Spokesperson Network

Our network have direct experience of some of the biggest social issues facing the UK today and will receive training, media mentoring and speaking opportunities to amplify their expertise.

Find out more about our spokesperson training programme.

Current cohort

  • Ben McCay

    Ben McCay is advocate for people with learning disabilities and works as a consultant for the charity My Life My Choice.

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  • Debbie Iromlou

    Debbie is the Co-Founder of the Adult Adoptee Movement and Founder of TAAN the Transracial adult adoptee network.

  • Ellie Hatto

    Founder of Beside Yourself CIC, a social enterprise tackling stigma and unjust treatment around suicide.

  • Johanna Bernard

    Co-Director of Families in Harmony, family support practitioner, professional trainer, and Trauma Informed Practitioner with over 12 years lived experience as a Kinship Carer.

  • Kellie Ziemba

    CEO at Kairos Women Working Together (Kairos), in Coventry who support, advocate for, and empower women to increase their safety, stability, self-belief, and self-reliance to build fulfilled lives, free from violence, abuse, and exploitation.

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  • Kevin Osei

    Founder of Bridging Barriers, a charity which is focused on helping young people to achieve career success through mentoring.

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  • Palma Black

    Palma is the founder of Soul Purpose 360 CIC, a coaching, mentoring and training social enterprise for Black women; blending community development with personal development.

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  • Samantha Southern

    Suicide Prevention Bereavement Coordinator at Empowerment Charity Blackpool, Samantha is committed to raising awareness, breaking the stigma, and assisting those affected by suicide,

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  • Shanine Fasasi

    Founder of Diversify Education and Communities, promoting cultural diversity and inclusion in schools, businesses and the community.

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  • Siobhan Down

    Founder and CEO of Yellow Brick Road Projects, Siobhan has used her lived experience of ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) as the foundation for the charity to support young people in learning life skills.

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  • Sue Beere

    Sue works at APPEAL as a Survivor Advocate and was part of APPEAL's Bound By Injustice community as they represent her husband's wrongful conviction case.

Spokesperson Network Alumni

  • Alan Stuart

    Founder of The Calzy Foundation - to campaign for increased and accessible peer-to-peer support for young adults suffering trauma or crisis in their mental health; to de-stigmatise the conversation in young people around mental health and to work towards reducing the suicide rates in young people

  • Anna Wardley

    Founder and CEO of Luna Foundation, a social enterprise dedicated to transforming the support for children after suicide

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  • Emma Pears

    Founder and CEO of SELFA Children's Charity, based in Skipton. She helped to set up SELFA after identifying a gap in provision for children and young people in Craven over 15 years ago.

  • Jan Cunliffe

    Co-Founder of the campaign group JENGbA (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association), now campaigning for acquittals for the wrongly convicted and achieving further legal reform.

  • Maggie Gordon-Walker

    Founder of Mothers Uncovered, a Sussex peer-led organisation that supports women in matrescence (the transition to motherhood) with creative groups led by past participants. Campaigner for better postnatal care for mothers.

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  • Rachael Mole

    Founder of SIC, a CIC, social enterprise, bringing together her passion for mentoring, disability access and workplace inclusion with the aim of helping to close the disability employment gap in the UK.

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  • Rosie Hodsdon

    Executive Assistant (Marketing and Communications) at National Ugly Mugs a charity which aims to end all forms of violence against sex workers through providing safety tools, victim support and resources to support broader health, wellbeing, and provide sex workers with greater autonomy over their lives.

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  • Sabrina Jones

    Founder and CEO of not-for-profit Say It With Your Chest, existing to empower young people who are at risk of school exclusion or need support with their personal development to overcome obstacles and cultivate, happy, positive and fulfilling futures.

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  • Samantha Billingham

    Founder of SODA, domestic abuse awareness Ambassador, educating and empowering others to enhance their knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse.

  • Shaffia Khatun

    Co-Founder and Director of SKY Positive Minds, an award-winning charity that works to empower vulnerable women, girls and children from the local community who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual abuse or have been affected by mental health or other challenges.

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  • Sharon McPherson

    Co-founder of Families In Harmony, a representative voice in campaigning for racial equity in kinship care.

  • Zain Hafeez

    Community Organiser at Citizens UK, a Complex Needs Team Leader at CRMC, a Board of Trustee at ASAP and an Ambassador of Voices Network and Red Cross.

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  • Beth Thomas

    Mentoring Scheme Co-Ordinator and Safeguarding Director at Our Place Support. Beth is passionate about using her own experiences to inspire others who have experienced trauma and issues with their mental health.

  • Craig Jones MBE

    Executive Chair of Fighting with Pride of the military LGBT+ charity Fighting With Pride and the principle leader of the Armed Forces LGBT+ community in the difficult years after the ‘gay ban' was lifted.

  • Debs Teale

    Advocate of creativity in health following her own mental health journey, Trustee at the National Centre for Creative Health, member of the Social Prescribing Network and Social Prescribing Academy

  • Eliza Rebeiro

    Co-Founder and current CEO of Lives Not Knives, a charity based in Croydon that aims to reduce youth violence by engaging, educating and empowering up to 10,000 young people a year.

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  • Marie Van Herteryck

    Self-advocate and Co-Founder of NDSA (Neuro Diverse Self Advocacy) voluntary organisation.

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  • Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan

    Founder and CEO of the Zinthiya Trust a charity set up in 2009 aimed at supporting women and families in Leicester and Leicestershire to be free from poverty and abuse.

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  • Onjali Rauf

    Author and founder of Making Herstory

  • Lady Unchained

    Poet and Founder of Unchained Poetry, a platform for artists with experience of the criminal justice system.

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  • Ric Flo

    Creative Director and Rapper Ric Flo uses the art of rap and his experience in foster care to encourage positivity in young people through creative workshops whilst developing his own music with the Hip-hop Collective Jungle Brown.

  • Amanda Hailes

    Part of Hull-based women’s collective An Untold Story, peer-researcher for AVA and Agenda, campaigning for women facing marginalisation

  • Anne-Marie Douglas

    Founder and CEO of Peer Power, an empathy led charity developed with young people which aims to heal childhood trauma and adversity through caring relationships, system change involvement, employment and peer support.

  • Barbara Burton

    Founder of the BehindBras Fashion Foundation, providing support, new skills and meaningful employment for former women prisoners, in the fashion, retail and creative industries.

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  • Bryony Albery

    Previously a frontline homelessness support worker, performance poet Bryony is now training to be a social justice lawyer.

  • Clare Patey

    Award winning artist, curator, and director of Empathy Museum. Her award-winning immersive project A Mile in My Shoes explores how empathy can transform personal relationships but also help tackle global challenges and open up the public conversation around empathy.

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  • Darren Murinas

    Chief executive of Expert Citizens, an independent group who have all experienced multiple needs and give their ideas to services to help guide and shape them to improve the care of multiple needs citizens.

  • Marissa Begonia

    Domestic worker and founding member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, Marissa campaigns for justice and rights for Britain’s migrant domestic workers. She helps them to flee abusive families and find safety.

  • Simeon Moore

    Writer, musician and advocate for young people. Simeon was a member of a notorious Birmingham gang and co-created the YouTube channel DatsTV to challenge, and provide an alternative to those channels and music videos that glamorise gun and knife-culture.

  • Steve Arnott AKA Redeye Feenix

    Hull Beats Bus Founder, committed to building confidence and giving young people the space to be creative through music and art workshops. Star of Sean McAllister’s documentary film A Northern Soul.

  • Sue James

    CEO Legal Action Group, a national charity committed to improving access to justice. Previously Director and solicitor at Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre specialising in housing. Sue provides support for marginalised and vulnerable groups so they can make their voices heard.

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