All that Glitters

Rowing, possibly more than any other sport, looks almost effortless when executed perfectly. Spectators watch a boat gliding through the water, all members of the crew in harmony of rhythm, stroke, commitment, and united by the desire to win. But, behind the scenes, each team member spends thousands of hours in training, both individually and with their team mates, on the water, in the gym and other physical and mental exercises. For each race, the coach selects the crew for that boat, in that race, on that day. If everything goes as planned, a gold medal is the ultimate prize on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

She swam for the local disabled swimming team, but had little other interest in sport. In 2004, she was offered the opportunity to join the GB Adaptive Rowing Team. Her “disability” had become an opportunity to become a world-class athlete. In rowing, her determination, commitment, physical and mental ability were valued, combined with her ability to work in a team.
Just 4 months after being selected, she became World Champion in the Mixed Coxed Four. She won 5 more World Championships, and the Paralympic Bronze medal in 2008. Her coach wasn’t impressed with 3rd place, even at the Paralympics. At London 2012, Naomi won Gold in the Mixed Coxed Four and was later awarded the MBE. The post box was (and still is) painted gold in her home town as a public and permanent reminder of her success.
Warm, engaging, friendly, and communicative, Naomi still rows competitively for her local rowing club and turns up at training sessions in the very early hours of the morning to support and encourage other rowers and crew mates.
Her presentation All that Glitters invites her audience behind the scenes to see what is really needed to achieve. This includes pages from her training diary showing not just the highs, but how to keep going, when the going gets tough.

As a professional speaker, Naomi’s decade of experience and her outstanding communication skills combine with her open and honest style, her natural authenticity, and her genuine passion to support and inspire others.

Naomi was fabulous. Just what our Away Day event needed. Thanks, Diana, for suggesting Naomi. You get it right for us … every time.

Alison Thorne-Henderson

Royal Cornwall NHS Trust. June 2023

First class. Naomi spent time with everyone who wanted to speak with her, and she is an inspiration. Her All that Glitters speech invited our audience behind the scenes to see what really goes on in the quest for a gold medal. Our thanks to Diana Boulter for recommending this young lady to Seabourn. Our guests loved her.

Seabourn Ovation

I felt incredibly lucky to have Naomi speak at the 2M Future Leaders’ Development Day. She is that rare combination of someone who has achieved great things and yet remains down to Earth. This makes her the best of motivational speakers. Not only is she motivating and engaging, but also a warm and personable individual with whom everyone connected.

Samuel Donnelly

Head of Communications, Nightline Association

Naomi's session was the highlight of our Away Day. She told her inspirational story, seamlessly linking it to our own work and understanding our own motivations. Naomi's style is very personable and engaging. She uses humour and her authenticity to draw the audience in and left us all with plenty to think about in our own work contexts. We all felt deeply privileged to have spent this time with Naomi and to have learned from her experiences on and off the water.

UK Central Government Department