NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR LATE 2025/2026
During the winter months (October to March) we are happy to give illustrated talks in the West Midlands area. We currently have six talks we can present:
- Talk One - Life Aboard The Jam Butty, A Preserver's Year. This talk is delivered by Helen and Andy covering preserve making, foraging, our life on the canals and the story behind The Jam Butty & Wild Side Preserves.
- Talk Two - The Seven Wonders Of The Waterways. This talk is delivered by Helen and Andy covering an imaginary journey through space and time around the Inland Waterways, stopping off are various locations to learn about different sites, events and people.
- Talk Three - Women of the Waterways. This talk is delivered by Helen and Andy. Women have always been involved throughout the history, present, and no doubt the future of the canals. In this talk we look at their involvement in the construction of, investment in, lifestyle on the canals and examine how these roles continue today.
- Talk Four - The Back Door into The Birmingham Canal Navigations Andy presents a historical talk about the lost canals of North Birmingham
- Talk Five - Coal from Cannock. Andy uses old photographs to illustrate the story of the old coal supply route from the Coalfilelds of Cannock to the industries of East Birmingham.
- Talk Six - The Lichfield Canal: Past & Present. Andy uses a collection of archive photos to trace the original route of what has become the Lichfield Canal. This talk covers six miles, 30 locks and 250 years of history.
- Talk Seven - The Tub Boat Canals of Telford. Andy explores the extinct network of unusual canals which connected the industrial areas around today's Telford with the River Severn at Coalbrookdale.
These talks last about an hour and can be structured to fit around the needs of individual groups, and will include an opportunity to buy a selection of our speciality jams, marmalades and chutneys.
Our fee for talks is £50.
Please use the contact form below if you would like to enquire about Wild Side Preserves talks.
