Heather Small

Heather Small is known as the voice of M People and for her great success as a solo artist. Now a successful speaker, Small helped raise £173,500 when speaking at an Action for Children event. Emma Jackson of Action for Children said that this was "the most an Action for Children event has ever made in Scotland in one night". During the early stages of her life, Small suffered from shyness and severe nerves which she reflects on during her time as a speaker. Having experience in such matters allows her to inspire and relate to her audiences. She joined her first band in the 80s and released two albums, after that Small joined M People and her career began to take off.

Throughout her time with the band, they won a BRIT Award for the Best British Dance Act and then a Mercury Prize for Elegant Slumming. Oprah Winfrey got in touch with Small as she needed a song to epitomise her work achievements, Small then performed on Winfrey's show midway through a UK tour. This was a fantastic achievement in Small’s career and shows that one of the most well-respected women in the world is a huge fan of hers. Small often discusses her experiences with Oprah Winfrey throughout her time as an after dinner speaker.

As a solo artist, Small has released two albums, her album Proud has since been used as a soundtrack for a number of worldwide events, these include; the London 2012 Olympic Games bid, England’s victory celebrations at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and also the launch of Queen Mary 2. Small has been known for her outstanding charitable work, she was made an ambassador for the charity Barnardo’s and continues to help raise awareness and money for the cause. Small has dedicated a large part of her life to helping others which makes her a truly motivating and inspiring speaker. As a speaker, Small often discusses overcoming adversity and being under the spotlight.