Martin Farrell

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I have been facilitating international gatherings since my first assignment with the UN in 2002 which is the same year I set up my limited company Get2thepoint. I draw on a deep understanding of personal and group dynamics, through my experience as a facilitator of large and small groups and as a crisis coach for leaders worldwide. I am accredited by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) as a Certified™ Professional Facilitator Emeritus.

Since volunteering with disadvantaged young people in Moss Side Manchester in the late 1960s and then in a South African charity, I held leadership positions including at Save the Children and the British Red Cross before establishing Get2thepoint.

I was Regional Director (Europe, Middle East, N Africa) of IAF for three years to 2015, facilitated IAF global board meetings in 2016 and 2017 and I continue to play an active part in a vibrant worldwide community of facilitators.

In 2014 I swam from Alcatraz to San Francisco to raise money for prisoners’ education, and three years later cycled 100 miles to raise money for struggling families. I have managed not to come last in six triathlons, enjoy pottering in my garden, and am the proud owner of a 1968 BSA Bantam D14/4 motorbike.

See my CV.

Collaborators in 2021

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Martin and Martin met in the noughties when Martin S was founding CEO of Timebanking UK and Martin F was first chair. They had more than their names in common. Passionate about reciprocity, solidarity and social justice, Martin S is a social innovator and neighbourhood organiser and had set up the first Time Bank in the UK in 1998. He has advised governments on the co-production of public services and worked alongside communities across the UK and internationally. Until recently Co-Director of Asset Based Community Development Europe, Martin now mentors local activists and social enterprises and writes about community-led approaches to social change and self-empowerment.

Now semi-retired, Graham Irwin has been building and maintaining get2thepoint websites for over twenty years. He still supports and maintains websites for a range of clients, and is still keen to learn new techniques in the ever-changing world of technology. Since 2016 he has been a member of the volunteer staff at the Sitepoint webmaster forums. He now commits much of his time to playing his ever-increasing range of musical instruments.

Marianne Hartley is the genius who, with Martin, has co-created the branding and design you see on this website. She has been working with Martin since designing the book Meeting Together in 2006. Working in English, French and German, from Basel and London, Marianne is the founder of Hartley and Soul, which creates ‘beautiful designs that truly reflect your passion for your business and its values, engages all of your senses and creates a heart to heart connection that leaves you and your customers feeling connected, engaged and fulfilled. This [is] healing design.’ Indeed it is.

Amanda Falkson knows. Also she knows she doesn’t know. Which is why she listens and waits – so she understands. A psychotherapist and coach, working with clients in the City of London, online across the UK and globally and also for many years with charity Chief Executives, Amanda has collaborated with Martin on many projects over many years. In 2021 the big one is being a guiding light, encourager and critical friend for the soon to be published (watch this space) Wild Waters – a guide for good leaders in bad trouble.

Richard Chapman is a trusted friend and co-facilitator colleague with whom I have worked on a series of projects for some years now in the UK and internationally. Richard is a writer, composer and facilitator of organisation development for civil society. Whatever form his work takes, Richard’s aim is to help bring about those moments of insight and realisation which lead to positive change and transformation. With an intuitive understanding of depth, he is a most insightful guide and fellow-traveller through the often tricky complexities of group dynamics.

When Martin and Jenny Berry speak, they sometimes wonder precisely how long they have been working together. It’s been a long time, more than ten years and counting. As Director of Leadership & Governance at the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), Jenny has engaged Martin to support ACEVO members who are in crisis. This formal client / supplier relationship has long since turned into a rich and mutually supportive professional friendship. In addition to coaching CEOs who are struggling in “wild waters” over many years, Jenny and Martin are now running webinars to help ACEVO members to navigate the sometimes difficult relationships that arise between Chair, board and CEO.

Debbie Bannigan With a life time of observing human beings at work, deep in the trenches of the real world, Debbie knows what makes organisations tick – or not. Powered by a fascination with the struggles which can unfold when well meaning people try to do good, she is blessed with the insight and intellect (and Doctorate in Business Administration to prove it) to be able to make sense of it all. That’s the work she’s doing with Martin. She is drawing out the wisdom arising from Martin's decade and a half of coaching third sector CEOs through crisis and is distilling what may be learnt so that it can be passed on. For the good of all. So watch this space: book, videos, articles, presentations + who knows, a Hollywood blockbuster ... prime time television ... musical? Well whatever next ? ;-)

In 2013 Lilian Wang started to share her facilitation expertise with HK civil society groups. This attracted a group of facilitation practitioners to regularly share their methods and skills and also to facilitate various types of dialogue projects for the HK community. The group then developed into the International Association of Facilitator Hong Kong (IAF-HK) with a mission “to build a better HK with meaningful dialogues.” With substantial background in management consulting, staff development, research collaboration, marketing and operations in both public and private sectors across Asia Pacific region, Lilian combines business rigour with a rich intuition. She integrates oriental culture and philosophy into her coaching and facilitation practice to spark engaging authentic conversations, creative flow, deep reflection and understanding which invite personal and team transformation. Born in Beijing, educated in Hong Kong and Germany, Lilian is an internationally accredited facilitator and executive coach and speaks fluent Cantonese and English.

Patricia Koster helps people to die – wise. She also helps people to live – well. Patricia is a guide for people who face the end of their lives and those close to them. She supports organisations to ‘find and connect to their own rhythm and heartbeat’ and supports them in the flow of embracing what serves and letting go of what is no longer needed. She practices the art of listening and invites those she lives and works with into co-creative dialogue. Having worked in Africa and SE Asia and now worldwide, Patricia is sensitive to the profound impact of deep cultural patterns. As a corporate anthropologist, Patricia lives in Amsterdam. More about Patricia here and here.

Patricia, Susanne and Martin co-faciliate ‘Live Well Die Wise – virtual listening groups to let go, and let come’ which is one of several initiatives flowing from the virtual listening campus which was part of the Societal Transformation Lab, Presencing Institute 2018-19. The invitation to join a LWDW group begins: ‘We are born, we do stuff, we die. Not only that, but our ancestors were born, did stuff and died and so will those who follow us. This obvious existential truth is the holding frame for our Live Well Die Wise gatherings. Within this frame we will, together, touch the moment in which we each find ourselves – today, now.’

Susanne Conrad knows how to blend face-to-face and online spaces. Having led an E-Academy and having held senior positions in the corporate sector, she has years of practice in creating virtual learning spaces that really work. With rich experience as a learning & organisational development consultant as well as being a certified online coach, Susanne knows that listening with real understanding and true empathy is one of the most potent forces for change that we have in our transformation toolbox. More about Susanne here.

Patricia, Susanne and Martin co-faciliate ‘Live Well Die Wise – virtual listening groups to let go, and let come’ which is one of several initiatives flowing from the virtual listening campus which was part of the Societal Transformation Lab, Presencing Institute 2018-19. The invitation to join a LWDW group begins: ‘We are born, we do stuff, we die. Not only that, but our ancestors were born, did stuff and died and so will those who follow us. This obvious existential truth is the holding frame for our Live Well Die Wise gatherings. Within this frame we will, together, touch the moment in which we each find ourselves – today, now.’

Clients

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Client quotes

It's rare that a conference enthuses people as the Volunteering Summit did. The great facilitation by Martin meant that everybody felt they were engaged and involved, even in many instances excited. You can't ask for more than that.

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Cartoon bike by Steven Appleby