Am delighted to introduce Simon Williams,  (a BBC broadcaster) the narrator of the Audio Book to give the  ‘The Talk’ replacing myself, the author.

'The Talk' will reflect the early days of aviation pioneering in detail, describing the Shorts’ meeting with the Wrights and the foundation of the Royal Aero Club by Vera, daughter of the balloonist Frank Hedges Butler who soon encouraged like minded pioneers to join them. Unfortunately, the pioneers soon found that their greatest adversary was the Government. 'The Talk' will include descriptions of the personalities and relationships, the extraordinary actual statements by the minister of War, the various sums of money spent, or rather not spent, and the terrifying disadvantage the country faced before the 1WW broke out as a result of the Governments’ intractability. 

Bookings may be made either through Simon's email address:
Simonnwilliams13@gmail.com or
helen@helenlandau.com

Simon Williams Profile: Simon worked for the BBC for more than 20 years, including a year abroad with a USA radio network. He has worked across Radio, TV and Education and is currently in the role of Head of Programmes Radio Gloucester and BBC West.  He also has a keen interest in theatre – appearing in more than a dozen shows.

Reviews of some previous talks by the author, Helen Landau, who may on occasion accompany Simon to help answer questions from the audience

3rd September 2015 - Bath and Country Club, Sir Alec Morris writes..... 
"Dear Helen,
I'm sure you realised on Thursday evening that your talk had been a great success. I am writing on behalf of the Club to thank you for a really wonderful evening and the chance to relive it all by reading your book........"

26th August 2015 - Ross On Wye Gazette - Kyrle Probus Club..... 
'Heroes of Aviation'

"The frustrating struggle of the early aviation pioneers to interest the War Office and the Armed Services in their ground breaking aeroplanes – even as the First World War loomed was outlined in animated detail by author Helen Landau at Kyrle Probus Club on Thursday, August 20th.

Helen's book "The Birth of British Aviation Prisoners of Hope" published after 11 years research has gone into its second edition.

Helen told the poignant stories of how early 20th Century fliers defied all odds and downright hostilities, sometimes with tragic consequences. Among them was Charles Rolls, joint founder of Rolls Royce who crashed to his death..........

The Malvern Gazette and Ledbury Reporter described Helen Landau’s talk
‘Prisoners of Hope’ as  “exhilarating and exciting....”

Prisoners of Hope is presented as a story of the birth of aviation, describing the characters and re enacting dramatic scenes. Some of the events are not previously recorded as they are personal stories handed down by members of the families involved.

The main hero of this astonishing story is Charles Stewart Rolls, most famously remembered as the eponymous partner of Henry Royce.  A vigorous case is made for Charles Roll’s equal claim to fame as one of the pioneers of early flight, where the pioneers in her story, including Wilbur and Orville Wright, Horace, Oswald and Eustace Short, John Moore Brabazon, Frank McClean and Captain Murray Sueter’s, youthful courage and ingenuity were thwarted and attacked by the establishment and the British Government.

“It would be allowing an error to creep in if I let it be understood that we were heroes” 
  JTC Moore Brabazon

Reviews include:
"A fascinating history of the earliest days of flying"
Mr Randall Northam - Journalist/Publisher

"A superb account of early aviation pioneers. Helen Landau's presentation style brings alive a largely untold yet extremely compelling story."
Air Marshall Sir Robert Wright KBE AFC 

"An absorbing and insightful exposition of the little told story of the early aviation pioneers, by someone who clearly loves her subject" 
Wing Cmdr. Peter Chadwick