Kirsty Redford

The recent solar eclipse at Heaton Park demonstrated how awe can bring people together, shift attention away from personal concerns and reduce reliance on technology. Kirsty Redford links this response to the psychological benefits of awe, including lower stress and improved wellbeing, and draws parallels with the mesmerising effect of fire at her Firewalk Events. She recommends a daily “60-second WOW” exercise focused on observing something extraordinary without photographing, analysing or otherwise interrupting the experience. Deliberately seeking wonder, she argues, can retrain attention and support wellbeing without requiring people to constantly fix themselves.

Kirsty Redford argues that children benefit more from attentive, shared experiences than from expensive toys or prolonged screen use. Drawing on childhood memories and research about stress and social connection, she encourages families to put phones away and spend time baking, building, playing, or talking together during the school holidays. Firewalk Events is running a competition inviting families to share summer memories, with a hamper offered to the winning entry.