TV and radio broadcaster Owain Wyn Evans has urged a Swansea audience to stay true to themselves and never be afraid of taking risks.

Speaking at a special event held at Swansea Arena, the former weatherman shared his journey – from his roots growing up in Ammanford through to becoming a TV favourite and now launching his own show on BBC Radio 2.

Owain was the keynote speaker at the event, hosted by Swansea University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – which saw guests from the public, private and third sector join together for a day of inspiration, interactive exhibitions, networking and idea sharing – and he spoke passionately about the positive role networking, collaboration and innovation has had on his career.

He shared his experience of taking part in Freeze the Fear with Wim Hoff and the mental health benefits of cold-water therapy, and his LGBTQ+ activism as well as his 2022 Drumathon which raised more than £3.8 million for Children in Need.

And Owain left the audience with two clear calls to action: be true to who you are and don’t be afraid to take risks – send that email!

Other speakers were University Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Elwen Evans KC and networking guru Dr Jen Allanson and they were joined by a line-up of panellists who shared their positive experiences of working with Swansea University.

Professor Evans said: “Collaboration – local, regional, national and global – underpins all our University and Faculty activity. We are hugely privileged to belong to the Swansea Bay City Region and we celebrate that heritage. We recognise that our University is the region’s university, and that we have a responsibility to work with and for our community and Wales.

“This event bought together people that really care about our community to exchange knowledge, to make new connections, to explore opportunities to collaborate and ultimately, to collectively diversify and grow.”