Chalk Connect is a relaxed, informal space for people working in digital and tech roles to come together, share ideas, and learn from one another.
Over the years we’ve hosted a mix of lightning talks and longer spotlights, covering everything from practical tech skills and leadership, to career development and real-world experiences from the local digital community. The focus has always been on useful conversations, accessible learning, and making connections that actually go somewhere.
While Chalk Connect isn’t currently running as a regular meet-up, it very much remains part of the Chalk Eastbourne story. You can watch recordings from previous sessions below to get a feel for the speakers, topics, and the kind of discussions the community has enjoyed.
We’re exploring how Chalk Connect could return in the future, potentially in a refreshed format. When there’s more to share, this is where you’ll find it.
Missed a session or want to catch up?
See our previous spotlight talks below.
Leading without code: A different kind of tech leader
Catrina Baker-Bassett,
Dabapps Managing Director
Join Catrina from Dabapps to explore how to be an effective tech leader by leveraging strategic thinking, communication, and people skills over coding expertise.
Are you a business looking to recruit and/or upskill your existing workforce?
Mel Butcher,
ESCC Skills & Employment Team
East Sussex is rich with upskilling opportunities. Join Mel Butcher to explore local pathways that can help you grow your career, team and future prospects.
Dashboards don’t change business - people do
Kiera Monaghan,
Analytics Consultant
Effective dashboards blend key metrics with diverse data, framed by strategic thinking. Kiera Monaghan, discusses how to communicate this bigger picture with user-centric clarity.
The Resilient Leader: How to Lead Effectively, Without Burning Out
Alison Austin
Alison Austin, explores how resilient leadership fosters team success and sustainable results, while providing you with the tools to prevent burnout.
How to set up an app using Flutter
Tom Fielder,
CTO, Switchplane
Tom walks through setting up a Flutter app—installing the SDK, creating a project, and using widgets to build your first UI.
Leading without code: A different kind of tech leader
Catrina Baker-Bassett,
Managing Director, Dabapps
Great tech leadership isn’t about writing code—it’s about listening, learning, and lifting others up. When we embrace diverse perspectives, we don’t just build better products—we build a better future.
Vintage IA... hand crafted User Experience
Louise Bloom,
UX Consultant
Louise Bloom explores classic Information Architecture methods through a modern UX lens, blending timeless principles with contemporary digital challenges in this insightful short talk.
Matomo Analytics: The New Kid on the Block
Kiera Monaghan,
Digital Analytics Consultant
Keira dives into Matomo Analytics—your powerful, privacy-focused alternative to Google.
Writing Python
Packages in Rust
Dave Bottrill,
Freelance Web Developer
Speed meets simplicity! Learn about writing Python packages in Rust for blazing performance and seamless integration.
Let’s dive in!
Solving high-value critical business problems with eDiscovery solutions
Mark Austin, AutoMutatio
Mark Austin explores how businesses leverage eDiscovery solutions to overcome critical challenges, sharing real-world insights and best practices.
Don’t Feed the Pigeons - Why & How Software Product Engineering Matters
Russ Miles, Clear.Bank
Technical Product Owner Russ shares his personal experiences and knowledge in the software engineering field.
Contributing to open source software - The dos, don’ts and hows
Ethan Brierley, TrueLayer
Backend Rust engineer Ethan discusses his insights and firsthand experiences contributing to open-source software.