At the Gosport Ambassador’s meeting held at YourSpace on 30th September, Annelies James gave an insightful and engaging presentation into the upcoming TEDx Gosport.
In 2018, Annelies James settled in Gosport, and she hasn’t looked back since. Born in Chichester, raised in Cardiff, and having spent some time living in Toronto, she brings a wealth of experience and perspective to her work. Through her Gosport-based video marketing agency, 22Midnight, she has already made a significant impact, supporting countless local businesses with their digital marketing needs. Now, she’s preparing to raise Gosport’s profile even further by bringing a TEDx event to the town.
When we sit down to discuss this exciting project, Annelies explains that she’s no stranger to the TEDx brand, having organised the Southampton showcase in 2021. “Gosport has so much talent that just needs to be seen,” she says passionately. “The area is often labelled as one of the most deprived in Hampshire, which brings a lot of negative perceptions. But that’s not the full story. There are so many people here with creativity, vision, and powerful ideas that are worth sharing, and I want to give the town a platform.”
From 109 application down to 37 auditions, 14 speakers were confirmed, and 12 are from Gosport. “I didn’t set out to choose speakers based on location,” she explains. “But during the auditions, it became clear that the strongest voices and the most inspiring people were right here in Gosport. That’s why I keep saying there’s so much local talent.”
Securing a TEDx licence wasn’t easy. “You really have to prove why your chosen location deserves to host it, and for me – that’s Gosport.”
Organising an event like this can be challenging, particularly because TEDx is entirely volunteer-led. However, Annelies has leveraged the strong network she built through her work in digital marketing. “I reached out to those connections,” she explains. “TEDx is such a prestigious platform, and people here were excited to get involved. I’ve been fortunate to find passionate, skilled volunteers who, like me, believe in Gosport and want to showcase its talent to the world.”
Annelies reveals that the theme for the event is storytelling. “We have such powerful speakers with so much wisdom to share,” she says enthusiastically. “The speakers will deliver a collection of stories that reflect creativity, loss, hardship, and transformation.”
She gives an example of one speaker, Sarah Donaghy, who after experiencing personal loss, channelled her grief into purpose by launching a national food bank run initiate. “With food bank use rising, she asked her to running club to deliver donations on their runs. From that simple idea, she’s built a whole community of food-bank runners,” Annelies explains.
Another speaker will share their journey of overcoming the stigma of poverty and homelessness. One will tackle the often-taboo subject of death, urging people to talk about it more openly. And in an unexpected twist, the event will even highlight Gosport’s surprising position as a leader in eSports. “We really do cover such a breadth of topics,” Annelies laughs, before saying once again that she’s determined to challenge the stereotypes surrounding Gosport. “I really want the audience to experience the incredible talent we have here,” she says with pride. “This really is Gosport at its best!”
When asked what makes a great speaker, her answer is simple: authenticity and a strong idea. “A great talk makes the audience stop in their tracks, reflect, and perhaps consider making a change in their own life. It sparks curiosity, questions, and conversation. That’s the power of it,” she says before explaining that at the heart of it all, TEDx is about ideas that change the narrative. “The speaker is the vessel that carries that idea.”
Annelies says TEDx is brilliant at bringing the community together, from the volunteers making the event possible, to local sponsors whose contributions enhance it, and even the speakers, who have formed a networking group to support and share their wisdom.
“Sponsorship is invaluable in helping us enhance the event and make it more accessible,” Annelies explains. “For example, Easy Drive Hire, a small local business, generously contributed, allowing us to give away free tickets and ensure more of the community can join.”
Two expert coaches are guiding the speakers to success. “Adele Deasy, an education consultant and former TEDxSouthampton speaker, gives practical, experience-based feedback, while Adie L Saunders, Master Speaking Coach from the original TEDxSouthampton, is preparing them for everything the day will bring.”
Alongside the coaches, Jane Cooke is supporting on the styling side, offering guidance on wardrobe choices to help them feel confident and comfortable on stage.
As for Annelies, her role spans almost every element of the event: securing the license, building a team, recruiting speakers, selecting the final lineup, organising the venue and sponsors, managing promotion, and ensuring tickets reach the public. “There’s a lot involved,” she laughs.
“This event simply wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our wider team. From web development by Dan Wood at Nettl, to videography and photography from Carl Ware of Warewolf Creative, Joe Rowlands from Tidal Studios, and Jodie Ware of The Creative Asset, every detail was expertly captured.
“Behind the scenes, we are fortunate to have PR and speaker liaison support from Joe Gowers of Business South, and graphic recording during the event by Emma Paxton of Imagistic, bringing the talks to life in real time. Local champions also played a key role, including Charlie Fletcher from GMAG, Lesley Ure from Gosport Community Hub, Leigh-Sara Timberlake of Business South, and TEDxSouthampton’s Lee Peck from Lee Peck Media.
“The event was further strengthened by the generosity of volunteers from High Vibes and Brilliant Women in Business Networking, and free promotion from Flo’s Mag, brought to life by the creative Helen Ruff. Spaces for auditions, rehearsals, and full AV and logistics support were kindly provided by Quay West Studios, YourSpace, and GoSport. Together, this amazing network of talent, creativity, and community spirit made the event not just possible, but truly unforgettable,” Annelies takes a breath.
“It is a long list of great people, and it really is a team effort to capture the magic of this event for our town,” she finishes,
Tickets are priced at just £45, which includes access to 14 inspiring talks, lunch, refreshments, and live music from local artists. “As a team, we thought it would be wonderful to bring in some entertainment during the lunch break with performances from local acoustic musicians,” Annelies explains. “Thanks to funding from Hampshire Cultural Trust, Culture Connects initiative we’ve been able to make that happen, and it will really add something special to the day and reinforce our message of how talented Gosport is.”
When asked what she hopes the audience will take away from the day, Annelies smiles. “I want people to be moved. Some will be brought to tears,” she pauses. “I certainly was at the audition stage. Others will leave with their minds opened to new perspectives. Ideally, they’ll walk away not just inspired, but with ideas they can carry into their own lives.”
I ask about her favourite TEDx Talk, and she laughs. “It has to be ‘How to sound smart in your TED talk’. If you’ve watched a few TEDx Talks, you’ll instantly recognise the little quirks the speaker pokes fun at, like adjusting your glasses just as you deliver something ‘insightful.’ It’s light-hearted, funny, and I even shared it with our speakers,” she giggles.
As the interview wraps up, I ask Annelies what her own TEDx Talk would be about. She pauses thoughtfully before answering: “I’d explore the different versions of ourselves that live within us. Whether it’s the ‘perfectionist’ or the ‘geek,’ you can be both characters. I’d talk about embracing every part of who we are, because all those versions are welcome.”
I walk away from our conversation feeling truly inspired. With her drive, vision, and determination to create change, Annelies is proving what’s possible when passion meets action.
TEDxGosport takes place on Thursday 16th Oct, 10:00am – 5pm. If you would like to purchase tickets, you can do so by visiting: https://www.tedxgosport.co.uk/
About TEDx, x = independently organised event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events
that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks
video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local,
self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED
event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but
individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
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