Ron Gray Conference

***THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL. CONTACT THE OFFICE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITING LIST***

Bookings for the next Ron Gray Conference, The UK’s Place in the World, will open on 23 September.

Cost £30

U3AC’s annual Ron Gray Conference will be on “The UK’s place in the world” and take place on Saturday 31 October. We will spend the day discussing what we have heard in introductory talks by three speakers:

Doug Chalmers is Master of Emmanuel College and chair of the Ethics and Integrity Commission. As a Lieutenant General, he had been Director of Operations for the Ministry of Defence, providing advice to Ministers on the range of defence operations, and he orchestrated the defence response to the COVID pandemic.

Sir Laurie Bristow is President of Hughes Hall and served as Ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020, and Deputy Ambassador to Russia from 2007-2010. He was Ambassador to Afghanistan in 2021 during the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, and oversaw the subsequent evacuation from Kabul airport.

Lord (Simon) McDonald is Master of Christ’s College. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1982 and served in Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn and Washington.  He has been Ambassador to Israel and to Germany, before becoming Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCO and Head of the Diplomatic Service.

They will speak about our military capability, our relationship with Russia, and our relationship with the rest of the world.

Click HERE for the Agenda.

During the morning and afternoon breaks there will be tea and coffee, and a buffet lunch in the College’s Old Library. To cover catering costs there will be a charge for attendance of £30.There are 75 places available which will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis upon receipt of payment.

To book your place please first email the Office and then make payment immediately by bank transfer using the details below.

Payee: U3AC no2 account

Sortcode: 08-92-99

Account Number: 65863363

Reference: Conf and your membership number

Closing date for applications: Friday 23 October 2026

Event information