Theme: It's about Time

With TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWellsWomen, we’re celebrating the power of women and girls to be creators and changemakers.

While the name may suggest exclusivity, we are 100% gender inclusive and our organisers, speakers, and audience members will reflect this. That being said, there is no denying that there are still a great number of discrepancies between how men and women are treated in our society and we’re excited to be pulling together a number of thoughtful talks about how we can– and how we already are– breaking down stereotypes and building a more inclusive future.

TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells began in 2015 with the aim of bringing Royal Tunbridge Wells to the world and bringing the world to Royal Tunbridge Wells. With two successful events under our belt, we are excited to be expanding the TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells family to include this new event.

Our ambition for TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells is to continue and develop our programme year on year - always delivering celebration, challenge and curiosity.

One Warwick Park
One Warwick Park
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5TA
United Kingdom

Alexandra Bond

Alexandra is your average 30-something year old in an ever accomplishing world. Noticing that women, in particular appear to be questioning if they are doing enough, or having it all in a world where most things are possible, it begs the question - what is having it all these days? Alexandra runs events staffing agency Bond Ambition, and regularly analyses social interactions and engagements between people. Often leading workshops in speech and performance, she began to notice how people (including her self) are over whelming themsleves to pursue every avenue of life, rather that concentrate on one. 

Anna Wharton

I have been listening and writing other people's stories for more than twenty years, and now I want to encourage you to tell yours. In my TEDx Women talk, I discuss some of the authors whose books I have ghosted and how they have seen their lives changed as a result. maybe the same could happen for you?

Caroline Arnold

From an early age, environmental issues, the great outdoors and an interest in the wider world has defined who I am and the choices I have made about my own life and career. My roles have included Director of an environmental charity on the Thames in London, Government Advisor, University Lecturer and Researcher and senior Local Government Manager -working in the areas of sustainability, environment, waste/resource management, and supporting vulnerable people. All of this has culminated in my current role as the Director at Bore Place www.boreplace.org - a not for profit organisation working to connect people with themselves, to each other and the natural world.

Debbie Harris

Debbie Harris, founder of Chosen with Care, lives in Tunbridge Wells, with her husband, and a rather gorgeous greyhound. Having looked after a much-loved elderly aunt Debbie gained her first insight to care provision. Initially bemused, sometimes horrified, Debbie’s experience shaped a clearly-defined purpose and ambition:  ‘to fundamentally change the way people view care homes, and their expectations of living in a care home.’ In 2015, Debbie established Chosen with Care, one of very few organisations in the country that works with the elderly and their relatives, the medical and the legal professions, to search for, evaluate, and continually review, care homes for the vulnerable people that need them. Above and beyond providing a finding service, Debbie is determined that Chosen with Care becomes a vehicle with a powerful voice that can help create a positive profile for the care industry.

Elise Pacquette

Elise is no stranger to the disappointment of failure - exam results or domestic disasters to name but a few. However, her greatest achievement (as the founder of a social enterprise) would never have happened if it had not been for something in her life which caused her incredible shame because she felt she had failed. Little did she know that that ‘failure’ was just the start of success and now she is passionate about helping others to stop fearing failure so that they too might have a more fulfilling and successful life.

Joe Strong

Recently graduated, Joe works as a researcher with a particular focus on gender. From a young age, Joe grew up knowing the importance of feminism. It was difficult, however, to know how to be the best possible feminist. His research took him to Ghana, where he was looking at the way that data collection methods have shaped our understanding of what Women’s Empowerment means.

Jordan Jones

I am Jordan Jones, born of second generation African Caribbean immigrants, raised in North London by a Black Feminist. What this means is I see the world through the lense of inequality. I also see it through the lense of a privileged man, and when you make someone aware of how the world works against them and in their favour, they are then empowered to choose which opinion to speak from when stepping out into the world. Everyone should have that choice.

Laura Thomson

I have had the privilege of designing and delivering practical skills workshops with a range of clients, from big brands to courageous start-ups, since 2000.  I have a unique insight in to what brings a workplace to life. From airports to shops, from construction sites to home-based parties, from PA's to sellers to creatives, I help organisations to act on a simple truth about humans at work: the direct correlation between employee engagement and customer satisfaction. If it feels good and safe to work somewhere, it feels good and safe to be there as a customer.  I run the Women In Robotics UK meet-up group with the goal to inspire more women into the world of robots and AI and turn up to big events with a ready-made network. I also work with schools to help connect today’s classroom with tomorrow’s boardroom, because today’s 4-year olds will enter the workplace of 2030 requiring a very different skillset from any previous generation.

Lucy McLeod

Lucy isn't a teacher (in fact she works in marketing for a heritage property), she isn't trained in SRE and she isn't speaking on behalf of one of the many wonderful companies and charities visiting schools and discussing SRE. She's a normal 25 year old woman, with a lot  research, experience and a passion for making sure everyone knows how important open communication about sex, love, relationships and consent is, and why starting these conversations from home combined with  better quality SRE in schools, can only be a good thing.  

Nat Taylor

Major Natalie Taylor is a GP in the British Army and an active member in the GirlGuide movement. An enjoyment for the outdoors has helped Natalie develop leadership skills overtime and is preparing to lead an expedition to Antarctica. 

Natasha Courtenay-Smith

Rebecca Hirst

From Coca-Cola Exec to Nutrition Coach. Adult acne and Coca-Cola are the catalysts that led to Rebecca's radical career change. Want to know if it’s worth listening to that ‘gut feeling’ you have? Rebecca does. Spoiler alert: it is and she explains how you can best use your '2nd brain'.

Sarah Corbett

Activism often conjures up quick transactional signing of petitions, clicktivism, loud and aggressive ways to demand justice. Sarah Corbett, Founder of Craftivist Collective is an introvert and provides 'slow activism' that uses craft as a meditative tool to stop, reflect and act on injustice issues in a transformative and gentle way. With 10 years experience as a professional campaigner and a leading spokesperson in the craftivism movement, Sarah has worked with charities such as Unicef and Save the Children, art institutions such as V&A, organisations such as Tatty Devine and Ben and Jerry's and teaches as universities around the world.