Testimonials
"I have to congratulate you and the way you held the attention of 1,300 teenagers at Victoria Point State High School. I have been talking to school groups for years and I have never seen a group of young people captivated for so long. You held their interest for over 40 minutes. I have to confess you had me hanging on your every word too.
Your story is one of courage, determination and leaves one wondering how you conceived of such an adventure. To take on a challenge to roll the length of the UK is one thing but to take on the Australian outback, Wow that is a story worth hearing.
I was impressed by your style of presentation, the way you tap into the level of the audience and make it relevant to them, having seen and heard your presentation at our local library and 2 schools. I would recommend you as a guest speaker for any group any age any time. I would be surprised if after hearing your story everyone wasn’t ready to chuck it all in and break free with you. We all want to do it but only very few do it.
Your story is amazing, it is told with great humour and local knowledge. You make it feel as if we are there with you."
- Councellor Peter Downling, Deputy Mayor representing Victoria Point & Coochiemudlo Island

"My only complaint about Dave's talk is that it wasn't long enough - due to a 'technical hitch' at the beginning! We re-lived the highs and lows of this world-record breaking trip and by the end of it were almost as exhausted as he must have been! Dave has revived the concept of the eccentric English traveller and in so doing is making us think about how we travel, what it means to have an adventure and what we actually do with our lives."
- Victoria Trott, Travel Writer

“Thanks for coming into school. The kids are still talking about you. You made a massive impression.”
- Sandfields Secondary School , Port Talbot , Wales

"This is one of the best talks we’ve had at this club. Your talk was particularly well received, I have to say.  It takes a lot to keep our lot as interested as you did! You've obviously got the measure of talking to stroppy Aussies."
- Carol Cheshire, Rotary Gold Coast

“A very relaxed, engaging and interesting speaker. The images used were great and brought the experience to life. A wonderful talk”
- TNT Magazine London

"Dave's tales of his journey across Oz are truly inspirational. It's so great hearing someone talk about something they're so passionate about."
- Victoria Cottrell, Lawyer

"Thought provoking and inspiring...... what a journey and what a story!"
- Courtney Gillot, Victoria Point Library, QLD

"The show is a great event, hearing and seeing Dave present the mammoth task he undertook was a great reminder of what a journey it was both physically and mentally, he succeeded in what was an exceptional challenge."
- Rebecca Richardson, Company Director

"Seeing and hearing Dave talk about his remarkable journey was a great experience. He is very inspiring and certainly makes you believe that if you have an idea or a dream, no matter how crazy it might sound, you should just go for it and put everything into achieving your goal. He is passionate about getting people of all ages out there, into that big wide world."
- Carole Gengler, Wavebound

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I felt so motivated after listening to you talk, I can't wait to get the book so that I can share it with the rest of my family  - it was so inspirational! Thanks again for the fantastic lift you have given my day!
- Linda Morris, St Stephens College, QLD

"The most enjoyable and endearing aspect about listening to Dave talk is his ability to make you laugh out loud at his expense! He combines stories and photographs with a dry sense of humour that brings the trip alive, and professional speaking skills that engage his audience with the story of his rollercoaster journey.
- League of Adventurists

"His presentation style is entertaining, down to earth stuff - he's a normal guy that you can relate to but his absolute determination and belief in what he's achieved comes across very clearly. By the end of the talk it rubs off. Although you might not catch me taking on a challenge quite as painful as Dave's, I walked out of his talk thoroughly entertained and promising myself to finally do the cycling holiday I've been thinking about for a while, which I think is probably exactly what he would have wanted."
- Dan Wedgwood, Mongol Rally

"Dave is a generous guy who has so much to share. Our young people were captivated by Dave's story. He has inspired both girls and  boys to live their dreams. Thanks for that gift"
- Stephanie Pearce, Redland Bay State School

The Lecture - a rundown
Dave's Cornthwaite's adventures on a skateboard provide a unique platform for a motivational lecture guaranteed to inspire audiences of all ages to take a long hard look at their own lives.

The simple fact that Dave is not, by type, a skateboarder, opens up the horizons for the audience. He stepped onto a board for the first time just two weeks before deciding to use his new mode of transport to roll away from a quarter life crisis, and although skating over 7000km might seem a little extreme it quickly becomes clear that Dave is just like you or I. He speaks like us, looks like us and thinks like us, and in hearing his story we begin to learn more from from his approach to life. Dave is carving out a niche for himself by acting on his ideas, rather than just talking about them, and his story makes it clear that with a little determination, ordinary people are clearly capable of the extraordinary.

That said, the story itself is fascinating, and it's delivery is second to none. Dry humour, honest self evaluation, an irrepressible desire to achieve despite gasp-drawing physical injuries and mental challenges along the way, it all serves up to highlight an exhausting yet inspirational feat. Within two years Dave became a world record holder in a sport that may not be diluted with competitors, but certainly requires respect.

A love of skateboarding is certainly not a prerequisite for benefitting from this talk. Children are inspired by an apparent hero, housewives won't help but start to cook up business plans alongside the evening meal. Corporate audiences come away revitalised and energised, ready to start capitalising on the enthusiasm bred by the year Dave spent at his desk creating BoardFree, which was essentially run like a business, only with the end goal as achievement, not money. Skateboarders look upon Dave's feat as 'their Everest', athletes will gain focus from the lessons of determination and a never-give-up attitude, teachers spend years getting their pupills as motivated as they are after an hour listening to the BoardFree story.

Only the most cynical could leave this talk without having gained anything, but as Dave makes very clear, 'you can push yourself to your physical and mental limit, achieve goals that in the past have always been far beyond your reach, but no matter what you do never forget that at heart you are just the same as the person beside you. If you do forget, guaranteed there'll be someone nearby to remind you. Personal achievement comes with a cost, a reminder that you can never please everybody. But it's a small price to pay for living life your way, and not in the style that others want you to.'

Book a Talk
The BoardFree UK Speaking Tour launches in early March 2008 and will continue indefinitely. To book Dave to attend your business conference, travel show, book group, school assembly or private birthday (you get the message) get in touch using the details below:

Email: dave@boardfree.co.uk
Phone: 07872 986084