Yestival 2016
Our awesome photographers came to Yestival for free and have kindly shared their pictures and talent with us. Please do give them some love, book them if you need professional photos for an event, follow their social media accounts and ask their permission/ tag them if you want to share any of these shots.
David Altabev
Juliana Tramontana
Yestival 2015
Be Inspired
Our speakers are movers, shakers, trailblazers and change makers, all selected because they stand for something so much bigger than just their achievements.
If it's true that you're a reflection of the people you spend your time with, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. All of our speakers will be with throughout the weekend, mingling and sharing ideas even when they're not on stage. With comedy and music in the evenings, along with all-day chats around the campfire, you'll never get a collection of people like this in one place, outside of Yestival!
Our Speakers
Dave Cornthwaite, Adventurer and founder of SayYesMore
With a not-to-be-shaken belief in the power of adventure and positive thinking, Dave will be popping up all over Yestival. From giving a workshop on nomadic living and breaking down barriers to change, to hosting a series of panels on the main stage and ensuring that each and every one of you is making the most of the weekend, there's only one word you need to make this man happy. Yes :)
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Niall McCann, Biologist & TV presenter
Talk title: What doesn't kill you...
Born into a family of biologists and adventures, Niall has spent most of his life in the outdoors and has spent nearly 3 years on expeditions all over the world, from searching for giant otters in the Amazon to Speedflying in Greenland. Niall will talk about some of the experiences, both good and bad, that have helped him realise that the best adventurers aren't necessarily those doing the hardest things, they are those having the most fun.
Austin Vince, Teacher, Festival Organiser, Motorcyclist, Legend
Talk title: How International Travel Can Save Our World
Austin Vince is known as the Godfather of Adventure Motorcycling. He's made loads of TV shows including Mondo Enduro and the hitch-hiking classic, Roadside USA. He curates The Adventure Travel Film Festival with his wife, Lois Pryce. Austin is on a mission to democratise Adventure Travel and once that's done, to change the world.
ANNA MCNUFF, ADVENTURE QUEEN
Talk title: ‘No, I didn’t pack any pants’
Anna McNuff is an endurance athlete, adventurer and professional mischief maker. She’s ridden a Pink bicycle 11,000 miles through all 50 states of the USA, *attempted* to rollerblade 100 miles around Amsterdam, and more recently returned from running 1,900 miles, solo and unsupported, along New Zealand’s Te Araroa trail.
Andrew Harper, Explorer & Conservationist
Talk Title: Walking the line across Australia
As an 18 year old Andrew stood under a sign that read Tropic of Capricorn and decided to walk that imaginary line across his country. He‘ll discuss how saying yes led to a totally unexpected career path in desert exploration and environmental science, with more than a few hiccups along the way.
Personal Website | Business Website | Facebook
Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent, Cricketer, Commentator, Trail Blazer
Talk title: Playing the Game of Life
Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent is a World Cup-winning former England international cricketer. After retiring from international cricket in 2012, Ebony has gone on to become a pundit for the BBC Sport flagship radio programme Test Match Special, the first Director of Women’s Cricket at Surrey County Cricket Club and motivational speaker.
Rob Lawrence, Podcaster
Talk Title: Creating intimate listening experiences on a global scale (How to start your own podcast)
Imagine 100,000 intimate conversations with a festival full of people who want to listen to what you have to share about the topics you are most passionate about. Connect frequently with your own global community and instantly. Podcasting is the wild west of modern broadcast radio and this adventure is all yours. Learn how.
STEVE BLETHYN, PRE-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE PROVIDER/INSTRUCTOR, WILDERNESS MEDIC AND HAMMOCK LOVER
Talk Title: Stuff I hope you’ll never need
After 10 years in the Army saving lives, Steve joined the corporate world, then promptly left it again, vowing never to return. “What to do now” he thought, as a man decided to try and bleed to death in front of him. People ran, not to help, they ran away. Steve saved his life and has been saving lives ever since, but he’s only done it on 6 of the 7 continents, so there’s more to come.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Sophie Radcliffe, Endurance Athlete
Talk Title: I Gave It All Up
Sophie Radcliffe is an endurance athlete, adventurer, blogger and lover of life. She's cycled London to Paris in 24 hours, finished two Ironman triathlons and completed the world's first Alpine Coast to Coast expedition by climbing the highest mountains in the 8 alpine countries and cycling between them.
As an Ambassador for brands like Oakley, Adidas and GoPro, she travels the world going on adventures and sharing her journey. Her talk tells the story of leaving her London 9-5 job and creating a fast growing business from doing what she loves. For top tips on social media, developing a new skill set and taking the leap of faith to start a new path in life - this is not a tallk to be missed!
Tim, Kerry, Amy and Ella Meek, The Family Adventurers
Talk Title 1: Do It Your Way
Amy, 12 and Ella, 10 have been travelling and adventuring with their parents for the last three years. They’ll share their thoughts on how adventure is for anyone, and how the family has taken adventure ideas and giving them a fresh spin. Like climbing Everest, paddling the Glenn Coe Canoe Trail, and doing 500 Fresh Air Miles all over the world.
Talk Title 2: DIY: Life
Tim and Kerry discuss how they wanted out of a rut and looked for how they could achieve that by removing barriers, doing something different and valuing disposable time more than disposable income. Aware that their kids were growing up quickly, Tim and Kerry made doable changes to their lifestyle (weekend adventures, midweek adventure, eating out etc) to help tip the work/life balance and make it all worth while.
James Wallman is an author, father, activist and futurist
Talk title: Why you have to say YES to the Experience Revolution
His book, the best-selling Stuffocation, has been reported by, among others, the Sunday Times, the Financial Times, the Guardian, the Observer, the Sun on Sunday, the New York Times, and the BBC: James has appeared on Newsnight, The One Show, the Steve Wright show and the Chris Evans Show.
He has commented on trends happening now and forecast what will happen next for more than a decade, and given strategic advice and talks from Amsterdam to Beijing and California: for companies including Absolut, BMW, and Google. James recently founded a think tank, The Future is Here and is a board member of Keeptrax, a US start up whose app helps smart travellers remember life's most important moments.
Harry and Charlie Thullier, Adventurers and Ice Cream Gurus
Talk title: From Brazilian beach to British bowl. How two brothers came to challenge the worlds largest ice cream companies."
Charlie Thuillier: Charlie completed an unofficial world-record in 2011, travelling 1,000km by kite-buggy with his brother Harry. Running out of food during the trip they lived off coconuts and wild superfoods. This sparked a revelation: natural ingredients can make indulgent food guilt-free. Returning home Charlie left his job at Diageo and founded Oppo.
Harry Thuillier: After a brief stint as a keyboard player (playing at Glastonbury and 10 Downing Street) Harry decided he was more suited to a career in business. As Head of Marketing for a VC backed online venture with Google, Harry had a kite surfing accident which landed him on a jetty and in hospital. Inspired during his record-breaking kite buggy adventure with Charlie, Harry decided to leave his role and join Oppo full time at the end of 2014.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
JAMES MEARNS, DJ (see James on Friday and Saturday night)
Mearns started DJing at university in Leeds where he became addicted to playing and entertaining a crowd with music he loves. It was here he supported many great acts in the electronic music scene. The more he invested into the music the deeper his love for the classics became. His love of disco, funk and soul grew and he quickly became known for dropping a few curve balls into his upbeat house sets.
ANNE LAURE CARUTH, CREATIVE ADVENTURER
Talk Title: The Scenic Route
Anne-Laure has certainly taken the scenic route when it comes to finding her creative path in life. She will explore the tug of war between a paid profession and a creative passion and how to find a way to spend more time painting on a mountain side rather than being stuck behind a glaring screen. She'll will talk through this transition into becoming a full time creative practitioner through some of her most recent trips, including being a ship's artist on a transatlantic voyage on tall ship Tenacious, painting trips to the Dana valley and Petra in Jordan, and Shifting Sands daily drawings.
Chris Ward, Author, Activist, Cyclist, Coffee Drinker
Talk Title: Don't Just Have an Adventure - Live An Adventurous Life
In the last few months Chris has worked with the UN & Richard Curtis to launch the Global Goals worldwide, finish 3rd Brit in the amateur cycling world championships, backpack through China and Japan with his son and seen his book 'Out Of Office' return as the No.1 book for entrepreneurs. And, he does all this in t-shirts and jeans from the best coffee shops round the world. For Chris it's not about going on an adventure - its about living an adventurous life. His mum thinks he still looks 12 but he's actually 52 so he's the proof we can all do it. Find out how!
Rob Young, Doer
Talk Title: Go. Do. Turning ideas into action.
Following a 15,000km road trip, Rob got to business, amongst others starting the hundred dollar club by giving $100 away to strangers. He also created a family who are all about saying yes to adventures, usually involving a camper van...
Rob loves saying YES to new ideas and he helps people make things happen, from the simple to the seemingly impossible. In his talk 'Go. Do', he’ll unclog your inertia, banish your doubts and move you from saying YES to doing YES.
Laura Kennington, Adventurer and Fitness Professional
Talk Title: The Russians and the Irish
Laura is passionate about using her fitness expertise to train herself for endurance adventures and to motivate others to take on their own challenges. She’ll be talking about accidentally becoming a Russian celebrity and suspected spy during a recent kayaking trip. She’ll then discuss how this led to her cycling the world’s longest coastal route in Ireland en route to her Uncle’s wedding.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Melanie Joe & Michelle Ellison, Part-Time Adventurers
Talk Title: Thames Source to Sea SUP
Inspired by immersing themselves in London’s adventure community, Mel and Michelle will be talking about the highs, lows and lessons learnt in planning their first UK based adventure, what happened when they involved citizen science and will be inviting you to join them on their 2016 adventure.
James Borrell, Scientist
Talk Title: Biodiversity By The Bucket Load
James’ mission is to bring that sense of adventure and optimism to the world of wildlife conservation. Instead of all the bad news we hear about daily, lets celebrate the stories that succeeded against all the odds! A veteran of research expeditions around the world, James will take you from the steamy rainforests of the Amazon to the sweltering deserts of Oman with biodiversity by the bucket load.
Website: www.jamesborrell.com | Twitter | Facebook: James Borrell Conservation
Greg Foot, Science Communicator
Greg is a Science Presenter on TV, on YouTube and on Stage.
He’s Blue Peter’s Resident Science Guy, hosts multiple series for BBC Worldwide, has wracked up more than 5,000,000 hits on his YouTube films, and writes & presents sell-out spectacular live science shows around the world. He’s also been given the prestigious title of ‘Engagement Fellow’ for The Wellcome Trust.
Greg has been frozen, shot and buried alive, built a jet-powered go-kart and a real levitating hoverboard, answered people’s questions from ‘What causes a beer belly?’ to ‘Why do we have pubic hair?’, unleashed giant flamethrowers on stage, and sat inside a bowling ball loop the loop… for science!
Danielle Marchant, International Life Coach | Founder of The Pause Retreats | Pioneer for Heart Centred Coaching
Talk Title: How to say yes when life says no!
Danielle is an international coach with over 12 years experience coaching leaders and executives in over 20 different countries. After reaching burn out in Singapore in 2012, she went back to Cornwall to recreate her life. She found life had given her an ‘enforced pause’ but at the time struggled to find all the resources she needed to get life back on track. This lack inspired the creation of The Pause Retreats, a series of retreats that help people listen to what life is telling them so they can avoid having their own ‘enforced pause’.
She currently lives in Bali and London, where she is pioneer for heart-centred coaching and an advocate for breaking society’s mould. Today she coaches people to break through a conventional way of living.
LINKS
https://www.facebook.com/lifebydanielle
https://twitter.com/LifeByDanielle
https://instagram.com/lifebydanielle/
Belinda Kirk, Founder of Explorers Connect & Base Camp Festival.
Talk Title: Adventure Career Seminar
Belinda has worked in adventure for 20years as a diver, biologist, expedition leader, film-maker and now as Founder of Britain's biggest adventure hub "Explorers Connect" and Britain's first adventure festival for grown-ups "Base Camp Festival". Explorers Connect lists the best adventure jobs in UK and around the world, Belinda will be talking about how to get work in the adventure industry
TOMMY SCARGILL, TRAVEL BLOGGER AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Talk Title: Don't Just Exist. Live.
A 2x cancer survivor, travel seeker and snap happy guy, Tommy will be talking about how travel changed his life. He'll be talking about how there is more to life than just existence, sharing cultures with the group, his experiences on the road, and his next adventure - which starts at Yestival!
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
BEN ARTHUR, TRAVEL ENTHUSIAST
Talk Title: People Along the Way
Inspired by this ever-growing adventure community, I really wanted to get out there & experience new and exciting things. In the three years since leaving school, I’ve been on a number of journeys by land, sea and river, but ultimately, it’s been the people I've met along the way that have formed this story so far.
Website | Facebook | Instagram
