TEDxDurham

TEDxDurham Invest in your ‘Future You’ by joining us for the return of TEDxDurham on Sunday, 2 November 2025 at the Gala Theatre Durham!

31/05/2025

What an unforgettable sunset this was in the historical city of Durham. This is a great vantage point to get perfect reflections of Elvet Bridge and the castle.

You may remember Anthony from his time on hit reality TV series Big Brother, which he won in 2005, but Durham born and b...
02/11/2024

You may remember Anthony from his time on hit reality TV series Big Brother, which he won in 2005, but Durham born and based Anthony has achieved so much since then!

Having focused on the wellbeing and hospitality industries with his business ventures in the city, Anthony is also now the founder and driving force behind ‘Never Throw in the Towel’, a project around su***de and mental health for men, shaped with his own resilience mindset which has seen him through his own dark days.

It is this work that he will be bringing to the event as our final speaker of the day, sharing his own struggles since the highs of Big Brother fame and his mission to break the stigma around su***de and mental health to help men thrive.

https://buff.ly/3Ck4rBt

We’ve been thinking about ‘smart homes’ arguably since 1896 when Nikola Tesla invented the remote control. And yet today...
02/11/2024

We’ve been thinking about ‘smart homes’ arguably since 1896 when Nikola Tesla invented the remote control. And yet today things haven’t really changed much outside of a relative handful of homes now equipped with Ring-style video doorbells.

Our next speaker Tez Errington wants to show us that the potential for smart tech at home and in our commercial spaces already goes way beyond this. He’ll discuss how we can already deploy smart tech into our properties today and a vision for how things will change in the near future. In addition he’s promising some cool live tech demo’s to show us how its done!

Tez is the Technical Production Manager for Durham County Council and is also the co-founder of Smart Homes which itself originated from a ‘Bright Idea’.

Luxeia brings smarts technologies to all kinds of homes. Luxeia uses open-source technology to bring ultimate control of all smart devices from one application and has a passion for all things automation, whether it be on the stage or in the home.

He has worked around the globe behind the scenes bringing new technologies to conferences and live events.

Why do we struggle to find lasting love? The quest for great relationships is the ultimate human mystery, but what if we...
02/11/2024

Why do we struggle to find lasting love? The quest for great relationships is the ultimate human mystery, but what if we’ve been looking in the wrong places?

In our next, eye-opening talk, dating coach Lily Walford takes you beyond the usual clichés of “communication breakdowns” and dives deep into the psychology behind why we pick the wrong partners. Spoiler: it’s not about talking more—it’s about breaking free from the hidden psychological patterns that hold us back.

Lily will reveal the science behind what makes a relationship healthy or toxic and share her groundbreaking Love IQ framework—helping you simplify the search for the right partner and finally unlock the secret to lasting love.

Lily specialises in helping individuals heal from toxic relationships and find the right partner. Using a psychological approach, Lily has transformed lives by helping clients understand and overcome patterns that trap them in unhealthy relationships. Welcome Lily!

Louise Young is a comedian from Newcastle, known for her sharp wit, relatable humour, and engaging storytelling.Her come...
02/11/2024

Louise Young is a comedian from Newcastle, known for her sharp wit, relatable humour, and engaging storytelling.

Her comedy often reflects her working-class background and life as a gay woman in the North of England. She will talk today about navigating the arts from a working class perspective.

has appeared on platforms like BBC Radio 4 and Comedy Central and has toured as support for Alan Carr.

In 2023, she was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, further cementing her reputation as one of the rising talents in the UK comedy scene. Alongside stand-up, she has also written for television, blending personal anecdotes with astute social commentary.

We first worked with Dr Mannix at TEDxNewcastle where her TEDx talk – What Happens As We Die – would go onto become a g...
02/11/2024

We first worked with Dr Mannix at TEDxNewcastle where her TEDx talk – What Happens As We Die – would go onto become a global sensation racking up 1m+ views in less than a year. She joins the Bright Ideas Gathering next with a brand new talk.

Cardiac arrest, the medical term for the sudden loss in heart function preventing the heart from pumping blood around the body, is one of the leading causes of death in the UK.

It is a medical emergency that needs treatment within minutes to prevent death. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is vital first aid for cardiac arrest, and learning CPR is now part of the UK’s secondary school curriculum.

But what are the limits of CPR? Is it always the right treatment? And what if someone heart stops when we already know that they are dying? Are all heart-stopping moments alike? Is CPR a last chance to preserve life? Or is it an unhelpful, even brutal, interference at a moment most of us would want peace?

Dr Mannix will ask us to consider what’s the right thing to do at those important, yet different, heart-stopping moments. You can also buy Kathryn's brilliant books from the Collected Bookshop stall in the foyer.

Ready to rewire your brain? Join Melissa Hogenboom next as she dives into the fascinating world of neuroplasticity—the b...
02/11/2024

Ready to rewire your brain? Join Melissa Hogenboom next as she dives into the fascinating world of neuroplasticity—the brain’s superpower to reshape and adapt. In her project “Brain Hacks,” she didn’t just research; she put herself under the microscope to find practical ways to boost brainpower and resilience.

Melissa takes you through her six-week experiment, where mindfulness, exercise, and learning new skills weren’t just self-care—they were brain upgrades! Supported by brain scans and cognitive behavioural psychologist Thorsten Barnhofer, she’ll show you how everyday activities like sports, music, and even art are secretly boosting your brain’s potential. Want to hack your own brain? Let's go!

Our next speaker has a lot to say about the UK schools system!Sammy Wright thinks that the biggest problem facing educat...
02/11/2024

Our next speaker has a lot to say about the UK schools system!

Sammy Wright thinks that the biggest problem facing education today is how to make it fit for a future we cannot yet see. To do this, though, we have to first address how it has been shaped by our past.

Sammy comes to the Bright Ideas Gathering from his role as Head of School at a large secondary school in the region to take a deeper look at the actual functions of our educational institutions in British Society – not just what we think they are for. He’ll seek to lay out a better way to think about schools.

Up next is our space junk expert, James Osborn.James is a Professor and researcher from Durham University who focuses on...
02/11/2024

Up next is our space junk expert, James Osborn.

James is a Professor and researcher from Durham University who focuses on the growing issue of satellite debris and space sustainability.

James joins us at Bright Ideas to discuss a huge vulnerability in modern civilisation that nearly nobody talks about – our massive dependence on a network of communication satellites in orbit above us.

Despite their importance the way we monitor and defend our satellite network is ancient in terms of technology. James will talk about the importance of these networks and why we need to move to a new way of protecting these globally important assets.

His work examines the risks posed by orbital debris, particularly where collisions between debris and satellites can lead to exponential increases in space junk.

Welcome James!

The super-rich are thriving like never before, while millions of us are struggling to afford basic needs like a home, ed...
02/11/2024

The super-rich are thriving like never before, while millions of us are struggling to afford basic needs like a home, education, or a secure future. And if we don’t act now, things are going to get much worse. But here’s the thing—it doesn’t have to be this way.

Liam Byrne, former Treasury Minister and current Labour MP, is opening the afternoon session shortly and is here to break down why wealth inequality has spiralled out of control. He’ll expose how this growing divide is threatening the very fabric of our society, economy, and politics, and reveal where economics has gone off the rails. But more importantly, he’s offering real solutions—five practical ways to rebuild what we’ve lost: a fairer, wealth-owning democracy.

Drawing from discussions with global leaders and experts, Liam isn’t just talking radical ideas—he’s talking achievable change. The future might not be a utopia, but it could be one where we all live longer, healthier, and wealthier lives. Ready to hear how we can turn things around?

Liam's book The Inequality of Wealth: Why it Matters and How to Fix it, will be available to buy at the stand in the foyer.

There are so many great cultural events happening in County Durham, thanks to Durham County Council and their Culture Co...
02/11/2024

There are so many great cultural events happening in County Durham, thanks to Durham County Council and their Culture County programme, so if you have enjoyed yourself at Bright Ideas today, why not see what's up next?

https://buff.ly/4ftxbpP

Lunchtime! Our partners and sustainable food heroes are upstairs waiting to serve you and remember, lunch is included i...
02/11/2024

Lunchtime! Our partners and sustainable food heroes are upstairs waiting to serve you and remember, lunch is included in your pass.

If you prefer to get some air, there are plenty of cafes and eateries nearby - the afternoon session starts at 1.30pm sharp!

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Durham

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