5x15: Matt Haig, Laura Bates, Lynsey Addario, Phillipe Sands, Jay Rayner

Talks series 5x15, have a typically brilliant line up at their talks this spring. When their five speakers - whether writers, broadcasters, comedians or politicians - take to the podium for 15 minutes, without a script in hand, they’re invariably inspirational, emotional and funny. The event’s set-up, with speakers and guests seated at round tables, creates a friendly, familiar atmosphere, guaranteeing that you’ll go home feeling a little wiser and merrier than you arrived.
Stellar speakers 
Observer food critic Jay Rayner is set to talk about - not restaurants, or novel-writing - but jazz piano, accompanied by the bassist and saxophonist who complete his jazz trio. In a touching twist, a talk he gave on the very same subject at 5x15 four years lent a new lease of life to Jay’s jazz career. Everyday Sexism Project founder Laura Bates will also be looking back at the last few years and at the empowering ability of storytelling, sharing the story of her blog and the stories on it, which are combating sexism one incident at a time.
Another influential woman, photojournalist Lynsey Addario, who has worked for The New York Times, National Geographic and Time, takes love and war as her theme. Lawyer and author of several books on war and torture Phillipe Sands will no doubt share some sobering and eye-opening thoughts, whilst novelist Matt Haig has some life-affirming anecdotes to share. If you haven't been enlightened by a 5x15 evening yet, now is most definitely the time to go!