Natasha Porter
Chief Executive and Founder Unlocked
Gethin grasped the aims of the organisation, the significance of the event and the audience very quickly. As such, we were able to discuss his ideas around appropriate content from very early in our communications. He was the first Speaker of the evening and it was pitched at the perfect level for the audience and set the tone for the remainder of the event. The Speakers following referred to Gethin’s speech for comparison points. His playful approach did not distract from the serious and thought provoking elements of Gethin’s story. It did, however, create a more relaxed and personable environment for the audience to fully understand Gethin’s transformation path.
Matt Hatton
Operational Director, Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness
I first heard about Gethin Jones through my involvement with one of Nationwide Building Society Community Boards. One of the Nationwide managers was singing the praises of an inspirational speaker, of how he was able to reach out to people through his hard-hitting personal story of experiencing the care system and of having been on the wrong side of the criminal justice system.
Gethin came to Kingston. He spoke to both those whose work and volunteering touch the sphere of work in homelessness (housing, adult social care, police, public health, job centre, charities, community groups) and later on to a mix of people, who had or were still experiencing homelessness. In both sessions, the audience were gripped by Gethin’s words. The impact on the audience was really telling when it came to the Q&A at the end of each session and Gethin was bombarded with questions!
The buzz that came from that day has created ripples of multi-agency action that, I hope, results in waves of positive joint working that my organisation can ride on – with the intention that our clients benefit! But best thing of all is the fact that one particular client was there that day to listen to Gethin’s message. It is no coincidence, I think, that today he is embracing our services and dealing with his health issues which he was previously neglecting. He’s still on a long road but it feels like the start of something really good!
My big thanks to Gethin and Nationwide Building Society for enabling us to benefit from Gethin’s ‘Buy One, Give One’ offer. And I have absolutely no doubt that I shall be working with Gethin again in the very near future.
Mike Trace
CEO, The Forward Trust
Gethin spoke at Forward’s staff conference and went down a storm. He spoke from the heart and appealed strongly to our practitioner audience who work in prison day in day out to support those with addiction problems.
The audience was energised and enlightened by his talk. Gethin is a gifted communicator, mixing passion, humour and good sense and I recommend him highly
Matt Mason
Centre Director – John Pounds Community Trust
After meeting with Gethin it was clear he ‘got us’ as a Business and Individuals. I could see the Programme would not be off the shelf, but shaped for the team’s needs. Gethin’s Professional background had clearly given him a good understanding of various teams’ dynamics and an understanding of the pressures I was experiencing.
Planned with the business in mind, at a time and place that best suited us which helped achieve successful outcomes for all. ‘Staying in touch’ by follow up emails promoting thought into action, worked well.
The Team are talking about the Programme with each other and trying to implement positive change. Individuals are more positive in themselves and when supporting their colleagues. Individuals have a more positive approach when dealing with problems and the day to day pressures of their role.
Anne Fox
Chief Executive Officer – Clinks
Gethin was a pleasure to work with throughout the process. We were unable initially to accommodate his full Talk in our Programme, but he developed an input to suit what we needed. He met the Brief brilliantly, developing an inspiring short Input as part of a Panel, drawing on his personal and professional experience.
Gethin is an engaging Speaker. His delivery is incredibly warm, accessible and welcoming. He captured the audience and is easy to listen to. He provides an insight into his personal and working life, which he makes available to others to learn from.
His input on the Day and his ability to breathe such life into our Programme was really well received. Delegates to our Conference remarked specifically on the Panel Session in which Gethin participated.
Delegate feedback included “Honest and inspiring – great to hear the individual panel member’s personal journey and coping strategies”, “Good interesting discussion, gave me hope.”
Sandra Barefoot
Programme Manager, The Forgiveness Project 
www.theforgivenessproject.com
To hear Gethin speak, is to realise the incredible journey another human being takes through a life that presents such difficulty, and yet who shows the immense resilience to choose a different way of living.
Gethin spoke of where new seeds were able to be planted in his life and where they couldn’t be. In reference to his life in prison he said, “how can you plant seeds within contaminated soil?”. This powerful question has stayed with me as I ask this of myself and of all the work I deliver within the prison system.
Gethin illustrated so powerfully how seeds began to be planted by individual people who believed in him, by those who kept by his side and by those who didn’t waiver in their belief that he had the strength to change and with this, Gethin’s resilience and courage began on his journey of change.
Gethin’s Story speaks of what it truly is to be human and how the internal resilience comes to show its true strength within all the suffering and struggles that life presented to him.
Cheryl Harper-Duffin
Head of Operations at Learning Links (southern) Ltd
