RUNNING ORDER
We’re back for 2024 with a full day of talks at the Rose Theatre in Kingston Upon Thames
Get ready for an inspiring day filled with captivating talks, innovative ideas, and thought-provoking discussions.
Join us on Sunday 14th January 2024 at the Rose Theatre Kingston, located in the heart of Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1LB.
Our theme for 2024 is ‘Living The Good Life’.
What does it mean to live or strive to live ‘The Good Life’? What do we sacrifice? What is important and is it even possible?
What if the pressure of the pursuit itself is what stops us from achieving it? Perhaps it it not about the destination but the journey. After all, no two versions of ‘the good life’ are the same. What does it look like for you?
Channel your inner Tom and Barbara from 1970s sitcom ‘The Good Life’ (famously set in Surbiton) and join us for a day of talks centred around the topic of ‘Living The Good Live’.
We can’t wait to share 12 incredible TEDx talks with you.
Through a day-long event of live talks and performances, TEDxKingstonUponThames – entirely not-for-profit and organised by volunteers – strives to bring our community together with unique stories, opinions and experiences to spark meaningful discussion.
The full line up of talks and performances will be announced in due course.
Speakers and talks are subject to change. Timings are also subject to change however this is a full day event.
Accessible Seats
Please contact us for details of available accessible seats.
DATE AND TIME
Sunday 14th January 2024
Theatre Doors Open 11AM
Event Starts MIDDAY
Event Ends 7PM
LOCATION
Rose Theatre Kingston
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1LB
Running Order
PART ONE: Midday
Mark Webb
In times of crisis, don’t be a stranger
Mark’s powerful and insightful talk will address his advanced disability and celebrate how others have helped him stay happy and productive. He’ll talk about how in times of crisis, when life takes an unexpected turn, we need people to support us, provide hope, positivity and friendship.
Prior to medical retirement, Mark held senior Comms and social media roles at Disneyland Paris, the Walt Disney Company, David Lloyd Leisure, Dixons Retail and Shift.ms.
Listed as one of the most influential disabled people in the UK for the last two years, Mark uses his speaking and social media platforms to campaign on all things diversity, flexible working and mental health.
Matt Morley
Designing green healthy buildings like a good ancestor
The architecture and interiors of our buildings reflect the cultural zeitgeist, just like literature or painting. Today, these concerns are primarily around health and wellness, climate change and reconnecting with nature. How and why should we be designing green healthy buildings like a good ancestor? Not just thinking about how they are important today, but also creating healthy spaces for people in the future.
Matt Morley works at the intersection of wellness and sustainability in real estate and interiors. Born in Kingston Upon Thames, he is now based in Barcelona.
Berrylands Belles - Community Choir
Berrylands Belles is a female voice, non-auditioned community choir, based in Berrylands, Surbiton. The choir was formed in 2015 by opera singer and renowned singing teacher/choral conductor, Rebecca Gresson. The Belles have an extensive and varied repertoire including pop, folk, musicals, classical and contemporary choral. The choir perform regularly in concerts and have raised thousands of pounds for local charities. The Belles have won numerous choral competitions, performed at the London Sangerstevne and recently supported Tenors Unlimited in concert. In May this year, they performed in Stockholm, with the Swedish pianist, Johan Siburg.
Follow the Belles on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Berrylands-Belles-106126701090331/
Nick Rogers
Airships: The Once and Future Kings
Airships were once kings of the skies. Transporting passengers across continents at speed and in luxury, they were the future of long-distance travel. With the tragic loss of the Hindenburg in 1937, the airship dream suddenly died, in one of the few examples of a technology vanishing with nothing to replace it. But with modern technology and materials, and myriad modern roles to perform, could the dream at last become reality?
Nick Rogers, a transport operations professional and a Member of the London Assembly, watched an airship fly over his school at the age of eight and has been hooked ever since. Nick is a former council member of the Airship Association and is the host of the forthcoming podcast ‘Up Ship! The Airship History Podcast’.
Ian Scott
Is the physical store dead?
Ian Scott’s insightful talk looks at how we assumed physical retail was doomed when the Government closed stores during COVID. Instead we have seen stores re-emerge and flourish because we humans love physical interaction. What impact has online shopping had on physical retail and is the high street really dying? Ian addresses the reality behind the negative narrative of physical retail being on it’s way out.
Ian has over twenty years experience visiting stores around the world. He now consults with leading brands and retailers on the evolving retail landscape. He offers a unique customer experience focus, presenting on the topic globally.
Lunch Break - 13:50
PART TWO: 15:00
Hannah Brackenbury - Musical Comedy Performer
Award-winning musical comedy performer Hannah Brackenbury has been tickling the funny bones of Brighton audiences for over a decade. Her hilarious and heartfelt original songs are the perfect accompaniment to her clever and ever-popular song parodies, including ‘Cats Together’ – the classic Taylor Swift spoof! She reached the finals of the Musical Comedy Awards in 2016 and since then has been truly ‘Victorious’ – picking up the award for Best of the Festival at Brighton Fringe 2018 and Best Show at the Funny Women Awards 2019 with her joyful and poignant tribute to the late, great Victoria Wood.
Jess Lorimer
How society has stopped us having sex
Jess Lorimer’s talk will propose the possibility that everyday influences like print and film media, social media and societal norms are causing couples to have less sex, despite seeing it promoted more often. Couples are frequently led to believe that their sex life is ‘not enough’ based on media representation and we’re going to explore how the reality is impacting long-term relationships.
Jess is a recovering millennial perfectionist who had the perfect academic record, the high-flying corporate job, and subsequently the crippling anxiety and burnout that led to creating a sales training consultancy and spending her free time analysing human behaviour.
Rob Brady
Unmasking the truth behind a smile
A personal story reminding us that behind a friend’s smiling face on camera and on social media, there may be hidden struggles. Rob’s powerful talk will address the struggles and understanding that we never truly know the battles a friend or loved one might be fighting behind a smile and the projection of happiness. How do we try to support them and help unmask the truth?
Rob Brady is a twin Dad, Mental Wellbeing Fundraiser, Elite Performance Coach, #1 Bestselling Co-Author, seasoned host of top podcasts and accomplished marathon runner.
Emma Kell
Professional Purpose: Taking control and reducing the risk of burnout
Professional and moral purpose and the fire in our belly to succeed can draw us to noisy, hungry, fulfilling yet challenging jobs but these roles can consume us if we let them. The very ‘spark’ that brought us to these roles can end up burning so bright, it extinguishes. How can we protect ourselves from burnout by putting sensible, sustainable boundaries in place?
Emma Kell is an experienced teacher, writer and founder of a business which helps people get the best out of themselves and one another, through speaking, writing, coaching, and training.
Afua Hagan
Too Dark for Daytime
Afua Hagan is a successful journalist and broadcaster who was once told my a colleague in the TV industry ‘You’re too dark for daytime’ and in this honest and thought-provoking talk she addresses the question – am I just too Black for the business? Afua shares her experiences of being Black and Scottish, writting for a magazine for Black women with no Black employees, and being authentic but feeling like she’s ‘not enough’.
Afua is a journalist and broadcaster, regularly appears on ITV, BBC, LBC, Times Radio and TalkTV, CTV, NBC and is a keynote speaker, diversity and inclusion speaker, event host, moderator, royal commentator and TV & radio presenter.
Break - 16:40
PART THREE - 17:20
Rosa O'Reilly - West End Vocalist
Rosa has worked as a vocalist in London’s West End and Internationally across theatre, film, recording and gig work.
West End theatre credits include Nessa Rose in ‘Wicked’ and understudy Glinda, appearing in London’s production for three years. Other West End theatre includes Soul Girl in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ at Regents Park open air theatre, Elizabeth in ‘Dirty Dancing’, Piccadilly Theatre and UK tour. Other credits include Jasmine in Aladdin (SECC arena Glasgow), covering lead roles in ‘Les Miserables’ (UK tour, Paris and in London) and ‘We Will Rock You’ at the Dominion theatre.
Film & TV work includes Les miserables film (Working title), A Christmas story Christmas (Legendary entertainment), Les mis 20th anniversary at the 02 arena and the all star cast production at the Gielgud theatre, both of which where screened at Cinemas across the UK. TV work includes vocalist in Tmobile advert and performing with ‘Dirty Dancing’ on ITV’s this morning as well as performing at the Oliver awards.
Emma and Charlotte Robertson
Living ‘The Good Life’ Online
At a time when technological advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, extended reality and even social media filters are moving at ‘the speed of tech’, it has never been more important for us to consider how the technologies which have become so central to our existence, are helping us not just to survive, but to thrive. Online safety campaigners (and sisters) Emma and Charlotte Robertson, have spent the last decade conducting research and developing educational programmes that have empowered millions to use technology positively.
Emma and Charlotte are the award-winning founders of online safety organisation Digital Awareness UK. They will use their insights to deliver a reflective talk that encourages listeners to consider their relationships with technology, what a positive relationship looks like for them, and whether it’s possible to achieve the ultimate goal of living ‘The Good Life’ online.
Amyr Rocha Lima
How much is enough?
In this compelling TEDx talk, Amyr Rocha Lima explores the concept of retirement, helping you determine how much money you’ll need to live ‘the good life’ in your golden years. Through demystifying financial planning and striking a balance between sufficiency and excess, Amyr empowers you to navigate your financial journey with confidence, connecting personal finance with living well—and equipping you with the tools to confidently plan for a fulfilling retirement.
Amyr Rocha Lima is a multi-award winning financial planner and is also a Non-Executive Director of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI) and the Chairman of the CISI’s Financial Planning Forum. Originally from Brazil, Amyr has lived around the globe, spending his childhood in Australia and completing his education in the USA and the UK.
Caitlin Limmer
Don't wait for your final 40 Minutes
Caitlin Limmer’s personal and inspiring talk, touches on her personal journey of near-death experience and teaches people what huge lessons sport and community has taught her over the last 20 years.
Caitlin delivers a talk that will make you want to go out and grab every moment of your life, before your final 40 minutes are given to you.
Caitlin overcame the odds of being given 40 minutes to live and has since run 18 marathons, swum ultra-marathons, cycled the Prudential 100 Ride London, and become a Patron of the blood cancer charity MDS Patient Support Group. Just a handful of her many life embracing achievements.
