Happy New Year to you! As we start 2025 we are trying to put together a new club event called ‘Serpie Talks’, with prominent speakers to talk about aspects of sports that interest Serpies and the wider running and triathlon community, aiming to be once every few months. And we have a cracking opener.

About Jim

In July 2020, Jim Ashworth-Beaumont, a Serpie coach at Greenwich Hills and an international age-grade triathlete, suffered a life-changing traffic accident whilst training on his bike. Run over by a lorry, he sustained polytrauma including multiple organ failure, sepsis, the loss of his dominant arm above the elbow and spinal features. However, perhaps unsurprising to those who attend his sessions and know him well, he has maintained a positive attitude to life. He designed his own intensive rehabilitation, has managed to make a comeback to sports, and at the same time has been developing a prosthetic arm bespoke for his needs – ironically using his professional expertise on prosthetic limbs.

His story captured the imagination of many in the running and triathlon community across the country.  You can read a 2021 BBC report here for his story in his earlier stage of recovery. Last year, he recounted his experience of being saved by the London Air Ambulance in a video here.

Titled ‘Surviving & Thriving’, we are sitting down with Jim to talk about his accident, his recovery from near-death to coming back to sports again, and his journey of developing a bespoke prosthetic arm.  He will no doubt tell us about the interesting stories along the way as well as his idea on motivation and mindset that help him make his comeback.

‘Surviving & Thriving’ – Event Details

• Date: Thursday 13th February 2025
• Time: Doors open at 19:00, event begins at 19:30 and finishes approx. 20:30
• Venue: Warren Centre, Whitfield Place, London W1T 5JU (Closest Tube: Warren Street)

This is a free event for all Serpies and guests.  Please feel free to invite your friends and family who are not yet members to join us.

Event details can be found here.

Let us know you’re coming

Please go to this link to sign up, so we make the necessary arrangement based on how many people coming (we have a capacity of 50 seats and another approximately 20 to 30 standing). Registration will help us but is not mandatory – you are welcome to come along on the night even if you have not signed up.

There will be some light refreshment (tea/coffee/nibbles) provided. Please also join us for some socialising afterwards in a local pub – we will announce where at the end of the event proper.

If you have signed up but can no longer make it at a later date, please also let us know by using the same event page.

Any questions about the event, please contact me.

Hans Ho

For Serpie Talks