A Moment of Change – TEDx Winchester
TED is all about “ideas worth spreading” and, given the increasing need for connection and conversation today, I feel like events such as this are more important than ever. So, I was delighted to find out that Winchester was getting its very own TED event. TEDx Winchester was going to take place on 25th March at the University of Winchester and promised to be a highlight of the spring calendar for the city. With Corona everything has changed of course, but I still thought it was worth talking about this. We can look at other TED and TEDx talks while we’re staying at home.
The TEDx series of events is part of the broader TED brand – this actually stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, which was the original focus of the talks. Today, however, you can find an incredibly broad range of topics on the agenda, from space through to building resilience. TEDx is a self-organised series of events, which enables people to come together and have a “TED-like” experience. I.e. one that is inspiring, creative and sends us home with some fantastic ideas to follow up on.
The theme for the TEDx Winchester event is “Moment of Change” and speakers were being asked to celebrate and talk about their own experience of this. I am not speaking at the event (maybe next time!) but I feel like this is an excellent topic to focus on given the transformations that have been taking place all around us over the past year or so. By the time it actually runs it’ll be even more pertinent. I moved house 4 weeks ago today which seemed a huge change at the time - and I know that many of you are also conscious of change – particularly now as we contend with having to stay at home, but that doesn’t diminish either recent or historic changes - and the impact that has had on your lives.
Speakers on the agenda at the TEDx event included Dr Sophie Arthur, Science Communicator, from MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and Hannah Bellamy, MD, UK of charity: water, which is a non-profit bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries. There were speakers from the world of tech and creative too, including Paul Austin, Co-founder of London-based creative studio Made Thought and Ben Scott-Robinson, Co-founder of The Small Robot Company. It promises to be a thoroughly thought provoking event, particularly with the topic of change at the heart of the agenda.
The fact that TEDx will come to Winchester also represents to me that this is a city in flux – and changing in a positive way. There are many creatives and ideas people in the city now and it is a place where exciting and interesting conversations are taking place on a daily basis, even, and maybe particularly during this national crisis. Community is something that I place huge value on, especially when it comes to raising awareness with a view to making connections and achieving positive change. Events like this are the ideal springboard to bring people together and create new opportunities for conversations that could lead to… well anywhere. These open horizons are just what we will all need after this difficult time, not forgetting that we had a rather chaotic and stormy start to the year as well.
Well, nobody is going to TEDx Winchester this year but if you’re looking for direction and inspiring conversation then come and find me and my fellow coaches at Open House Deli in Winchester. Normally we are there each Friday morning for great coffee and good chat in a welcoming environment, but for now find us on-line.