The Hampton School Talk! series offers a superb opportunity to hear from distinguished speakers from all walks of life. The annual programme of talks aims to enlighten and entertain whilst broadening the horizons of all who attend.

Hamptonians, partner schools, parents and members of the public are welcome to attend most Talk! events.

Autumn term 2024

Thursday 10 October
Chris Patten
1.00pm – 1.45pm
Lord Patten enjoyed a varied parliamentary career in Margaret Thatcher’s government, he gained a seat in the Cabinet in 1989 when he was appointed Secretary of State for the Environment – charged with overseeing the controversial ‘Poll Tax’. Chris Patten took up his post as the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong in 1992 until it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

USA  Special

Tuesday 15 October
Nick Bryant
1.00pm – 1.45pm
Live stream into the Hammond Theatre from Sydney, Australia

Distinguished foreign correspondent Nick Bryant is one of the most respected commentators on the US, covering the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden during his time as BBC Washington Correspondent. With only weeks to go before the US Election, don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to hear from Nick on one of the closest and most fractious battles for the American Presidency.

 

Electrifying the Future

Tuesday 5 November
Jeremy Wrathall
1.00pm – 1.45pm

Jeremy Wrathall is the founder of Cornish Lithium, a company dedicated to finding a reliable long-term source of Lithium for the UK. Lithium, a metal used to power electric vehicles, mobile phones and to store wind and solar power, is key in the race toward net-zero emissions. Backed by over £50-million of recent investment, including £25m from the UK Government, Cornish Lithium aims to maximise the potential of the industrial scale of Lithium that lies beneath the ground at existing brownfield sites in Cornwall.

Previous speakers have included:

  • Rugby Special with Louis Lynagh OH (2019) and Michael Lynagh, AM
    Former Australian Rugby Captain and now a renowned sports commentator and businessman
  • Sir John Curtice
    Leading expert in electoral behaviour
  • Fraser Nelson
    Editor, The Spectator
  • David Lammy MP
    Shadow Foreign Secretary
  • Professor Nick Lane
    Best-selling author and professor of evolutionary biochemistry at University College London
  • David Jones
    Leading sports anchor and host of Sky Sports’ Super Sunday and Monday Night Football
  • Tim Marshall
    British journalist, broadcaster and bestselling author of books including Prisoners of Geography and Divided: Why We’re Living In An Age Of Walls
  • Sarah Campbell
    BBC Royal Correspondent
  • Harry Cole
    Political editor of The Sun