PROFILE STORY - Olwen Edwards
Olwen grew up in Trinidad where life is in a continuous process of change and growth due to the vibrant mix of races and cultures. Change in music, food, fashion, services and all areas of life. This has contributed to her outlook on change as a dynamic, desirable feature of everyday life in order to improve its quality.
Olwen trained in Law at Cardiff University where she gained her Bachelor of Languages and Law Degree with Honours. The next challenge was successfully gaining the Solicitors Finals at The College of Law in Chester. Having completed her Articles she qualified and worked as a solicitor in private practice (Joynson Hicks, London) and local government. (Wellingborough Borough Council).
Her Law Clients have included TNT, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Commercial Union, General Accident. In working for the RCN, Olwen began to see patterns in how the accidents had happened to the nurses. It was at this point she began to realise her interest and skill lay more in preventing clients from ”getting into pieces” rather than in “picking up the pieces”. Subsequent independent commercial careers testing (see endorsements) revealed this is in fact her greatest talent.
In 1988, Olwen decided to expand her horizons further by working in sales in the Financial services industry. Next as an Independent Financial Advisor for Sedgewick Noble Lowndes in the early 90’s for which she had to sit and pass the Financial Planning Certificate. Her corporate client base included, Rolls Royce, Johnson and Johnson Plc, Wolsey Plc, Ellis and Everard, Marks and Spencers. In 1993, she set up on her own as an IFA.
A year later began training groups of trainee solicitors on the Professional Skills Course in Finance and Business Skills for the College of Law, having collaborated with an academic College tutor to write the programme based on her practical, user friendly ideas. The groups have been as large as 70 and as small as 10. Commonly group size is 25 or 40. She currently trains delegates (since 1998), for Altior Legal Consulting and Training, now Kaplan Altior in the same courses. Olwen wrote and delivers an innovative course training solicitors and trainees in “Financial Planning for You and Your Client” on behalf of this client. She is a member of The Law Society and regulated by The Solicitors Regulation Authority
The thirst for knowledge and experience led her to The Alexander Technique. One of the most effective practical tools she has explored for allowing people to change every day habits that no longer serve well and find easier solutions to problems. This naturally leads to greater self-confidence. Advocates of Alexander Technique include ICI, the BBC & Hewlett Packard. These businesses all use the Technique to benefit their staff.
Olwen was so impressed, she trained as an Alexander Technique teacher at NETCAT in Leeds. She qualified in 2002 after 3 years full time training, being awarded the MSTAT accreditation. (Member of The Society of Teachers of The Alexander Technique). Since then she has worked as an AT Tutor teaching individuals in businesses and organisations. As a member of STAT, she follows it's Code of Professional Conduct and holds professional indemnity insurance. www.stat.org.uk.
Local clients have included The Friendly Animal Clinic, El Gato Negro Tapas, Wilkinson, Woodward & Ludlam, Solicitors, The Rumboat Restaurant, Back 2 Back Security Ltd.,The Wilmslow Guild, Women in Essence.
Olwen has qualifications in Delivering Learning, Conflict Management, and counselling skills.
Olwen realised she had been developing, improving, honing and using her coaching, training, innovation skills all along in many areas of work . She has now decided to focus more acutely on the Business Coaching & Managing Change using the Alexander Technique where appropriate.
Olwen’s unusual and extraordinary combination of disciplines, skills combined with her Caribbean roots growing up in a country where change and growth are the order of the day, enable her to provide a perception of vision in problem solving that is rare and acute. Furthermore the practicality she brings, with often very little cost involved is nothing short of remarkable.
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