Lindsey and I left home on Friday night as we had booked to go to TEDxKingsCollegeLondon Event Beyond the Genes: Identity, Health, Culture at IET London Savoy Place on Saturday. After an eventful evening on Friday with my daughter Alice we eventually returned to her flat after she very kindly serenaded an unsuspecting chap on the bus with the Oasis Classic ‘Don’t look back in anger’ simply because he looked a little like Noel Gallagher. Apologies if you read this.

As volunteers of The Department of Research and founders of The Twins Gift Company we like to keep abreast of ‘ all things twin related’ and thought the TEDx event was a joint venture between The Department of Twin Research and Teds ( Twins early development study )

Tim Spector Professor of Genetic Epidemiology founder of TwinsUK with Karen & Lindsey founders of The Twins Gift Company at the TEDxKingsCollegeLondon Event Beyond the Genes: Identity, Health, Culture

Kirstin & Maren Hallenga CoppaFeel at TEDxKingsCollegeLondon

- how wrong we were but how fortunate we were to be wrong.

The TEDxKingsCollegeLondon event turned out to be one of the most thought provoking and interesting events I have attended for a very long time. To all you knowledgable people out there who know exactly what a TEDx event consists of I have a simple message

” you kept that quiet”

To the rest of you who are still in the dark – listen up !

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience, where speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

We had the most enjoyable day listening to the following speakers:

Mark Colbourne MBE – Gt Britain’s newest Gold Medal Paralympian – If you have a dream….Never give up

Tim Spector – Professor of Genetic Epidemiology and founder of TwinsUK – Identically Different

Nick Barratt – author, historian “Who do you think you are” presenter – Identity & Roots in the digital age

Kirstin & Maren Hallenga – Twin sisters founders of Coppafeel the breast cancer awareness charity – One big difference

Chidi Ngwaba – UK’s most high profile “Lifestyle Doctor” – Health, chance or choice?

Lynne Barrett-Lee – author & ghost writer – Being Human: how to lose your identity for fun & profit

Kathy Lette – columnist, sitcom writer & novelist – Raising a child with Asperger’s

Julian Baggini – Philosopher & writer  - Being Multifolkal

David Collier – Professor of Neuropsychiatric Genetics at kings College – Mental Illness & 100,000 genomes

Caroline White – Mother of Seb who has Down’s Syndrome who took part in the M&S Christmas Advert – Changing   Attitudes

Simon Baron-Cohen – Professor of Developmental Psychcopathology at Cambridge – Autism, Sex & Science

Claire Steves – practicing geriatrician – Mastering Time: a key to ageing

Robin Sebastian – Kenneth Williams mimic and actor – Being Kenneth Williams

Chris Hammond – Professor of Ophthalmology – My little eye.

Ellis Watson – Chief Executive of DC Thomson – Beyond genes – breeding happiness

We had a lovely lunch, chatted with some insightful people and had the opportunity to meet and speak to all the presenters.

My brain was buzzing at the end of the day – but I know what I have learnt will stay with me for a long, long time.

When I returned home and told my children where I had been, they of course knew all about TEDx events but had made the assumption that this was something way beyond the realms of interest to their Mother!

Many thanks to The Department of Twin research because without being part of TWINSUK we would never have learnt let alone attended this wonderful event.

Lynne Barrett-Lee author of “Julia Gets a Life”, “Barefoot in the Dark” & ghost writer.

Kathy Lette at TEDxKingsCollegeLondon

www.twinsgiftcompany.co.uk

The home of inspired gifts for twins, triplets & their families.