Latest news with #ChampionsSpeakersAgency
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
From Edinburgh to Invictus: JJ Chalmers on resilience, recovery & life after the Marines
JJ Chalmers' remarkable journey began right here in Edinburgh. Born and raised in the Scottish capital, the former Royal Marine Commando has become a symbol of resilience, determination and transformation. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Since his military service, JJ has competed in the Invictus Games, become a popular BBC broadcaster, and shared powerful stories of recovery, service and identity with audiences around the world. His journey from the battlefield to the television screen has made him one of the UK's most compelling voices on perseverance and mental strength. In this exclusive interview with Champions Speakers Agency, JJ opens up about the personal challenges behind his recovery, the lasting impact of the Invictus Games, and why open conversations around mental health and purpose are more important than ever. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: Mental health is an ongoing conversation in society. How did you personally manage your emotional and psychological wellbeing through recovery? JJ Chalmers - Champions Speakers Agency JJ Chalmers: 'Amazingly, with my mental health, I just happened, I think, to do the right things. 'When I look at the points in my recovery where things could have gone terribly wrong with my mental health, I think by accident I did the right things — and that was mainly through my openness and my honesty. 'My ability to vocalise what I was seeing, how I was struggling — not even necessarily ask for help, but just say it to people in a manner where they could offer help or they could at least just listen. And that burden was taken off of me. 'Again, no one really told me to do that. And it wasn't even that I was doing it necessarily with a trained professional. It was more that — just not letting things build up within myself, being open, being honest with others and therefore being honest with myself. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad JJ Chalmers - The Mental Health Speakers Agency 'That, when I look back at it, was what has steered me away from some of the catastrophic outcomes that, sadly, some of my friends have suffered from — are suffering with. 'But it's not to say that I always get it right, and it's not to say that it was easy. But I do count myself lucky. Not that it didn't happen to me, but rather that I just managed to avert it — through unintentional means, essentially.' Q: The Invictus Games have become a powerful platform for veterans. How did taking part influence your journey and future direction? JJ Chalmers: 'The Invictus Games were the most sort of critical catalyst point in my recovery. JJ Chalmers - The Motivational Speakers Agency 'In some ways, it was where all began to — I think — make sense or come good. And suddenly it was being able to gauge the fact that in the last — God, it had been three or four years up to that point — I had made tremendous progress. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But because I was starting from so low, and more crucially, I was starting from a place that was well below what I was used to experiencing, it was always sort of 'I want to get back to normal, I want to get back to feeling like myself, I want to get back to having the ability that I had before.' 'But time had passed. Actually, what you want is to progress within that time. And so the Invictus Games is the first moment where I actually felt like I had begun to surpass my expectations of myself. 'And that was actually more like what it used to be — I used to go out and challenge myself and really push myself. That's what the Marines was. And so the opportunity to pull in a uniform and represent my country, win medals — that was me suddenly achieving something which I never really thought possible, even before my injuries. So that was an amazing thing. 'But I suppose the other part of it was it gave me a real understanding and an appreciation of the world I was living in — the veteran recovery space — and just how powerful it was. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'd taken for granted this incredible inspiration I had around me. Invictus was branding that up. It was trying its best to basically bottle that so that you could give it to others. 'And of course, that was the thing that really excited me and drew me to wanting to be a broadcaster and work in TV and radio — because that was the opportunity to tell people stories who were otherwise overlooked, but I knew had an amazing story to tell and an amazing purpose. 'I used to be a teacher once upon a time, and in some ways as a TV presenter, I still see myself as a teacher. 'Because you're imparting knowledge and information on people, you're telling stories — so that's what I'm doing with a much bigger platform. But none of that would have been possible without the Invictus Games, because it just supercharged my recovery and, I suppose, my ambition with it. It really motivated me to think that something extraordinary could be possible.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: Your military service with the Royal Marines began in 2005. How did that experience influence the values you live by today? JJ Chalmers: 'It's funny because it's kind of chicken and egg in the sense that it absolutely shaped so many of my values and standards, but the ones I already had. So I went to the Marines because I had those things. I had that sense of service and I was quietly determined. I looked for positivity and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. Those are the things that drew me to the Marines. 'But then what the Marines do is put you in situations where you really develop that, and that's getting thrown in puddles, being cold, wet and miserable, and all the way to Afghanistan facing the hardest circumstances you can imagine. 'And obviously, my injuries in amongst that — those were situations where I had been drawn to because of the values that I had, but they aligned with the Marines. And then, what I guess what I'm saying is, those things have stayed with me well beyond that and that heightened amount of it. 'So yeah, my day-to-day life now — it is that sense of looking for the positive, looking for the silver lining in any situation, having that sort of positive drive, that relentless pursuit of excellence, determination, never giving up — because you know it's worth it in the end.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: In facing life-changing injuries, what proved to be the most significant challenge during your recovery? JJ Chalmers: 'It is hard to tell because there were a lot of hurdles and you had to clear some of them more than once. But the biggest thing is wrapping your head around the enormity of what you're facing, I suppose. 'The doctors told me my recovery would take a year and a half to two years. The reality is it took more like five to six years — and actually, ten years later, you realise you're never recovered. I will never have the physical ability that I used to. It's not to say that I can't be fit, it's not to say that I can't challenge myself, but I will never do things in the way that I used to. 'And so you'll never be fully recovered. And that is both a physical challenge but also a mental challenge to be able to adjust and accept that. And accepting things like going from being fiercely independent in the Marines to now being quite dependent on others. 'And that's not a bad thing. There's a positive to be learned about appreciating the support networks you have and having people to rely on. But it was — losing your independence is a terrifying thing and it's a really hard thing to adjust to. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So I think the biggest thing was just trying to adjust to the enormity of the challenge and the fact that the repercussions of what I sustained will live with me forever.' This exclusive interview with JJ Chalmers was conducted by Sophia Hayes.
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Lanarkshire's Caroline Ashley on Climate, Equity, and the Real Business Case for ESG
Caroline Ashley's journey to becoming one of the UK's most respected voices in sustainability began in Lanark, Lanarkshire—where her passion for environmental justice and inclusive development first took root. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Raised in the Scottish countryside, Caroline developed a deep appreciation for landscapes, livelihoods, and the interconnectedness of communities and climate. That early awareness would later shape her global impact, as she emerged as a pioneering figure in business sustainability and policy innovation. Now recognised as a leading authority on Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance (ESG), Caroline advises multinationals, investors, and policymakers on how to drive systemic change in the face of climate breakdown, economic inequality, and social unrest. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a background spanning international development, green economics, and corporate strategy, she brings a rare depth of insight into how organisations can lead with purpose while delivering long-term resilience. Caroline Ashley - Champions Speakers Agency / Sustainability Speakers Agency In this exclusive interview with Champions Speakers Agency, Caroline offers a timely perspective on just transitions, sustainable markets, and the future of business in a rapidly changing world. Q: Given Scotland's economic ambitions and climate targets, what would you say to business leaders who still view sustainability as a financial burden rather than an investment? Caroline Ashley: 'I would ask, what's the business case for your business in a world where huge swathes of population can't live where they're living, huge parts of our arable land are not arable anymore, basic ecosystem services such as pollination are breaking down? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Before you reach those, you'll have societal disruption. So what does a business look like where societies are not working? I would ask, did COVID affect your business? Well, let's look at the data that's telling us that the impacts of climate change, and the societal disruption that goes with it, is going to be even greater than that. Caroline Ashley - Champions Speakers Agency 'I was just looking at data on heat stress, which has been in the news recently. Obviously, I have a colleague based in India, and he's telling me about how they have to stay inside in the air conditioning. 'As many people as went off work during COVID, half as many as that are already missing work due to heat stress—and that's before we get to 1.5° of climate change. So I would ask people to think about COVID, and think about it multiplied. 'And I would finally say, does your business have insurance? They probably would say yes. And I'd say, how will you operate when you get to the point where there are many things for which your business cannot get insurance? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'And that's not, you know, science fiction. Insurance companies are really thinking about what happens when things are not insurable anymore.' Q: In your view, what is the single most transformative step that Scottish businesses—large or small—can take to drive meaningful environmental change? Caroline Ashley: 'The businesses are all over the shop. We've got some real leaders, and we've got some real laggards. So it's hard to say one thing. But the one thing that I think is common across all of them, they all need, is to understand their role and their responsibility in driving change—and their ambition. 'And I would say that amounts to a few different things. One is to just say, we're doing better than we did last year. That's not enough. Is it actually what society needs? Is it actually what the planet needs? If it's not enough, it's still not good enough. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Another is not to say, we're doing better than other people in our sector. Again, that's not enough. We can still go to hell in a handcart, to use a phrase, if we're doing it that way. 'But another really important one is to say, business has a role and a responsibility to be part of a bigger change. So I wouldn't just say, change your own business to look after yourself. I'd say we're on a huge socio-economic transition here. 'And it's about how business teams up with others, how they work. We call it system change—changing everything from the narratives that underlie the surface, to the specific actions. Think about how you're part of a bigger process of change. Some businesses have done that. 'But if the leaders at the top are not really signed up to being part of the future, I don't think all these ESG targets and sustainability things on the website—or even just dealing with your emissions, at least in your Scope 1/2—I don't think that's going to be enough. You have to have that vision at the top.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: As the transition to a green economy accelerates, how can we ensure it's a just transition that includes rural communities and those historically left behind? Caroline Ashley: 'I think that's the key question that we are beginning to realise has not been addressed yet. Change is coming. And is it going to be a just transition? There are two reasons why we have to focus on whether it's going to be just. One is really practical. 'You might be an immoral or amoral person, but to be honest, any change we have—it's not going to last, it's not going to be sustainable, it's going to be challenged socially or politically if it doesn't work for people. 'We've already seen that in examples where people protest what are relatively small changes, compared to what we need. So, to be practical, it's got to be socially inclusive and fair. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There's also the moral argument that this is our chance to change how we run the economy—to solve these twin evils of biosphere breakdown and gross inequality. 'Due to COVID, for the first time in many, many years, poverty's actually going back up. Inequality is incredibly deep. We need to address that at the same time we restructure our economy. We can do both now. 'It is interesting that just transition is coming on the agenda, and I'm seeing more discussions about it. But it tends to be talked about in terms of: these are the costs and these are the benefits. 'These are the financial costs—who's going to pay, like the tax for them, or pay for premium products? And these are the benefits—the new jobs, who's going to get the jobs? Of course those are important, but it's not enough. Just talking about the financial costs and the jobs is not a just transition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'A just transition is where people can decide for themselves what their future locality looks like, which pathway they want, how land will be used differently, what kind of training and skills, and what the new workforce looks like. 'So it's about people's decisions and voice. It's not just about, you know, who gets retrained in AI.' Q: With the cost of living continuing to rise, is there a viable path toward making sustainably sourced goods accessible to all consumers—not just the affluent? Caroline Ashley: 'No, they're clearly not. You know, I'm someone on a professional salary who can afford to be picky with what I buy, and I look at the price premium and I think—gulp, do I really want to pay that? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Of course, they're not affordable for friends and family members who are on benefits or whatever. I know that. But I think that's used a bit too much as a hope. 'We can't do this because it couldn't work for the masses.' 'If we look at the subsidies that we put into the fossil fuel industry, to conventional agriculture, to all kinds of public infrastructure that enables our economy to work as it is—whether that's roads or garbage or water—there are huge subsidies going into our current economy. 'So we have to change the system so that we do produce things in the way that is sustainable, and then we deploy the subsidies so that people who need them can afford them. We just have to shift several billions so that we can do both: produce what we need sustainably, and make sure people can afford it.' Q: Many individuals face tension between personal sustainability goals and real-world limitations. What advice would you give to people navigating this sense of contradiction or guilt? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caroline Ashley: 'The last thing is the hardest of all. Extinction Rebellion have a set of really interesting principles. For those who think they're just about glue, they're actually really worth looking at—very interesting principles. 'And one of them is: talk about what you do in your life. And another is: don't be ashamed—because we all have things. I took a flight earlier this year, post-COVID, that will have completely destroyed my carbon footprint this year. 'And it almost stops me talking about all these other things I want to do. But XR—Extinction Rebellion—say: the system's got to change. It's not just about you as an individual. So don't be ashamed—but do talk about it. 'Certainly, I don't go talking about, you know, I inherited some shares and I'm trying to query the climate impact of that—because that's a grossly inappropriate conversation with a lot of people. But I am hearing that little voice in my head that's saying: talk about it more. So I'm trying to do that.'
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
From sandwich shop to social movement: how Josh Littlejohn turned a small Edinburgh café into a national force against homelessness
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Josh Littlejohn MBE is a social entrepreneur whose efforts to combat homelessness have reshaped support systems not only across Scotland but around the world. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As the founder of Social Bite—a movement that began with a small sandwich shop in Edinburgh and grew into a nationally recognised charity—Josh has become one of the country's most influential voices on social enterprise. As one of the UK's most respected leadership speakers, Josh has addressed global leaders and worked alongside high-profile advocates such as George Clooney and Prince William. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In this exclusive interview with Champions Speakers Agency, he reflects on how a single act of kindness led to the creation of a village for homeless individuals, why Edinburgh remains at the heart of his mission, and what more needs to be done to fix the UK's broken system. Josh Littlejohn MBE - Champions Speakers Agency Q: How did a small Edinburgh café become the starting point for Social Bite's mission to tackle homelessness? Josh Littlejohn: 'Well, it kind of happened by accident really. Social Bite's become quite well known now for our work with homeless people, but when we first set up, it didn't really have much to do with homelessness at all, to be honest. 'What happened was we opened up a little café – it's kind of a sandwich coffee shop in the city centre of Edinburgh – and we were in there making coffees and serving customers. There was a young man who was 19 years old, he was homeless, and he was selling The Big Issue magazine on the street corner just outside the front door of the café. 'After a couple of weeks of us being open, this young man – his name was Pete – he came in one day and he sort of plucked up the courage and he asked us if he could have a job. We kind of thought, why not? It seemed like quite a nice thing to do. So, we gave him a job in our kitchen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We just saw that he was working really hard, and we saw that employment was quite transformative for him. We thought we might try it again and we asked him, 'Pete, do you know anybody else that's homeless that might want a job?' He said, 'Well, my brother Joel is also homeless – he also sells The Big Issue.' So, we said, okay, we're going to give Joel a job. 'Then Joel was working hard, and we said, 'Do you know anybody else, guys?' They said, 'Well, there's a guy down the street called John, maybe you could give him a try.' And we said, alright, we'll give him a job. I think at this point they kind of realised we were basically soft touches as employers, and they could maybe recommend some of their other friends. They recommended this guy called Colm. 'So, that's kind of how it all got started – we got involved in this homeless issue by offering jobs in this café to people. As we got a bit more engaged in it, we introduced this pay-it-forward system. We started to encourage customers to buy something extra for someone that was homeless to get something for free later. 'So, customers started to buy extra sandwiches and extra coffees, and before we realised it, we were feeding maybe 40 or 50 people every day in this little café. That's kind of how it all got started.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Q: What difference has the Social Bite Village made for rough sleepers here in Edinburgh and beyond? Josh Littlejohn: 'Well, it's kind of grown exponentially. We started with that one little café and decided to try and open a bit of a chain of cafés. We thought we'd try and maybe give Starbucks a bit of a run for their money here in Scotland. 'We ended up opening five cafés across three cities, and we made a policy that around a quarter of our workforce would be people that had been homeless. By this point, we were giving out quite a significant quantity of free food across this chain of cafés. But out with the kind of immediate locality of the shops, pretty much no one would have ever heard of us or known much about what we did. 'We got a bit of a profile boost, which really helped to propel the scope of our work. In 2015, as crazy as it sounds, I decided to write a letter to George Clooney and invited him to come to Edinburgh and visit our little café. Amazingly, in November 2015, he did come and popped into the café. He brought Edinburgh to a bit of a screeching halt – there were hundreds of women camping outside the cafés from six in the morning just to catch a glimpse of him. 'I went into the newsagents the next day and suddenly Social Bite was on the front page of every single national newspaper in the whole of the United Kingdom. It was on the News at Six. Suddenly, our tiny little charity had quite a big profile. We thought we could maybe use that profile to develop some much more ambitious projects and programmes to tackle the issue. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That led us to embark on a whole range of things. One of the projects we developed was a project called the Social Bite Village, where we took on some vacant land that was owned by Edinburgh Council and we built a small village. 'We put into production eleven two-bedroom prefabricated houses and a big community hub for 20 homeless people at any one time to come in, live, and find their feet. That's a project we're really proud of, and that's so far helped around 45 people into housing through that project.' Q: From your experience, what practical steps must the UK take to meaningfully address homelessness? Josh Littlejohn: 'Well, the big thing that we've sort of advocated for is a policy that's known as Housing First. Basically, what that means is that the way the UK currently responds to homelessness – kind of the status quo – is if someone finds themselves becoming homeless and they're sleeping on the streets (and obviously all of us walk past people every day in most cities in that situation), we ask these people to prove that they're what's known as 'tenancy ready' before they end up being able to get their own place, their own flat, or their own house. 'We're asking them to say, 'Well, you need to show us that you're on top of any mental health issues, on top of any addiction issues, maybe you need to show us that you're able to get a job.' If you're able to clear all these hurdles, then you can have a house. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So, we kind of make people try and show themselves to be up here, but common sense would tell you, if you're sleeping on the street, in a doorway, freezing cold, or living in fear, then your mental health is obviously going to deteriorate pretty rapidly. You're probably going to turn to drugs or alcohol to try and escape that. Certainly, you're going to be 100 miles away from trying to get a job. 'It's a very broken system at the moment – we're asking people to show themselves to be up here, but in reality, they're living in a situation that sends them down here. 'What Housing First proposes is that the first thing that we need to do to help someone that's homeless is to find them a home. That shouldn't be the last thing – that should be the first thing. Only from that stable place of a home can they possibly start to solve mental health challenges and addiction challenges and reintegrate into society. 'One of the things that we developed in Scotland was a big Housing First programme, where we've helped around – it's almost 600 rough sleepers, people that were on the street for a long time – into their own permanent flat. We've helped to fund a wraparound support to give them the support they need to sustain that. That's very much a pilot that we think should be rolled out in a significant way throughout the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think that's the keyway we can really address the rough sleeping problem and help get people off the streets, because the current system is definitely very broken.' This exclusive interview with Josh Littlejohn was conducted by Chris Tompkins.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Coronation Street icon gives update on soap character's future after 65 years
Coronation Street icon William Roache has given fans an update on the future of his beloved character, following a series of exits on the soap. Roache is currently the longest-serving actor on the programme and has played the role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode of Corrie back in 1960. However, the 92-year-old was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Entertainment Agents' Awards (TEAA) last week (March 25). During his acceptance speech, much to the delight of Corrie viewers, Roache hinted he wouldn't be leaving Weatherfield anytime soon. The British Soap Awards are back! Who will you be voting for on April 7th? 🤩 #TheBritishSoapAwards — British Soap Awards (@SoapAwards) April 3, 2025 He told Champions Speakers Agency: "It's a huge honour to receive this award, and I am very grateful for it. "I've enjoyed a wonderful career, and to have spent so many years working on such a special programme like Coronation Street has been magical. "I've been fortunate to work with some absolutely incredible actors over that period and made a lifetime of memories. "I'm looking forward to being in the programme for many more years to come. "To receive the award from Claire [Sweeney] was extra special. "It's been great to star alongside her in such a dramatic storyline." After filming a recent dramatic scene with Roache, Sweeney, who has played Cassie Plummer on one of the nation's most famous streets since 2023, said she became 'tearful' after acting alongside the mega soap star. The 53-year-old praised Roache for an emotional performance where his character Ken found out what Cassie had been up to. In the scene, Cassie comes clean to Ken for slipping antihistamines into his drink in order to steal from him. Discussing the moment, Sweeney commended her scene partner, calling his performance 'award-winning'. Speaking about Roache, Sweeney revealed: 'It's an award-winning performance. It literally made me cry, he was so wonderful, so to do those scenes with Bill, who is a legend on screen, was just sensational. 'He did this very very dramatic scene and at the end, the crew, there was silence, and then he got a round of applause. 'I was bl**dy tearful, and I thought, 'God, he is wonderful. I hope he gets recognised for this'. He is brilliant.' In recent episodes, ITV viewers have watched Cassie's antics unfold as she gets caught lacing Ken's drinks with antihistamines in an attempt to make him drowsy and reliant on her. Recommended reading: Coronation Street star makes return to ITV soap 15 years after exit in new role Coronation Street favourite breaks silence on heartbreaking exit storyline Coronation Street legend's 'surreal' last day after 25 years - final scenes filmed She also took it as an opportunity to steal from him by making expensive purchases using his credit card until eventually Ken finds out and confronts her. Sweeney added: 'There was a sense of relief because she couldn't have just carried on the way she was so with Cassie there was always going to come to a head and there has to be a bit of a redemption arch with the character.' Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV1 and ITVX.
