2021 talks

Talks are held on the third Monday of the month at the Brindle Community Hall, Water Street, Brindle, nr Chorley, PR6 8NW. starting at 7:30pm unless otherwise stated.

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2021 planned programme*

*These were the talks that were actually presented following the considerable change and disruption to the planned programme due to the Covid19 restrictions.

Date	Title	Description
18 Jan	No event	Nothing was arranged following the disruption caused by the 2020 lockdown due to Covid19
15 Feb	Annual General Meeting
15 Mar	Brindle Top o’th Lane Bernard Fleming	This was to be an on-line Zoom meeting, but no-one remembered to invite the speaker! Instead, Bernard Fleming provided an impromptu talk in place of Rev Keith Richardson who was subsequently re-scheduled for April.
19 Apr	William P. Hartley: Jam maker & philanthropist Rev Keith Richardson	Note that this was an on-line virtual talk on Zoom. Tonight we will hear the story of William Pickles Hartley and how a 16 year old boy from Colne began what became a famous household name in food production. In addition to producing jam, he also become a great benefactor has his wealth grew.
17 May	Preston Tram Road Steve Ashcroft	Note that this was an on-line virtual talk on Zoom. The Preston Tram road was a five mile temporary structure to link the north and south ends of the Lancaster canal and was completed in 1803. The tram road was never replaced by a canal due to the rise in popularity of the railways. Steve will give us a history of this local landmark.
21 Jun	Votes for Women Eric Pickles	Note that this was an on-line virtual talk on Zoom. As recently as a century ago, adult suffrage (the right to vote in political elections) was still not fully afforded to both genders. Tonight we will learn how winning what we now see as a universal right took 46 years and took a new generation of activists in the early 20th century who took a more direct approach to eventually bring about this change.
20 Sep	Medieval bridges of the Ribble Valley Chris Hudson	Note that this was an on-line virtual talk on Zoom. Get ready for a trip along the Ribble Valley and learn about the variety of bridges that the river passes beneath.
18 Oct	A history of red poppies and white poppies Alex Houghton	Alec will tell us about the general history of the poppy as a sign of remembrance, and also explain about the distinction between the red and white poppies as symbols of peace.
15 Nov	Technological dead ends: ideas that have gone nowhere Dr Dave Southall	Dave Southall has been a street performer, acrobat, university lecturer, special effects technician and lately, a TV presenter. In addition to his several degrees, he also has a shed where he designs all manner of machines, usually starting with an engine. Tonight, Dave will talk about ideas that seemed initially promising but did not prove successful. A technological background is not necessary to appreciate this talk.

Below is a summary of the restrictions applied during the Covid19 outbreak of 2020 and 2021

• 23 March 2020: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first UK national lockdown, ordering people to “stay at home”.
• 26 March 2020: Stay-at-home measures became legally effective in England.
• 1 June 2020: Primary schools began to reopen, and outdoor groups of up to six were permitted.
• 15 June 2020: Non-essential shops reopened.
• 4 July 2020: Most restrictions were lifted, and hospitality (pubs and restaurants) reopened across most of the UK.
• 3 August 2020: The “Eat Out to Help Out” restaurant scheme began.
• 14 September 2020: The “Rule of Six” was reintroduced, making social gatherings of more than six people illegal.
• 14 October 2020: A new three-tier local alert system was introduced in England. Lancashire was initially in Tier 2 (High) before being raised to Tier 3 (very high) three days later.
• 5 November 2020: England entered a second national lockdown for four weeks.
• 2 December 2020: The second lockdown ended, and England returned to a strengthened tiered system. The Pfizer vaccine was approved the same day.
• 19 December 2020: A strict new Tier 4 (“Stay at Home”) restriction was rushed in for London and the South East, cancelling planned Christmas mixing for millions.
• 6 January 2021: A third national lockdown was legally enforced across England, closing schools to most pupils and ordering everyone to stay at home.
• 8 March 2021: Schools reopened as part of the government’s phased exit. Outdoor recreation with one other person was allowed.
• 29 March 2021: Step 1 of the Roadmap out of Lockdown began, allowing outdoor gatherings of six people or two households.
• 12 April 2021: Step 2 commenced; non-essential retail, gyms, and outdoor hospitality reopened.
• 17 May 2021: Step 3 allowed indoor hospitality to resume, indoor mixing under the rule of six, and outdoor gatherings of up to 30 people.
• 19 July 2021: Most remaining legal limits on social contact were removed, and venues like nightclubs finally reopened.