Simon Weston CBE

The keynote speaker Simon Weston CBE is a veteran of the Falklands War and a professional motivator with nearly thirty years’ experience. With irrepressible humour, he speaks about overcoming adversity and positive mental attitude as well as his experiences of being in the public eye for the last three decades. His humour, infectious enthusiasm and engaging personality have made him a firm favourite with many companies who invite him back to speak again and again.

When the RFA Sir Galahad was destroyed in the Bluff Cove Air Attack during the Falklands War, he was severely injured, sustaining serious burns to 46% of his body. Our speaker Simon Weston has become well-known across the United Kingdom and abroad for his struggle to overcome his injuries and redefine his role in life, and his message is one of achievement, of triumph in the face of adversity, and of seizing the moment and succeeding.

Simon’s road to recovery, both physical, mental and spiritual, has seen him active in various highly successful projects, among them Liverpool-based youth charity The Weston Spirit. His bravery and charitable work have earned him several awards and honours; he earned an OBE in the 1992 Queen’s Birthday Honours and has been awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2002. He has also been honoured as one of the top 100 Welsh Heroes in 2004, and in 2014, in a survey by Freud Communications, he was voted top of the UK Heroes Index, naming him the Nation’s Favourite Hero.

The remarkable speaker Simon Weston was President for Wales Scouting for two years and is currently the Patron of the Falklands Veterans Foundation, The Enham Trust, Allied Service Trust, and an Ambassador for Changing Faces. Most recently, he has helped set up Care After Combat, a charity for veterans.

Simon’s story is well-known throughout the UK, and he has been the subject of five BBC documentaries: “Simon’s War” (1983), “Simon’s Peace” (1985), Simon’s Triumph” (1989), “Simon’s Return” (1992), and “Simon’s Journey” (1999). More recently, after BBC One viewers nominated him to have his portrait painted and hung in the National Portrait Gallery, a BBC documentary followed him in the process of having the portrait painted.

As well as appearing on television, the keynote speaker Simon Weston has written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. His autobiography “Walking Tall” and the sequel “Going Back” were both bestsellers. His most recent book, “Moving On” details his final return to the Falklands and sees him lay his ghosts to rest. His fiction books include such titles as “Cause of Death” and “Phoenix” as well as four children’s books in the “Nelson” series.