FelsTED Talks Podcasts

Welcome to the FelsTED Talks podcast series where we'll be talking to various members of the community. We're looking forward to finding out what have been the biggest impacts in their development as characters and how each has made a difference to the world around them.

We hope these talks will be inspirational for our pupils and to all who listen.

Dr Chris Smith, 'The Naked Scientist', talks to Chris Townsend

In this episode Chris Townsend talks to Dr Chris Smith, a former Felstedian who is best known as the Naked Scientist, and has been particularly high profile with his coverage of the pandemic on the BBC as an expert virologist. Chris is a medical consultant specialising in clinical microbiology and virology at Cambridge University and Addenbrooke's hospital. Chris laid the foundations for his Naked Scientist radio show, podcast and website back in 1999 and presents on many radio shows around the world.

As one of the first and longest lasting podcast series, it has hit in excess of 40 million downloads around the world, with The Daily Telegraph placing it in their best ever Top 10 podcasts (although that was before the FelsTed Talks!)

Chris has also created podcasts for the Royal Society of Chemistry, presented the first 100 episodes of Nature Podcast for the Nature journal and launched 'The eLife Podcast'. He is an author of 4 science books, published around the world, Dad to two children and husband to a local GP.

16 June
37min

Chris Townsend talks to Sophie Dorothe Lieke

In this episode Chris Townsend talks to Sophie Dorothe Lieke, former Felstedian and Environmentalist. After studying the IB Diploma as an international boarder from Tanzania, Sophie gained a 1st class degree in Biology and Geography at St. Andrew's University. She then secured a scholarship to undertake a nine-month research project, showcasing action against plastic pollution, called Plastic Unwrapped.

Travelling across 6 continents she shared the impact of plastic on our planet, and showcased those who are striving to create solutions to plastic pollution. Due to the pandemic this project is unfortunately on hold but she is currently studying for Masters in Environmental Management at Lancaster University and is working on a dissertation around Pro-Environmental behavior and how it is being managed in the hospitality sector.

She plans to further her studies with a PHD in Sustainable Food Systems in Germany from September and aims to continue with 'Plastic Unwrapped' alongside as they complement each other really well.

Learn more about Plastic Unwrapped

9 June
32min

Simon James talks to Patricia Wardell

In this episode Patricia Wardell, who is currently Deputy Head of an Alternative Provision - Newham Prus working with students that present Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) needs, SEND, vulnerability and disadvantaged young people. She is responsible for designing the curriculum offer and leading formative assessment across the school.

Throughout her career Patricia has worked in a number of mainstream state schools in east London in a variety of roles: from being a PE teacher through to being a Head of House then into Senior Leadership, leading on Student leadership, Enrichment and Careers Advice and Guidance, a role in which she co-authored a book of activities to help young people deal with choices and decisions.

Patricia was also a member of the East London Building Alliance (ELBA), working in partnership with a number of businesses at Canary Wharf to offer transitional work experience for disadvantaged young people. Not only this, but Patricia is an ex-international athlete who competed for England in javelin from 1987 to 1992 and has worked with the London Youth Games in various, roles over the past 30 years.

Patricia is a member of the Felsted Governance Committee and is a Mum to former Felstedian, Alex Wardell, for whom she has shared her love of education and sport.

2 June
35 min

Chris Townsend talks to Jojo Moyes

In this episode Chris Townsend talks to Jojo Moyes, current parent, award winning journalist and best-selling author - she has sold 38 million books worldwide! They discuss what it's like seeing something you've written turn into a Hollywood production, how to get back into reading if you've taken a break and even what we can expect to see on the big screen in the near future that's been written by Jojo Moyes too. She also tells us how she is making a difference in her support of the Quick Reads Scheme, to encourage more people to read.

25 May
34 min

Chris Townsend talks to Dara Akomolafe

In this episode Chris Townsend talks to former Felstedian, Dara Akomolafe, about current events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and the impact students from schools like Felsted can have in making a positive change in the world.

19 May
26 min

Chris Townsend talks to Dr Olivia Chapple

Chris Townsend talks to Dr Olivia Chapple, a former Felstedian and co-founder of Horatio's Garden. She tells us about how this wonderful charity began with her very own moving story and how it's growing to help more and more people with spinal injuries.

She also talks about the importance of kindness. Something that's more important now than ever before and her fond memories of Felsted.

12 May
27 min

horatiosgarden.org.uk

Chris Townsend talks to Max Malins

Chris Townsend talks to Max Malins, England rugby player and former Felstedian. In this episode we discover how it feels to represent your country, as well as how to cope with the moments when things don't go so well.

We also discover some of the people who helped Max on his journey through school.

05 May
22 min

Read more about Max Malins

Read more about Bella and 'Ocean Sheroes'

Bella is a former pupil who some of our community may remember rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 2016, and was a member of the youngest and fastest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic Ocean. As if that was not enough, she is about to embark on a new rowing challenge - rowing the The Great Pacific Rowing Race in May, a 2,700 mile row from San Francisco to Hawaii Her all female crew of four, called 'Ocean Sheroes', are aiming to raise £60K for the SeaBin project, a charity that is helping to clean up our oceans and aiming to break the current female-four World Record of 50 days, 8 hours and 14 minutes, set in 2014.

Known as one of the toughest endurance races on earth, only 60 people (22 teams) have ever completed the row between mainland USA and Hawaii. To put this in perspective, to date, over 4000 people have climbed Mt Everest, 1604 have wintered at the South Pole and 566 people have been to space.

Their campaign is about so much more than rowing an ocean, they aim to build a network of change-makers to create a positive impact for people and the planet. Together, as a community, they want to bring about change in daily behaviours and habits, however small, that collectively preserves our home – the world – for future generations.

The Seabin Project’s purpose is to provide practical and tangible solutions to reduce plastic found in the world’s ocean. Marinas, ports and yacht clubs are the perfect place to start helping clean up the oceans. With no huge open ocean swells or storms inside marinas, these relatively controlled environments provide the perfect location for their “rubbish bins”. £800 would support one Seabin to filter 1760kg of debris from 274 million litres of water – the equivalent of 109 Olympic sized swimming pools! When Bella is not rowing, she works for a company based in Cornwall, called Flexi-Hex, a plastic free packaging company that has the strongest eco credentials as its core value.

Ocean Sheroes

SeaBin

Chris Townsend talks to Eddie Hearn

In our first episode, Chris Townsend asks Eddie Hearn to talk about life as a sports promoter, a podcast host himself on BBC Radio 5 live and what life is like as a Felsted parent.

Eddie is best known as the Managing Director of Matchroom Boxing. Since its debut in 1987, Matchroom Boxing has gone from strength to strength and now represents some of the most famous boxers in the world such as Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor. Eddie also has his own very successful Podcast series called 'No Passion, No Point', where he goes behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in sport, entertainment and politics.

9 April
41 min

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