Brighton Conference Attracts Star Speaker

It isn’t often that conference delegates get the chance to hear one of the most moving and inspiring personal stories of hope and determination overcoming a crippling disability.

But that is what the key-note speaker at TC Taylorcocks’ 2019 Brighton conference ‘Informing & Educating’ will share as he describes how for most of his youth he battled with a speech impediment that threatened to ruin his life.

Already a national celebrity, Musharaf ‘Mushy’ Asghar was the subject of a hugely successful Channel 4 series, Educating Yorkshire, which brought his remarkable story to millions and has inspired many others who suffer from similar disabilities.

He will describe how he was unable to speak from the age of five until the time of his GCSEs when the Oscar winning film ‘The King’s Speech’ – together with a supportive English teacher – gave him the confidence and ability to communicate.

As Musharaf explains:  ‘It was after an asthma attack aged five that I found I couldn’t speak properly – I couldn’t even pronounce my own name.  I knew I had a voice but I couldn’t get it out. Coming from an ethnic background and being amongst people who didn’t understand what a stammer meant or how it could be controlled made it even harder.

‘But what I learned is that adversity can be empowering, and in the end my stammer made me push myself further and be accepted for who I was.’

Now he spends his time talking to audiences across the UK about the power of self-belief and his message is predominantly about accepting who you are and believing in yourself.

‘At the conference I will be sharing my experiences and reinforcing the message that adversity is an almost important and even vital part of self-growth.  Once you accept who you are you can achieve whatever you want in life.’

Additional speakers include TC Taylorcocks’ Charities & Education partner, Mark Cummins, who will cover the complex subject of governance and guidance for trustees on what they need to know, supported by a case study; Janet Ormerod of Nahira Consultancy who will talk about assessing and developing fundraising, Helen Harvie of H3 Solicitors who will provide a charity law update and TC Taylorcocks’ Jonathan Aikens who will unravel the mysteries of charity finance.  There will also be a ‘Parkinson’ style interview with Imelda Glackin, CEO of The Martlets Hospice.

Says Mark Cummins:  ‘This must one of the most inspiring and impressive list of speakers we have had at one of our conferences and we are thrilled that Musharaf has been able to join us.  It provides a perfect blend of one the most moving of personal experiences together with updates and guidance from some of the best accounting and legal experts in their fields.’

Informing & Educating takes place on Tuesday February 12^thbetween 9.00 am and 4.30 pm at British Airways i360, Lower King’s Rd, Brighton.

For further information and booking details please contact Natalie Boyd at TC Taylorcocks on 01903 816699, or email:natalieboyd@taylorcocks.co.uk.