Theme: Life Chances

Taking place from 9am until 6pm, at Keighley College will be welcoming guest speakers from a variety of sectors including health, technology, entrepreneurship and marketing. TEDx is an international community that organises TED-style events across the globe, celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage.

TEDx events are produced independently of TED conferences, with each event curating speakers on their own based on TED's format and rules.

Kevin O’Hare, principal at Keighley College, said: “We are delighted to be bringing together speakers to share their views on a range of subjects that will inspire and engage our students and the wider community.

“This is an opportunity to raise the profile of Keighley and introduce the community to a range of exciting opportunities to expand their horizons and mindsets, as well as hear from like-minded experts in their fields who share their thinking and ideas that will lead to growth in the town and its surrounding areas.”

The overall theme for Keighley’s TEDx is ‘life chances’. The event will take into account the unprecedented experiences and stories that the world – and the Keighley district – has faced in light of the pandemic.

Speakers will include leaders from around Keighley who will cover topics such as mental health and wellbeing, start-ups and sustainability, positive marketing and more.

Tim Rogers, Founder of Future Transformations that runs TEDx, said: “Keighley has a rich history with the globally recognised Bronte Parsonage, Keighley Worth Valley Railway, manufacturing businesses and engineering businesses continuing to be the town's bread and butter.

“Hosting it at Keighley College makes sense. Not only is it recognisable, it's important to highlight the college's role in the town and its significance in shaping the minds, characters and skills of the workforce.”

Tim added that diversity of the town is key and that by representing the people of the town with their experiences, culture and backgrounds, it would also showcase the town's inclusiveness and commitment to building a better, stronger and sustainable community.

“Keighley needs to bring together all of its assets, communities, educators and businesses to make it a sustainable place to live and work and I believe the town has the capacity, intellectual authority and motivation to become a successful, prosperous place which welcomes new ideas, business and education.”

The flagship TED Conference is held annually on the North American West Coast. The breadth of content includes science, business, the arts, technology and global issues.

The event is free to attend and the college would like to welcome businesses and members of the community to join.

Keighley College
Bradford Road
Keighley, Bradford, BD21 4HQ
United Kingdom

Ahmed Al-aagam

Social Entrepreneurs Support Manager

Over 15 years' experience working in the fields of social innovation & entrepreneurship, youth engagement & civic leadership. Also founding Chair of the Commission for Youth Social Enterprise, trustee of Voluntary Action Sheffield and co-founded a number of social ventures. Achieving high profile recognition, press coverage, awards and delivered work internationally across South East Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas. Projects span strategy development, stakeholder engagement, events, advocacy, project management and experiential learning. Having worked with governments, global corporations, Embassies, charities, local authorities, Police forces and grassroot community organisations. Believing that celebrating the journeys and sharing the stories of the extraordinary social innovators who are tackling the world's major societal challenges will offer a message of hope and empowerment to others to take action creating positive difference through social entrepreneurship.

Allan Clark

Trustee and Secretary

I am currently a Trustee and Secretary for the Charity which at it’s heart is set up as ‘Peer to Peer’ support in tackling Mental Health and Wellbeing. At an early stage we decided not to call it a ‘Men’s Shed’ as following the teaching at different centres it was clear that a lot of Ladies were interested in Woodwork, DIY and Horticulture, so it became The Lion’s Den Shed. We have two days for ‘Men Only’ and Two days ‘Mixed’. I am Ambassador for the North of England representing the UK Men’s Sheds Association. In 2021 I was accepted as an Independent Town Councillor for Bracken Bank and Ingrow. I am also Treasurer for the Cliffe Castle Support Group (CCSG) I have three grown up boys and three granddaughters, and am currently a carer for my wife of 46years as she battles with FTD (Frontal Temporal Dementia), so keeping busy is my way of coping.

CTE Team

Learning Partnership Manager

Sitting within SkillsHouse all age careers and employability services, Careers and Technical Education (CTE) places meaningful employer led skills development at its heart to ensure the young people of Bradford District are future-ready. CTE improves life chances through forging meaningful education and employer partnerships. We provide a framework enabling opportunities across the district between employers from 15 core sectors and learning providers, acting as a one-stop shop to truly integrate careers and technical skills development into the curriculum and invest in future talent. Since its launch, CTE partnerships have positively impacted over 40,000 young people across Bradford.

Farida Zaman

Local Development Lead

Farida Zaman is the Local Development Lead for Bradford at Business in the Community (BiTC) working in collaboration with businesses, local and regional councils and the VCS sector to create sustainable economic, social and environmental growth, to ensure no one is left behind. Farida’s work has a Keighley focus where she has been engaging with local businesses, town council, schools and charities to impact on social mobility. She is a Psychology graduate and speaks 3 languages, and as a survivor of domestic abuse, she is passionate about inspiring others on their journey to emotional, psychological and financial freedom.

Gemma Birbeck

Director

Having started adult life as an eating disorder sufferer and continuing to struggle for a decade, Gemma’s career in PR didn’t begin until aged 25. Volunteering for a local rugby club, it became evident that the development and implementation of communications strategies was her true calling - a realisation that was reinforced when an expert PR agent declared she had natural talent. Following his advice to seek a career in the industry, Gemma set on a mission to secure an entry level role within agency, but it soon became apparent that the industry was broken, requiring years of experience for even the most junior roles. This didn’t stop Gemma. She continued to invest in CPD, gaining qualifications and documented experience, as well as volunteer PR roles to build a portfolio demonstrating her talent. In 2017, she secured her first PR role in agency and the rest is history. Gemma is now the proud owner of 3 year old agency, Loaded PR, an agency committed to making PR accessible for all.

Helen O'Connell

Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Social Entrepreneur

Helen trained as a nurse at Bradford University before travelling to Canada and working there for 2 years. After nursing for a year at sea she did a degree in Advance Practice at Kings College London, before eventually settling back in the area where she grew up. She now works as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in a GP practice in West Yorkshire where she lives with her husband and 2 children. After 25 years of nursing, Helen was proud to be awarded the title of Queens Nurse early in 2020. Years of nursing practice have led to a passion about the power of social prescribing to improve health outcomes and reduce the pressure on traditional medical help. Helen became a social entrepreneur when she founded Treacle.me in 2020. It is a community interest company which aims to put social prescribing information into the hands of the people who need it most. Treacle is now being used by schools, social workers and the voluntary sector, along with many in the community to gain access to support

Ian Miller

Barrister & Associate Professor

Ian has a breadth of experience as a practising barrister having practised in a whole range of civil and family disputes in a career stemming over 20 years. Ian Joined the University of Bradford as a Lecturer in Law in 2014. He has held numerous roles including acting Head and Deputy Head. Ian set up the University’s first law clinic ‘Justice Bradford – Delivering Education through Public Service’ and heads up a team delivering clinical legal education to the whole law school. He also teaches family law and the law of tort. Ian has for several years enjoyed researching and teaching the legal aspects of AI and technology and the law from a technical, legal and ethical perspective. Ian has a keen interest in the development of AI and its practical uses and is keen to engage general public and students alike into the benefits of it in our day to day lives. Ian believes that AI is not something to be afraid of, but something to be understood and embraced by all of us.

Jag Panesar

Director

In 2007, Jag set out to make his mark on the world, inspired by his late Grandfather’s success and commitment to do right by the people in his community. With extensive knowledge of business and how digital marketing aids its growth, he single handedly set up Xpand, a digital agency based in the historic village of Saltaire. Never taking his focus off his mantra ‘purpose beyond profit’, Jag built a reputable business now recognized as one which not only delivers return on investment but integrates itself within the local community. In 2021 Jag further pursued his mission by supporting local entrepreneurs through the Northern max 10x10 mentoring programme. In this year, Jag was also appointed to the Chamber Bradford Leadership group, a role which sees him help to shape chamber policy and act as a voice for local business people.

Jason Atkinson

Head of Technical and Product Development

Jason's career started 15 years ago as an electrical apprentice, working in teams across manufacturing before progressing onto the service division where he developed skills in commissioning, electrical controls, and combustion engineering. Jason then took a secondment to develop a control system named Unity, a product that went on to win an award in Innovation at the House of Lords in 2015, followed by a Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation 2016. Alongside his day-to-day responsibilities at Byworth, Jason is the driving force behind development of young people within the business, most notably their industry leading apprenticeship scheme that now accounts for over 10% of their workforce. He believes one of the strongest investments a business can make is in young people, giving them guidance and freedom, they can become some of a company’s greatest assets.

Jimmy Vaughan

Peer Support Facilitator

I'm a childhood sexual abuse survivor. I was groomed at 14 then abused for many years by 2 men and this caused me to spiral out of control, i was using self harm, risk taking behaviour, drugs, drink amd fighting to hide the anger that i had inside me. It ruined jobs, dreams relationships and gave me serious mental health issues that i still suffer with upto this day. I finally reported both of them and one was taken to court and one was never convicted. As I left court I gave an interview on local news and wanted to do more to help other people who had been through what I had so I co-founded an online support group for abuse survivors and then peer support for men with mental health issues. I now volunteer with a local organistion called missing peace wellbeing and support and help run two peer support groups, 1 for male survivors of abuse and 1 for mens mental health, we offer a safe place for them all to come talk and offload in an environment where we all understand and dont judge.

Kim Johnston

Regional Partnership Director

Kim is the Regional Partnerships Director in the north for CityFibre, the UK’s largest alternate provider of full fibre broadband. She has a background in construction and business development having previously worked for Leeds City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and a Fibre Optic equipment manufacturer. She also recently completed a PhD In Public Health, researching the impact of integration teams within the English health and social care system, giving her an excellent understanding of collaborative working within private, public and third sector organisations. 'I feel passionate about connecting cities and people. I am a strong advocate for community engagement, digital inclusion and partnership working'

Krystal Ramsey

KR

Louisa Rose Mackleston

Filmmaker & Assistant Director

Louisa has worked as an Assistant Director in the Film & TV industry for the past 4 years. In January 2021 she opened her production company - Northern Fortress Films. NFF's mission is to shine a spotlight on the North, create authentic content and to increase diversity and representation across all aspects of the industry. In 2021 she was awarded the Young Change Maker's Fellowship by the Virgin Money Foundation, for her plans to educate the young people of Bradford and empower them to chase their dream careers in Film & TV. Her award-winning film, Ruth & Safiya, has been shown internationally and was an official selection at Leeds International Film Festival.

Mai Elshehaly

Assistant Professor in Computer Science

Mai holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Center for Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech, VA, USA and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the Suez Canal University. Before her current appointment, she worked as a research fellow at the University of Leeds and at University of Maryland. Mai is the Deputy Director of the Digital Makers Programme, a cross-sector initiative to support the digital transformation of the City of Bradford. She is also the Deputy Director of the University's Workforce Observatory for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Integrated Care Systems. She leads the InVisAI group, a special interest group at the University of Bradford, focusing on information visualisation and AI. Her primary research interests include Human-Computer Interaction and Visual Analytics, particularly the human-centered design and evaluation of visualisation for healthcare data analytics. She is a member of the advisory board for the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research.

Mark Cowgill

Founder

Mark Cowgill Co-founded Bradford-based ISP Exa Networks alongside Thomas Mangin in 2003, they now provide award winning internet services to thousands of Schools and Businesses across the UK. As a proud Bradfordian, Mark is very passionate about doing as much as he can for his local community. Be it through exa.foundation, through work with the Bradford BID and Aspiration Bradford and partnerships with companies such as Ahead Partnership, Exa genuinely care about helping our future generations and local economy thrive.

Nick Smith

Founder Missing Peace

I co-founded Missing Peace Wellbeing + Support in 2017. I was awarded a National Health Star Award in the Lifesaver category from Good Morning Britain in 2017. I have been on BBC Radio Leeds chatting about mental health and my work trying to improve services. I was on BBC Look North discussing my personal experiences of being sectioned under the mental health act & the stigma associated with it. I won a You’re A Star Award from BDCFT for my volunteering and input into shaping services. I was on the steering group for The Cellar Trust Haven in Shipley. I was invited onto the management board for the AMHP (Approved Mental Health Professional) course at Bradford University. I was a Public Governor for Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). In December 2019 I qualified as an Accredited Advanced Seminar III WRAP Facilitator. I am Adult & Young People Mental Health First Aid Trained. I am ASIST Suicide First Aid Trained.

Nick Watkins

CEO

Passionate about changing the plant milk landscape, Nick founded MIGHTY alongside his younger brother Tom who (like many people out there) both suffer from an intolerance to dairy. Together they found the dairy-free milk alternatives to be lacking, whether it be in nutrition, taste or functionality, so they to quit their jobs to start making Pea Milk! After a successful career in grocery retail at NAM’s, where he helped brands to secure those vital supermarket listings. Nick left his job in search of a dairy alternative that was nutritious and kinder to the planet. After a fair amount of research, they found that the yellow split peas as a heathy alternative and developed a clear sustainable vision. Since then, MIGHTY has gone from strength to strength and soon MIGHTY m.lks will be in 5,000 stores and in 12 different countries across the UK, EU and Asia. For Nick it’s important to deliver a new vision for plant milk that’s more sustainable.

Philip Sheridan

Facilitator and former educator at the School of Medicine

In 2002 Philip survived a near fatal road accident that left him with multiple injuries and the eventual amputation of his right leg. Since his accident he has taken on public speaking engagement and guest lectures around the UK. He has published two collections of poetry and facilitates poetry workshops with adults exploring language, identity and meaning. In December 2013 Philip received the Award for Inspiration at the national Limbless Association Prosthetic and Orthotic Awards at Westminster, London. He is Patron to VX Sport - a fast, exciting inclusive sport for everyone.

Robert Watts

Global Apprenticeship and Talent Program Manager

Robert is a globally recognized Apprenticeship expert and Leader, having designed and implemented programs in multiple countries. Having been recognized for his passion and dedication to technical education through various awards including Princess Royal Awards, National Apprenticeship Awards and multiple education and diversity awards. He has dedicated his time to setting up programs to help widen the diversity in technical education and Apprenticeships including helping to found and set up the Royal Society of Biology Apprenticeship(RSB) Awards, The Apprenticeship Decent Wage Pledge and the Science Apprentices Forum. He’s chaired and run multiple Apprenticeship Trailblazers and chaired the Science Education and Apprenticeship Trailblazer Oversite Committee and RSB Apprenticeship Accreditation Group. The driving force behind many programs, he is committed to helping others reach their full potential no matter their age or background.