What does it take to turn purpose into real policy change, and keep your organisation anchored to its mission along the way?

In this episode of Leading Lights, host Abi Mellor is joined by Caroline Lee-Davey, Chief Executive of Bliss, the UK’s leading neonatal charity. Caroline shares how purpose-led leadership can move beyond good intentions to deliver tangible change. Her campaigning experience is broad and deep, including benefitting from a quirk in the British parliamentary systems, the Private Members’ Bill, to bring the Neonatal Care Leave and Pay Act into law, transforming support for families with babies in neonatal care.

Caroline reflects on staying true to mission, navigating the realities of charity leadership, and why trusting your gut instinct matters more than following logic alone. This is a conversation about campaigning that delivers, leadership that is sustainable, and the quiet determination behind real impact.

Content note: this episode includes discussion of neonatal care and supporting families with babies born premature or sick.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Bliss turned frontline insight into national policy change
• The stages of a successful campaign, from evidence to Parliament
• Why Caroline’s mantra is: “What difference is this making for babies?”
• Tackling inequalities in neonatal outcomes for Black, South Asian and disadvantaged families
• Techniques for leading as an introvert
• Why joy, boundaries and protected time are essential for long-term impact
  

About Caroline Lee-Davey

Caroline joined Bliss as Chief Executive in November 2014; she also sits on the Executive Committee of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, and is a member of NHS England’s Neonatal Critical Care Clinical Reference Group and Maternity & Neonatal Stakeholder Council.

Before joining Bliss Caroline was the Director of Policy, Advice and Communications at Gingerbread, the single parent charity, where she led on policy and campaigning work as well as overseeing the delivery of multi-channel information and advice services. Caroline was previously Deputy Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns at housing charity Shelter. Caroline is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and was a trustee of homelessness charity Crisis from 2014-2020.

Find out more about Bliss: https://www.bliss.org.uk/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blisscharity

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bliss_4/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blisscharity/

About Bliss

Founded in 1979, Bliss is the UK's leading neonatal charity. Its vision is that every baby born premature or sick in the UK has the best chance of survival and quality of life. Bliss champions the right of every baby born premature or sick to excellent neonatal care, experience and outcomes. It achieves this by improving care, giving voice to babies, and supporting parents to be partners in care.

Bliss' work delivers significant impact for neonatal babies, families and health professionals - at an individual level, across neonatal health services and systems, and nationally, including in the delivery of its landmark campaigning achievement to introduce paid neonatal leave through the Neonatal Care (Leave & Pay) Act, which came into effect in April 2025.

At the heart of its work is also a focus on tackling neonatal inequalities. Its 2025-29 strategy prioritises equity of care, equity of voice and equity of support for all neonatal babies and their families.

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Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

In this episode of Leading Lights, Abi Mellor is joined by Deborah Alsina MBE, CEO of Arthritis UK, for a deeply honest conversation about mission-driven leadership and the personal cost of leading purpose-led organisations.

Drawing on decades of leadership across the health and charity sector, Deborah reflects on why arthritis remains widely misunderstood, and is often dismissed as part of ageing rather than recognised as a serious, life-limiting condition for millions of people. She shares her own experiences of advocating for others, caring for loved ones with serious illness, and leading organisations through moments of profound change.

This conversation goes beyond strategy, exploring why belief in the mission is what sustains leaders through challenge and sacrifice. Deborah also reflects on her husband’s sudden cancer diagnosis, the years of uncertainty that followed, and why choosing work you truly care about matters more than ever.

To quote Deborah: “Charities deserve people who give a damn about the mission.” This conversation makes it clear that she is exactly that kind of leader.

Arthritis UK is the leading arthritis charity, changing lives through research, campaigning and support.

Learn about Arthritis UK’s ‘Arthur Tut’ campaign on TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisuk/video/7575131588199992598

Find out more about the charity:

https://www.arthritis-uk.org/

Follow Arthritis UK on social media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arthritisuk

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/VersusArthritis/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisuk

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch future episodes, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity?

Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

Trigger Warning

This episode contains discussion of rape, sexual violence, child sexual abuse, misogyny, racism, online abuse, and trauma. Please take care while listening, and reach out to a trusted person or support service if you need to.

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In this powerful conversation, Abi speaks with Red Godfrey-Sagoo, Chief Executive of Rape Crisis South London, about leading at the frontline of sexual-violence support.

Red shares her journey from a global childhood and a career in the creative industries to becoming, in her words, an “accidental humanitarian.”

She discusses the two-year waiting list facing survivors, the rise of online misogyny and AI-enabled abuse, and what leading as a woman of colour means during a time of political and social tension.

With honesty, hope and deep compassion, Red reflects on feminist leadership, equality, and why “not having hope is not an option.”

Links

Find out more about Rape Crisis South London

https://www.rapecrisissouthlondon.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rapecrisis.southlondon

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/90697003/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rape.and.abuse.support.centre

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch future episodes, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity?

Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector. Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.

www.morever.co.uk

In this inspiring episode of Leading Lights, Raakhi Shah, CEO of The Circle, shares how small acts of solidarity can create global waves of change. Drawing on her experience leading the feminist organisation founded by Annie Lennox, Raakhi talks about the power of women supporting women and her vision of truly global feminism.

From her early career in international development to her leadership today, Raakhi reflects on what it takes to stay hopeful, lead fairly, and keep “the circle growing” in a world that can often feel divided. She reminds us that true progress happens when we bridge the gap between those who have power and those whose voices aren’t yet heard.

“When you support one woman, the circle grows bigger - that’s how change ripples out.”

It’s a conversation about courage, connection, and collective impact - a call to rethink what leadership looks like when empathy leads the way.

Links:

• Follow Raakhi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raakhi-shah-8628b24a/

• Find out more about The Circle:

• Instagram - @thecirclengo

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-circle-of-women

• Or at www.thecircle.ngo/

• Learn more about bell hooks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_hooks

• Misan Harriman, Purpose of Light Exhibition

About Raakhi Shah

Raakhi has over 20 years of experience in international development having previously worked at UNICEF UK and Oxfam NGO covering fundraising, communications, advocacy and campaign initiatives. She has worked with high-level supporters to lobby for change at the G8, G20, Downing Street and African Union, and has led over 30 field visits including to Bangladesh, Lebanon, Jordan, Philippines, Pakistan, India, Malawi and more, bringing the voices of those with lived experience to the forefront. Raakhi was, until recently, a trustee for Reclaim, a youth leadership organisation supporting working class young people in the UK.

About The Circle

The Circle is a global feminist organisation, co-founded by Annie Lennox and other leading women. The organisation stands in solidarity and action with marginalised women and girls confronting gender-based violence and economic inequality across the world.

The growing backlash to gender equality alongside global funding cuts are having a devastating impact on millions of women and girls. To challenge this, The Circle funds, advocates for and amplifies women-led organisations around the world. Their grassroots partners deliver vital services that combat violence against women, promote economic justice, and uphold women’s rights.

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity? Come along to the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

Karen Dobres never liked football - until she realised it could change the world. 

When she went along with her husband to watch a game at Lewes FC, the local club, Karen discovered that women had been banned from football for 50 years (from 1921-1971) and were still paid 10 times less than male players. No wonder football was thought of as “a man’s game”.

This revelation transformed her into an unlikely activist. She set about to change things, and bring women into the game at Lewes FC. First as a volunteer, then by becoming a director of the club. She was part of the team that made Lewes FC the world's first pro/semi-pro club to equally resource men and women, attracting owners from over 40 countries. 

By making female friendly adaptations to the match day experience, bringing in women’s chanting workshops, suffragette-style flash mobs, and launching the "Call Him Out" campaign, she proved football could combat toxic masculinity and empower women. 

"I saw these young women playing football... they were strong, taking up space, using their voice. This is the antidote to all this sexism," Karen explains in the episode and in her book Pitch Invasion, which offers a practical blueprint for challenging gender inequality in male-dominated spaces.

If you’re interested in understanding the steps it takes to build a community, change attitudes and bring about change for a fairer world, this is the episode for you.

Just a heads up: this episode contains occasional strong language.

Links:

• Connect with Karen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-dobres-07a54b176/

• Follow Karen on Instagram: @karendobres

• Read her book

• Find out more about Lewes FC: www.lewesfc.com

  
  

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity? Come along to the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

In this powerful episode, Abi Mellor sits down with Eleanor Harrison, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, who shares her remarkable journey from a childhood shaped by justice and community activism to leading one of the UK's most trusted ethical brands. 

Eleanor reveals how early experiences of her mother's fearless advocacy instilled values that would guide her through diverse roles across the sector from international development, to social impact - ultimately landing her "dream job" at 45.

Eleanor shares how early volunteering shaped her worldview and skillset and that taking a variety of roles allowed her to build a leadership ‘toolbox’ over time. She reflects on why finding a role where you can truly thrive is as much about the organisation being right for you, as you being right for it.

Abi and her guest explore a formative experience that may have sparked Eleanor’s deep belief in the importance of fairness and standing up for what’s right. She offers practical reflections on creating a culture where everyone can flourish.

Eleanor makes a compelling case for why business-as-usual for the international food system simply isn’t good enough, and challenges all of us to think differently about fairness, sustainability, and the true cost of what we consume.

She speaks about what keeps her glass not just half full, but brimming - even in the face of global inequality - and how leading with purpose isn’t just a choice but something that’s in her DNA.

Brain food from this episode:

• The enduring power of cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead’s words. For example: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

• The book recommended in this episode: How to Build a Feminist Son by Sonora Jha - on raising boys with empathy, equity, and emotional intelligence.

• Something to chew on: Less than 5% of the 2 or 3 pence you spend on a teabag reaches the farmer - and much of the world’s tea is sold below the cost of production.

About the Fairtrade Foundation

The Fairtrade Foundation is part of a global Fairtrade system. It works to change the terms of trade through its certification, campaigns, policy work, and business partnerships. This includes working to secure fairer prices, safer working conditions, and more power in the hands of farmers and workers.

Find out more about the charity:

https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FairtradeFoundation/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairtradeuk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-fairtrade-foundation

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Fairtradefoundation

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing or Creative at a charity? Join the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

From the shyest girl in school to a voice for seriously ill children: Louise Griew’s story is one of quiet resilience and unexpected turns.

In this episode of Leading Lights, we meet Louise Griew, Chief Executive of Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity - a role she never imagined for herself growing up in Pinner, North London. 

Once described as the shyest girl in her class, Louise now leads a national charity supporting the families of over 40,000 seriously ill children through a network of more than 200 specialist nurses.

Her path to leadership has been anything but linear. Louise shares how her previous roles, including agency side working with clients such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, a formative stint as Fundraising and Marketing Director at the Mayor’s Fund for London during Boris Johnson’s tenure, and time leading an RAF charity have all shaped the leader she is today: values-driven, quietly confident, and rooted in the belief that “kindness is free.”

This is a conversation about forging strength through experience, navigating personal challenges, and staying grounded when life doesn’t go to plan. Louise opens up about the setbacks that taught her the most, and what it really takes to lead with heart in a high-stakes world.

About Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity

Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children across the UK. There are currently over 200 Road Dahl Nurses caring for more than 40,000 seriously ill children, but there are many more children who do not receive this vital specialist care.  The dedication and expertise of our nurses reduces A&E visits, hospital admissions and consultant appointments. They’re also a vital lifeline to the whole family, coordinating care and providing access to emotional support.  That’s why we believe every seriously ill child deserves a Roald Dahl Nurse. 

Find out more about the charity:

https://www.roalddahlcharity.org/

Or on Facebook or Instagram:  @roalddahlcharity

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing or Creative at a charity? Join the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk

From a challenging childhood to leadership of a ground breaking charity, Danielle Bridge has built her successful career out of being open to the range of opportunities that have come her way.

In this episode of Leading Lights, MOREVER Managing Director, Abi Mellor talks with the Chief Executive of Black Minds Matter UK about her role as the leader of a charity helping the Black community to access the mental health resources they need for better mental health, or to recover from mental illness.

This conversation covers a lot of ground.

• The mental illness challenges within Danielle’s own family that shaped her childhood.

• How being ‘unprescriptive’ has unlocked the opportunities that have led her into leadership.

• Her ‘driving force’ to do something with purpose.

• How she came to found ABC Life Support, a first aid training organisation.

• How the murder of George Floyd propelled her into her current role.

• Her thoughts on what she calls out as the ‘life epidemic’ impacting mental health. 

• Her concerns around the impact on the Black community of the current political climate and the development of AI. 

About Black Minds Matter UK

Black Minds Matter UK is a registered charity connecting Black individuals and families with free 1:1 talking therapy delivered by qualified and accredited Black therapists.

Its network of therapists work tirelessly to break down stigma and redefine therapeutic experiences for Black individuals.

Its three pillars of impact are therapy, awareness raising through education, and advocating for systems change in statutory services.

Black Minds Matter UK is working towards seeing a community of Black people readily accessing mental health support, recovering fully from mental illness, and thriving.

To find out more about Danielle, and Black Minds Matter UK, visit:

https://www.blackmindsmatteruk.com/

Instagram: 

@daniellebridge_ceo

@blackmindsmatter.uk

@abc_life_support

LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellebridge/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-minds-matter-uk/

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing or Creative at a charity? Join the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers. www.morever.co.uk

Unfiltered conversations with women leading change in the charity and non-profit sector.

Leading Lights shines a light on female leadership, amplifying the voices of the inspiring women making a difference through purpose-driven work.

In each episode, we speak to non-profit CEOs about how they lead, what they’ve learned, and what keeps them going. Expect honest conversations, bold ideas and practical insights. It's the perfect listen for anyone passionate about the third sector, purpose-lead work or leadership.

Brought to you by MOREVER – the creative agency for charities & changemakers

From grassroots campaigning in India to co-leading one of the world’s most influential organisations, Areeba Hamid’s journey is one of purpose, resilience and quiet power.

As the first woman and first person of colour to lead Greenpeace UK, Areeba shares her deeply personal path into activism – seeded by the influence of a grandmother who showed her it is possible for women to ‘defy expectations’ by raising a child alone in post-Partition India, and her grandfather, a newspaper editor who was active in the Indian independence movement and filled her childhood with stories of resistance and political action.

In conversation with Abi Mellor, Areeba reflects on: 🔹 How she fell in love with campaigning and activism, but it was the idea of going on the boat that really drew her in. 🔹 How she’s making co-leadership work at Greenpeace UK through a ‘high-trust, low ego’ model. 🔹 How Greenpeace took on (and beat) Shell in the courts 🔹 Why she believes only strong leadership can save us from a climate catastrophe 🔹 The weight of breaking the leadership mould, and her experiences of navigating identity, belonging, and leadership in the UK charity sector

Areeba’s story is both inspiring and urgent – a powerful reminder of what can happen when bold values meet fearless action.

About Greenpeace UKGreenpeace UK is part of a global network campaigning for a greener, more peaceful planet. Through direct action, lobbying, research and innovative communication, it works to expose environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and just future.

www.greenpeace.org.uk

Instagram: @greenpeaceuk

BlueSky: greenpeace.bsky.social

TikTok: @greenpeaceuk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenpeaceuk

Areeba recommends 📖 Butter by Asako Yuzuki – Get it here 🖼 In the Mood for Love: Hockney in London 1960–1963 at Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert – More info 🎧 This American Life – Listen here

Enjoyed this conversation?

Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch the next episode, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.

Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing or Creative at a charity? Join the MOREVER Meetup – an informal space to share ideas and connect with other women doing creative work in the charity sector.

Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER – an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk