In this special episode of SHP’s podcast we speak to Jason Anker who reflects on his safety journey so far.
It’s just over 30 years since Jason Anker MBE had the accident that changed his life. His story has been repeated at many conferences, workplaces and webinars; an avoidable fall from a ladder in 1993 left him paralysed from the waist down, impacting not only himself but also those closest to him.
In 2009, he began speaking about his experience, delivering his powerful testimony to not only conference delegates but crucially direct to frontline workers who following his talk – perhaps for the first time – understood why health and safety matters. The success of his presentations led to the creation of Proud2bSafe, in effect a consultancy offering tailored content for companies requiring help with their own safety culture. Today, Jason has established himself as one of the profession’s most influential speakers.
In this episode of the Safety Conversation podcast, Jason speaks to SHP Editor Mark Glover and reflects on his career, how the profession has changed (for better or worse) and looks ahead to future trends including the evolution of Proud2bSafe, which has created Proud2beSpeakers, a roster of motivational expert speakers further enhancing Proud2bSafe’s offering.
In the family
We also speak briefly to Jason’s Daughter Abbi. Today, much of the success of Proud can also be credited to Abbi who took over the running of the company in 2018 when Jason went into consultancy with Tim Marsh. She tells the podcast what it’s like to oversee a register of very special speakers. “Part of what drives me to do what I do is to get these speakers to share their story. It’s very humbling for me to listen and talk to them and then also see the impact that they have,” she says.
‘I’m happy’
“I’m in a place now where I’m influencing positively,” Jason says towards the end of the recording. “I look at myself, I got better, I’ve got granddaughters and I’m happy.”
Click below to listen to the full recording
