What if real strength isn’t about fighting harder, but knowing when to change direction? In this inspiring talk, martial artist and coach Nicola Barke shares how lessons from the ring can help us build resilience, adapt to life’s challenges, and find power in flexibility. Her story reveals that success isn’t just about throwing punches - it’s about having the courage to step into a new lane when it matters most. Nicola Barke, aka The Burmese Python, is a two-sport World Champion and the UK’s first female Lethwei fighter, breaking barriers in one of the world’s toughest combat sports. Now an undefeated pro boxer with Queensberry Promotions, she blends power with creativity, proving adaptability wins in and out of the ring.Her journey - facing narcolepsy, life-threatening injuries, and a brain tumour - has fuelled reinvention: from biomedical science graduate to global project manager to inspiring speaker. Nicola believes the creativity behind elite performance can shape agile, visionary leaders. Her story is proof that resilience plus imagination is unstoppable. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Play isn’t just for children - it’s essential for adults too. In this uplifting talk, Stephen Morris explores how play helps us think more creatively, manage stress, and build stronger connections.He shares four simple ideas - Permission, Perspective, Practice, and People - to help anyone bring more play into everyday life and rediscover a sense of curiosity, joy, and humanity. Stephen Morris is a Play Design Specialist and Interaction Design Master at The LEGO Group, with 20+ years of experience crafting imaginative, tech-driven experiences for brands like Disney, Cartoon Network, and the BBC.Blending storytelling, programming, and curiosity, Stephen champions play not just as fun, but as a mindset for innovation, connection, and resilience. Through his talks and workshops, he inspires leaders, educators, and creatives to ask: what might change if we made more space for play? This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Partnerships shape every part of our lives - from business ventures to friendships, creative collaborations to communities. But what makes them truly thrive?In this talk, Shaline Manhertz and Kris Fasunloye reveal a powerful five-part framework that uncovers the magic behind successful partnerships and reminds us that great things are rarely built alone. This dynamic duo have 50 years of strategic communications and engagement expertise acquired in central and local government driving transformative change in governmental systems.Heading up communications and media teams on instrumental and impactful projects, including:+ Establishing a lasting legacy from the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. + Pioneering efforts to enhance maternity services safety for mothers and babies through the Ockenden Maternity Review, the largest-ever review of an NHS serviceKristianah and Shaline’s partnership brings a wealth of understanding of the best government policies, processes, and systems and implements them in other industries. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Neil Newbon shares how acting in video games gave him a new creative beginning after years of struggling to find his place in TV and film.Despite advice from others to give up, he followed his instincts and discovered a path that brought fulfilment, stability, and lasting friendships. Through performance capture, he found not only a career but a renewed sense of purpose and fatherhood. Neil is an award-winning actor and performance capture specialist known for bringing to life standout video game characters such as Karl Heisenberg (Resident Evil Village from Capcom) and Astarion (Baldur’s Gate 3 from Larian Studios), the latter earning him Best Performance at The Game Awards 2023 and a BAFTA in 2024. With a background in theatre, film and TV, Neil transitioned into voice and mocap work in the 2010s and has become one of the industry’s leading figures.He now runs the Performance Captured Academy, helping train the next generation of game performers, and recently co-founded the Pixel Pack, a collective advocating for the recognition and rights of actors in games - particularly in response to the rise of AI in digital performance. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this TEDx talk Imla boldly explores how fear especially glossophobia, the fear of public speaking can hinder innovation. She reflects on her personal journey, battling anxiety and panic attacks triggered by speaking in public. Despite having ideas and resources, many hesitate to act due to fear of failure or rejection. Innovation, she argues, isn’t just about groundbreaking inventions but about overcoming internal barriers because by becoming self-aware and confronting our fears, we unlock our potential. She argues that greatest innovation isn’t a product; it’s the person you become when you choose courage over comfort and growth over avoidance. Imla is a gifted and well-rounded student whose creativity, intellect, and leadership have consistently set her apart. From a young age, she has shown a remarkable ability to balance academic excellence with artistic and extracurricular pursuits. At ten, she sold two original artworks at her school’s exhibition, and by twelve, she starred in Pinot the Musical, a French-language production staged at Alliance Française. She also illustrated a published children’s book now on sale at Amazon, at age twelve. Academically, Imla has maintained honour roll status since Year 7, consistently earning grades above 90%. She has held key leadership roles, including Class Captain, Vice Captain, and Deputy Head Girl in primary school, reflecting her reliability and ability to inspire peers. Her intellectual curiosity led her to compete in the Global Live Mental Maths Competition in the Grandmaster and Zenmaster categories, and to lead her team in the QAPS Sustainability Innovation Challenge in 2025. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

In this speech, Chimamanda boldly submits that innovation isn’t always loud or futuristic; it can be quiet, rooted in the tension between tradition and technology. She reflects on identity, belonging, and the blurry space between cultural heritage and modern life and explores the struggle of feeling disconnected from her roots while embracing digital tools to reconnect. Through personal stories and examples, Chimamanda shows how today’s youth remix ancestral wisdom with tech to create something new. Innovation, she argues, is not choosing one path but blending both. It’s reclaiming identity, honoring heritage, and boldly shaping the future by standing not at the edge, but right in the middle. Chimamanda Anenechukwu is a well-motivated and intellectually curious student whose passion for justice and innovation sets her apart. A consistent Honour Roll achiever, she earned an A* in early IGCSE, showcasing her academic excellence and commitment to learning. She aspires to study cybersecurity and criminology, fields that reflect her dual love for technology and her desire to advocate for justice. Her feminist values, inspired by her mentor Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, shape her vision for a more equitable society.Chimamada’s interests span both the analytical and the creative. She enjoys reading and journaling, and has a strong affinity for debates, where she hones her voice and sharpens her perspective. Her internship at CC Interiors allowed her to explore interior design, where she developed skills in moodboarding and spatial aesthetics—an experience that complements her mathematical aptitude and creative flair. She is poised to become a change maker. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx