Welcome to the Devon and Exeter branch

The Branch has a thriving membership and contributes to the aims of the parent organisation in a number of ways. The focal point of our activities is a monthly social gathering for lunch or supper in the pleasant surroundings of the Exeter Golf & Country Club. Talks by eminent speakers accompany these fundraising events, and the profits subsidise local ESU programmes for young people. Details of recent and forthcoming events are listed below.

Schools in the district compete in the UK Public Speaking Competition, Performing Shakespeare and we have recently become involved in the Discover Your Voice programme, aimed at improving the communication skills of schoolchildren.

New members are always welcome and membership confers privileged use of facilities at the ESUs imposing HQ, Dartmouth House in London’s Mayfair.

For details of the Exeter committee, click here. I look forward to welcoming you at your first event!

Exeter branch event speakers

The Exeter branch prides itself on the quality of the speakers that we are able to attract to present at our events.

In January 2018 we welcomed Matthew Parris, pictured here with our chairman, Paul Waterworth.

During the past few years, we have had a succession of well-known and outstanding speakers including: Sir Anthony Acland, Kate Adie, Kirstie Allsopp, Lord Paddy Ashdown, Lord (Robin) Butler, Baroness Butler-Sloss, Ben Bradshaw, Martin Bell, The Countess of Carnarvon, Dr Jung Chang, The Countess of Devon, David Crystal, Sir Richard Dearlove, Jonathan Dimbleby, Jonathan Fenby, Robin Hanbury-Tenison, Richard Holmes, Sir Bernard Ingham, Stanley Johnson, Satish Kumar, Sue Lawley, Fiona MacCarthy, Hilary Mantell, Sue MacGregor, Sir Christopher Meyer, Bel Mooney, Michael Morpurgo, Ian Mortimer, John Nettles, Matthew Parris, Baroness Butler-Sloss, Vicky Price, Helen Rappaport, Angela Rippon, David Starkey, Sir Tim Smit, Professor Sir Steve Smith, Alice Thomson, Hugo Vickers, Alexander Waugh, Ann Widdecombe.

Our upcoming events are listed below, why not come along and join us…