Twilight talks get bank’s backing

A PARTNERSHIP between Community Bank Buninyong and the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is aiming to make the centre the city’s main hub of cultural events.

Over the next three years, the bank is set to provide $10,500 to the BMI to fund their Twilight Talks series.

Organiser and historian Phil Roberts said he’s grateful for the support which will not only help deliver the program, but to let more people know about the interesting and diverse speakers booked.

“Having the extra funds means we can do more advertising, have a bigger audience, and offer free entry to the first series of talks each year to get them running,” he said.

“We want to make the Mechanics’ Institute Ballarat’s centre for cultural talks and activities like that, so it’s fantastic to have the support of the Community Bank Buninyong.

“Word of mouth to others is also very important for these talks, and we work hard to make sure they’re interesting.”

A big program is already planned for the first Twilight Talks series of 2024, with five sessions lined up on Wednesday evenings from 5.30pm to 6.30pm, starting 28 February.

“We aim to have two speakers to give two different points of view,” Mr Roberts said.

“The first talk is on writing a memoir with Dr Frank Hurley and pastor Bill Sutcliffe, looking at how they’ve both gone about it, and the variation between the two approaches.

“There are a lot of people who wouldn’t mind writing a memoir and we expect the talk from those two will be popular.”

On Wednesday 6 March, Ballarat doctors and nurses of World War One is the focus, with Dr Jean Douglas and Garry Snowden as guest speakers, before talks on the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute’s evolution by Rex Bridges and Neil Leckie on Wednesday 13 March.

Although speakers for the Wednesday 20 March Twilight Talk are yet to be booked, the topic of discussion will be women in sport and a changing world, and presenters are expected to represent women’s cricket and football.

The fifth and final talk of the series is locked in with Dr Annie Thomas on the topic of Ballarat Punch Magazine, supported by academics Professor Keir Reeves and Professor Richard Scully.

Visit bit.ly/41Lk7GR for more information on the program, or to book tickets.