Theme: Human Connectors

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Gaiety Cinema
Tangier Street
Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA287UZ
United Kingdom

Andrew Bernard

CSR Specialist

Andrew Bernard, known to everyone as Bernie, is an Entrepreneur. Bernie’s company Innovative Enterprise has worked across all sectors to help more than 95,000 people to bring the Future to Life through enterprise and careers workshops. Bernie is well known for his involvement in the Dream Placement scheme. Bernie is creative and enthusiastic about his work and designs full-day workshops and keynotes that allow people to explore teamwork, enterprise, STEM careers and attitudes that will support and develop themselves and their teams. Bernie has worked with a range of companies including Kellogg’s, Rolls Royce and BAE Systems. In 2008 Bernie designed Enterprise Soapbox – a REAL soap making business in a box – to enable businesses and educational teams to work together to develop enterprise, creativity, innovation and teamwork skills as well as creating a new business. 2016 saw the launch of Your Enterprise Alphabet – a set of cards to help teams and individuals create positive vocabula

Brian Wernham

Project Manager

Brian Wernham has more than 30 years’ experience in adaptive change program leadership. He has worked at the National Audit Office drafting reports for the Public Accounts Committee and has extensive international hands-on delivery leadership experience in USA, UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany and offshore in Bangalore. Brian is a Board member of the Association for Project Management (£10m/year). He is a Fellow of the APM and also the BCS with an MBA from Henley Management College and is a Chartered Engineer. He has presented at the US Federal DigitalGov University and is a Director of a large consulting organisation based in London. He is an offshore Yachtmaster and keen off-piste skier, where adaptive planning approaches are essential life-saving skills.

Ken Powell

Freelance Writer

Ken Powell is a freelance writer and educational consultant working with clients across the globe but particularly in Asia. After 16 years working as a teacher he relocated to Bangladesh with his family in 2008 where he helped establish an O level department in an NGO school in one of the poorest areas of the country and trained teachers as well as teaching several subjects. Gradually he moved over to writing and was full-time as a writer by the time he and his family returned to the UK in 2014. Ken now works for a variety of clients writing on socio-political issues in Asia and education matters globally. He also acts as an educational consultant across the world co-writing books with other educators and offering an alternative perspective on teaching for which he is in demand. He currently lives in near Whitehaven, Cumbria with his wife, two children and dog. When not drinking vast quantities of tea he is busying working on his third book or playing pool.

Laura-Jane Rawlings

CEO

Laura-Jane Rawlings is the Founder and Chief Executive of Youth Employment UK CIC. Before launching Youth Employment UK CIC, Laura-Jane worked for many years in the recruitment sector, achieving recognition for her coaching work which enabled students to senior managers to exceed their career aspirations. As a recruiter, Laura-Jane was well placed to see the challenges facing young people leaving education and the issues of the employment community. Spending time to better understand the structural issues of youth unemployment and the policy around the area Laura-Jane founded Youth Employment UK in 2012. Passionate about the careers agenda for young people and believing all young people should be inspire about their future, Laura-Jane works closely with careers inspiration platform Plotr. In 2016 Laura-Jane was nominated and shortlisted for the Careers Champion Award.

Richard Morgan

Recruiter

Richard Morgan is an entrepreneur and author, his passions lie in technology and people and he believes that amazing things happen in the space where great people meet great technology. He works with companies to help them find the right people at the right time for their businesses and he helps people find better, more rewarding jobs. He believes that jobs transform lives and over the last 10 years he has personally interviewed over 3000 people and helped 1500 people into better jobs. Richard has a passion for work, is interested in the future of work, what it will look like and what we will do. His belief is that technology will free people to make a real difference to the world, to rip up the rule book and start solving the big problems, solving the real challenges that affect society. Originally from South Wales, he lives in London with his wife Esther and his little son Zach. In his spare time, he really enjoys writing about himself in the third person and is a very keen (but e

Sally Fielding

Managaing Director

Sally believes that it is possible to have a World Class small business and be nice at the same time. She set up her company, Sally’s Cottages, with just £1,000 to get it going. Today it brings in bookings to the value of £5.3million. Sally is very much a believer in the power of small businesses and local collaboration. She believes that it is small businesses that keep a local economy going and which create a sense of local community. Sally is motivated by the creativity that you can have within a small business, by the reality that in order to succeed against those with more resources you have to work smart, and it is this that keeps you creative and allows you to have fun while working hard. Sally’s Facebook page is recognised as the best travel page in the UK. She should perhaps also be recognised for creating a multi-million pound business out of nothing and with no assets but a group of committed and enthusiastic people with nine telephones and nine computers.

Tara Vallente

Storyteller

When the worst storm in living memory causes chaos and destruction, you can do two things: watch in dismay or act. In December 2015 thousands of homes and businesses were flooded, landscapes were changed forever and roads and bridges were swept away. Tara’s talk will look at how determined people can make a difference – the connectors in our communities, the ones who act rather than watch. She’ll call on her experience of helping Cumbria Community Foundation raise ￡100,000 in 48 hours by harnessing the power of social media. That ￡100,000 was just the start of a ￡10 million fundraising campaign to help flooded communities rebuild their lives. She might also mention how she and a friend set up a food bank and how they found groceries and cleaning goods worth ￡50,000 to distribute to those who were flooded. She might tell you who noticed and take the chance to shine a light on those who made it possible