Speakers and activity leaders that will share the lessons they’ve learnt from their work across diverse projects and sectors.
Support and guidance in being able to apply these principles to your own work. So, get ready to roll your sleeves up and join the action.
Practical participatory activities, talks and workshops - that are not reliant on tech and gimmicks, but inspire tangible change.
The opportunity to connect with fellow changemakers in a unique setting, forging relationships and sharing experiences.
A rural setting, giving you the chance to reconnect with nature and be inspired.
Big Sky Hideaway, Lincolnshire
Changing behaviour isn't always straightforward—but by applying behaviour change models and specific techniques we can make it much easier to achieve the outcomes we want.
In this, literally, immersive session, Jason brings behaviour change theory to life using the COM-B model, helping you explore what drives behaviour, what gets in the way, and how to overcome common barriers.
· Discover how to apply these insights both personally and professionally
· Focus on enabling behaviours that may conflict with our natural inclinations
· Spotlight on emotion regulation as a powerful behaviour change technique
· Explore practical strategies such as reflection, goal setting, and social influence—each closely tied to our emotional drivers
Whether you're aiming for personal growth or workplace transformation, this session offers a toolkit for sustainable change.
Join this compelling and honest workshop exploring the lived experiences of a frontline social worker who has spent years advocating for children in crisis - children at risk, in care, and supporting people navigating the complexities of adoption. From standing up for children's rights in courtrooms to walking alongside families through their most difficult moments, this session offers rare insight into what it means to practice social work with compassion, resilience, and a non-judgemental approach.
The facilitator will reflect on how to hold space for both vulnerability and hope in some of the most challenging circumstances, and explore how we can all apply some of the reflections in our work, whatever that is, so that we can engage and relate to others without judgement.
You’ve probably heard of the trolley problem – but what if you had to act it out in real time? In this session you won’t just debate ethical theories, you’ll step into the dilemmas yourself.
🚃Take on different roles – victim, decision-marker, or onlooker – and face high pressure ethical choices
🛶Watch how changing the rules of the dilemma shifts perspectives
🚃Explore the lifeboat problem, where limited resources force tough decisions
You’ll embody different characters, each making their case for survival. Will your values change when the rules change? How do these dilemmas mirror real-world behaviour change challenges?
Through taking a practical approach to engaging in ethical debate, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of decision-making under pressure, the role of values in behaviour change and how ethical reasoning applies to real-life challenges.
Life doesn’t always follow a straight path, sometimes we climb ladders of success, other times, we slide back down into unexpected challenges. But how often do we pause to truly reflect on our journey – where we started, what we’ve learned and where we’re heading next?
What to expect:
🎲Step off life’s treadmill and take stock of your progress in a supportive, engaging space
🎲Play a giant, personalised game of Snakes and Ladders – using this collaborative tool to map your experiences, challenges and triumphs.
🎲Engage in guided reflection – turning past lessons into future strengths
🎲Leave with greater self-knowledge and a renewed appreciation for your unique path
Self-reflection is powerful, but often something we put off – waiting for the ‘right’ time. This session gives you that time.
So join us, and with fun, honestly, reflectivity and connection, we’ll make the process feel less daunting, leaving you with whole-some take-ways, and a greater appreciation of your journey in the game of life so far.
Through the lens of her midwifery career, Kelda Folliard explores how meaningful behaviour change can be supported in emotionally charged, high-stakes environments.
This workshop highlights the power of empathy, trust, and lived experience in shaping change, especially when working with individuals and families facing complex challenges.
Participants will reflect on how to create safe, supportive conditions for change, even when circumstances are uncertain or difficult.
A powerful session for anyone working in care, community, or frontline roles where behaviour change is deeply human.
Sometimes being a changemaker can take its toll on our wellbeing – fatigue, burnout, moral and emotional distress, and the need to rejuvenate and restore is strong. Evidence of the power of nature is becoming ever more compelling, from reducing stress, improving mood, enhancing cognitive function, improving sleep and immune function, increasing empathy and cooperation, and lowering the risk of chronic illness, what’s not to like! Jade will take you on a journey to experience these benefits first-hand.
Also known as Shirin-Yoku, forest bathing is the practice of slowing down, engaging your senses and deepening your connection with nature.
In Jade’s guided session, you’ll explore simple yet powerful nature connection activities that you can integrate into your daily life or work to enhance wellbeing.
You might already take a walk in your local park after work, or during lunch to unwind – but how often do you truly leave behind the stresses of life and work? It’s easy to ruminate on daily worries, rather than fully embracing the moment, meaning you may not experience the full restorative benefits of nature.
So, join us in kicking off the weekend with the intentional act of slowing down and reconnecting with nature. You’ll emerge feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and more deeply connected to the natural world – an experience that sets the stage for a weekend filled with innovative insights in human behaviour change science.
Schools have been around for many years and have served a useful purpose to the way our society functions, and are a key part of delivering positive change in the world. The last twenty years have seen dramatic changes with technology and communication evolving spectacularly. Alongside this we are seeing our children struggle with mental health, and a huge rise in High Needs never seen before! It appears that schools have not changed in the same way; so, are they serving society, communities, and ultimately, the future generation?
Together we can use our collective thinking to start something that should have happened years ago. The evidence is clear and obvious - SCHOOLS NEED TO CHANGE, but how? Pete will take you on a journey including insights from his experience as a pupil, teacher, and Headteacher, so join him and explore what is possible.
You’ve got a message that matters, but does your voice carry it with the power and influence it deserves?
In a world full of noise, changemakers need more than just good ideas. We need presence. We need clarity. We need people to listen. The Changemaker’s Voice is your chance to step into and develop that influence. In this energising, hands-on workshop, you’ll explore how breath, body and voice are interconnected with behavioural science principals. You will learn how they come together to help you speak with purpose and presence.
Whether you're pitching a project, leading a movement, or holding space for others, this session will help you move past nerves, ditch the fidget, and find your true voice. Through live demos, activities, reflection, and practical tools, you’ll learn how to hold a room and inspire change.
When your voice aligns with your mission, people don’t just hear what you’re saying, they feel it.
Come and learn a skill that’s over 10,000 years old and still has something vital to teach us today. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discover the ancient art of spinning natural fibres into yarn, a practice that once revolutionised human life by enabling us to bind, build, and carry more than ever before. But beyond its practical roots, spinning is also a powerful metaphor for change: slow, intentional, and deeply connected to the systems we live in.
In a world of fast fashion, fast tech, and fast results, this workshop invites you to slow down the ancient way. With fleece, a spindle, and guidance from Sara, you’ll learn how to prepare your materials, trust your hands, and find your rhythm. As you spin, you’ll reflect on how changemaking - like yarn-making - starts with raw, tangled beginnings and becomes something strong, useful, and beautiful through patience and practice.
This is more than a craft. It’s a chance to reconnect - with yourself, with the land and animals that provide for us, and with the deeper threads of sustainability, systems thinking, and story. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage with the metaphor and the material. Leave with a small skein of yarn, a grounded sense of calm, and a renewed understanding of how change is spun - one thread at a time.
Krish's childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer faced early struggles with racist abuse and fat shaming proving quite the obstacles towards his dream. Nevertheless, he pursued his passion and, at 18, commenced his football career.
Injuries shattered his ambitions and led to a battle with his mental health, leaving him torn between the casino and his parents' couch. An opportunity for a football scholarship in California enticed the then-materialistic Krish, but it marked the start of a profound journey. In the U.S., Krish realised that escaping problems never brings true fulfillment. This realisation prompted a transformative shift in his perspective and life's purpose.
Krish undertook ambitious fundraising challenges, he built a schoolhouse in Uganda after running 4 marathons in 4 days, raising over £10,000 in the process and engaged with homeless in Manchester, swimming 53 Miles and raising awareness and money to support 36 homeless people into employment.
Krish’s life then took another twist when he shared the life-changing story of a homeless man named Danny. His mission became clear: to spread positivity through the inspiring stories of individuals he met.
This platform is now a social enterprise called Tales to Inspire featuring weekly stories of ordinary individuals who've overcome adversity or achieved remarkable feats. The podcast's aim is to encourage resilience and inspiration and the organisation has delivered workshops to over 10,000 young people and adults throughout the Country.
Krish's journey from a young boy with football dreams to a passionate advocate for positivity and change serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. His dedication to sharing uplifting stories motivates others to persevere. A renowned speaker and social entrepreneur, author to the Tales to Inspire Book and TEdx speaker.
Jade Hooper is a trained forest bathing guide and a social researcher at the Universities of Stirling and Lancaster. Her research specialisms include animal welfare, human-animal interactions, and child protection. Jade has also trained in ecopsychology and nature-based practice and facilitates nature connection events in her local community woodland. Jade feels most at home amongst the trees and lochs and spends as much time as possible out in nature with her handsome dog Capone.
Jason's focus is on human health and wellbeing. His began as a gym instructor and PT, which grew into an exercise referral instructor where he gained experience with system level change through city-wide health and wellbeing programmes. He went on to pursue an MSc in Behaviour Change and exploration of the link between mindfulness and physical activity, with the role of emotion and compassion key in behaviour change.
Jason has also been involved in various behaviour change interventions, including projects with Cancer Research UK focusing on cancer prevention and early diagnosis, and with Rethink Mental Illness coproducing system-level initiatives aimed at reducing barriers to physical activity among individuals severely affected by mental illness.
Jo has been passionate about animal welfare from an early age but it took her a while (and three degrees) to work out how best to turn this passion into a job that she loves. After failing to get the grades she needed to train to be a vet, Jo turned to Plan B and did a degree in Zoology. This introduced Jo to the fields of animal behaviour and animal welfare research, and suddenly becoming a researcher in one of those areas became her mission.
Jo has now completed a masters degree in applied animal welfare research and has gone on to complete a PhD investigating the welfare of UK leisure horses. Her research has spanned a variety of species and subjects including the uptake of livestock health initiatives by farmers, the use of antimicrobials in food producing animals and pig farmer engagement with the welfare component of their farm assurance scheme. Jo is now the Head of Research at The Donkey Sanctuary.
With a background in veterinary and animal work, Hamish has a deep passion for values and ethics. The journey to this career path was not a straightforward one—early in life, he explored various roles, including university dropout, driver, postie, and security guard, before ultimately finding his way into animal care in his mid-thirties. He first worked as a zookeeper before transitioning into veterinary nursing.
Initially focused on skill development and competency, Hamish gradually became more interested in the underlying reasons behind professional practices, questioning whether stated goals and actions truly aligned. This curiosity led to a diverse career spanning zookeeping, zoo and wildlife veterinary nursing, as well as roles in charity and referral work, before fully embracing teaching. Currently, he serves as a Veterinary Lecturer in Clinical Communication Skills.
Driven by a desire to deepen his understanding, Hamish has pursued multiple qualifications, including an MSc in International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law from the University of Edinburgh and a Certificate in Veterinary Human Support from the University of Tennessee. He is currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Education at UCL, researching the impact of values on behaviour in students and educators.
Passionate about conservation, Hamish developed the UK’s first MSc in Conservation Education and Engagement. This project sparked an interest in behaviour change, linking it to broader themes in animal welfare and conservation. His current work focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration and One Health initiatives, particularly in fostering effective communication of shared values and reducing conflict.
Sara has had a varied animal care career working both in the UK and abroad. During her work in many different environments (from wildlife rehabilitation centres, zoos and farms to small animal practices, emergency and critical care units, and charities) Sara has endeavoured to use her knowledge and various qualifications to facilitate positive outcomes for animals and their care givers.
With a background in zoology, veterinary nursing, animal training and behaviour, Sara is currently expanding into the world of human management. She is a departmental lead at a multi-disciplinary veterinary referral hospital, and is undertaking a combined Level 5 diploma and apprenticeship in Business and Organisational Management. Sara is committed to helping her team to build a collaborative, compassionate and growth focussed mindset to meet the challenges of providing sustainable contextualised veterinary care in a complex world.
Outside of work Sara is a keen fibre crafter, gardener, amateur historian and experimental archaeologist, and a living history presenter. She can often be found residing in 5th century England in the company of her rescue dog, a Saxon war band and a mountain of sheep fleece that she is slowly turning into various garments and accessories. Sara believes that whilst the past is no picture perfect postcard, there are many lessons that can be learned from it and applied to our modern existence.
Pete has worked in Primary Education in Dorset and Norfolk for 25 years starting as a Teacher and has spent the last eight years as a Head in a large Primary School near Norwich. He has always been fascinated in human behaviour and has increasingly specialised in changing the behaviour of the adults and the children at his school. The science of human behaviour change aligns perfectly with Pete's own values and beliefs about what makes a great school and how to help develop young people who will go on to help change the world in a positive way.
Pete has a BA Honours in English Literature and Sports Science, and completed his PGCE in 2001 to become a qualified Primary Teacher. With a strong interest in supporting children’s emotional behaviour, he is a THRIVE trainer, and recently completed an NPQ in Culture and Behaviour within schools. Pete has also been STEP ON and STEP UP trained and support teams and individuals through coaching and mentoring to develop their skills around understanding and facilitating behavioural change in real life educational settings.
Pete is very passionate about education and how it needs to change in the future. With help from many sources he facilitated the building of an amazing play area at the school he worked at - Poringland Primary School - thanks to the award-winning company CAP.CO adventure play. He is passionate about active learning and developing through play, having seen the impact of a positive learning environment and how this enables children to feel good at school and be in a better place to learn and develop their thinking. Schools need to change to adapt to what is happening around us and that change needs to start now.
Kelda is a midwife with a clinical specialism in perinatal mental health and social complexity in childbirth. Her drive to improve care for women and birthing people with additional vulnerabilities in pregnancy comes from a career working with families facing the double whammy of pregnancy and new parenthood alongside mental health and social challenges.
Kelda’s academic midwifery practice centres on the same specialism. Her doctoral research examined the lived experience of anxiety during pregnancy and the first year post-birth, and perinatal mental health is the primary focus of her ongoing research and teaching.
Committed to developing others, Kelda holds a leadership position with the National Institute for Health and Care Research, working to increase the capability of midwives and nurses to be research active, and she chairs the East of England Midwifery Research Network.
Outside of work, Kelda loves hot yoga and live music and is an occasional horse rider. She is excited to be attending her first HBC Fest, where she will be facilitating a workshop drawing on her experiences from the frontline of health care to consider aspects of supporting change.
