Former Jamaican bobsled captain delivers inspirational talk to students at Bedford Academy

Stokes shared his extraordinary life journey with students from Year 8 through to Sixth Form, delivering powerful messages of resilience, determination, and learning from failure.

Born in the Turks and Caicos Islands to Jamaican parents, Stokes joined the Jamaican Army, became a helicopter pilot, and eventually led Jamaica’s first Olympic bobsled team in the 1988 Calgary Winter Games. While Cool Runnings immortalised the underdog story, Stokes reminded students that the real story includes more profound lessons of hardship, perseverance, and redemption, ultimately leading Stokes to compete more successfully in three further Olympic games.

“If you are ever responsible for failure, own it. Feel the pain, and don’t dodge it – embrace and learn from it,” Stokes told the students. “Work hard and control the things that you can. Don’t worry about the things you can’t. Life is full of opportunities – they will come.”

Stokes shared how, in the absence of proper training equipment in Jamaica, he improvised with a trolley to prepare for the Olympics — a testament to the idea that resourcefulness and grit can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.

“You have to find your meaning – and you still have to discover that,” he said. “It normally comes after experiencing something deeply emotional. From finding your meaning – you find your purpose.”

Jordan Gatehouse, Director of Directional CIC, a national organisation that provides mentoring, school interventions, and alternative education, organised the visit alongside Bedford Academy.

Gatehouse closed the session with a powerful message of his own: “When we think about how things are in the world now — and they are not perfect — the biggest takeaway is that when you encounter a hurdle, you have to overcome it and build resilience. Dudley is a huge part of history, not just for Jamaica, but as a symbol of what it means to keep going.”

This impactful session served as a timely reminder for students that resilience, accountability, and purpose are essential for navigating life’s challenges — and that greatness often begins with overcoming adversity.