Moment in Time networking event held at Kirklees College’s Waterfront Campus

The Huddersfield Town Enterprise Academy, held in association with Kirklees College, met again for the first meeting of 2019, for the ‘Moment in Time’ networking event.

Over 60 people attended the event, held at Kirklees College’s Waterfront Campus, with inspirational guest speakers who have experienced a significant event in their lives that has led to a positive change.

Speakers from the boxing, charity and business worlds delivered heart-warming stories of courage, bravery and compassion as they spoke about their amazing achievements despite facing adversity.

Kirklees College alumni and boxing legend Fes Batista talked about his exciting and challenging journey to the ring, and how following his dreams and belief in himself led to him achieving his goals. Fes has been featured on CNN multiple times, as well as other international news stations. He has saved lives around the world with his anti-bullying work, which stemmed from his experience with bullying at University, and he is currently filming a documentary about his life.

Kim Leadbeater is an ambassador for the Jo Cox Foundation, which was set up after the murder of her sister, Jo Cox MP. She chairs the West Yorkshire ‘More in Common’ volunteer group and is spokesperson for the annual Great Get Together, a weekend of community events across the UK held at the end of June. Kim spoke about the impact her sister’s death had made on her life, but also the positive achievements that had been delivered after this tragic event.

Glenn Paxman, of Paxman Coolers, has been pioneering scalp cooling technology worldwide for over 25 years, a system that is deep rooted in family heartbreak. Glenn’s wife’s cancer battle, and the stress caused from hair loss from her treatment, led to the development of Paxman Coolers, and was a strong motivator for

Glenn to develop this cold cap system, a system that has been clinically proven, cost-effective and widely embraced by doctors, nurses and patients alike. Glenn’s company aims to make a difference to people’s lives by raising awareness about scalp cooling and establishing the cold cap as common practice for all patients undergoing treatment.

The event was compered by Sean Jarvis, Huddersfield Town’s Commercial Director, who led the floor for a question and answer session after the speakers had finished, before guests took to the floor to network with like-minded business professionals over a coffee.

Lydia Butterworth, Head of Sales and Marketing for Kirklees College, said: “This event was an emotional but inspiring one, showcasing how one moment can make such a difference in your life. It was extraordinary to hear such stories of courage and determination, and was very moving. These networking events bring together fantastic local businesses who are able to connect and share ideas and best practice. It really does bring together the best of the best from the business world in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.”

Kirklees College are 10th in England and 1st in West Yorkshire for Apprenticeships (ages 16-18) for completion within an agreed time frame, and are the official education and training partner of Huddersfield Town. With eight centres across the region, Kirklees College boasts fantastic facilities and delivers excellent teaching from industry experienced staff. Their next Open Days will be held in March to enable potential students to check out the facilities and speak to staff about the right choice for them.