Previously at the Collingham Retired Men’s Forum

We aim to recruit speakers from a range of backgrounds and experiences in order to cater to all tastes. Some of our members have given some of our most interesting talks based on their own experience or interests.

Click on ‘Previous Speakers’ above and see what you have been missing.

How care funding works

Andrew Stock and Lloyd Tate

Secure Inheritance Legal Services Ltd. lloyd.tate@secureinheritance.co.uk 01934 425556 and 07970 684894

Andrew and Lloyd gave a sobering and salutary insight into the financial implications that arise when an elderly person needs residential care. Depending upon location and quality, care home fees are in the range from £1000 to £3000 per week and more if nursing or dementia care is required. Financial support from the state is minimal and protection of assets owned with a wife or husband is limited to a jointly owned home being excluded from an evaluation of those assets while the other person continues to live there. While local authorities have a responsibility towards those in care, they exercise robust procedures to ensure that all personal assets and wealth are fully used to meet all charges until they are nearly exhausted. The merits of a Protective Property Trust were described. This comprises the legal splitting of ownership of a jointly owned property which can protect 50% of the value of the house from being included in the evaluation of assets of a person going into care. Andrew had witnessed the value of estates worth hundreds of thousands of pounds being used up almost entirely by care home fees. He advised that early planning is essential and taking professional advice could mitigate some of the pain.

Talk given on 21st April 2026

Lloyd Tate and Andrew Stock

Guide Dogs

Thelma and Peter Wilson wilsonthelma@gmail.com

Thelma and Peter Wilson have supported the charity ‘Guide Dogs’, formerly ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’, for very many years. Thelma has publicised the work of the charity and undertaken fundraising initiatives in many different contexts, especially in schools. She outlined the great care taken in breeding dogs, selecting those suitable, and then training them to be able to guide blind persons in the very challenging environment of helping people lead as normal life as possible. She described the loyalty and intelligence of trained working guide dogs and the many different situations where they are able to keep a blind person safe. The presentation was also attended by Thelma and Peter’s three dogs, Oasis, Sabre and Graham. Graham, the oldest dog had recently retired from guiding duties. Oasis and Sabre had been reared for guiding but had not been able to go forward for training due to health and behavioural issues. They were a model of good canine behaviour during the presentation.

Talk given on 14th April 2026

Stained Glass: Its creation and restoration

Ian and Elizabeth Tomlinson lisatommo@tiscali.co.uk Tel: 01904 634512

Ian started his apprenticeship within the stained glass industry in 1961and then for many years worked for the York Glaziers Trust. He was greatly involved with the challenge of restoring the stained glass in York Minster following the disastrous fire of 1984. Ian described the traditional processes for making glass and incorporating colours and designs for it be used decoratively. Armed with an comprehensive collection of the tools, materials and examples of his trade, Ian explained the techniques of restoration, leading, designing and soldering used in both restoring and making new stained glass windows. Now retired, he and his wife Elizabeth make and sell stained glass ‘objets d’art’ and keep alive the spreading of knowledge concerning those skills that have beautified cathedrals and churches over the centuries.

Talk given on 31st March 2026

Effects of War: The consequences for civilians caught up in conflict

Jane McKeown

Jane McKeown, the wife of a senior army officer, followed her husband in his many career postings during the 60s, 70s and 80s especially in Germany and other areas of Europe that had been occupied by the Nazis . With active curiosity she took this opportunity to observe, empathise with, and understand the many traumas and dilemmas that had afflicted the civilian population in the towns and regions where she had lived. Her talk included many moving examples of people she had met and the stories that they told her citing, for example, their helplessness in being able to prevent the evils of the society they lived in and the ways that they used to remember those who had been lost. Jane’s enduring hope is that education can enable new generations not to forget what catastrophes can occur when dictators reign and good people find they are helpless to intervene.

Talk given on 26th March 2026

My father David Pugh 2nd World War survivor

Alun Pugh a.apugh@ntlworld.com Tel: 07840 742075

Alun Pugh, retired teacher and now Leeds tour guide, spoke about his father David, a Welshman, who had trained as a pilot during the war. On active service he flew Lancaster Bombers over Germany and, during a raid on Berlin had had to turn back because of aircraft damage. The plane, out of fuel, had to be ditched in the North Sea and members of the crew endured three nights and days drifting in an inflatable dinghy before being rescued. All but one, including David, survived. 60% of crew flying Lancaster bombers perished. This was the story of a survivor.

Talk given on 10th March 2026

Drug development

Professor Michael Hudson profmjhudson@btinternet.com

Michael was formerly Dean of Health Care Studies at Leeds University. His talk covered the very vigorous process by which new drugs become available as medications. From the early research stage of development when a promising molecule or substance is identified, through four carefully controlled phases of testing beginning with animals, and leading finally to trials on patients, Michael outlined the highly regulated process that ensures new medicines are both safe and effective and concluded with general advice everyone should follow when using their medications.

Talk given on 3rd March 2026

The history of The Post Office

John Lyte thelytehouse@btinternet.com

John operates as “The Talketeer”, and speaks on a wide range of topical subjects.

Talk given 24th February 2026

Previous topics covered by our talks have included:

  • The first female Aeronautical Engineer at Rolls Royce

  • The Editor of Formula 1 Magazine

  • The Chair of the West Yorkshire Magistracy

  • The Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes

  • Big Band Leaders

  • Hull shipping disasters & the ‘Head Scarf Heroes’

  • Collingham & Linton War Heroes

  • The Barnbow Factory in the War Years

  • Inspecting Schools

  • The Merchant Navy

  • The Battle of Jutland

  • Beekeeping

  • The Lusitania

  • Artificial Intelligence

  • Education Charity in South Africa

  • The History of Prisons & Probation

  • The Police Museum of West Yorkshire

  • A love of motorcycles

  • The Origin of the ‘Green Line’ in Cyprus

  • Inheritance Planning

  • A Podiatrist

  • A Physiotherapist on Arthritis in Older Age

Our annual trips are always popular events. Recent members visits have included:

  • The Wensleydale Railway

  • Leeds Town Hall

  • Catterick Garrison

  • Esholt Wastewater Treatment Works

  • The Black Sheep Brewery

  • The Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility