Episodes

In the season 10 finale of Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with Sophie Jones, Community Engagement Lead at In Our Nature about taking climate action in communities across GreaterManchester. Sophie shares her lifelong passion for environmentalism, her journey from being a school recycling monitor to studying zoology and working with the Manchester Climate Change Agency. She discusses how In Our Nature supports diverse Manchester communities in taking climate action ...

In the 11th episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Chris Marsh, an ambassador for Forever Manchester. Chris shares his journey of becoming involved with the charity through his passion for running and discusses the various community initiatives supported by Forever Manchester. From supporting local disability groups to knitting collectives, Chris highlights how the organisation helps various causes within Greater Manchester. He also r...

In the 10th episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Zoe Marlow, Food Bank Manager at Dandelion Community Church. They discuss Zoe's personal journey from seeking help to becoming a community leader, the operations and challenges of running a food bank, and the importance of treating individuals with compassion and respect. Zoe shares insights into food poverty, the stigma attached to seeking help, and community initiatives aimed at red...

In the ninth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe speaks with GhadaSoliman, Founder, of Sustainable Threads. They discuss Ghada's journey from overcoming a serious health condition to her passion for volunteering and helping marginalised communities. Ghada shares how Sustainable Threads reuses old fabrics to create new products, aiming to support vulnerable womenand promote environmental sustainability. Despite funding challenges, and having to o...

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...