Ed Talks
Ed Talks is the new podcast from the Development Office at King Edward's School Birmingham and King Edward's High School for Girls in which Ben Anderson (2006) talks to Old Edwardians who have gone on to have successful careers in different fields. If you would like to feature on the podcast as guest or if you have news to offer one of the Old Edwardian's print publications, please email Adelaide Bailey at the Development Office - aab@kes.bham.sch.uk. This podcast is produced by Sound Rebel, a podcast production company who create podcasts for businesses, organisations and charities across the UK. If you would like to talk to us about producing your podcast, please email ben@soundrebel.co.uk. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers themselves and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our schools, their employees or constituents.
Episodes
April 28, 2023 • 35 mins
Professor Oliver Johnson (1992) and Rik Ubhi (2004) join Ben to talk about working together on Oliver's new book Numbercrunch: A Mathematician's Toolkit for Making Sense of Your World.
Rik is the Editorial Director of Heligo (an imprint of Bonnier Books) and when Oliver's proposal came to him, he didn't know about the Old Eds link. A conversation about a mutual shared love of Aston Villa led to a conversation about th...
Rik is the Editorial Director of Heligo (an imprint of Bonnier Books) and when Oliver's proposal came to him, he didn't know about the Old Eds link. A conversation about a mutual shared love of Aston Villa led to a conversation about th...
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July 13, 2022 • 36 mins
This episode of Ed Talks is slightly different, as we're not talking to an Old Edwardian - but instead, someone who knows Old Edwardians rather well, both present and past. Charlotte Gallant is the Foundation Archivist, and her role is to preserve and curate the archives of all of the King Edward VI Foundation schools.
In this conversation, Charlotte talks about the kind of things that are in the King Edward's archive...
In this conversation, Charlotte talks about the kind of things that are in the King Edward's archive...
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June 27, 2022 • 49 mins
Howard Williamson (1972) is currently a Professor at The University of South Wales and has spent his career researching and teaching on the subject of young people and issues that affect them, from working as a lecturer to a government advisor in countries all over the world. Howard never had a plan for his career - opportunities have just presented themselves based around his area of expertise.Â
A thread that has run...
A thread that has run...
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May 23, 2022 • 40 mins
Nick Varley (1986) is the founder of LookUp Communications and former CEO and founding partner of the content agency Seven46.Â
Seven46 were known as the "bid specialists" because of their work helping countries to bid for major sporting events, and in this conversation Nick talks about his experience working with the London 2012 team to help them shape the story that won the UK the Olympic Games.
After the su...
Seven46 were known as the "bid specialists" because of their work helping countries to bid for major sporting events, and in this conversation Nick talks about his experience working with the London 2012 team to help them shape the story that won the UK the Olympic Games.
After the su...
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March 22, 2022 • 41 mins
Neil Moxley (1987) is the Chief Sports Reporter at The Sunday People and has previously worked for the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star, covering sports events across the globe. In this conversation Neil talks about the play review he wrote at KES that sparked his passion for writing, and how his upbringing set him up to be able to feel confident in any situation as a journalist.
Neil writes about many different sports...
Neil writes about many different sports...
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March 14, 2022 • 50 mins
Jules Parke-Robinson (1993) left KEHS and went on to Aberystwyth University, but from a young age knew she wanted to join the military. After completing her Masters Degree, she went to Sandhurst to train as an Officer and subsequently joined the Royal Military Police.
Jules stayed with the Military Police for 21 years, where she became Commanding Officer of the Special Investigations branch. She explains the kind of w...
Jules stayed with the Military Police for 21 years, where she became Commanding Officer of the Special Investigations branch. She explains the kind of w...
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February 14, 2022 • 42 mins
Nisha Pillai (1979) is a former BBC News presenter with over 20 years experience, including being a rolling news anchor for BBC World News as well as an investigative journalist for Panorama and The Money Programme. However, this wasn't the path that she set out on after leaving KEHS as a degree from LSE led to a short career within merchant banking before she realised that this wasn't her passion and became a financial journa...
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February 1, 2022 • 37 mins
Anya Duxbury (2019) is a recent KEHS leaver and is currently in the United States studying Business at Alma College in Michigan for a year - however, her passion is anthropology, which is the degree she's taking a short break from before she returns to Queen's Belfast to complete it next year.
In this conversation Anya talks about the subject of anthropology itself, and how discovering it almost by chance set her off ...
In this conversation Anya talks about the subject of anthropology itself, and how discovering it almost by chance set her off ...
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January 24, 2022 • 40 mins
Dr. Chris Duncan (2009) and Dr. Sarb Clare have accomplished something extraordinary together: whilst both working on the NHS frontline of the COVID pandemic they have also written a medical textbook, published with Cambridge University Press, which could revolutionise patient care in the future.
The book is called Ultrasound for the Generalist which focuses on point of care ultrasound and the multitude o...
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January 17, 2022 • 41 mins
Melanie Etti (2007) is a Fulbright Scholar completing a Master of Public Health degree at Harvard University. She spent much of 2020 working as a researcher in Uganda and will be continuing work within the field of global health during her year of postgraduate study.
In this conversation she talks about how following her passions has been the driving force behind her career decisions, rather than following a predeter...
In this conversation she talks about how following her passions has been the driving force behind her career decisions, rather than following a predeter...
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January 10, 2022 • 44 mins
Beth Heaven (2008) is Partnerships and Digital Senior Manager working at The Walt Disney Company's head office in London - and yes, characters do occasionally pop in to say hello!
She is currently working in the products part of the business, working with partners such as Lego and H&M who use the Disney IP as part of their own product lines, but she also talks about the other areas of the business she's worked in ...
She is currently working in the products part of the business, working with partners such as Lego and H&M who use the Disney IP as part of their own product lines, but she also talks about the other areas of the business she's worked in ...
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December 9, 2021 • 40 mins
Duncan Grierson (1987) is an entrepreneur with a track record of building cleantech companies, and in this conversation he talks about his most recent venture, Clim8.
Clim8 is a digital investment platform which empowers anyone to invest in green companies. Clean energy, smart mobility, clean technology, clean water, sustainable food and the circular economy all have a part in creating a greener and more sustainable f...
Clim8 is a digital investment platform which empowers anyone to invest in green companies. Clean energy, smart mobility, clean technology, clean water, sustainable food and the circular economy all have a part in creating a greener and more sustainable f...
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December 3, 2021 • 46 mins
Ian Metcalfe (1976) is the Chair of Commonwealth Games England and in this conversation talks about what an international event like next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham does for a city like ours.
Ian is a proud Brummie, and came back to the city straight after university. He is a solicitor by training and had a hugely successful career with international law firm Wragge & Co (retiring as a managing partn...
Ian is a proud Brummie, and came back to the city straight after university. He is a solicitor by training and had a hugely successful career with international law firm Wragge & Co (retiring as a managing partn...
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November 19, 2021 • 47 mins
Professor Marian Knight (1986) is a maternal and child health researcher and public health physician and was recently elected a Fellow of the Academy for Medical Sciences. She leads @mbrrace and @NPEU-UKOSS and has spoken widely about Covid and pregnancy as well as ethnic disparities in maternity care.
In this conversation, she talks about these issues and the research these organisations have been carrying out, but s...
In this conversation, she talks about these issues and the research these organisations have been carrying out, but s...
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November 12, 2021 • 41 mins
His Honour Nicholas Cooke QC (1973) is a former Senior Circuit Judge at the Central Criminal Court, often referred to as "The Old Bailey". Despite retiring as a judge a few years ago, he is keeping incredibly busy - he was recently made an Honorary Fellow at Aberystwyth University, he's doing a Research Degree at Oxford, he's on the Development Board of performing arts charity Orpheus, and he's the Chair of Fields in Trust Wal...
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November 5, 2021 • 44 mins
James Forrest (2002) was given the nickname The Mountain Man by The Sunday Telegraph, and for very good reason - he has recently broken the speed record for climbing the three British peaks unsupported, he's climbed every single mountain in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in the fastest known time, and his book Mountain Man documents the first part of this journey when he climbed all of England and Wales' mountains whilst...
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July 23, 2021 • 50 mins
Tom Johnson left school in 1965 and spent his career as a teacher. However, he always had a passion for crosswords and decided to take the leap and work as a freelance crossword compiler and editor, something the still does and loves to this day!
Tom has compiled and edited crosswords for The Financial Times, The New Statesman, The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian amongst others, and recently had his first crossword i...
Tom has compiled and edited crosswords for The Financial Times, The New Statesman, The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian amongst others, and recently had his first crossword i...
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July 12, 2021 • 38 mins
Jean Moule (1973) is an incredibly well-known character in the hallways of KEHS... She grew up in Sandwell and attended the school as a pupil in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later returned to the school as a young teacher after going to Durham University for her undergraduate degree and Newcastle University for her PGCE. KEHS was her second teaching post after working for five years at a school in Birmingham City Centre...
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June 23, 2021 • 39 mins
In this episode of Ed Talks we take a break from the norm as instead of talking to an Old Edwardian, Ben talks to four current students - two boys from KES and two girls from KEHS.
Vedika, Jimmy, Alicia and Louis are all in their final year at King Edward's and are all Student Callers raising money for the Assisted Places Fund in their summer holidays. In this episode we talk about what it's like to be a Student Calle...
Vedika, Jimmy, Alicia and Louis are all in their final year at King Edward's and are all Student Callers raising money for the Assisted Places Fund in their summer holidays. In this episode we talk about what it's like to be a Student Calle...
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June 11, 2021 • 34 mins
Lindsey Davis left KEHS in 1967 and went to study at Oxford University. She had written stories since she was young, but never thought that writing could be a full-time career. Instead, she left Oxford and went in to a career with the Civil Service.
However, she became frustrated with her job when she felt as if people were being promoted into roles because of their gender, rather than their ability. She handed in her...
However, she became frustrated with her job when she felt as if people were being promoted into roles because of their gender, rather than their ability. She handed in her...
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