Stroud News and Journal:

A SERIES of new spring talks have been organised by The Friends of the Museum in the Park in Stroud.

First on the programme this year is Helen Brown, former Cheltenham Museum curator and current curator of Applied Art at Bristol museum.

The event in the new Pavilion (above) in Stratford Park on Saturday January 21 at 2pm will see her discuss her ‘Adventures in India’.

In 2014 Helen spent a month working with the curators and Maharajah's family in an Indian palace museum in Gwalior.

Her talk focuses on her experiences there and touches on the history of this remarkable city with its Mughal palaces and forts.

The second talk at 2pm on Saturday February 25 is titled ‘Watercolour - Canals through the Artists' eyes’.

Tony Conder, the retired curator of the Waterways Trust, will tell the story of canals as they appear in landscape paintings.

In 1988 he set up the National Waterways Museum at Gloucester and is the author of several books about canals, narrowboats, barges, and the people who worked on them.

Then on Saturday March 11, Sir Henry Elwes will talk about the renowned snowdrop collection at Colesbourne Park, near Cheltenham, which was started by his great grandfather, Henry John Elwes.

Stroud News and Journal:

Henry John was a botanist, author, plant collector, traveller and more. He collected lilies in the Himalayas and left a collection of over 30,000 butterflies to the Natural History Museum.

The fourth event of the year - Tales of the Severn - will take place on Saturday March 25.

The story of the River Severn is told by Dr John Chandler, author and the consultant editor of the Victoria County History, through the lives of the people who lived on its banks, exploring everyday life from flooding and fishing to cider making and river crossing.

Finally on Friday May 19 - an evening with Nick Macer, plant collector and owner of Pan-global Plants, who will talk about his expeditions to remote territories in search of rare plants.

These talks have been organised by The Friends of the Museum in the Park and is open to guests and museum visitors.

All events take place at 2pm. Tickets cost £5 for museum members and £7.50 for non-members. This includes tea or coffee and biscuits.

Booking is necessary. Call 01453 763394 to reserve a place.