Forgive me, lovely people, for it has been 4 weeks since my last blog post.

After writing about WWIBLs and WOLs, life dictated that I try out “WWIBL if I didn’t post a blog for several weeks?”, and it turns out the world didn’t stop turning. Thanks to those of you who wrote to me to ask if I was still alive. I am.

Blogs will get back to (something like) normal from next week, but for now I am going to dedicate this post to an event dear to my heart – TEDxStroud. I first had the idea for this a little over a year ago, when the coronavirus still seemed to be something that happened to other countries, and well before the UK went into lockdown. Looks like I picked an “interesting” year to curate a TEDx.

But at last, after a long year of preparation, in which the committee and speakers have had to adapt and pivot many times as the UK danced in and out of lockdown, I am proud to say that we will be streaming eight incredible speakers online this coming Sunday, 21st March, from 2pm to 5pm UK time. No matter where in the world you are, I hope you will join us to revel in the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work.

Tickets are a bargain at £7.50, bookable through Eventbrite. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

If you’re on LinkedIn, please check out this great video from our Production Manager Sally Eden on the making of TEDxStroud.

Here are the treats we have in store for you:

Dr Lucy Chan – ‘How I Saved a Life with Fierce Compassion’: Director of the Mindful Living Community, Lucy talks about the powerful “Mama Bear” kind of compassion that we can bring in service to others.

Inez Aponte – ‘Reclaiming the art of living well – and why our future depends on it’: Inez is a facilitator and educator in the Human Scale Development Approach and explains Barefoot Economics.

Ann Finlayson – ‘Education – What is it good for?’: The Chief Executive at SEEd examines how education needs to be rethought to truly support our young people.

Nishita Dewan Shea – ‘The magic of unlikely alliances’: Lockdown created the space for Nishita to re-examine her own values – and to realise the benefits of unlikely alliances.

Angela Findlay – ‘Facing the past to liberate the present’: Angela Findlay is a professional artist, writer and speaker. Her former career teaching art in prisons, plus extensive research and writings on Germany’s post-WW2 process of commemoration, reveal the potential of the arts to bring about healing and change.

Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed, PhD – ‘A Mother’s Gift to Humanity… Period Justice’: After losing her daughter, Zareen poured her energy into alleviating period poverty for women and girls in the UK and abroad.

Shalize Nicholas – ‘What is Zero Waste clothing?’: The designer and director at Stroud store Madia & Matilda tells us why she’s passionate about zero waste.

Jojo Mehta – ‘Ecocide law: protecting the future of life on Earth’: Carrying forward the legacy of her best friend, Polly Higgins (who was also a dear friend of mine), Jojo’s campaign to make it an international crime to wilfully harm our planet.

Although of course the speaker videos will be available later on YouTube, this will be your only chance to see two beautiful performance pieces during the breaks, to participate in the chat with members of the committee and our speakers… and to see me acting as Master (Mistress?) of Ceremonies!

That link again for tickets!

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