Last week I spoke about lecturing.
I was recently asked to talk to the sixth formers at Birkenhead School. The Nicholas Lecture series goes back many years and is an institution, which the school feel very proud of.
Speakers before me have been from all walks of life - captains of industry, commerce, former students, plus a sprinkling of famous people. I love speaking at these events as it really is good to give something back.
Over the years many people have helped me with advice, and it has been invaluable, so if I can reach out to just one person in the audience then I have done my job. All the years on late night radio I gave advice to so many people, and it has been incredibly rewarding.
People have stopped me in the street, saying that when they were a student, listening to me got them through some tough times. The lecture I gave was to 80 pupils, they were very attentive for 45 minutes.
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I was honest with them, talking about adoption, being given away, bullied at school, my dyslexia and word blindness and coping with my sexuality. The list was quite long and that is why I called the lecture ‘Fitting in’, how I coped with all of these problems and where I am today.
I made the point several times, that hard work is essential. No-one will give you anything on a plate.
We had lunch after this experience, the headmaster Paul Vickers MA was great company, as were some of the students.
Paul wrote on social media about me: “A brilliant talk, entertaining and inspiring in equal measure. Plenty of important messages for the students to take away.
“Not least the importance of good old fashioned graft. There is no substitute. Thank you Peter.”
Another member of staff said: “To overcome just one challenge faced would have been admirable, but to have endured so much and to have achieved all that you have done is quite remarkable and genuinely inspiring.”
After the lecture, a student messaged me privately on social media saying that I inspired him and that he related to everything.
A mum contacted me and said that her daughter was overwhelmed at the powerful message: “You left a lasting impression with her.”
These comments made it all worthwhile. People have helped me, why shouldn’t I give back.
