Theme: Next Steps

After five long years, TEDxRoyal Tunbridge Wells is BACK, presenting an afternoon of live talks and performances that aim to showcase Royal Tunbridge Wells to the world while inviting global ideas back into our community.

Our last event took place before COVID, and our theme of “Next Steps” reflects the significant changes we’ve witnessed over the past five years. With rapid transformations occurring both globally and locally, and advancements in AI tools alongside shifts in our town’s governance, it’s time to explore the ideas shaping our future.

Trinity Theatre
Church Road
Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1JP
United Kingdom

Gianluca Zucchelli

Board Member for the English Subbuteo Association

Gianluca is a Head of Operations with Together for Mental Wellbeing UK and a trustee for YMCA DLG. Before moving into health and social care, he worked as a journalist in Italy and the UK, maintaining a constant focus on community life. He’s a board member of the English Subbuteo Association and one of the organiser of the 2024 Subbuteo World Cup played in Tunbridge Wells.

Julian Abel

Palliative Care Specialist Doctor

Dr Julian Abel spent his clinical life as a palliative care specialist doctor. He has developed a special interest in compassionate communities, initially as part of supporting people undergoing experiences of death, dying, loss and care giving. Since 2016 he has worked with Frome Medical Practice applying the compassionate community approach to healthcare in general, with some startling results. He is Director of Compassionate Communities UK, a charity which aims to share the lessons learnt in both palliative care and primary care more broadly.

Nicolette Kay

Theatre Director

Nicolette Kay is a British theatre director, known for bringing hidden theatrical gems to life on stage. Trained at The Drama Centre, London, she began her career as an actor, performing leading roles with companies such as the Cambridge Theatre Company, Derby Playhouse, The Gate, and The Women’s Theatre Group. Notably playing Miss Hoyden in The Relapse alongside David Jason and Ophelia to Edward Fox’s Hamlet at The Young Vic. Shifting her focus to directing, Nicolette founded Muzikansky Theatre Company, staging productions at prominent Off-West End venues. She directed and toured the world premiere of Seed by Souad Faress, a piece inspired by a plaque in the foyer of Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells.

Paul Cheese

Musician and Sound Artist

Paul Cheese is a musician, music producer and sound artist based in Lamberhurst, Kent. He can be found in front of his mixing desk working with top recording artists at the studio, on stage performing solo or with his band. Or on a bicycle carrying 45kg of recording equipment on the hunt for inspirational places to write and record music. He has written and recorded in locations around the world, from the tops of mountains, to deep underground, the Grand Canyon, to the Australian bush, ice caves to pill-boxes, old places, new places and even underwater. When not at his studio or on stage, Paul works with individuals who have an acquired brain injury, implementing creative approaches aimed at fostering positivity and on developing cognitive function and creative music experiences.

Sally Henderson

High-Stakes Leadership Mentor

Sally Henderson is a successful entrepreneur and High-Stakes Leadership Mentor with over 25 years of experience working with C-suite leaders at global brands including Coca-Cola, NatWest, Nestlé and Saatchi & Saatchi. Known for her no-nonsense Yorkshire approach, Sally specialises in helping leaders take decisive action when it matters most. She works with senior executives to transform ambition into meaningful results, cutting through overthinking and jargon to provide clarity and direction.

This Is Us Dance Group

Inclusive Dance Group

This Is Us Dance, based in Tunbridge Wells, offers accessible, sensory-based dance classes for children and adults with additional needs. Their inclusive approach celebrates every movement, no matter how small, helping participants build confidence, social connections, and cognitive skills. Having previously performed with TEDxRoyal Tunbridge Wells in 2019, they return to the stage to treat us to a powerful performance that showcases the transformative power of movement. Their work aligns perfectly with the event’s theme, “Next Steps,” demonstrating how creativity and inclusion can open new possibilities for personal growth and empowerment.