Each year, the programme brings together people with lived experience of social injustice and inequality who are creating change in their communities and want to strengthen their voice and impact.

Our Spokesperson Network is a growing community of leaders united by the belief that the people with lived experience should be at the centre of conversations and decisions that shape solutions.

Too often, people with experience of inequality are excluded from the media, and policy and public spaces. Our programme is here to change that. Through media training, leadership development, peer support and speaking and media opportunities, we amplify their voices and experience.

This year’s cohort reflect an incredible range of lived experience, with leaders working across issues including suicide prevention, Islamophobia, addiction, racial equity, inclusion, disability justice, poverty, housing and mental health.

This year’s leaders taking part in the programme are:

• Amy Thompson, MS Together

• Asma Ajaz-Ali, Muslim Sports Foundation

• Claire Simmons, Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank

• Daisy Ashe, Reach Out and Recover (ROAR) Kent CIC

• Deborah Jones, Resolute Women’s Support Services

• Ellie Palma-Cass, EPiC HOPE

• Elsy Gomez Campos, UK Black Pharmacist Association

• Hope Lightowler, Shared Lives Plus

• Indra Nauth, Action for Race Equality

• Kristine Reilly-Blake, Kidstruction CIC

• Majid Iqbal, Islamophobia Response Unit

• Oksana Kalala, New Arrivals Support CIC

• Said Seerat, Welcome House

• Salma Mohamed, Somali Mental Health Network

Monica Tyler, Sounddelivery Media’s CEO, said: “We were overwhelmed by the dedication and commitment we saw throughout this year’s application process, with more than 100 applications from leaders across the country.

“The people joining this year’s programme are doing vital work in their communities. They’re challenging injustice, supporting others and creating change every day. Our role is to help strengthen their visibility and influence so their voices can be heard where decisions are made.

“We’re excited to begin working with this new cohort and to see the impact they will continue to have in the media, in policy spaces and in the communities they represent.”

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing each of our new leaders and sharing more about their work, their communities and the change they’re driving. Stay tuned!

The post Meet the 2026 Spokesperson Leadership Programme cohort appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

At the heart of every session was one belief: the people closest to social issues should be at the centre of the conversations shaping solutions.

People with lived experience hold the insight, expertise and ideas needed to create lasting change. Yet, their voices are still missing from the media, in policy discussions and the rooms where decisions are made.

The Festival of Learning exists to change that.

This year, we’re bringing it back. It’ll be bigger, stronger and more accessible, and we’re looking for partners who want to help make that happen.

Why sponsorship matters

The Festival of Learning is a nationwide movement. It’s about investing in people, equity and long-term social change.

Your support helps us create spaces where lived experience is recognised as expertise, where grassroots leaders gain the confidence and tools to influence systems, and where charities and communities can work together to create better solutions.

By sponsoring the Festival of Learning, you’ll help:

• Provide high-quality training and workshops for people with lived experience across the UK
• Amplify underrepresented voices on a national stage
• Create inclusive spaces where lived experience informs and shapes solutions
• Demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to social impact and meaningful change.

This is an opportunity to align your organisation with a cause that resonates deeply and creates measurable impact.

This work has a ripple effect far beyond the sessions. People take what they learn back into their organisations, communities and campaigns. They influence services, shape policy conversations and create opportunities for others to be heard.

Join us

We’re looking for partners who believe in the power of lived experience and want to be part of something transformative.

If you’re ready to help put lived experience on the map and make a meaningful UK-wide impact, we’d love to hear from you.

To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact:

monica@sounddelivery.org.uk 

Together, we can ensure that the voices shaping our future are those who understand it best.

Let’s make this festival a catalyst for change.

The post Be part of the change: sponsor the Festival of Learning appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

Their conversation explored the role journalism plays in exposing injustice and holding power to account by reporting the truth. As Katharine put it, journalism has a public duty to find injustice and call it out. When that’s done well, it strengthens democracy.

But they both also spoke about the challenges facing journalists today. Newsrooms are having to navigate a constant flow of content, trying to verify what is real and what isn’t.

At the same time, audiences are questioning where they can find information they can trust. They are looking for news reflecting different viewpoints and real life.

In that environment, credibility matters. And that authenticity often comes from the people closest to the story. Those who have lived it, who can explain what it feels like and why it matters. People who have lived through injustice bring insight that statistics, policy and commentary simply can’t.

In a time when trust in institutions is fragile, those human perspectives help reconnect journalism to the realities people are living every day.

At Sounddelivery Media, this belief is at the heart of our work.

We support people with lived experience of social injustice to share their expertise in the media and beyond. Through training, mentoring and media and speaking opportunities, we help grassroots leaders develop the confidence and skills to speak publicly about the issues affecting their communities.

Because diverse representation remains a challenge, both inside of the newsroom and in whose voices are heard in the stories themselves. When the same perspectives dominate, you get the same old stories. But when you encourage diversity into the newsroom and widen the range of voices within storytelling, you get truth and credibility.

Again and again, I see people within our network step forward who may never have imagined themselves as public spokespeople. Yet, they carry deep knowledge about the systems shaping their lives and the lives of their communities. They have a passion that opens people’s eyes and ears to issues they might otherwise overlook. We know that when those voices are heard, public conversations shift. People begin to listen and most importantly, understand.

Of course, speaking publicly about injustice isn’t easy. The media landscape, and particularly social media, can be a hostile place, especially for women and people from marginalised communities. That’s why support, training and strong peer networks matter so much for those who choose to use their voices. And that’s why the work of Sounddelivery Media matters so much.   

We’ve created a network of lived experience voices who all have direct experience of some of the biggest social issues facing the UK today. As the news landscape becomes more complex to navigate, the demand for authentic voices will continue to grow. And for us, that means ensuring people with lived experience are at the forefront of those conversations every day.

The post When misinformation spreads, lived experience brings us back to the truth appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

At Sounddelivery Media, our work has always centred around amplifying voices that too often go unheard. We work with charities and grassroots organisations to strengthen storytelling, build confidence and create platforms for lived experience. Because when women – particularly women of colour, women from marginalised communities, women navigating systemic barriers – are supported to tell their own stories, the impact ripples far beyond a single campaign or project.

As a Black woman leading in the charity and media space, I know that progress is rarely accidental. It is built. It is funded. It is championed. Someone, somewhere, makes a decision to open a door – or to keep it closed.

Give To Gain challenges us to be the door-openers.

It asks organisations:

Are you investing in women’s leadership – not just in words, but in budget lines?

It asks leaders:

Are you sponsoring, mentoring and advocating for women who don’t already look like you?

It asks all of us:

What are we willing to give – time, power, platforms, resources – so that we all gain a more equitable future?

In the charity sector, we often talk about impact. But impact doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through collective effort. Through partnership. Through trust. Through redistributing opportunity.

When we give to women, we don’t lose.

We don’t diminish ourselves.

We expand what is possible.

This International Women’s Day, I’m committing to continuing to give – to mentor more, to collaborate more boldly, to use my platform to elevate others. Because I’ve seen what happens when women are resourced properly. Communities strengthen. Systems shift. Futures change.

The question is not whether we can afford to invest in women.

It’s whether we can afford not to.

Let’s Give To Gain — together.

The post A message from Monica Tyler – CEO of Sounddelivery Media – International Women’s Day 2026 | Give To Gain appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

As a trauma ambassador and survivor‑activist, I have seen the same patterns repeat themselves:  

• Survivors facing discrimination when seeking healthcare  

• Survivors being disbelieved or dismissed  

• Survivors carrying shame that never belonged to them  

• Survivors struggling to access justice or support  

• Survivors silenced by fear, stigma, or community pressure  

Ending FGM requires more than statements of solidarity. It requires action — real, sustained, survivor‑centred action.

We need institutions that understand trauma.  

We need policymakers who listen to lived experience.  

We need healthcare systems that treat survivors with dignity.  

We need education that challenges harmful norms.  

And we need to recognise that survivors are not a single story — our experiences intersect with race, migration, disability, class, and gender.

But perhaps most importantly, we need to centre survivor leadership.

Survivors are not passive recipients of support. We are experts. We are advocates. We are the ones who understand the nuances, the silences, the cultural dynamics, and the barriers — because we have lived them. When survivors lead, the movement becomes more grounded, more honest, and more effective.

Grassroots organisations like Women of Grace play a vital role in this work. We are the ones who sit with survivors in their darkest moments. We are the ones who build trust where institutions have broken it. We are the ones who hold the movement together, often with limited resources but limitless determination.

Zero tolerance must mean zero silence. Zero excuses. Zero harm.

I want to close with the words that have become the anchor of my own healing and activism:

“They wounded my body, but they could not silence my spirit. What they tried to take from me became the fire that guides me. And now that I have reclaimed my voice, I will use it to protect every girl whose voice has not yet been heard.”

On this Zero Tolerance Day, may we honour survivors not with pity, but with action.  

May we protect girls not with promises, but with change.  

And may we continue to build a world where every girl grows up whole, safe, and free.

About the author

Valerie Lolomari MBE is a resilience coach, speaker, and founder of Women of Grace UK, supporting survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM) and gender-based violence.

The post From pain to power: why zero tolerance must mean zero silence appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

Over the years, I’ve worked across many causes and what connects them all is people. That’s why Sounddelivery Media resonated with me so strongly. We exist to support grassroots leaders to take their lived experience into places where decisions are made, whether that’s policy, media or wider public debate.

We shine a light on people who are already doing incredible work and help them get their message out there further. These are leaders who often don’t see themselves as leaders, yet they are changing lives every day.

People with lived experience know what’s needed

What excites me most about lived experience leadership is that it’s real. These leaders know what’s needed because they’ve been through it themselves. They understand what works and what doesn’t. They’ve struggled, persisted and found ways forward.

I’m in awe of what I see. There is a growing movement of people who genuinely care about communities that have been pushed to the margins. Every day, someone is standing up for a cause, often without recognition or support, and that inspires me endlessly.

It can be hard work to keep chipping away

Grassroots leadership is not easy. It can be hard work to keep chipping away at your cause. My own experience as a grassroots leader helps me support others in the network. I understand the pressures, the isolation, the constant push to keep going. I’m a fundraiser by background. And I hope that through my role at Sounddelivery Media, I can pass some of that on.

That might mean helping leaders become more confident and polished in how they communicate. It might mean supporting them to fulfil their mission, or simply helping them stay the course. Ultimately, it’s about enabling them to build the world they want to see.

We’re in troubled times globally

What feels most important for 2026 is bringing this movement together and consolidating what we’re building. There are leaders who have already achieved so much, and we can give them greater exposure and support. These are troubled times globally, and it is precisely these leaders who will make the difference. Our role is to equip them with the tools they need to lead with confidence and impact.

There’s a saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe the same is true when it comes to social change. When we come together, we are so much stronger. Sounddelivery Media feels like that kind of village. A movement of people who know that nothing is achieved in isolation and that real change happens when we support one another.

Turning lived experience into lasting influence

Members of Sounddelivery Media can look forward to a network that continues to grow and deepen in 2026. We want to take what Jude started and build something even stronger — a go-to organisation that media turn to when they want informed, authentic voices.

Imagine a world where, when the BBC, ITN or any media outlet needs someone to speak on racial equity, transgender rights, the environment or young people, they turn to us. Not for a spokesperson who has only studied the issue, but for someone who has lived it, understands it deeply and can speak with authenticity and authority.

But it’s also about what happens behind the scenes. Grassroots leaders are passionate about their cause, but fundraising, policy development and organisational structure can fall by the wayside because they’re stretched too thin. We understand those challenges because we’ve lived them too.

We can help leaders build the infrastructure around them, such as peer networks, practical tools and spaces to share frustrations as well as wins. A place where people are picked up, dusted off and reminded: we can do this together.

Lived experience is authentic

Lived experience matters because it tells the truth. It cuts through ignorance and assumption. It allows society to hear what life is really like on the ground.

Sometimes, doors stay closed simply because people don’t know how to open them. Sounddelivery Media exists to change that. We’re here to empower voices to speak with passion and strength, and to make sure those voices are heard.

In 2026, I want Sounddelivery Media to be recognised as the go-to leadership development programme for people driving social change across the UK and beyond. More than that, I want our legacy to be about building a generation of leaders who lead with integrity, empathy and collective purpose. Because the real measure of our work will always be the ripple effects it creates in communities, systems and lives.

The post “We exist to support grassroots leaders to take their lived experience into places where decisions are made” appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

I’m a Windrush child

My parents came to the UK in 1960, encouraged by the promise of opportunity. My dad was from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, my mother from Saint Kitts and Nevis. I was born five years later and we lived first in Tottenham, then moved to  Leytonstone where I grew up and went to school. We were some of the first Black families in the area and that came with its own hostility.

My parents arrived with hopes and plans, but the reality they found here was very different. There was a lot of racism and as a child it was painful to experience. Money was tight. Mum and dad worked hard just to put food on the table, while trying to build a life in a country that was unfamiliar to them.

My mother brought us up believing we could achieve anything

What grounded me was my mother. She raised me and my siblings with a deep belief that we could achieve anything we wanted in life. Even when things were hard, she was always clear: do the best you can, keep focused, don’t let what’s happened knock you off course.

I was a big reader. I read about people I admired and aspired to be like, including Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman and Malcom X . They helped shape how I saw the world. I experienced racism, including being attacked, but my mother’s voice was always louder than anything else.

I wanted to give back to society

I started my first business at 18. I’d buy clothes from warehouses, knock on doors and sell them house to house. By my twenties, I owned a print and design company. But I became disillusioned. I didn’t just want to make money. I wanted to do something that mattered, something for society.

That’s what led me to the National Deaf Children’s Society. I joined as an administrator on their child abuse project and I was deeply moved by the work. My manager wanted to publish books to help deaf children keep themselves safe, but there wasn’t the funding. I told her that if she increased my hours from part time to full time, I’d raise the money myself.

I fell in love with fundraising

I was put with the fundraising manager and told I’d be raising money from trusts and companies. I had no idea what that was. I was shown how to write funding letters and what was needed. Eventually, I raised the £10,000 needed to publish the books. That was the moment I fell in love with fundraising. I could see how money, used well, could genuinely change lives.

I suddenly found myself on a flight to meet Sir Terry Waite KCMG CBE 

Not long after, I applied for a role at Y Care International. The chair at the time was Terry Waite, who I had admired for his courage and bravery. Two years into the role in 1996, I suddenly found myself on flight to meet Terry in India, heading to Calcutta to meet Mother Teresa and visit the charity’s projects.  We then moved on to Kenya and Uganda to visit our community projects and partners.

In India, I saw children in Mumbai receiving vocational training to get them off the streets. I visited clinics in Uganda I’d been fundraising for, to enable pregnant women to have local facilities to give birth. Prior to the clinics being built they were travelling on a bike in labour, as much as 20 miles to reach a medical facility to give birth. It was a humbling, rewarding and a life changing experience that has stayed with me: the desire to serve became even more present.

I stood up and said, “I’m going to adopt”

I worked my way up in charities and I did my leadership training with Landmark Education. During a presentation in front of 300 people, I found myself saying out loud, “I’m going to adopt.” It had been in my mind for years, but suddenly, saying it out loud made it real. In 2000, I adopted my two daughters, who were one and two at the time.  I am now the proud grandma of four grandchildren!

Leading through challenge and change

Inspired by my daughters, I’ve worked across fundraising, leadership and chief executive roles for various causes from housing, regeneration, reuse and recycling, to managing a central London City Farm. I’ve worked with Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s charities both here and in South Africa and I’m now an ambassador for his UK foundation. I’ve led organisations through periods of change, growth and uncertainty. 

That was the case during my time as CEO of Vauxhall City Farm. When I arrived, the organisation was run-down and close to going under. I rebuilt it from the ground up, launching mobile farms, delivering educational programmes that took animals into schools and communities, delivering services on the farm that attracted over 60,000 visitors, raising the farm’s profile through media work and securing a diverse  funding base. By the end of my second year, the organisation was stable and thriving.

Then Covid hit. Overnight, everything stopped. The café closed, the riding school shut, staff were furloughed and income disappeared. I launched an emergency appeal, set up a GoFundMe, brought the media in and the community to rescue the charity from permanent closure.  Together, we raised £600k+  and kept the organisation going when it mattered most.

It’s always been about the people

I’d been taking a break for about six months when a friend sent me the job advert for interim CEO at Sounddelivery Media, saying it sounded right up my street. I met Jude and the trustee board and spent time understanding the charity. Whatever cause I’m working in, it always comes back to the people and empowering them to realise their dreams and shine. That’s why Sounddelivery Media resonated so much with me.

Stay tuned for Monica’s second blog, where you can hear her plans for Sounddelivery Media in the year ahead.  

About the Author

Monica Tyler is the Chief Executive Officer at Sounddelivery Media, bringing over 25 years of leadership experience across the voluntary sector. She is passionate about amplifying underrepresented voices and building organisations that create real, lasting change.

Monica has a strong background in fundraising, organisational development and strategic leadership. Throughout her career, she has successfully led teams through periods of growth and transition, developed award winning programmes, and secured significant funding for grassroots, national and international initiatives. She is deeply committed to Sounddelivery Media’s mission of empowering people with lived experience to tell their stories and influence change through the media.

The post “Meeting Mother Teresa in Calcutta with Terry Waite changed my life.” appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

When I agreed to a SGO for my children to live with a family member, it was on the promise that if I got the help I needed (to get sober), my children could come home. What I wasn’t informed of was that this order was a permanent arrangement, one that left me with only limited parental rights – ‘49%’ on paper and no plan for any future reunification or extra family time outside of what the court ordered.  The process to discharge a permanent arrangement, such as a SGO, is nearly impossible. You are expected to fund the legal proceedings because it’s a private family court matter, and you are not provided with adequate support. Plus, having the daunting task of summoning my children’s carer, the local authority, and Cafcass to court, putting an extra strain on those relationships. It’s a process that is not set up for parents who self-represent, with no legal knowledge, nor is the system set up for us to be reunited with our children. Good job, I had one last fight inside of me.

I had a tough decision to make; was this in the best interest of my children? My eldest was old enough to have his own representation, and he affirmed my instinct that he wanted to come home. Ultimately, it still boils down to money; if I didn’t have the money to go back to court, my children wouldn’t be home with me today. Reunification shouldn’t be something only the financially able can achieve.

Foundations are the national What Works Centre for Children & Families, providing the answers and practical solutions that empower decision-makers to improve policy and practice on family support. They have called for a systematic review of interventions to support reunification. Their findings revealed that the number of children returning home, permanently, has dropped significantly – from 39% in 2011 to just 29% in 2020. The findings show that the barriers affecting reunification include housing, financial issues, and lack of community resources – data that is in line with my experience.

I recently took part in a parent focus research group with the National Children’s Bureau, where they are hearing from parents and practitioners about their experiences around reunification – it’s a start. This research can drive change in a system that too often gives up on families. But there needs to be a strategy in place so children can be reunited with their parents when it’s safe to do so.

I work at Pause, a national charity that works to improve the lives of women who have had – or are at risk of having – more than one child removed from their care. Pause’s data in this area shows that with the right trauma-informed support, some women are able to parent their children again. It’s this post-removal support provided to me that gave me time, space, and a pause in my life to focus on looking to the future. With the right support, we can recover and rebuild our lives. To think this kind of support is only available to some women, who are lucky enough to have this service in their area, is mind-blowing; there isn’t a statutory duty of care for parents who have experienced the removal of a child. I was one of the many lucky women who’ve managed to get the right post-removal support, and it wasn’t because the system encouraged me to.

The system must stop treating healing like an exception. After a lengthy 18-month court battle, and despite the local authority, children’s carer, and CAFCASS not agreeing with the return of my children,the court’s found that I had made the changes needed to resume parenting my children. The pause I took in my life played a significant role in allowing me to recover, heal, and become the emotionally available, present parent I am today. We are all thriving as a family, my eldest has just completed his first year in electrical engineering and left school as an A*student, and my youngest is a keen footballer but says he will be retiring soon! Overall, the removal didn’t have long-lasting issues that we weren’t able to overcome. 

I’m calling on the government to put reunification at the heart of the care system. Every child deserves the chance to return home when it’s safe – but right now, there is no clear pathway, no consistent support, and no strategy. Reunification shouldn’t be left to luck, privilege, or parents having to fight alone. We need investment, guidance, and a national commitment to help families heal and rebuild, because separation should never be the standard end of the story.

About the Author

Karina Graham leads communications and Getting Involved work at Pause, ensuring women’s voices drive change in services and systems for women affected by child removal. Karina uses her lived and learned experience to uplift women impacted by child removal. At Pause, she champions involvement work, co-produces a podcast sharing authentic stories, and leads on communications. 

As an Expert by Experience on the National Practice Group, she influences national practice with insight from her own journey. Karina believes in storytelling as a force for action and transformation—turning pain into power and voice into change.

The post ‘I no longer give my children their Christmas presents on a park bench’: Why reunification must be supported appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

It gave me the confidence to be the face of Beats Bus

When I first applied for the Spokesperson Network, Beat Bus was still in its early days. I didn’t really know what I was doing when it came to funding or social media. I was just starting out, with a lot of passion but not much structure. I knew that if Beats Bus was going to make a difference, I had to step up and become its voice. That meant polishing my skills, learning how to communicate better and being ready to speak with confidence. 

As a performer, I was used to being on stage, but public speaking is completely different. When I’m performing as Redeyefeenix, I’ve got the music behind me and other people on stage. When you’re standing on stage alone, talking about your experiences, it’s just you. That can be intimidating. I wanted to learn how to handle that, how to use my voice in a new way, and that drew me to the programme. 

The training helped me reach new audiences 

One of the biggest takeaways was the social media training. I already had accounts, but I didn’t really know how to use them effectively. The sessions helped me understand how to build an audience and communicate what we do in a clear way. That changed everything.

Since then, I’ve recorded loads of vlogs, written blogs and even built my own website to promote my speaking work. I don’t think I’d have had the confidence or the know-how to do that without the programme.

Public speaking gave me a new kind of stage

The public speaking training taught me how to connect with an audience, project my voice and hold my presence in the room. I had a habit of filling space with “ums” and “errs”. Now I know how to pause, gather my thoughts and get people’s attention.  

And I’ve put those public speaking skills into action. I’ve delivered around ten speeches now, to really different audiences, in prisons, universities, at festivals, and to business leaders, NHS chief executives and community groups. I’ve also been on several panels.

It gave me exactly what I was hoping for – and more 

From the start, the programme gave me what I needed and a lot more. I met incredible people, all doing inspiring work in their communities. I still speak to many of them now, years later. That peer network was massive for me. It’s easy to feel like you’re doing this work on your own, trying to make change from a small corner. We’ve supported each other, shared advice and collaborated on projects. Being surrounded by people who understand what you’re doing, who share the same drive, it really lifts the weight a little bit.

Sounddelivery Media are still in our corner

The Sounddelivery Media team has continued to support us well beyond the training. They’ve sent over funding opportunities and advice. That’s how we got our first major grant with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Ideas and Pioneers Fund. That really got the ball rolling for us.

It’s not just a programme, it’s wraparound support. You apply thinking it’s about media and storytelling, but you also get a community, practical advice and a sounding board for all the challenges that come with running an organisation.

All the doubts you have – put them aside and apply 

To anyone thinking about applying, I’d say this: all those doubts you have about whether you’re ready or good enough, put them to one side and go for it. Be open to the challenge. You’ll come out of it a stronger, more confident version of yourself. You’ll be more capable in your role and more certain of your voice.

And when you’re on the programme, soak it all up. Listen to the other brilliant minds in the room. You get back what you put in, so give it your all.

It didn’t just build my skills — it built my belief

Looking back, I honestly don’t think Beats Bus would still be going if I hadn’t done the Spokesperson Network training. It taught me how to approach everything from different angles and with more confidence, like social media, media interviews, vlogs and blogs. It showed me why all of that matters to be able to stand strong and sustain what we do.

The programme didn’t just build my skills; it gave me belief. It taught me how to use my voice to inspire others and to open doors for the next generation.

About the Author

Stephen Arnott, known as Redeyefeenix, is a hip-hop emcee from Hull and Founder of Beats Bus Records. Beats Bus Records is a multi-award winning social enterprise with a mobile recording studio for outreach work to discover young talent, and teach the history of hip-hop to communities in Yorkshire and the Humber, particularly those with limited access to the arts.

Steve’s dedication to community work earned him an award from the official Zulu Nation. Steve also works with Sounddelivery Media, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and is a graduate of the SSE. 

The post “I don’t think Beats Bus would still be here if I hadn’t done the Spokesperson Network training.” appeared first on Sounddelivery Media.

In 2022, Maggie joined our Spokesperson Network, which supports people with lived experience of social injustice or inequality to become more confident, visible spokespeople. The training covers everything from working with the media to sharing your story safely and powerfully. For Maggie, it’s had a lasting impact on her confidence, public profile and the reach of Mothers Uncovered. 

I wanted to amplify the voices of mothers who are so often overlooked 

I applied to Sounddelivery Media’s Spokesperson Network because I wanted to learn how to engage with the media and make our work more visible. Mothers Uncovered supports every mother, not just a demographic of mothers, and sometimes that can make it harder to get attention. I hoped the Spokesperson Network could help me find the right routes to get our message across. 

The training gave me practical tools to speak to journalists and approach media outlets with confidence. More than that, it helped me to clarify our messages and see how our story deserves to be told. I wanted to be the person that journalists think of when they’re covering motherhood and mental health stories, and I feel much closer to that now. 

The programme gave me contacts with the media 

Sounddelivery Media helped arrange an interview for me on BBC Radio 5 Live, which led to an unexpected donation from a company that heard the broadcast. That kind of visibility simply wouldn’t have happened before. 

I’ve also spoken on BBC local radio, ITV Meridian and even Channel 4. The training has made me much more proactive about seizing opportunities in the media and knowing how to approach journalists.  

I’m reaching people I never would have reached before

I’ve also become more confident using social media. With the support of the programme, I started creating short-form videos for YouTube and TikTok. These have really taken off, with some having over 1,000 views and meaningful comments from mothers who say the content makes them feel seen and understood. That’s powerful evidence I can now show to funders about how we’re impacting mothers through our online engagement and reach. 

I’ve gone from local support to national influence 

Because of the visibility I’ve achieved, I was invited to speak at a roundtable at the Labour party conference. They’d found out about me due to my increased online presence. 

There I met Michelle Welsh MP, who is chair of the Maternity All-Party Parliamentary Group, which is the forum where all parties with an interest in a topic come together for discussion and hold inquiries. She invited me to her office in parliament where we spent over an hour discussing the issues mothers face. She wants to come down to Brighton to meet some mothers and also speak on my podcast. That meeting wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t raised my profile as a result of my work with Sounddelivery Media. 

I can honestly say that without the programme, Mothers Uncovered would still be working  at a local level. Now, we’re having conversations that could shape national policy. 

Soundelivery Media isn’t about power suits – it’s about lived experience

What makes Sounddelivery Media different is that it’s not a business-focused leadership programme where everyone’s competing. It’s a space that embraces people from all backgrounds, people who’ve been through tough times and want to make change. There’s such camaraderie among the group – we all understand and respect each other’s journeys and are there for each other. 

The ripple effect keeps growing 

The Spokesperson Network opened doors I never expected. It’s given me clarity and the confidence and connections to use it. I’m more determined than ever to keep speaking up for mothers’ mental health and to push our messages out there. 

I talk about Sounddelivery Media as being a ripple effect that keeps spreading. Every bit of visibility leads to another opportunity – a new conversation, a new ally or a new way to help mothers know they aren’t alone. It’s changed me and it’s changing what’s possible for the mothers we support. 

About the Author

Maggie Gordon-Walker is an arts professional and the founder of Mothers Uncovered (established 2008), a Sussex peer-led organisation under her charity, Livestock. Mothers Uncovered supports women during matrescence (the transition to motherhood) through creative support courses facilitated by past participants, providing a judgment-free space to explore feelings and celebrate the woman behind the mother.

Maggie is also a passionate campaigner and advocate for mothers’ rights, believing that prioritising investment in postnatal care and recognising the term ‘matrescence’ are essential for improving thousands of families’ lives. She co-edited the anthology, The Secret Life of Mothers.

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