Episodes

In the eighth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with Niki Banks, co-founder of One World Together. Niki shares herjourney from her academic background in global development to launching a social enterprise aimed at providing flexible funding directly to communities. She highlights the challenges faced by small charities and community groups in obtaining long-term funding and highlights the importance of trust and local empowerment in solv...

In the seventh episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe engages with Ryan Miemczyk, Chair of Trustees at Manchester Young Lives. Ryan shares his journey into social work, driven by his passionfor supporting youth and his love for sports. He discusses the charity's mission to empower young people through play and recreation, providing alternative education, and improving employability skills. Ryan highlights the critical challenges faced by the organi...

Join host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe in the sixth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast as she interviews Lydia German, Senior Content and Campaigns Officer at Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Lydia discusses her journey into wildlife conservation, inspired by her grandfather and her passion for environmental politics. She shares insights on the goals and challenges of Lancashire Wildlife Trust, including their aim to have 30% of land and sea recovering by 2030 and mobilising one in fo...

In the fifth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Simon Owen,founder of Standby Productions and the first-ever ambassador for the Wildlife Trust of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and North Merseyside. Simon shares his passion for supporting the environment and his journey from birdwatching with his dad to making award-winning wildlife films. He discusses the importance of peatlands, the challenges of conservation funding, and his uniq...

In the fourth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks withMarianna Vaszilyliv, co-founder and project lead of United for Ukraine. Marianna shares her journey from being a teacher to passionately supporting Ukrainian refugees in the UK after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Marianna discusses the inception and evolution of United for Ukraine, which started as an informational platform and has grown to provide extensive employment servicesand supp...

In the third episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Kieran Innes, CEO of Tootoot. Kieran shares his inspiring journey from growing up in a council estate to co-founding Tootoot, apioneering platform that provides children with a safe, anonymous way to report bullying and safeguarding issues. He discusses the development of Tootoot from a university project to a tool used globally in over 500 schools, impacting over half a million chil...

In the second episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with Jolene Sheehan, a social entrepreneur, creative, and founder of Joy Ethic.Jolene shares her journey, from being a teacher in Manchester to founding her social enterprise dedicated to well-being and community connections. She discusses the transformative power of understanding one's core values, overcoming personal and professional obstacles, and the importance of fostering mutual exch...

In the first episode of Season 10 of the Meet theMancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Mike Wild, Chief Executive of Macc. Mike shares his journey from volunteer work in school to leading Macc, an organisation supporting thousands of voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise groups in Manchester. He discusses the challenges faced by the sector, such asfunding and workforce issues, and emphasises the importance of collaboration and self-care. Mike also highlight...

Welcome to Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. This season celebrates social impact community heroes across Manchester and aims to inspire listeners through their life experiences, challenges, and passion for their causes. The season is dedicated to the memory of Deepa's rescue dog, Sandy who died last month. Join Deepa every Tuesday starting February 11, 2025, for thought-provoking conversations available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the season finale of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I speak with Judy Vickers, Executive Officer of Lifeshare and Spirit of Manchester Award nominee. Judy shares her journey from overcoming personal challenges, including domestic violence, to passionately working in the homelessness sector. She discusses her extensive work with Lifeshare, an organisation providing services to the homeless in...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the seventh episode of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I interview Beth Powell, Managing Director of Creative City and a nominee for the Spirit of Manchester Award for Social Economy Champion. Beth details her motivations for supporting women and youth, her journey through personal mental health challenges, and the founding of Creative City. The organisation uses arts for empowerment, offering long-term com...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the sixth episode of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I interview Shelley Roberts, CEO of Home-Start Manchester, an award-winning volunteer involving organisation. Shelley discusses her lifelong passion for supporting children,the impactful work of Home-Start in providing peer support for families with young children, and the challenges and successes they've faced. Shelley shares inspiring stories of how ...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the fifth episode of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I speak to Tracey Torley, director of Cracking Good Food and a Spirit of Manchester award winner for community and business collaboration. Tracy discusses her journey into food advocacy, stemming from her West Indian heritage, and her impactful work with organisations aimed at alleviating food poverty and promoting sustainable cooking practices. ...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the fourth episode of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I interview Jan Iceton, Board Chair of Smart Works Greater Manchester. Jan discusses Smart Works' mission to support unemployed women aged 16 to 66 in rebuilding confidence and securing employment. Jan shares her journey in the sector, the pivotal role of Smart Works in empowering women, and the significant impact of their services. Featuring...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners from your host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe. In the third episode of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, I interview Claire Biggs, Director of Sustainable Northmoor Urban Greening (SNUG) and Spirit of Manchester award nominee for Inspiring Campaign. Claire discusses her involvement with Longsight Community Artspace and the impact of their projects on the local community. From offering free art workshops and exhibitions to transforming an unuse...

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. In the second episode of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe chats with Josh Deegan, a volunteer at Happy Somedays and Spirit of Manchester Award winner for Community Cohesion. Josh shares his inspiring journey of supporting the Wythenshawe community, discussing the inception and evolution of Happy Some Days from a lockdown initiative into a multifaceted community group offering free fitness sessions, sports, walks...

In the Season 9 opener of the 'Meet the Mancunian' podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe highlights award-winning activist Maria Romanenko's journey. Maria was nominated as Volunteer of the Year in the Spirit of Manchester Awards. Fleeing Ukraine amid war, Maria finds solace and purpose in assisting fellow Ukrainian refugees in Manchester, providing free walking tours among other support initiatives. She addresses the challenges Ukrainian refugees face, the shortcomings of official support ...

Celebrating Social Impact: Season 9 of Meet the Mancunian Podcast In Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe collaborates with the Spirit of Manchester Awards to feature interviews with award winners and nominees from the city's voluntary and community sector. Each episode, released weekly on Tuesdays, showcases Manchester's community champions dedicated to various causes. The season aims to inspire listeners to engage with the social impact sector and sp...

In the 16th and final episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe welcomes Matthew Carroll, Station Manager of Evolve Radio. Carroll shares his 25-year journey in community and hospital radio, discussing the personal and professional challenges he has faced, including struggles with mental health. He introduces his latest venture, Evolve Radio, aimed at bringing community radio to Stockport and providing training opportunities for aspiring broadcaster...

In the 15th episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with Tanny Rowland, Secretary of Wythenshawe Safety Patrol. Tanny shares her journey from experiencing homelessness at 17 to co-leading a non-profit organization dedicated to community safety and support in Wythenshawe. They discuss various initiatives like street patrols, a community café, a garden project, and safe places for vulnerable individuals. Tanny emphasises the importance of com...

In the 14th episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Hemant Patel, CEO of Anumana. They discuss Hemant's passion for community support, inspired by his mother and Indian cultural values, and his initiative, the Code Academy. Patel highlights the academy's mission to address challenges in the tech sector, such as lack of diversity, skills gap, and social mobility barriers. The academy offers a free 16-week Python programming course to Manche...

In the 13th episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Daniel Firea, a self-development YouTuber and photographer. Daniel shares his journey from a life filled with vices and bad mental health to one focused on positive self-development. He discusses the impact of stopping vices, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and finding faith. Daniel explains his motivation to help others through his YouTube channel, promoting a holistic approach to self-...

In the twelfth episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with Jazzy J, an Artist and Executive Committee Member of the Indian Association of Manchester. Jazzy J shares his passion for community support, rooted in his upbringing in Mumbai, and discusses his role in the Indian Association of Manchester. He highlights the organisation's efforts to bring together people from various backgrounds, provide platforms for local talent, and support activi...

In the 11th episode of Season 8 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Claire Hines, owner of Shine and a passionate advocate for shared community spaces. Claire shares her journey from volunteering at her children's school to starting her own eco-friendly business Shine within Emporium M33, a community-centric retail hub in Sale. The discussion covers the challenges and rewards of running a small business and the significance of local support. Claire emp...