Charity Champions Podcast S03 E08: Vicky Beevers, Founder and CEO, The Sleep Charity

In this episode of Charity Champions, host Emily Formby is joined by Vicky Beevers, founder and CEO of The Sleep Charity. Vicky shares her journey from deputy head teacher to national charity leader, built from her own family's experience of sleep deprivation.

Vicky talks openly about starting the charity alongside her teaching career, the naivety and ambition that drove her early years, and the moment growing national media attention forced her to choose between the two. She explains how the charity grew through grant funding and local commissioning, pivoted online during Covid, and went on to win the GSK Impact Award despite her own imposter syndrome.

The conversation also covers the realities that no one warns you about as a founder, from funding constipation and single-year contracts to burnout, boundaries and living with ADHD as a charity leader. Vicky reflects on the value of mentoring and networking, and why hearing the difference the charity makes keeps her going.

Charity Champions Podcast S03E07: Liam Swanston, Director of Development and Partnerships, The Proud Trust

In this episode of Charity Champions, host Emily Formby is joined by Liam Swanston, Director of Development and Partnerships at The Proud Trust. Liam shares his full circle journey through LGBTQ+ youth work, from growing up as a young carer in Bury to leading national LGBTQ+ youth charity work in Manchester.

Liam talks openly about losing his brother at eleven, becoming a young carer for his mum and how the support he received from youth workers shaped the career he has now. He explains the moment he first discovered youth work as a job rather than "just what you do," his path from frontline delivery to charity leadership, and how The Proud Trust supports LGBTQ+ young people across the UK today.

The conversation also covers what changes when you move from hands on youth work into a leadership role, why lived experience matters in charity leadership, and what keeps Liam hopeful for the next generation of LGBTQ+ young people and youth workers.

Charity Champions Podcast S03E06: Brian Willmore, Non-Executive Director, Riverside

In this episode of Charity Champions, host Emily Formby from Charity Recruit sits down with Brian Willmore, a charity and housing sector leader of more than three decades, non-exec director at Riverside Housing Group and advisor to the Ministry of Defence on veteran support. Brian shares how experiencing homelessness as a teenager shaped his path into charity leadership, why compassionate decision making matters in the not for profit sector, and what he tells anyone stepping into their first CEO role.

If you work in the charity, non-profit or housing sector, this conversation on authentic leadership, neurodivergence at work and staying connected to frontline services is one you won't want to miss.

Charity Champions Podcast S03E05: Andrew Claudell, CEO, Kids for Kids

Andy Caudell, CEO of Kids for Kids and former trustee of the Child Brain Injury Trust, joins Charity Champions to talk honestly about stepping into charity leadership after 25 years under founder Patricia Parker. From the chance encounter that first drew him to international development to the realities of leading Kids for Kids through Sudan's humanitarian crisis, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone navigating charity leadership and succession.

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Charity Champions Podcast S03E04: Dr Craig Dearden-Phillips MBE, Founder of Social Club UK

Dr Craig Dearden-Phillips, former charity CEO and founder of Social Enterprise UK and Stepping Out, joins Charity Champions to talk honestly about burnout, board relationships and his recent trip supporting charities in Ukraine. From the loneliness of the top job to why diverse boards make better decisions, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone leading in the charity sector.

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Charity Champions Podcast S03E03: Matt Hyde, CEO, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales

In this episode of Charity Champions, Emily Formby is joined by Matt Hyde, Chief Executive of Lloyds Bank Foundation, to talk about charity leadership at scale. Matt draws on decades of experience across some of the UK's most recognisable charities, including the Scouts and Comic Relief, to share what genuinely works when leading organisations through change.

From navigating the differences between large and small charities to building unrestricted funding models and putting together the right "backup team" as a leader, this conversation offers practical insight for anyone working in or leading a charity or non-profit organisation.

In this episode of Charity Champions, host Emily Formby is joined by Helen Barnard, Director of Policy and Research at Trussell, to discuss her journey through research, policy and operational leadership.

Helen shares lessons from evaluating government policy, shaping strategy at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and building effective teams under pressure. She also reflects on collaboration, decision making and psychological safety.

Debra Allcock Tyler, Chief Executive of the Directory of Social Change (DSC), joins Emily Formby to share her candid journey through the charity sector. From unexpected career twists to leading one of the UK’s most influential organisations, Debra reflects on leadership, culture, and the realities of change.

Packed with honesty and insight, this conversation is essential listening for charity leaders and trustees alike.

Lived experience can be the most powerful foundation for leadership in the charity sector.

In our season 2 finale, Michelle Baharier, artist, disability rights advocate and charity founder, shares her journey from the squats of 1980s Brixton to building and running a mental health charity for 25 years, growing it to 24 staff supporting around 3,000 people a year. Her insights highlight the realities of grassroots founding, the structural pressures pushing small charities toward burnout, and why good governance, succession planning and work-life balance matter as much as funding.

Leadership in the charity sector demands resilience, vision, and a commitment to social justice.

Dr June O’Sullivan OBE, Chief Executive of the London Early Years Foundation, shares her journey from psychiatric nursing and social work to building one of the UK’s leading childcare social enterprises.

Her insights highlight the power of purpose-driven leadership, the importance of community, and why social enterprise models can transform access and fairness in early years education.