Dan Allum

 

Writer, Speaker & Cultural Practitioner

Every organisation carries stories that define its culture.

Some empower.
Some limit.
Few are consciously examined.

A Road of My Own invites institutions to reconsider identity, belonging and the narratives that build leadership.

A Road of My Own

Identity, Belonging and the Courage to Choose Your Path

A Road of My Own is a living cultural project exploring how identity is shaped and how it can be consciously redefined.

At its centre is a powerful, story-led keynote from writer and speaker Dan Allum, designed for universities, cultural institutions and adult learning environments seeking depth rather than slogans.

Dan is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and the Founder & Artistic Director of Romany Theatre Company. His work spans theatre, television and cultural development, and includes collaborations with the BBC, National Theatre and University of Cambridge.

Drawing on his journey from Romani Traveller roots to award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Dan invites audiences to reconsider the narratives they have inherited and the ones they still have the power to write.

Available as keynote, extended workshop or multi-session engagement. Designed to provoke reflection, deepen awareness and encourage conscious leadership.

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“Rise above yourself and grasp the world”

ARCHIMEDES

“Dan has delivered exceptional programming to both our staff as well as secondary school students on one of our outreach programmes. His rich artistic experience, his knowledge and lived experience of Romani culture, and his impeccable attention to detail were all reflected in the high-quality staff training lectures and the student enrichment workshop he created for us. When designing his student workshop, he even took the time to consult with students on our outreach programme about their needs and wants to build a set of activities that was truly bespoke.”
Kirstyn Kedaitis

Widening Participation Coordinator, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

A Growing Body of Work

The project spans:

  • Memoir in development
  • Rehearsed reading at the East Anglian Storytelling Festival (2026)
  • Companion reflective eBook, A Road of Your Own (2026)
  • Stage adaptation in development in partnership with Cambridge Junction, leading toward a live theatre production at the Food Museum, Stowmarket, Suffolk, in 2028.
  • Major public exhibition in development for 2028

Organisations engaging with the keynote become part of a wider, evolving cultural conversation around identity, belonging and transformation.

Extend the Impact

Many organisations choose to deepen the keynote experience through facilitated workshops exploring:

  • Identity and narrative awareness
  • From conditioning to conscious action
  • Resilience as adaptive identity
  • Story as a tool for leadership and growth

Half-day and full-day formats available.

*Workshops can be delivered independently or alongside the keynote.

 

Work With Dan

To host a keynote, commission a workshop or explore collaboration:

Dan is passionate about inspiring people.
Teaching himself to read and becoming an award-winning writer opened the doors to a whole new world.
Now he wants to help people free themselves and say: I CAN DO MORE!

RECENT INSPIRATIONAL CLIENTS

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TESTIMONIALS

“The delegates were captivated and awed by Dan’s enormous achievements while at the same time finding his practical step by step approach to achieving our full potential invaluable.”

EMMA HELEY

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

“BRILLIANT and very inspiring!! A great talk – beautifully structured without a word wasted. The entire audience was engaged from Dan’s first word to the last.”

DOUG WILLIAMSON, FCA FCT

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

“I loved Dan’s talk, what struck me most was his authenticity. His story is extremely compelling. He was calm, cool and composed and phrased sentences with great impact. His mission is very honourable as he is all about being at the service of others and inspiring them. Hats off to you Dan!”

JULIE LEBOURG

AUDIENCE MEMBER

“A thought-provoking, incredibly inspiring talk from Dan. His relaxed demeanour put the audience at ease immediately and the content kept them engaged and wondering which direction it would lead until the end. They were not disappointed!”

MATT PETTITT

AUDIENCE MEMBER

“Dan, many thanks for all your help with training our senior managers here at Shell. Your professionalism and extremely high standards really took them to a totally new level of presentation delivery.”

DALLAS MCDONALD

GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SHELL CHEMICALS LTD

“Adds a new dimension to public speaking. Fantastic… truly inspirational… I was in tears at the end.”

AGATHA NANFUKA

YOUNG POEPLE CHANGE THE WORLD SEMINAR

AWARDS

2018 – Bus Stop wins award at Ink Drama Festival
2014 – Co-winner of Hothouse first film script programme
2011 – Atching Tan – shortlisted for the BBC’s Imison and Audio Drama awards
2004 – Film – A Gypsy’s Wish short-listed for Institute of Public Relations award
2003 – Winner of a Community Champions award for excellence
2000 – The Boy’s Grave screenplay won invite to Scottish Screen’s Opening Shots
1997 – First theatre play won 4 Awards at the Brantham Play Festival
1990 – Winner of silver and bronze medals for acting from the Lamda Arts Academy

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

GET IN TOUCH

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