Mercers' Lectures 2023-24
We are delighted to be able to share our Mercers' Lectures Programme for the 2023-24 season. This year we have a diverse range of speakers covering investigative journalism, broadcasting, meteorology, genetics and adventure.
The Mercers’ Lectures are named in recognition of the links between Dauntsey’s and the Mercers’ Company, which go back to Mercer founder Alderman William Dauntesey, Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, who founded the School in West Lavington in 1542.
The Lecture Series runs annually. Everyone is welcome and entry is free, but you are required to reserve your seat online and bring confirmation of booking to the event. All lectures start at 19.30 and will be held in the Memorial Hall.
We very much hope to welcome you to Dauntsey's for one or more of these lectures.
Autumn Term 2023
Professor Robert Winston
Wednesday 27 September
Robert Winston is a world-renowned expert in fertility and genetics, currently Professor of Science and Society at Imperial College London. He has over 300 scientific publications about human reproduction and the early stages of pregnancy to his name. He is Chairman of the Genesis Research Trust – a charity which established the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Imperial and which now funds high quality research into women’s and babies’ health.
He is a passionate communicator of science as well as an active peer in the House of Lords, Vice-President of the Royal College of Music and a lover of fine wine, pre-war cars and Arsenal Football Club.
THIS LECTURE IS NOW FULLY BOOKED
Pip Hare
Wednesday 11 October
Pip has been a professional sailor since leaving school at 18 and is one of only eight women to complete the Vendée Globe, the greatest sailing race round the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance.
In addition to preparing for her next solo circumnavigation in 2024, Pip is a journalist, author and a compelling speaker on topics such as overcoming challenges to achieve, authenticity, risk management and gender equality. Her vivid anecdotes bring the drama of solo ocean racing to life – whether you’re a seasoned mariner or an armchair adventurer.
Tomasz Schafernaker
Wednesday 15 November
Tomasz Schafernaker is a familiar face to BBC viewers as one of the broadcaster's flagship weather presenters and meteorologists.
Tomasz first presented the weather on National BBC Television from 2006 and has since appeared on various other TV shows including Tonight’s The Night for John Barrowman and BBC's The One Show. He has also been the regular 'weather expert' for the Chris Evans Show and the Simon Mayo Show on Radio 2. He has an infectious passion for Meteorology and our climate.
Spring Term 2024
Clare Balding
Wednesday 17 January 2024
Clare Balding is an award-winning broadcaster and author. She has worked on every Olympic Games since 1996 and on every Paralympics since 2000. Clare won BAFTA’s Special Award for her work on London 2012 and continues to present major events in sport, factual documentaries, and Royal events, most recently, The Coronation of King Charles III.
A passionate campaigner for equality and women’s sport, Clare is also a best-selling author. In June 2022, it was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List that Clare had been awarded a CBE for her services to Sport and Charity. Clare was invested as a Commander of the British Empire by HRH The Princess Royal in December 2022 at Buckingham Palace.
BOOKING HAS NOT YET OPENED
Geoff White
Wednesday 6 March 2024
Geoff White is an author, speaker, investigative journalist and podcast creator. He has worked for the BBC, Audible, Penguin, Sky News, The Sunday Times and many more. In a career spanning 20 years he has covered everything from billion-dollar cyber heists to global money laundering rings and crypto-gangsters.
As technology correspondent for Channel 4 News, Geoff won multiple awards for his work on the Snowden leaks, the hacking of Britain’s largest ISP TalkTalk and his exposés of fraud in the internet dating industry. He was also the co-creator of The Secret Life of Your Mobile Phone, a live, interactive phone hacking stage performance which showed how the global technology industry is harvesting the data leaking from your handset.
BOOKING HAS NOT YET OPENED