Chris Freeman

Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
About me...

My public speaking started in 1980, when Yorkshire Water needed someone in a hurry.   I’ve spoken for WaterAid since 1981 and whilst these are free, they do ask for donations and speaker mileage please.  My list of talks has been steadily added to over many years, with something for every taste. I live in Halifax, West Yorkshire; well placed for the motorway network and regularly travel to all of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire.

About my Talks...

All of my presentations, except ‘Word Play’, are illustrated with slides and mostly run for about 1 hour, but can be shortened by arrangement.

Most presentations can be done virtually.

For presentations at a venue, blackout is preferred and I have all of my own equipment.

Fee:

My basic fee is £40, which covers 8 miles from home.  Mileage is .30p/mile beyond that.

Virtual talks are all £35. Water Aid talks for schools are free. A portion of my fee is donated to St. Gemma’s Hospice, Leeds.

My Contact Details:
Phone:

01422344074

07930207537

1. ‘Better Use of Your Camera’

1. ‘Better Use of Your Camera’ – A light-hearted look at some easily made errors and what could have been done to get better pictures. The presentation is full of hints and tips and is great if folks are planning holidays, a wedding or just want to get the most from their cameras. (Including some digital magic).

2. ‘From Golden Sands to Cotton Castles’ (From Altunkoom to Parmook-Karleh)

Sample the Delights of Turkey. Here are some of the things that maybe you didn’t know about this wonderful country, with a turbulent past, from humans, earthquakes and volcanoes. Some of the oldest history in the civilised world is here.

3. ‘Fit-Not-Fat’

A seriously light-hearted look at how to lose those extra pounds of FAT. You will see how to lose pounds the easy way; and hardly spend a penny.  If you follow the regime, you are almost guaranteed to lose weight.

4. ‘History by Design’

And now for something completely different – A sideways look at how history and nature have shaped some of the things we often wondered about.  There are some really crazy reasons why things are as they are.

5. ‘Jungle Look’

The birds and the bees and the Kapok trees The majestic Cloud and Rainforest Jungles of Costa Rica where there are ‘No-Added-Ingredients’, with the splendid, steaming, volcanic beauty of Mt Arenal Volcano, caught in a minor eruption; with Kapok, Balsa, Strangling Fig and Avocado trees, that rival any man-made skyscraper; full of monkeys, sloths, bats and birds and a million insects. With a brief, contrasting look at the Concrete Jungle of New York and Stamford where everything seems to be ‘plastic’ and it’s the people who are like insects.

6. ‘The King and Thai’

A Tale of Three Cities; a multicultural country living both in the modern world and the past, welcoming everyone with a smile; just so long as they are prepared to integrate into the Thai culture. King Rama IX did much in his extended reign.

7. ‘There’s More to Tenerife than Playa De Las Americas’

The big bang waiting to happen! Over 300 seismic tremors a year and still over 2,000 indigenous Guanche people, who originally called their island Tamarán, live in caves. A very different view of this tropical paradise – from its 20 million year volcanic history and the first colonisations, the pyramids at Guimar and the Conquistadores of the 1400s to the modern day invaders.

8. ‘Three Cities and a Wedding’

An off-the-beaten-track trip to Australia with a difference; a beach wedding, a 1 in a 100 year hail storm and hidden treasures; from waterfalls that go upwards and sunken ships to trees that last forever.

9. To Broken Hill – Baht Esky - Part 1

From gold mines and the mighty River Murray’s steam boats to silver in Broken Hill. And the gold rush of 1852 and who wouldn’t give a XXXX for that? Not to mention the flying boats and the flying doctor. Oh and an odd artist too! This is the first half of the Broken Hill presentations.

10. To Broken Hill – Baht Esky - Part 2

An outback railhead and strange rock formations and fossils in the Flinders Mountains to fossil caves, the Grampians and the Great Ocean Road. Oh and a quick swim with the dolphins! Along the way we’ll also see a supposedly extinct wallaby. Part two of the Broken Hill presentations.

11. Photo Miscellany

Some wonderful pictures from my personal collection. Come and see how even the most mundane subjects can be brought to life. All with a tale to tell and many talking points too.

12. Photo Box

Divided into sections to show a variety of ways to portray subjects, with plenty of humour along the way. And not forgetting those ‘Ah!’ moments either.

13. More Photo Fun

This really is having fun with your camera. Some serious bits, like lovely close up photos and portraits, often of strangers, but also interspersed with some ‘howlers’ and different ways to see your pictures. Why keeping the camera handy is so important to grab those often missed pictures, with some great examples of ‘got that one!’

14. The World in Black and White

We forget that photos were black and white at one time, but they can be so much better at expressing the mood of a picture. These pictures from my own extensive collection are some of my favourites and take us from 1961 to today. Yes, some pictures still look better in black and white, even with today’s high tech cameras and it’s a technique that is still widely used in advertising.

15. ‘Turgut Reis, Scourge of the Mediterranean’

One of the greatest sea captains and leaders the world has ever known, yet very few people know of this Turkish Ottoman’s triumphs as a Corsair in the 15th and 16th centuries. So great were his exploits that they renamed his place of birth after him. There’s more of his Turkey as we travel to this beautiful and fascinating country, following some of his exploits. And just who was Red Beard the Pirate?

16. ‘What Have Volcanoes Ever Done For Us?’

A look at the fascinating subject of volcanoes and the role they’ve played in the history of the earth. From the very birth of our world, volcanoes have played a major role in shaping not just the landscape, but every life form as well. They may appear to be destructive, but they are also the very cradles of civilisation. 1816 was the Year Without a Summer, caused by volcanoes and did super volcanoes kill off most of life on earth, or even assist in the demise of the dinosaurs? (Update information always being added)

17. WaterAid – Charity no. 288701

WaterAid – Charity no. 288701 – These talks are free and can be tailored to adult groups, where the talk can run for 45 minutes, or for schools and Rotary, where they can be shortened to suit the time available, (even school assemblies.) Talks are available nationwide via the WaterAid Speaker Network – https://www.wateraid.org/uk/request-a-speaker
More about the charity can be found at: https://www.wateraid.org/uk/
I cover talks and workshops for schools in the West Yorkshire area and run virtual talks if needed anywhere nationwide. Donations gratefully received and I do ask for mileage at .30p/ml.

18. Word Play

Poems and short stories from my personal collection – some witty, some serious, but all with a tale to tell. Talks can be tailored to your own timescale and can be delivered virtually too.

 

 

 

 

Testimonials & Reviews

 

“Chris is an amzing, 5 star speaker – knowledgeable, articulate and very, very interesting. He’s also great fun.”

Val  – February 2024

 

“Chris Freeman did a talk for our school on WaterAid and I personally found it very useful and interesting. We did it over zoom, which did cause a bit of trouble here and there, but overall it turned out great! I really enjoyed his presentation, as well as the information and the photos he shared with us! I would recommend”

Riona  – October 2023

 

 

 

 

Chris Freeman Contact Details:
Phone:

01422344074

07930207537

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