Dr Niall McCann has been leading multi-disciplinary endurance expeditions to remote and hostile environments for over 20 years. Niall has rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, skied across Greenland and the Vatnajokull Icecap, cycled over the Himalayas, canoed the Yukon River, and been on multiple rock climbing and mountaineering trips around the world.

In 2016, Niall broke his back in a speed flying accident, leaving him with a permanent spinal cord injury that affects every aspect of his life. In the years since his injury Niall has overcome his disability and has returned to a life of adventure and exploration.

Jonty is the World Record Holder for completing the Longest Para Male Ice Swim, the World’s first disabled ice swimmer and has represented Team GB twice at the Ice Swimming World Championships.

After leaving her job as a mental health nurse, cycling started off as a way to cope with her mental health journey and quickly became a much bigger part of Amy’s life. From cycling 2,000km across Italy and France in 8 days, to winning a silver national medal in the 24-hour time trial and raising over £15,000 for mental health charities during the past three years, Amy is a true inspiration, showing what determination can lead to.

Sharing with you her story from not wanting to be here, to finding happiness on the bike, you’ll come away from this talk with a recipe for happiness, increased understanding of how to prioritise mental wellbeing in your life and feeling inspired.

With over a decade of experience capturing stories from the world’s most remote and extreme locations, Beki Henderson is the driving force behind some of the most iconic TV adventurers, including Steve Backshall, Ben Fogle, and Will Smith, bringing their daring feats to your TV screens for National Geographic, Disney+, BBC, and more.

Beyond her work in TV, Beki is a Fellow of the RGS and a Scientific Exploration Society Explorer, cementing her status as an adventurer in her own right. Now, through captivating anecdotes and real-life lessons, Beki reveals the thrills and challenges of capturing extraordinary untold stories in the world’s most extreme environments.

Recently setting a new course record for the Lake District 24 hour challenge, Andy has been crowned new king of the fells. Originally set in 1904, a runner attempts as many Lake District summits as they can within a 24-hour period.

Driven to bring more attention to female stories of courage and endeavour, Louise has pushed herself to the extreme and embarked on multiple thrilling endurance adventures around the globe with trailblazing women. Free diving under the ice in the dark in Finland, Louise met with Cath, the first woman to swim a mile in the Antarctic Circle; she cycled across Argentina with Mimi, one of the world’s most famous female endurance runners; and swam from Alcatraz with Anaya and Mitali, two young sisters who have braved the shark-infested waters over 70 times. In her extraordinary journey, Louise reminds us of the bravery inside us all, and how essential it is to celebrate women’s achievements. Prepare to be touched and inspired by these fearless women.

This event will include a book signing with Louise’s latest book, Fearless, Adventures with Extraordinary Women.

Sophie represented Team GB at the 2023 IAU 24-hour World championships, has run over 50 ultra marathons, including Spartathlon, UTMB and 250km stage races from Nepal, to Bhutan and the Sahara, and recently became the fastest woman to run the length of Ireland.

Richard Harpham FRGS and his wife Ash founded Canoe Trail, a watersports and adventure business recognized by Lonely Planet and Red Bull Magazine. Both qualified coaches and expedition guides, they’ve written for major outlets, including National Geographic Kids and Huffington Post, and featured on BBC1. Together, they’ve completed over 14,500 miles of expeditions worldwide. Their adventures include canoeing the Yukon, sea kayaking from Vancouver to Alaska, and biking from London to Marrakech. Rich is a lifelong paddler, an advanced canoe leader, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. They also founded Inspired Life CIC, promoting well-being and mental health.

Founder of True North Project, a mission to inspire and empower young people through outdoor education and exploration. Deon is set to be one of the first Black Brits to summit Mount Everest, he is breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes while advocating for inclusion and diversity in the outdoors.

In memory of her father, Kate cycled around the coast of the UK, roughly 3,500 miles, to raise money for Cornwall Mind, Papyrus and Sport in Mind. Kate used her journey to open up difficult yet important conversations and raise awareness, bringing together communities for sea swims along the way. 

Geneviève is on a mission to become the first person from the island of Aruba, and the first unassisted black woman, to ski both the North and South Poles. Sharing her battle with chronic Lyme disease; in fact it was the “three-year ordeal to get the medics to listen” that led her to take on the challenge; and also how cold isn’t exactly a Caribbean thing!

Former professional rugby player Ed Jackson was told he would likely never walk again after a serious spinal injury in 2017. Despite this, Ed is an adventurer, broadcaster, and mentor — using his platform and story to educate and inspire. Along with his wife, Lois, he founded the charity Millimetres 2 Mountains to help others overcome trauma and rediscover their strength.

Dr Will Duffin is an NHS GP and Extreme Medic who practices good medicine in bad places. He has medevaced mountaineers with severe altitude sickness in the Himalayas, resuscitated newborn babies in a forgotten corner of Myanmar, managed a suspected stroke on a Trans-Siberian train, dealt with burns victims in the wake of a massive wild fire in central Madagascar and stabilised a shark bite victim out in the South Pacific. He is the on screen Doctor for the hit US Reality TV Show ’Survivor’, Joint Medical Director for World Extreme Medicine and host of the world’s largest International Conference for Extreme Medics.

Darren Edwards is the World’s Leading Adaptive Adventurer, Record-Breaking Explorer, and Award-Winning Keynote Speaker. Darren has faced life’s greatest uncertainties head-on, drawing from his experience leading record-breaking expeditions and overcoming a life-changing injury. Speaking with unmatched authority and authenticity, he shares how to conquer fear and thrive in the face of challenges. With a natural gift for storytelling, Darren captivates audiences by blending inspiration with practical insights, offering real-world solutions to even the most daunting obstacles—all grounded in his extraordinary personal journey.

Jennifer McGowan is the co-director of the Following Nan Project, a grassroots project inspired by the writer and mountaineer Nan Shepherd. The project aims to empower more people to follow in Nan’s footsteps and benefit from a deeper relationship with the mountains. Building on the impact of the project’s first micro-expedition to the Cairngorms, the project shares the practical tools and art to inspire others on similar adventures. The film ‘To Know a Mountain’ follows a diverse group of women on their expedition to explore a different side to mountaineering.

She is a hiker, lover of slow adventure and advocate of plenty of biscuit breaks.

As well as co-founding the London Surf/Film Festival, surf and travel writer Demi Taylor recently produced the award-winning environmental documentary, The Big Sea. This film delves into the dark side of the $10 billion global surf industry – specifically, its connection to toxic Neoprene production in communities facing severe health risks. 

Filmmaker, screenwriter, activist, and lifelong surfer Chris Nelson will join Demi Taylor for a discussion about their independent film, the Big Sea. As the filmmaker and writer, he investigates the human and environmental impacts of the surf industry, and the wider issues and implications of greenwashing.

With years of experience as an athlete, Sally’s dedication extends beyond riding waves; she actively champions the environmental protection of our seas, blending her love for surfing with advocacy for ocean preservation.