In this special series of Change Makers, host Michael Hayman meets the business owners delivering positive impact for their people, their communities and the northern economy: leaders driving growth in unexpected places and sectors, nurturing skills for the future, leveraging innovation strategies, investing in nature, and fostering inclusive social change.

Michelle Laithwaite built FuelHub with her husband James to solve a problem in their own home: clean, high-protein meals without the prep. She talks about launching while eight months pregnant, the huge COVID-driven surge, earning trust from elite athletes and fans nationwide, and why authenticity, provenance and Northern identity are central to the brand’s success.