Cemal Ezel OBE, founder and CEO, was recently invited to be guest speaker at the prizegiving ceremony of his former school, Trinity School of John Whitgift, to talk about the journey that led him to starting Change Please.
CEMAL EZEL DELIVERS INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH AT TRINITY’S PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY The final day of school at Trinity provides an opportunity for the student and parent community to come together, reflect on the past year, and celebrate the achievements of individual students at our Prizegiving ceremony. David Seymour CB (Class of 1968), a member of the Whitgift Foundation Court of Governors and Chair of the Trinity School Committee, welcomed the audience. Mr Kennedy, the Headmaster, provided a review of the year, reflecting on our successes at school and recent events, including the change of government and the intention to introduce VAT on school fees. Our guest speaker this year was Cemal Ezel OBE (Class of 2002), who was recently awarded an OBE in the King’s Honours List for services to homeless people and social enterprise. Cemal gave a compelling and thought-provoking speech, describing his journey from leaving Trinity to starting Change Please, an award-winning coffee company with a difference; a social enterprise supporting people out of homelessness through Life-Changing Coffee. Cemal explained how the concept of Change Please came about. While travelling in Vietnam, he had a life-changing conversation with an American traveller who introduced him to the concept of the rocking chair test. This test involves imagining yourself sitting in a rocking chair at the age of 90, looking back on your life, and asking yourself four questions: • Have you left the world in a better place than when you found it? • What has this amazing gift of life been about? • Have you made a positive difference in the lives of the people that you met along the way? • And how are your children going to remember you when you are not here? "It struck me that you can do business and do good in the world at the same time." Cemal shared. "I was lucky enough to receive a bursary to attend this wonderful school. If it wasn’t for that bursary, my parents would not have been able to afford for me to attend, and I would not have had the same life chances to succeed. I will be forever grateful. Subconsciously, the kindness that Trinity showed me by providing me with that bursary is something I have held deeply within me. I believe it fostered a need to reciprocate that kindness, and I believe that in some small way it has contributed to why I am so passionate about giving back through the work of Change Please." Cemal’s parents were in the audience, proud to witness and listen to his speech on stage in the Trinity Concert Hall. It was a true family affair. Also present were alumni who had attended school with Cemal and played hockey alongside him, and who are now parents of students attending Trinity. Thank you, Cemal, for inspiring us to continually strive for excellence, to always consider those around us, and to help others rise alongside us. Jason Court FRSA, MCIOF (cert) Nicholas Karelis Trinity School of John Whitgift