Heddy Smith

Principal Presenter & Course Developer

Heddy is Co-Director and Founder of Standing Tall UK and the Principal Instructor on the programme.  She trained with the Royal Academy of Dance and modelled for four years before becoming a choreographer, responsible for the design and management of fashion shows around the world. She is a qualified and practising psychotherapist and an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Heddy devises complex and visionary training programmes and seminars across an extensive range of self-awareness and self- improvement programmes. She is an inspirational motivational speaker and powerful communicator whose ability to train and lead has been tested through 16 years of successful lectures, seminars and workshops in the UK and abroad.

Jo Batten

Business Manager, Marketing Director and Programme Co-ordinator

Jo is Co-Director and Founder of Standing Tall UK and is your first point of contact. She co-ordinates all the programmes and liaises with you to create tailor made courses. Jo’s warm and friendly approach combined with her flexible style of working means she will ensure you have the exact programme to work for you. Jo has worked as our Business and Marketing Director since 2002 when Standing Tall UK was established. Under her management the company has become a leader in the field of self-development training, working with an extensive list of businesses and schools in the UK and abroad. An expert in social etiquette, Jo also presents our British Decorum and Modern Manners courses, drawing on her wide experience as a respected events organiser and a successful charity fundraiser.

Jonathan Bockelmann-Evans

Course Presenter

Jon Bockelmann-Evans is an emotional health consultant who believes that the on-going success of any organisation is directly linked to the emotional well being of the individuals within the organisation.

His training courses on emotional health, wellbeing, resilience and pressure and stress management are in demand from businesses, schools and colleges across the UK and his work consistently receives rave reviews. He’s also a psychotherapist and ran a successful private practice for 15 years specialising in helping emotionally distressed adults and teenagers.

His work is informed by the latest research findings from the fields of psychology and neurobiology as well as being rooted in common sense and clinical experience. He has a relaxed, informal presentation style and utilises down-to-earth physiological and psychological strategies that are applicable to and of benefit to virtually everyone.

Married with two young children, when not with his family Jon divides his time between developing his speaking/training work, building a global network of health and wellness businesses and helping individuals to lead meaningful, satisfying lives through his coaching, mentoring and self-development skills.

Michael Covell

Course Presenter

Michael, a former MD at Goldman Sachs, is one of Standing Tall UK’s leading presenters, specialising in understanding the skills needed to be successful in business. Michael is currently a non-executive director of the International Property Securities Exchange and C Le Masurier, having previously been the chairman of the Tilney Group and Hawksford International.

He is an inspirational, dynamic leader with a genuine interest and passion for helping people to succeed. Michael will bring out the best in you, offering advice which focuses not only on abilities and achievements but ultimately happiness. He is an experienced non-executive chairman, director and adviser to financial services businesses, private equity firms and family offices; with a successful background in financial services, MBOs/exits and the international private wealth sector.

Mark Freestone

Course Presenter

Mark presents our Team Building and Interview Intelligence programmes. He is a dynamic course leader with extensive experience in engaging and managing a young audience. Mark studied speech and drama at the University of Natal in South Africa, moving to the UK after obtaining his honours degree. Since emigrating he has worked in the drama field both as a professional actor, as a workshop leader with various youth theatre groups around the country and as a teacher at two private schools. Mark is a prominent public speaker, presenting innovative talks at conferences both in the UK and abroad. He has also run creativity and lateral thinking workshops for such companies as Shell, BP, AGIP, Wembley Plc, and LASMO.

Julian Chamberlen 

Course Presenter

Julian assists with our British Decorum and Entertaining Clients workshops, advising on wine choices and dining etiquette. He began his wine trade career in 1984 at Greens in the Royal Exchange, moving then to H Parrot in Wapping until 1990 at which point Veuve Clicquot sent him “down under” to raise the profile of Veuve. After a couple of years he returned to work with building on-trade at Bibendum, then to Laytons where he and nine others instigated a management buy out.

Julian remained at Laytons until 1998, at which point he joined Goedhuis as sales director. In 2014 he resigned to join Farthinghoe Fine Wines as partner and director and is relishing growing this long established and well respected independent wine merchant. He thoroughly enjoys communicating his passion for wine and spends a huge amount of time researching both here and in the vineyards!

Ed Macarthur

Course Presenter

Ed is the youngest member of our team and one of the UK’s up and coming actors. Since training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, he’s performed all over the country in theatre, comedy and musicals. Ed is clever, fun and easy to work with. He first fell in love with acting at Eton College and is the co-founder of the award winning company Dugout Theatre, for which he acts, writes and composes. For the last six years the company has enjoyed sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and beyond. He’s also a musician, and performs regularly with his rhythm and blues band as the singer and pianist.

Ed assists with our Confidence and Motivation workshops, where he excels at helping clients understand how positive projection and body language can improve your self image. He also co-presents our British Decorum courses.