Diane Louise Jordan

Diane Louise Jordan is a joy to work with. She keeps her audiences engaged, enthralled, and inspired.  A consummate professional she is flexible and responds to the audience and shares her values, experience and personal motivations. As one client described her, she is a “captivating speaker for any audience and an awe inspiring person.”

Diane Louise Jordan’s extensive television work has earned her the enviable description “presenter across boundaries”.  Diane has been a regular face on ‘Songs of Praise’ (one of the BBC’s longest running programmes). At the start of her television career, Diane initially challenged boundaries by becoming the first black presenter on ‘Blue Peter’. Such was her popularity that when, six years later, Diane decided it was time to move on, the programme’s editor dedicated two complete shows to her departure – a first in the programme’s history and nearly a million people telephoned over two days voting for their favourite moments of Diane.  Diane’s other TV credits include ‘Out & About’, ‘Bright Sparks’, ‘Grandstand’ (all BBC), ‘Animal Tales’ and ‘Dream Ticket’ (LWT). Her love of people and ability to think on her feet are qualities that have made her the right choice for ‘live’, high profile events such as the BBC’s ‘Millennium Extravaganza’, ‘Music Live’ and ‘Children in Need’ as well as hosting a number of live radio shows.

However, one soon begins to realise that ‘Presenter’ tells only a small part of the story. Diane is an accomplished speaker, often invited to speak at corporate conferences, workshops and high profile charity events. Such is her success that she has launched her own motivational company, Chronicle21, offering bespoke talks and training packages. Diane Louise Jordan is able to bring innovative and thought provoking ideas that make a real difference both in the lives of individuals and companies. Diane is able to challenge and inspire audiences from every walk of life regardless of life experience or social background.  She has also written a book entitled ‘How to Succeed as a Single Parent’ which was published in 2003. As a seasoned actor, Diane has performed the length and breadth of the country and has graced both the small and big screen with appearances in ‘Coronation Street’ and Mike Leigh’s ‘High Hopes.’

Diane devotes many tireless hours to her charities, all of which reflect issues close to her heart. She was a Vice President of NCH and Patron of many other organisations including The Oasis Trust, The Mildmay Aids Hospital and GOSH Jeans for Genes. Her wide reaching appeal was a deciding factor in Chancellor Gordon Brown’s invitation for her to sit on the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Committee – the only TV celebrity asked to do so. She is also very proud to be one of the trustees for the BBC’s long running and hugely successful Children In Need Appeal.  Diane’s underlying passion to encourage, motivate and inspire all people to “be the best they can possibly be” means that she seizes every opportunity to engage with all, young and old alike.

Diane Louise Jordan has dedicated the last three years to creating legacy through her oral history archive, The Making of Black Britain, which recently launched on Google Arts and Culture, exploring what it means to be British, giving the people of Britain the chance to Speak, Listen, Belong.

Digital Storytelling Workshops:

Diane offers Digital Storytelling Workshops to create space for meaningful listening and provides the opportunity to digest information in a meaningful way. Digital stories allow us to genuinely engage people in the story’s message.

Her Digital Storytelling Workshops are rich in data, insightful, informative and inclusive. She and her team create a safe space through storytelling to allow everyone to share, without fear or judgement.

What Digital Storytelling offers your company:

• Be part of British history
• Hero diversity and inclusion
• Provide a safe space to have a conversation and belong
• Explore issues around race, family, community, work, food, identity, language, etc
• Create a sense of belonging by valuing all our storytellers individuality and differences
• Discover and understand one another’s personal and public identity by listening to colleagues’ stories and lived experiences
• Explore heritage and community as a team to help shape and grow your company as an inclusive employer
• Upskill employees digital media abilities and hone research and writing skills through creating Digital StoriesDigital Storytelling Workshops can be designed for the company’s employees, as well as the local community as part of the company’s CSR.

• Why is it so hard to be heard? – The power of storytelling to truly get to know one another.

“To be part of history, and shape the future, someone needs to hear your story and remember it.”

This talk is about connecting with each other, encouraging us to get to know one another. To share, reflect, listen deeply, and learn from one another.

• A History of Britain in 75 years! – How the 1948 British Nationality Act (which has its 75th anniversary in 2023) unites/tells the story of Britain’s past, present and future

OR

….the pivotal role of the 1948 Brit Act in the story of Britain’s past, present and future

• Is Chattel Slavery really history? – Diane explores the generational and psychological impact of the past 400 years….

• What does it really mean to be British? – Looking at identity and belonging

“To be part of history, and shape the future, someone needs to hear your story and remember it.”

This talk examines all opinions, however challenging or uncomfortable, exploring how we all experience this thing called ‘Britishness’.

• Beyond Black History (Beyond Race)

“Seek first to understand”

At our core we all desire to be known and deeply accepted. Without shying away from controversial areas, acknowledging that racism is REAL, this talk goes       beyond race to explore what binds/unites us, what we all have in common.

• Family Is our future

A new paradigm in parenting. This talk is based on years of personal experience guiding those sometimes described as “hard to reach” and current scientific      understanding about our children’s emotional needs. Particularly useful for anyone parenting ‘difficult’ teenagers.