Rachel Colenso

As a motivational speaker I am often asked to build bridges between the diversity that exists in just one organisation. The experience of travelling to various countries and mingling with different cultures is invaluable in connecting with audiences, and ensuring successful outcomes. It is always refreshing to immerse yourself into environments that are very different from your own. Not that long ago I spoke in Geneva, a global financial city, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy. This is due to its presence of international organizations such as the Red Cross and many of the United Nations agency headquarters. It beautiful and orderly, forms the confluence of the Rhone and Arve Rivers, and is surrounded by majestic snow capped Alpine mountains. As someone heralding from a far more chaotic and noisy environment, such perfect and quiet efficiency is more than a little unnerving. In my mind it is comparable only to time spent speaking in Frankfurt, Germany. (I began my speaking career ...

Just a few days to go until we make our charity ascent of Snowdon with Actress Louise Bush the butterflies have set in. We had planned to do loads of fun 'training' sessions with Rosemary and piggybacking Jasmine up some hills... but... London is not very hilly. So other than our Richmond Park circuit, which is beautiful (but not very hilly) we have opted to join the British Armed Forces for some real training. We have joined the Changing of the Guards Guards at Buckingham Palace and marched down the road with them to Horseguards Parade, and then through Green Park. Quite a jolly affair with lots of men in leapard skins, drums banging, and trumpets blowing etc. Rosemary's march turned more into a skip, but it was in time, and everyone seemed very happy. After our exhausting military training we took a well earned break on the Thames River Taxi. Just hope Snowdon is like a Christmas tree... after many years they grow smaller. Our hope is that our efforts will bring in £1000 ...