Details of talks given by Ken West MBE
As a shielded person, I moved to the Peak District in December 2020 to avoid the crowded coast in Dorset. I am content to give talks to small groups but not in cramped locations. I can cover most of the Peak District.
My approach to prehistory is based on my horticultural, grounds management and ecological expertise. I designed and introduced the world's first natural burial site and wrote the Charter for the Bereaved in 1995. Apart from professional diploma's, I was awarded an MBE and an Honorary MA from Durham University. After retirement in 2006 I became an author. My first two books were death related. My third book was published in July 2019 and is called My Pagan Ancestor Zuri - A Parallel Journey: Christchurch to Stonehenge. In this, you will meet Zuri, our sophisticated pagan ancestor as she lives her life in Christchurch in 2200 BC. Her tribe is contrasted with the wealthy pensioners, the oldest population in the UK, who now live where her hut once stood.
I used my research for the book to prepare this 50 minute talk, with slides. It introduces people to their pagan ancestors, explains why they thrived in Dorset and why they were able to build Stonehenge.
See my blog called stonehengepensioner.com. My personal history and details of my previous two books are highlighted.