UnFHilltered: Conquering Fear with Andy Torbet

On Monday we welcomed Andy Torbet to give our first UnFHilltered talk of the year. Andy is an extreme adventure sportsman, underwater explorer and stunt performer, and a former paratrooper and Bomb Disposal Officer in the British Army. He gave a thrilling talk to a large audience of pupils and parents on dealing with fear and danger, drawing on his wide-ranging experiences to illustrate how he manages risk in potentially life-threatening situations. 

One of the aims of the UnFHilltered talks is to broaden our pupils’ horizons and we were certainly treated to fascinating insights into the worlds of underwater cave exploration, stunt performing and film-making in extreme conditions. Although few of us may find ourselves jumping off the top of a hot air balloon in flight or speed skydiving at around 300mph, there were many valuable lessons that we can apply to our everyday lives, from the importance of working with a trusted team and planning for all eventualities, to learning from our mistakes and how, with the right mindset, an understanding of our fear can lead to greater focus in stressful situations such as examinations or musical performances.

“Andy's talk was incredibly engaging and full of useful advice for overcoming fear"

Lucy (L6ARE)