After Dinner Speakers: John Nichol, Austin Healey, Murray Walker

The first the world saw of RAF Navigator John Nichol was as a British prisoner of war, shot down during the Gulf War and paraded on TV. The traumatic weeks of capture which ensued gave John a unique insight into the human capacity to deal with even the most severe and disruptive change. Partly as a result of his own outgoing personality, partly as a result of the experience itself, John Nichol is now able to present a fascinating insight into what happens when our innermost reserves are tested by external demands. His entertaining account of what happened takes his audience from the highly organised training and teamwork of an RAF squadron to the isolation of being shot down and held in solitary confinement. His experiences qualify him to speak with unquestionable authority on not only surviving change but also turning it to your advantage. Indeed his physical survival is due to his immense reserves of personal strength, flexibility and the capacity to withstand upheaval and uncertainty. Describing himself as ‘an ordinary guy who just happened to find himself in extraordinary circumstances’, John’s message is one of optimism, inspiration and personal motivation. His personal triumph lies in having discovered his potential to cope with extremes and achieve goals way beyond his perceived horizons. And John leaves his audience in no doubt – that potential exists in all of us.