Midweek - 08/04/2009

CONOR WOODMAN Conor Woodman is a former City Economist. He decided to quit his job, sold his flat, and set off to trade his way around the world, returning to the early profit motivation of traders over three thousand years ago. He attempts to trade camels in the Sudan, coffee in Zambia and surfboards to Mexico, all with the aim of doubling his money. Around the World in 80 Trades is published by MacMillan. A four part Channel 4 series begins on Thursday 9th April at 10pm. HELEN KONGAI Helen Kongai is a Ugandan farmer who received a cow and training in sustainable agriculture from the Send a Cow initiative after the death of her husband. Since then she has become their Agricultural Development Officer for Eastern Uganda and is visiting the UK to help promote a new project Grow it Global, which is designed to encourage schoolchildren in the UK visiting farms and learning about sustainable farming. BILLY OCEAN Billy Ocean started out as a tailor on Savile Row before going on to become the most successful British black male artist of all time with hits like Caribbean Queen and When the Going Gets Tough. But after worldwide success, he decided to give it all up to spend more time with his family. He's now back with his first album in fifteen years Because I Love You on the Aqua Music label. MICHAEL WOOD Michael Wood is the historian and broadcaster who has spent more than twenty years making compelling journeys into the past, bringing history alive for a generation of readers and viewers. He is the author of several highly praised books on English history including In Search of the Dark Ages, and over 80 documentaries including In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great and The Story of India. He is giving a talk at the Royal Geographical Society - The Search for Shangri-La – a journey through Tibet to Mt Kailash and Tsaparanga on 22nd April in aid of the Spiti Projects.