Perrott Hill:
“Standing Tall UK has, as usual, been inspirational. The children (and staff) got a huge amount out of the experience and I would highly recommend it to any school looking for that finishing experience one expects as a rite of passage, moving on to senior school. Both Jo and Heddy are energetic, patient and passionate individuals; no wonder, then, that schools line up to make a booking.”
Bryan Kane, Joint Acting Head: Perrott Hill School
Art Writers:
“I found our workshop with Standing Tall insightful and informative and left the session with a new sense of confidence and self-awareness. From Heddy’s engaging introduction to the science behind our reactions to fear and stress to the series of activities designed to teach each of us how to counteract and challenge those feelings, the morning was fun and interactive. Afterwards, I couldn’t wait to share what I had learnt with my friends, and I now find myself using so many of the Standing Tall lessons and tips in a range of different situations and contexts.”
Jennifer Duignam, Arts Writer
The Art Industry:
“Standing Tall UK were commissioned to run coaching sessions on Confidence & Charisma for our Networking group of Arts based professionals. Jo & Heddy immediately put the team at ease with their open, positive attitude. The session was divided into two sections – a talk on the scientific theory which underpins human behaviour, followed by a practical workshop – making the 2 hours engaging and focused. Heddy’s expertise and ability to dissect and explain the physiological and psychological responses of the human body to stressful situations laid the path wonderfully for her to then demonstrate easy, practical ways to overcome fear. The application of the practical exercises was energetic and perfectly pitched to implement what we had previously learnt. The team found the course rewarding and I personally continue to use the tips in my daily life.”
Tara Rastrick, European Managing Director in the Arts Industry
Vocational Training Charitable Trust: “Can I say that I had the most wonderful day on Friday – as well as learning, it was really good fun and with excellent, inspiring company. Perfect day!!! You are both very remarkable, happy people!! I absolutely cannot wait to put some of the tactics in place – it seems so obvious once it has been explained what is actually happening with work politics.”
Eileen Baron, Development Officer.
Numis Corporation PLC: “Standing Tall has identified some very relevant aspects to personal development at work. Their innovative and most engaging approach, combined with their absolute professionalism and friendly manner, really helps to win over hearts and minds. A hard act to follow.”
Oliver Hemsley, Founder.
John Sunnucks: “Confidence in presenting oneself in a meeting, on the telephone and just in a room is hugely important in any business, particularly a professional services firm where relationships are key. Heddy and Jo attended two ‘away days’, one for our fourteen partners and one for our larger team of fifty. They worked very hard before both sessions to understand our business and how their techniques could work for us. They were asked to devise a session which would complement and add value to a day where we were working hard on the direction of our business and strategy. They did this brilliantly, made everyone think differently about themselves and the feedback was universally very positive. Thank you Heddy and Jo.”
John Sunnucks – Chairman of the Financial and Corporate practice in major PR firm.
Sherborne International School: “One question I am frequently asked is how best to integrate? Such integration can be difficult not only for linguistic reasons but also culturally, as some students are far more reticent than others.
Standing Tall provides an important route into achieving such integration and I have seen otherwise quiet and seemingly timid students blossom in sessions that look at building self-confidence. Similarly, as such sessions are not linguistically-based, students can participate equally without feeling under pressure. If they do feel pressure, they can opt for a time-out at any point and I think this is an empathetic touch which shows that the staff of Standing Tall are aware of the self- image difficulties adolescent students sometimes face.
Our students have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and they are now very much part of our school life. I can thoroughly recommend.”
Philip Hardaker, Vice Principal.
Stonyhurst School: “So much good has come from those two short hours with Standing Tall. ALL the students want you back! Girls who previously were not friends are now keen to chat with each other. We have smiling happy girls in school once more. Well done you two!”
Karen Aldridge, School Counsellor.
Radley College: “We have held joint Standing Tall one-day conferences with Downe House as part of our post-GCSE Life Skills week for many years. The boys and girls find it an extremely interesting and rewarding day, and get an enormous amount out if it. Skills such as body language, confidence, creating a good first impression, interview technique and etiquette are all covered in small groups, and the presenters are expert in putting their messages across. It is a great day all round.”
Niall Murphy, Senior Master.
St Mary’s Shaftesbury: “We produce sassy, gritty, independent vocal girls who ooze confidence but have a sound humility grown from a strong sense of who they are. We like to think this comes from an excellent holistic education but we also know that the girls glean these skills through the practical help of such wonderful professionals as Standing Tall.
Standing Tall is the icing on our cake. Whilst we don’t use the words ‘finishing school’, Standing Tall provides the polish to our already beautiful girls by teaching them to move and speak and shine in a variety of environments – from that all important Oxbridge interview to charming a business client through quality etiquette and high end manners. At St Mary’s we see the result of these superb workshops year in and year out.
There is no better way to thank our girls than to give them the experience of a Standing Tall session. It is fun and it is a necessary skill to equip them for whatever they want to be. We wouldn’t ever be without this experience and no school should.”
Mary Arnal, Headmistress.
Bryanston School: “It is always so rewarding to watch Standing Tall at work. Through a winning combination of psychological insight, practical skills, and charm and disarm, they always succeed in helping young people to feel more confident about themselves and how to engage with the world around them.
As one of my pupils with a fear of performing in public put it: ‘The workshop helped not only me but others that I have spoken to. I went into the talk nervous of what would be involved and came out feeling much more confident and proud of myself for what I had achieved. After that, appearing in front of a crowd can be no different!”
Ian McClary, Head of Sixth Form.
Tormead School: “Thank you very much for the wonderful workshop, which I think over the years has been honed to perfection as far as we are concerned. The girls were still exuding their new-found charisma the following morning when I spoke to them!”
Teresa Dyer, Head of 5th Form.
Warminster School: “I have no trouble in recommending you and Standing Tall UK to anyone. Our daughter L was a classic reasonably confident child who fell apart when faced with strangers or an unfamiliar public situation. She would always try and ‘shrink’ herself behind other girls in her class when entering a room or tackling a public moment.
She learned so much in her session with you and now, although she is still a bunch of nerves on such occasions, she employs all of the skills she learnt with Standing Tall UK to see her through. The transformation was immediate.
People do frequently comment on L’s ability to make a good first impression and I am sure that this has a lot to do with all that you and your team taught her. To be honest it really was the best money I ever spent! I do hope that other children will continue to benefit from your skills.”
BF, Mother.
Millfield School, Somerset: “I liked the sense of positivity that filled the room. I learned to come out of my shell, to reinforce confidence within myself.”
Alice, Student.
