Clare Balding To Kick Off Upper Room Lecture Series

Spring season of fundraising talks also includes Michael Frayn and Jeremy Paxman

Michael Frayn, Jeremy Paxman and Clare Balding
Michael Frayn, Jeremy Paxman and Clare Balding

The Spring Lectures from the Upper Room are going ahead this year with three well-known names to appear online.

The season starts on Tuesday 16 March with Clare Balding, arguably television’s most versatile presenter, covering everything from Wimbledon to the Olympics, and State events to Crufts. She hosts the popular Radio 4 show Ramblings and is a best-selling author of books for children and adults. Clare will be in conversation with Torin Douglas, the former BBC Media Correspondent.

Then on Wednesday 21 April one of our greatest living writers will be appearing. Michael Frayn is known for a string of West End hits such as Copenhagen, Democracy and the farce Noises Off. His prolific literary output includes novels, philosophical works, screenplays, newspaper columns and translations. Once again Torin Douglas will host.

The final lecture in the series will be given by Jeremy Paxman on Wednesday 19 May. The broadcaster, journalist and writer, was feared by politicians of all stripes for his trademark tough interviewing style. He presented BBC Two’s Newsnight from 1989 to 2014 and has been the presenter of University Challenge since 1994. Jeremy will be in conversation with the BBC journalist Julian Marshall.

Each lecture will be streamed online from 8pm to 9.15pm, so you can enjoy the full live event from the comfort of your own home. The cost of each event is £10 and you will also be offered the opportunity to donate directly to The Upper Room.

This year’s lectures will hosted and live-streamed by Chiswickbuzz. To register and book your place as part of the online audience, visit their website.

The Upper Room is a charity based at St Saviour Church on Cobbold Road, W12 which has been working to help the socially disadvantaged in London since 1990, including homeless people, economic migrants and ex-offenders.

Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith said of the charity, “The Upper Room epitomises the good society, giving practical and emotional support to those who need it most.”

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January 16, 2015