'
Wednesday 12th November 2025, at 7:00pm
Topic: Capturing the Cosmos: A journey through Astrophotography.
Presenter: John Nedelcu, Mechanical design engineer at Eaton.
(In person at Eaton). Directions to venue are on the About page.
This presentation can be found at 'Past Events'
Wednesday 28th January 2026, at 7:00pm
Topic: The evolution of soil measurement at Rothamsted, from the 19th century to today.
Presenter: Will Rickard of Rothamsted.
(Microsoft Teams Presentation).
This presentation can be found at 'Past Events'
Wednesday 25th February 2026, at 7:00pm
This is a Joint Meeting with the Institute of Physics.
Topic: Hyper-aperture Ultrasound: A New Paradigm in Medical Ultrasound.
Presenter: Dr. Laura Peralta Pereira, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at King’s College London.
(In person at the Lindop Building, College Lane, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB).
This presentation can be found at 'Past Events'
There is no subsequent recording available.
Wednesday 4th March 2026, at 7:00pm
Topic: Let’s get buzzing – growing London’s pollinator numbers.
Presenter: Dr. Heather Barrett-Mold OBE.
(In person at Eaton). Directions to venue are on the About page.
London is fortunate to have green areas covering nearly a third of the capital. Some capital cities have nothing near that amount. The challenge is to encourage management of these green spaces in a way that embraces the needs of a range of pollinators.
Pollinating London Together (PLT) is a charity that was created with the vision to help enhance green spaces within London by promoting habitats where native pollinators can thrive. With a longer term vision to create a template for change and action through leadership that can be implemented in urban environments across the UK.
PLT aims to champion and enhance pollinator friendly green spaces – starting in the City of London - allowing all pollinators including bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and bugs to flourish. Urban green space with its ecological diversity, is one of the most important places for pollinators because of the variety of food sources and potential nesting sites as well as helping with climate change, biodiversity and wellbeing. Insects are in severe decline but such an important part of our ecosystem and essential to enable food production - it is estimated that 1 in 3 bites of food we eat depend on pollinators. The global economy is 100% dependent on nature and natural resources and we know that nature has been historically mis-valued and its economic benefits distributed unevenly and insects have been in dramatic decline due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides.
PLT’s Objectives
PLT’s activities are designed to address three specific objectives:
• To redress the decline in pollinators in urban environments by promoting action to increase pollinator-friendly planting and habitats in the City of London and its immediate environs
• To raise awareness of the human benefits of pollinators and pollinator-friendly planting across the wider population of residents, workers, and organisations in the City of London
• To inform and encourage companies, organisations, and individuals to make meaningful decisions to make this happen.
Through this partnership we have become involved in wider groups such as the DEFRA Pollinator Action Strategy Group and Historic Royal Palaces Moat advisory group for the Tower of London.
We also enagage with schools and educational days within the City of London and surrounding areas to extend the understanding and knowledge of the importance of bio-diversity and pollinators.
By enhancing biodiversity networks across the City it helps to improve green spaces for pollinators. Pollinators do not recognise political boundaries and we therefore plan to link the city with surrounding areas.
For further information please visit our website at:
www.pollinatinglondontogether.com
Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE
Heather is Vice/Co Chair of the Pollinating London Together Charity which she co founded in 2020, and leads the science and education work. The main objective is to prevent the decline of pollinators initially in the City of London and beyond and help greenspace managers to improve habitats with pollinator friendly planting and space for nesting.
Heather is a Past Master of the Gardeners Livery Company, and founder member of the Livery Climate Action Group.
Heather is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Horticulturist, Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Biologist. She was Principal/CEO of Pershore Group of Colleges and responsible for a 600 acre mixed farm and fruit production and cider unit. She was a member of the Government Advisory Panel on Sustainable Development Education for its lifetime of 5 years, and then Advisor on the Secretary of State Sounding Board. Heather was an expert with the Commission for Sustainable London 2012; a body engaged with delivering a sustainable Olympic Park. She was until recently Vice Chair of Governors at Capel Manor College. She has been a Secretary of State Board member for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. She is a Fellow of the Linnaean Society, Vice President of the Institution of Environmental Science, Past President of the Institute of Horticulture, and previous Chair of the Science Council.
Refreshments from 6:45pm.
The presentation will be followed by an opportunity for informal discussion and conversation over a buffet supper. A donation of £2 per person is requested as a contribution to costs.
Members, non-members and guests are most welcome.
Wednesday 29th April 2026, at 7:00pm
Topic: Voyages to Antarctica: The ozone hole and climate change.
Presenter: Jonathan Shanklin, Emeritus Fellow, British Antarctic Survey.
(MS Teams presentation).
SYNOPSIS:
I will describe my journey, beginning as a Cambridge
undergraduate, joining the British Antarctic Survey,
travelling to Antarctica, the discovery of the ozone hole
and observations on climate change.
I will conclude with a personal view of what links the
many environmental issues that face us.
Jonathan Shanklin:
I was born in Wrexham, North Wales and educated at King's School, Chester and Magdalene College, Cambridge. I was employed by the British Antarctic Survey from 1977 to 2012 and was head of the Meteorological and Ozone Monitoring Unit when I retired. In the early 1980s I discovered what is now known as the Antarctic ozone hole. This discovery was published in Nature in 1985. I've made 20 trips to the Antarctic, visiting all the British bases. I was responsible for running the operational side of the BAS meteorological observing program. This work included purchasing, testing and installing new equipment, writing computer software, recruiting Antarctic scientists, training staff, analysing data, solving problems, writing papers and giving public lectures. I was the UK representative on the WMO working group on Antarctic Meteorology and served on several other national and international committees. I was also a Union Safety Representative and as such was vice-chair of the NERC H&S Committee. I am now an emeritus fellow at the British Antarctic Survey.
I received a Blue Peter Badge for the ozone hole discovery. Other awards include the Society of Chemical Industry Environment Medal and the Institute of Physics Charles Chree Medal and Prize. In 2005 I was awarded the Polar Medal for my work in the Antarctic and received the medal from Her Majesty in May 2006. In 2020 Shanklin Glacier was named after me.
My interests include:
Astronomy - I carry out a lot of amateur observing, particularly of solar system bodies and variable stars. I was the Director of the British Astronomical Association and Society for Popular Astronomy comet sections and am now the visual co-ordinator for the BAA. I have been a committee member of the Cambridge University Astronomical Society since 1974. I was elected to the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society in May 2003 for a three year term. I carry out some research on comets and asteroids at the Cambridge University Observatories and give public lectures to astronomical societies. I have discovered seven comets on the SOHO LASCO coronagraphs.
Bell-ringing - I was the Tower Captain at St Benet's church in Cambridge and teach at both Gt St Mary's and St Benet's.
Cricket - I am the webmaster of the BAS cricket club, though have ceased to play.
Ice Hockey - I was an occasional coach and former player with the Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club, and played in the Varsity match against Oxford 1989/90 (forward), 92/93 and 93/94 (net-minder), winning man of the match for Cambridge in 1993. I was a qualified ice hockey referee. I have also played roller hockey. When in the Antarctic I do a bit of cross-country or down-hill skiing.
Nature - I was President of the Cambridge Natural History Society for 1999 - 2001 and again for 2013-14 and am also webmaster. I co-organised the 2001 Conversazione or annual exhibition. I am a keen botanist and co-recorder for vc29 (Cambridgeshire), Chair of the BSBI Committee for England and Hon. Field Secretary. I am also a keen hepatologist (liverworts).
AGM: The talk will be preceded by a brief InstMC Anglia Section AGM
Further details of our 2025-2026 programme of meetings will be shown here when available.
Previous events
Below is a summary of the events held in 2025-2026.
Videos, where they are available, may be viewed from the 'Past Events' page.
If you need any additional information please contact Tom Purcell by email or 07306 757000.
Please refer to 'Past Events' for presentations from previous year's programmes.