Power of Friendship at Pioneer Leaders Conference
2024-03-02 | The Hayes Conference Centre, Hayes Ln, Swanwick, Alfreton, DE55 1AU, United Kingdom
As part of our Power of Friendship festivals tour, Phil Knox and I will be speaking at this large leaders event for the Pioneer network of churches.

Who You Can Become Retreat at Lee Abbey
2024-03-04 - 2024-03-08 | Lee Abbey Devon, Lynton, North Devon, EX35 6JJ, United Kingdom
I can’t wait to lead my 5-session Who You Can Become When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned retreat at the beautiful Lee Abbey, in Devon. Natural beauty, amazing walks, food, community. It will be fantastic.

Time to Talk Befriending 10th Anniversary
2024-03-14 12:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | City Coast Centre, North Street, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1DG, United Kingdom
I have the privilege of giving the keynote address at this 10th Anniversary celebration of the fabulous Time to Talk Befriending charity, in Brighton UK. Guests include local dignitaries, programme participants, befrienders, staff, volunteers and funders – who combine to make this great work happen.

Spring Harvest 2024
2024-04-01 - 2024-04-05 | Butlins Skegness, Ingoldmells, Skegness, PE25 1NJ, United Kingdom
I’ll be speaking at, and co-hosting the online stream for, the amazing Spring Harvest event again in 2024 (this year from the Skegness event). Drawing up to 20,000 attendees in person, and 3000 to its livestreams, Spring Harvest is a premier event for the UK. Don’t miss my joint seminar with Phil Knox on the Power of Friendship.

CCW Emerging Leaders Programme
2024-04-11 19:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | Online
I will be contributing to the Centre for Cultural Witness’s Emerging Leaders Programme, helping participants learn how to communicate faith in a secular world.

The Power of Friendship at Cedarwood Festival
2024-07-13 - 2024-07-14 | Thorp Perrow, Bedale, Darlington, DL8 2PS, United Kingdom
As part of our Power of Friendship festivals tour, Phil Knox and I will be speaking at this large conference in the wonderful north. We’ll do a keynote talk on Saturday night then an in-depth seminar on the Sunday.

Power of Friendship at Keswick Convention
2024-07-15 - 2024-07-16 | Keswick, Rawnsley Centre, Keswick, CA12 5NP, United Kingdom
As part of our Power of Friendship festivals tour, Phil Knox and I will be speaking at this large conference, drawing several thousand people, over two days.

The Power of Friendship at Creation Fest
2024-08-01 | Royal Cornwall Events Centre, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 7JE
As part of our Power of Friendship festivals tour, Phil Knox and I will be speaking at this large conference in Cornwall.

The Power of Friendship at New Horizon
2024-08-07 | Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland, BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
As part of our Power of Friendship festivals tour, Phil Knox and I will be speaking at this large conference in Northern Ireland that draws several thousand people annually.

One for Exeter Leader's Retreat
2024-11-12 09:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0EE, United Kingdom
I’ll be leading this combined retreat for church leaders across Devon at the beautiful Buckfast Abbey. We’ll explore the power of friendship for church leaders and their congregations.

CST National Conference
2025-02-21 - 2025-02-22 | The Hayes Conference Centre, Hayes Ln, Swanwick, Alfreton, DE55 1AU, United Kingdom
After keynoting this important conference for 300-400 educators in 2020, I’m thrilled to be inviting back again for 2024. We’ll explore the reason’s for society’s current ‘friendship recession’, how great friendships form, and the distinctive power of friendship for educators and their students.

Spring Harvest 2025
2025-04-17 | Butlins Minehead, Warren Road, Minehead, TA24 5SH, United Kingdom
Drawing thousands of attendees in person and online, Spring Harvest is a premier festival for the UK. After our wonderful joint tour last year, Phil Knox and I will be back to speak at the Minehead event on the Power of Friendship. (Seminar time TBC.)

Tyndale Community School Leaders' Dinner
2025-06-20 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
I look forward to speaking on the power of schools to make a tangible difference to their communities through intentional friendship formation in students, staff, board and parents at Tyndale Community School’s Staff and Supporters’ Dinner.

Stewardship Mental Health Drinks Reception
2025-06-25 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London)
Held in the beautiful CCLA building with stunning views of London, this event will bring Friendship Lab, Sanctuary Mental Health and Renew Wellbeing together to discuss Christian responses to the mental health crisis. Tickets are FREE but seats are limited so get in quick. (It’s already three-quarters full.)

CS Lewis Summer Institute
2025-07-24 - 2025-07-30
I am thrilled to be speaking at the prestigious CS Lewis Summer Institute in 2025, held in Belfast, Ireland. The theme will be Returning Home: C.S. Lewis, Roots, & Transformation. I’ll give a keynote on Your Life as a Messy, Meaningful, Perilous Pilgrimage, and lead three intensive seminar sessions on friendship.

New Wine Festival
2025-08-02
Phil Knox and I bring our Power of Friendship seminar to New Wine 2025!

Awaken Conference
2025-08-23 - 2025-08-24 | Lincolnshire Showground, Till Bridge Lane,, Lincoln,, LN1 2SX, United Kingdom
Gathering thousands of people together from the Ground Level network of churches, I’m looking forward to presenting two in-depth 90-minute sessions on the power of friendship to transform our social, emotional and spiritual lives.

Make Your Friendships Flourish Retreat at Lee Abbey
2025-09-05 - 2025-09-07 | Lee Abbey Devon, Lynton, North Devon, EX35 6JJ, United Kingdom
A fun, practical retreat on forming and deepening adult friendship
The research is startling: having close friends reduces anxiety and depression, increases our health and happiness, and even extends our lifespans. And yet the number of people saying they have no close friends increases by the year. Overlooked in popular culture, pushed aside by work and family demands, and weakened by a global pandemic, it’s time to get intentional about this foundational bond.
In this retreat we will explore what friendship is (and isn’t), how to overcome the barriers against it, plus fun and practical ways to form and deepen it, while looking at friendship in the life of Jesus—all in the warmth of Lee Abbey’s welcoming community.

TEDx St Albans
2025-10-15 09:30 - 16:30 (Europe/London) | The Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3LD, United Kingdom
We need an urgent conversation on the ‘friendship recession’ and on 15 October 2025, I get to step on to the red dot to start one! The theme of the event is continuity and change, and I’ll have just 12 minutes to unpack the reason for the crisis, the myths we believe that keep us from connecting deeply, and share a Manifesto for a Friendship Revolution.
If you’re UK-based, join us on the day. Fellow presenters will speak on the power of rest, why love can’t be outsourced to apps, solutions to the problems of AI, how to avoid scams, and much more. It will be an incredible day of inspiring ideas!

Head Teachers Conference, Diocese of Chichester
2026-03-06
I’m looking forward to empowering head teachers and other key educational staff from the Anglican Diocese of Chichester’s 157 schools, talking about the power of friendship in their lives and workplaces. Held at the beautiful Ashdown Park in East Sussex.

Director's Leadership Series Singapore
2026-03-13
I’ll be giving the opening keynote at Singapore’s Civil Service College’s Director’s Leadership Series, helping civil servant leaders develop workplace friendships themselves and in their teams.

Jersey Clergy Conference
2026-03-18
What a privilege to contribute to this bi-annual event for church leaders serving on the Isle of Jersey. Held at Sarum College, Salisbury, we’ll focus on the need for Christian leaders to treat friendship as a spiritual practice for their own wellbeing and resilience.

Astonished Men's Conference
2026-03-20 - 2026-03-21 | Alive Church, Newland, Lincoln, LN1 1XG, United Kingdom
I’ll be keynoting this large and vibrant gathering of men for a brilliant, inspiring weekend. We’ll talk about how to make male friendship thrive, and the topic of my book The Making of Us: Who we can become when life doesn’t go as planned.

Spring Harvest Minehead
2026-04-08 | Butlins Minehead, Warren Road, Minehead, TA24 5SH, United Kingdom
I’ll be leading a Power of Friendship seminar at Spring Harvest Minehead with my good friend Phil Knox. The last few events at Spring Harvest have been standing room only, so get to the venue quick!

Everything Conference
2026-04-25
Drawing 750 people in the heart of London, this incredible event exists to share stories of cultural renewal at work in people’s lives and in society. I look forward to contributing on the topic of adult friendship. Details to come.

Kidlington Baptist Friendship Lab Launch
2026-04-26 10:30 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
As Oxfordshire’s Kidlington Baptist Church prepares to launch Friendship Lab church-wide across its small groups and community projects, I’ll be speaking at their 10.30am service on the Power of Friendship. All are welcome.

ISA Educational Leaders Conference
2026-05-13
I’m looking forward to keynoting the annual conference for the Independent Schools Association, a group of 785 schools and their staff. I’ll be talking about The Power of Friendship for senior leaders, in a session especially geared to the stresses of educational leaders. Held at the Mercure Grand Hotel, Bristol.

Hope 103.2 Supporters Dinner Sydney
2026-05-15 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
I’ll be keynoting this important donors event at Hope 103.2 Sydney, held at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park. While in Sydney I’ll be doing events for business and church leaders, so watch out for additional details to come.

Sydney: Making Leaders' Friendships Thrive Seminar
2026-05-20 10:00 - 12:30 (Australia/Sydney) | The Garrison Church, 60 Lower Fort St, Millers Point, New South Wales, 2000, Australia
It may surprise you, but one of the loneliest people in a church is often not sitting at the back, but standing at the front. More than 30% of church and Christian leaders lack close friends because of their role, leading to higher rates of burnout, anxiety, and leaving ministry. Yet those with close friendships are twice as likely to stay, with greater joy and resilience.
Why is friendship so difficult in leadership? Many face four quiet tensions: balancing openness with confidentiality, vulnerability with responsibility, acceptance with challenge, and preference with impartiality. These pressures can make meaningful connection feel complex and out of reach.
In Making Leaders’ Friendships Thrive, I’ll help you navigate these tensions and build friendships that fit the realities of your calling. You’ll leave with practical tools, renewed conviction, and a clearer path toward the kind of friendships every leader needs. Spouses are warmly welcome too – this affects them also.

Rise 96.5 Supporters Dinner Brisbane
2026-05-22 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
I’ll be keynoting this important donors event for Rise 96.5 Brisbane, held at Pullman Brisbane. While in Brisbane I’ll be doing events for business and church leaders, so watch out for additional details to come.
