Theme: The Future is Bright

A day of forward-thinking and big ideas: progressive thinkers and changemakers coming together to share stories, ideas, conversations and a really nice lunch. Visit www.tedxfrensham.com

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organised 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-organised events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organised TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organised (subject to certain rules and regulations).

We're really honoured and excited to have an amazing group of people confirmed to speak. Check back, we're hoping to add a couple more.

Frensham Heights School
Rowledge
Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4EA
United Kingdom

Andrew Fisher

Headmaster at Frensham Heights School

With fourteen year’s experience as a Headmaster, five years as a Deputy Head and five as a boarding Housemaster, as well as twenty one as a father: I have learnt that I do not know as much as I would hope. I continue to love working with young people; they inspire, challenge and offer the hope we need for the future. I also like change, I like the energy one gets from new experiences, or bigger challenges, travel, innovation; teaching at its best is always about change. If you change how you teach, what you expect as an outcome, how to use the abilities and personalities in front of you then teaching is constantly changing. I am recognised for my communication skills, accessibility, empathy and for motivating those within my community. I am a highly committed person, who likes hard work, likes other people, loves working with children; I take great pride in my work and achievements. I have energy, integrity and a strong sense of my own humanity; I can laugh at myself.

Charlie Mackesy

Artist

James Christian

Architect and Cofounding Director of Projects Office

Working under the ethos of ‘fantastic pragmatism’, Projects Office embrace user engagement, storytelling and the use of narrative to create environments anchored in their unique social and cultural contexts. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2011, James has been involved in teaching at several universities, lately as a lecturer in design at Middlesex University. He is fascinated by the notion of ‘bad’ design and how previously condemned ideas can be subverted to inform and shape the built environment for the better. As 2014 Designer in Residence at the Design Museum, he examined whether slum typologies from London’s past could inform the future direction of housing design in the city. Currently, much of his work is within the mental health sector and includes the interior design for the CAMHS unit at a new children’s hospital in Edinburgh. He also explores design for mental health in an arts context, most recently as part of the Wellcome Collection’s Bedlam exhibition.

Jim Pinchen with Raghad Haddad and the I Speak Music Community Orchestra

Professional and young musicians

A team of talented and enthusiastic professional musicians and supporters working with vulnerable and ‘newly arrived’ young people. The project supports budding young musicians, who may feel isolated and vulnerable, to grow in self-confidence as well as improve their musical skills and increase their life opportunities.

Laura Kischkel

PhD Candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry at UCL Great Ormond Street

Laura's interest lies in understanding how human cognition first develops during infancy and early childhood. Her primary background is in Psychology, in which she obtained a BSc degree from the University of Groningen. She then moved to University College London to specialise in Paediatric Neuropsychology. She has worked with children and teenagers in different capacities, but through her studies became more and more interested in the emergence of basic cognitive functions during infancy, enabling all the highly sophisticated processes that we see later on. She is particularly interested in the impact of environmental risk factors during this critical early period, which is what lead to her current research project. She is working towards completion of her PhD as part of the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project, in which they longitudinally map neurocognitive development in infants from birth to two years of life in both the UK and The Gambia, West Africa.

Shafina Vohra

MPhil/ PhD student Psychology & Teacher of A Level Psychology & LEGO trainer

Teacher of A Level Psychology, Head of Faculty Academic, CPL Lead Academic and LEGO lead at London Design & Engineering UTC As a LEGO Education Academy teacher trainer, I use Lego education concepts for STEM based learning and have also developed my own use of LEGO bricks in my teaching and in training staff. I use LEGO foundation 6 bricks, serious play concepts and other components of LEGO education in my delivery of training events or lessons. As a part-time MPhil/PhD candidate in Psychology at UCL, I investigate the effects of hands-on learning using LEGO and LEGO Education to look at the effects of motivation and creativity in learning and whether this leads to an increased interest in the uptake of STEM subjects. I study deep learning vs. surface learning within instruction or in an open context. I am fascinated by the importance of hands-on learning in general and how it facilitates deeper learning, enjoyment, problem-solving, emotional stability, curiosity and creativity,

Tom Doust

Director of Experience and Learning at the Institute of Imagination

A social innovator, Tom Doust has spent his 16 year career designing and delivering creative multi-stakeholder programmes with children, young people, families, schools and communities across the education, design and cultural sectors. He is founder of the social action charity Envision, was a 2013 Clore Fellow with Nesta and is founder of Pop up Parks a health and wellbeing programme with a focus on being physically active in the public realm. Tom is currently Director of Experience and Learning at the Institute of Imagination, a major new cultural space being developed for London. He leads The Institute’s ‘Imagination Lab’ programme: a 15,000 sq ft warehouse on Albert Embankment that runs events and workshops on topics relating to the arts, sciences and digital technologies.