Queen’s Hosts First TEDx: ‘Future Forward’ Inspires Bold Thinking & Big Ideas

The Queen’s School hosts its first TEDx event, Future Forward, led by Year 12 student Gowri. The evening featured inspiring speakers on innovation, sustainability, and creativity, showcasing the power of youth leadership shaping the future.

Friday 28 March marked a landmark moment for The Queen’s School, Chester, as it proudly hosted its very first TEDx event.

An evening dedicated to innovation, imagination and impact, Future Forward brought together inspiring speakers and an engaged audience to explore the ideas shaping the world of tomorrow. From technological innovation and sustainability, to creativity, education and social change, the event captured the spirit of possibility that lies at the heart of The Queen’s School.

The event was led entirely by Year 12 student Gowri, who brought TEDx to Queen’s to create a platform for forward-thinking conversations. Her vision and leadership resulted in a seamless and thought-provoking evening that demonstrated just how powerfully young people can shape the future.

“Hosting the first TEDx event at our school is something I will always be grateful for,” said Gowri. “Bringing this event to life, curating thought-provoking discussions, and ensuring everything ran smoothly was no small task, but it was worth it. With the support of my parents, teachers and staff, this event became a testament to the power of collaboration and ideas. I hope to inspire other students to take advantage of the incredible opportunities our school provides and continue this initiative in the future.”

Speaker Highlights

The event featured four outstanding speakers from diverse industries and backgrounds:

Lynsey Hyslop – Career coach and transition expert, who shared ‘No Plan? No Problem. Why Not Knowing Your Career Path is Your Superpower’ encouraging students to embrace uncertainty as a strength.

Jill Hawkins – Fashion culture researcher and trend forecaster, who presented “Creativity: The Ultimate Life Hack for an Unpredictable Future,” exploring creativity as a vital skill in times of change.

Muhammad Madih – Finance and economic analyst, who delivered “The Limitations of Ceteris Paribus: How Bad Economics Leads to Extremism,” unpacking the risks of outdated economic thinking.

Harry Isaac – Renewable energy process engineer, who asked “Can Robots Save the Planet?” and examined the role of AI in tackling the climate crisis.

The event sparked meaningful conversations throughout the evening, with both students and staff energised by the forward-facing themes and big questions raised.

Lynsey Hyslop said, “The atmosphere was fantastic, with an engaged and supportive audience. TEDx is about sparking meaningful conversations, and I loved challenging the idea of a fixed career path.”

Muhammad Madih reflected, “Seeing students so invested in these discussions was genuinely inspiring. It reminded me why these conversations matter.”

Harry Isaac added, “The passion in the room reinforced the importance of pushing digital innovation and sustainability forward.”

Simran, a student attendee, shared, “The event was incredibly thought-provoking. Gowri did a brilliant job, and it was inspiring to be part of.”

TEDxTheQueensSchoolChester: ‘Future Forward’ was more than just an event — it was a celebration of bold thinking, youth leadership and the power of ideas. At Queen’s, we believe in giving our girls the platforms, skills and confidence to shape the world they will one day lead — and this was a shining example of that vision in action.