Colin Javens The Speaker
Colin's humourous yet somehow humble delivery moves, motivates and inspires people to aspire to and reach their own goals. His innate gratitude, born of almost total reliance, of his team's input into the completion of his successful expedition, illustrates categorically the importance of teamwork. Encompassed throughout is his acknowledgement that without modern technology he probably would not have achieved what he did.
"His story is a tour de force of courage and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Truly inspirational; Colin Javens is the 'real thing'.
Sean Malone, Managing Director, YellowSpanner Communications Agency.
"Thank you all for arranging for Colin to speak at our conference on Friday, and to Colin himself for delivering one of the most profound, touching and humorous speeches I have ever heard. His delivery and timing is impeccable and his amazing humbleness and sense of self, something to make all of us reconsider our values and focus on life. Thank you for giving us such a great experience - quite truly I don't think there was a dry eye in the house!!"
Sue Harding, Business Operations Manager, Avanade UK Ltd
"Colin Javens has a quite remarkable story to tell, and speaks with sincerity, modesty and humour. It is impossible not to be moved by the way he has come to terms with his disability and achieved so much since his unfortunate accident. I cannot recommend him too highly as being a potentially inspirational speaker to school audiences."
Chris Tongue, former Headmaster, St John's School, Leatherhead.
"Colin's presentation was excellent and the students found it both inspiring and informative not to mention humorous. Colin has developed a fantastic presentation style which would be envied by many of the faculty at Cranfield!!"
John Glen, Senior Lecturer Economics, Director Full Time MBA, Cranfield School of Management.
"What an experience and ... what an education! I have learnt so much about Spinal injury and have admired so much the bravery and guts of Colin, refusing to be beaten by his accident and doing so many wonderful things."
Anthony Wright Former DMD Africa, Standard Bank of South Africa and Trustee and Director, CJSIT
"Colin had a palpable impact on his sixth form audience. His courage in adversity and determination to challenge himself by following his dreams is hugely inspirational. He speaks with humility and humour, combining detail of the impacts of spinal injury with his own battle to live life to the full. I thoroughly recommend him."
Richard Salmon. Head of General Studies, Canford School.
"Just a quick note to thank you, Colin, for coming to talk to our 6th Form pupils last Friday night. I was privileged and moved to be there, too, and I know you made a wonderful impression on the young people. If your example doesn’t encourage them to aspire to reach their dreams then I can’t imagine what will!"
Simon Spencer, Christ College Brecon.
"Thank you so much for attending our Year 8 Dinner last week. Your talk was an inspiration to us all and the boys have not stopped talking about how you have inspired them to seek adventure and live life to the full. How I am going to match your contribution to the evening next year, I am not sure, so we may well be inviting you back."
Simon Gedye, Papplewick School.
"Just a quick email to say that Colin's talk went down extremely well on Friday. His talk was described as "truly inspirational" by one student and the "best talk" they had had by another."
Andrew Bamford, Kimbolton School.
"Thank you very much indeed for coming to MCS on Friday; your talk was a fantastic success - you made a very profound impression on the boys, a real achievement days before their next batch of exams!!"
Andrew Dixon, Magdalen College.
"I just wanted to say an enormous THANKYOU for coming to The Paragon and delivering the most superb assembly I have heard in years - inspirational and deeply moving. So many staff and
children were really affected by it and there has been considerable chat since. Well done and thank you - you really made a huge impression on this school."
Titus Mills, Paragon School.
"After our last year's Upper Sixth voting their favourite speaker of the season, I wonder if you might come back to King's School, Worcester to give the talk again to our new sixth form."
Liz Allen-Back, King's School.
"The talk was amazing, and our students were really impressed, and have been talking about it a lot."
Chris Conway, Shrewsbury School.
"I was in your talk at Kingswood today, and I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed your speech; I not only found it really interesting, but incredibly inspiring that somebody with your level of disability could achieve something so amazing. I also think you should know that everyone I spoke to after your talk felt the same way - we were all in anticipation about the awkward subject of spinal injury and paralysis, but it was such a nice surprise to have someone as charming and entertaining as yourself to tell us about the issue, not to mention the brilliant story you had to share with us. I think it is amazing that you have made so much of your life despite the hindrance of spinal injury, and I will remember everything you said about making dreams come true no matter how absurd the idea may seem, because you were such a perfect example of doing so. I hope your plans to fly go well, and I will look at your website often in the future to see what other amazing words you have to say, and to keep up with your feats of excellence.
Thank you again,"
Jonathan Kelly, Student at Kingswood School, Bath.
"I'd wanted to thank you and Chrissy so much for coming SUCH a distance (OK so comparatively speaking a drop in the ocean distant wise, but even so...) to give us all such an inspiring talk. NEVER has the theatre been so quiet...normally you get fidgeting children, plenty of coughing and yawning and the like, but you could have heard a pin drop throughout and I just hope it makes some of the little treasures appreciate how lucky they are."
Sue Cooper, Ashdown House.
You deserve huge Thanks for coming to Ballard School on the 10th July. You inspired many of our pupils including my brother and me. I was so inspired that when I'm older I'm determined to do a trip similar to yours. You are the first person who has inspired me to do something achievable so Thank you once again."
Jessica Goulston, Student at Ballard School.
"I am a student at Wigmore High School and I just wanted to write and thank you for the presentation that you gave to us, which was both fascinating and moving. I felt truly inspired by your story, as, I'm sure, everyone else listening did. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us."
Lydia Wells, Student at
Wigmore High School.
"Many thanks for coming along last night. The boys were truly fascinated, and I've had a most illuminating chat with my class this morning about overcoming adversity and making the most of your opportunities. My colleagues were unanimous in their praise - to keep the littlest interested for 45 minutes is a task straight out of classical mythology, and you managed it brilliantly."
Jonathan Howe-Jones, Cothill House School.
"On behalf of all of our members I wish to thank you for your excellent talk yesterday. As I mentioned we have heard several inspiring talks in the past (a survivor of The Great Escape from Stalag Laft; a climber caught in a blizzard on top of Everest and someone who had driven a Austin 7 from Beijing to Paris to name but a few) but yours stands out as the best so far."
Wing Commander G.B Browne, O.B.E., RAF (Ret'd)