In the Spring and fall, the second Wednesday of the month, the branch has a luncheon and lecture at The Greenwich Field Club. Expert Speakers lecture with supporting film and slides on topics as, “The Houses of ‘Downton Abbey’ and ” The “Influence of Rudyard Kipling on the modern espionage business.”

In a premier program at the Branch and National Levels, local high school students compete in a debating society type presentation of a selected Shakespeare speech. Local winners advance to regional, then national competitions.

Each summer the local branches celebrate a ritual birthday party for the Crown Royal (regardless of their actual date of birth). The Greenwich branch holds a “high tea” in the third week of June, at the BelleHaven Club. A suitably lavish spread, wine and champagne, also serve as a regal support for the announcement of the Shakespeare oratory program winners, and the announcement of local school teachers’ scholarship awards.

Since 1957, the ESU has provided summer study abroad scholarships to middle and high school teachers at Oxford, Edinburgh and Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

The English Speaking Union offers a variety of scholarship programs for students, educators, and lifelong learners.

English in Action helps newcomers to the U.S. improve their English language skills and build confidence. Students and volunteers meet weekly for one-to-one conversation practice. At the heart of the program is a commitment to cross-cultural exchange. Students gain insight into life in the U.S. Volunteers learn about different cultures and support immigrants, refugees and other newcomers building new lives in this country.

The ESU’s middle and high school debate leagues provide students with the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills through public speaking at debate tournaments in the US throughout the academic year. Students from all over the world also have the opportunity to hone their skills during the International Public Speaking Competition in London.

The International Public Speaking Competition brings together outstandingly articulate young people from all over the world for a week of public speaking competition and international cultural exchange with the ESU of the Commonwealth in London. The finalist contestants meet and learn with their peers of different backgrounds and cultures from some 50 countries. Through all its qualifying levels, the program engages more than 40,000 young people globally.

Study in the United Kingdom for an unforgettable immersive experience! Live and learn on the famed campuses of Oxford and Edinburgh or discover Shakespeare in the context that brought his works to life — exploring his hometown in Stratford or performing on the stage of the Globe Theatre in London.

This program is designed for students who express their love of Shakespeare through creative and analytical writing. It will consist of competitive and non-competitive writing events for high school students.

In response to the COVID-19 world, in July of 2020 ESU members got together to introduce the virtual Happy Hour Program, which has been met with resounding success. The Happy Hour Program brings guest speakers from locations all over the world, live and free of charge using the Zoom format. And to make it a real happy hour, a few of the speakers suggest signature cocktails to match the theme for the attendees to create and enjoy at home during their presentations. Many speakers also offer exciting participation opportunities with fun give-away books and products at the end of each program. All Happy Hour events are recorded and available for download to members and anyone interested to watch on-demand.