Inspirational speaker to visit Chesterfield as part of a series of free public lectures
Simon Wheatcroft, storyteller, technologist and adventurer, is the next inspirational speaker to visit Chesterfield as part of Chesterfield College’s Sparks Series of free public lectures. The lectures are designed to inspire people on a range of topics.
The lecture, which will be held at Chesterfield Library Theatre at 2pm on Wednesday 14 November, will highlight how he made the impossible, possible and achieved some truly remarkable things.
Simon lost his sight at the age of 17 but didn’t want that to define what he was capable of achieving for the rest of his life. By cleverly making use of technology, Simon learned not only to navigate everyday life, but also to run outdoors with only a smartphone app and his remaining senses as a guide. Seven months later, he ran his first ever race – an incredible 100 miles long. Since then, he has gone on to compete in ultra-marathons in the Namibian desert.
He now works with leading technology companies, such as IBM and Google, to assist them to develop products which help others to go further than they ever imagined. He has spoken at a range of conferences and events delivering talks on diversity, inclusion and technology drawing on his own achievements, pushing boundaries and motivating others to reimagine what is possible.
Simon Wheatcroft said: “Inspiring people to keep pushing to break physical and mental barriers is really important to me so it is a wonderful that I can be part of the Sparks Series. I know there will be people in the audience who could be the next generation of technology experts or sports scientists. I hope I can give them an insight into how much their passion for a subject and the way that they apply their studies could have such a positive impact on people in the future.”
Tickets for the Sparks Series are free but booking is essential to secure a place. Places can be booked here or by calling 01246 500500.
The third and final lecture in the Sparks Series, Moments That Changed the World, is to be held at Chesterfield College on 12 December 2019 at 4pm when Roma Agrawal a structural engineer who builds BIG and is making it her mission to excite future generations about the importance of engineering. More information can be found here.
