Meet the Mancunian Podcast: social impact stories from Manchester

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. Presenting Season 6, Episode 5 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #refugees #asylumseekers #community #socialimpact #nonprofit #blackhistorymonth. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your friendly host.

In the fifth episode, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Magdalen Bartlett [https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalenbartlett/], Founder and CEO, Afrocats [https://www.afrocats.org.uk/]about helping refugees and asylum seekers integrate into the Manchester community. She talks about their two programmes Natives of the World targeting adults and Youth of the World targeting young people.

Magdalen shares Afrocat's vision of creating a robust and more inclusive social environment for adults seeking sanctuary and diverse young people. Afrocats works closely with the community and creates inspiring experiences and opportunities in Manchester including dance, canal walks and festivals.

Did you know:

· In March 2023, there were a total of 18,176 asylum seekers supported in the North West.

· This episode is being released ahead of Black History Month. 2023's Black History Month theme, Saluting Our Sisters, pays homage to black women who had contributions ignored, ideas appropriated, and voices silenced.

Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:

00:03:21 sharing her passion for supporting refugees

00:04:22 introducing Afrocats

00:06:31 some of the challenges she had to overcome

00:08:15 the impact she has made

00:13:34 advice for other organisations looking to help refugees and asylum seekers

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. Presenting Season 6, Episode 4 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #homelessness #community #socialimpact #nonprofit #socialenterprise #worldhabitatday. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your friendly host.

In the fourth episode, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Fran Darlington-Pollock [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-darlington-pollock-744ab124], CEO, Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity [https://gmmayorscharity.org.uk/] about tackling homelessness in Greater Manchester by providing grants to over 160 organisations working in homelessness. Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity works across 3 themes – emergency response, places and spaces and targeted prevention.

Fran shares how A Bed Every Night is a universal offer to anyone who is rough sleeping in Greater Manchester. The offer includes a bed, food, shelter, and wraparound support to help people move into more stable accommodation. It's universal and unique in Greater Manchester. She also shares how they are diversifying their fundraising and planning events that resonate with how people in Greater Manchester want to engage including walks, school campaigns and Bus Pulls.

Did you know:

· Manchester has some of the highest levels of homelessness in the UK – according to statistics published by Shelter in January 2023, Manchester ranks third-highest in the country for people experiencing homelessness per capita, with around 7,407 people (one in 74 people) experiencing homelessness. (Source: Manchester Homelessness Partnership) [https://mhp.org.uk/homelessness-in-manchester/]

· Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity played a key role in funding the establishment of the flagship 'A Bed Every Night' [https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/greater-manchester-s-expansion-of-a-bed-every-night-prevents-major-rise-in-rough-sleeping/] programme, which continues to accommodate approximately 600 people every night. This initiative has reduced rough sleeping numbers across Greater Manchester by 75% since the peak in rough sleeping in 2017.

· This episode is being released ahead of World Habitat Day [https://urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/whd#:~:text=On%202%20October%202023%2C%20the,their%20economies%20to%20benefit%20residents.] (2 October 2023), which talks about the importance of every person having a home.

Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:

00:04:05 sharing her passion for addressing structural inequality

00:07:10 talking about Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity

00:09:30 key focus areas as new CEO

00:11:33 some of the challenges she had to overcome

00:16:33 advice for other organisations looking to tackle homelessness

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. Presenting Season 6, Episode 3 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #sustainability #foodwaste climate change #foodinsecurity #community #socialimpact #nonprofit #socialenterprise #britishfoodfortnight. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your friendly host.

In the third episode, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Corin Bell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/corin-bell-1999825a/], Executive Director, Open Kitchen Manchester [https://www.openkitchenmcr.co.uk/]about Open Kitchen's commitment to producing food in the most sustainable and ethical way possible. This includes working with a range of food businesses to stop good food from being wasted and purchasing ingredients from local, sustainable, and ethical suppliers. The chefs use this ever-changing mix to produce nutritious, seasonal menus that offer the lowest carbon catering possible at their café at the People History's Museum & the catering business.

Corin also shares how their profits from the catering and café business go into providing food and supplying meals for people struggling with food insecurity across Greater Manchester delivering food and supplies to independent food banks, food pantry projects and people living in temporary accommodation. She looks forward to a future where food banks are no longer needed, and food waste doesn't happen.

Did you know:

·      A recent study by the UN FAO [http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3347e/i3347e.pdf] showed that the carbon footprint of wasted food currently stands at 3.3 gigatonnes. If food waste was a country, it would be the 3rd highest carbon emitter on the planet after the US and China.

·      36 million tonnes [https://lovefoodhatewaste.com/] of greenhouse gas emissions could be prevented by saving food from our bins in UK homes.

Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:

00:03:15 sharing her passion for addressing food waste

00:04:37 talking about Open Kitchen Manchester

00:09:06 the café at People's History Museum

00:13:35 some of the challenges she had to overcome

00:17:45 tackling food insecurity in Manchester

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. Presenting Season 6, Episode 2 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #sustainability #socialvalue #community #socialimpact #youth #nonprofit Hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe (https://www.instagram.com/meetthemancunian/).

In the second episode, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Matt Richardson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-richardson-9b156183/?originalSubdomain=uk], Social Value Lead, Growth Company [https://www.growthco.uk/], and Chair, Greater Manchester Social Value Network [https://gmsvn.org.uk/] about helping businesses create social value for the community & their employees. He talks about how social value for the community can be created by bringing organisations together to leverage changes for the better of residents within the region.

Matt also talks about his passion for supporting the youth with career opportunities and co-designing an impactful careers curriculum through his volunteering work with schools in Greater Manchester.

Did you know: Many businesses use different terms to talk about social impact which can be confusing. Social value, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) are some of them. Matt suggests using simpler language such as being more socially responsible through daily activities.

Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:

00:03:18 sharing his passion for supporting the community

00:03:44 explaining social value

00:06:03 Greater Manchester Social Value Network

00:07:06 his work with young people

00:12:18 some of the challenges he had to overcome

00:18:08 advice for people looking to start something similar

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. Presenting Season 5, Episode 1 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #mentalhealth #veterans #suicideprevention #community #socialimpact #nonprofit Hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe (https://www.instagram.com/meetthemancunian/).

In the season premiere episode, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Andy Schofield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-schofield-3ba205a3/]about creating awareness for mental health and veterans in support of veterans charity Walking with the Wounded [https://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/]. Andy walked 350 kilometres from London to Manchester with a heavy backpack on his back in 5 days in one of the coldest months of the year to raise awareness. To show that going through a mental health journey is physically and mentally demanding – Andy's walk was like doing an ultramarathon every day for 5 days carrying your own kit and equipment.

Andy shares his own lived experience with mental health and suicide prevention through deep conversations with friends and family. Andy shares that 6,000 men across England and Wales take their own lives every year and is trying to break down the stigma associated with mental health and show it's not a weakness to be vulnerable.  He suggests asking people you know a few times how they are actually doing can encourage open conversations.

Did you know: World Suicide Prevention Day [https://mentalhealth-uk.org/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-days/world-suicide-prevention-day/]is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. The theme in 2023 is 'creating hope through action'. Please consider reflecting on how you can support someone in your life who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or is at risk of suicide. Reaching out to friends, family members, colleagues and neighbours and having a deep conversation over a warm brew can save someone's life and help them at their lowest point. Who will you reach out to this week? Check out the resources if you need some help.

Key resources:

Papyrus [https://www.papyrus-uk.org/]

Samaritan [https://www.samaritans.org/]

Mentell [https://www.mentell.org.uk/]

Talk about it Mate [https://www.talkaboutitmate.co.uk/]

Mental Health UK [https://mentalhealth-uk.org/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-days/world-suicide-prevention-day/]

Zero Suicide Alliance [https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/ZSA-resource-library]

Meet the Mancunian podcast episodes on mental health [https://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/category/mental-health/]

Meet the Mancunian podcast episodes on suicide prevention [https://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/category/suicide-prevention/]

Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:

00:03:03 discussing his mental health journey

00:10:32 introducing Walking with the Wounded

00:14:32 talking about preparing for the challenge

00:17:43 sharing the impact and awareness

00:22:13 advice to start a similar movement

00:26:21 sharing an important life lesson

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

It's a regular tradition every season to introduce Mahua Roy, the artist behind the attractive creatives for the Meet the Mancunian podcast.  In Season 6 of the Meet the Mancunian #podcast: social impact stories from #Manchester, Mahua and I discuss her art, her impressions of podcasting and the attractive autumn Meet the Mancunian podcast creatives.

Check out Mahua's art on https://www.instagram.com/purpleart_studio.

You can listen to the podcast episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk #socialimpact #manchester #mancunian #community #nonprofit #charity

The first episode launches on Tuesday, 5 September 2023.

Time stamps:

00:03:15 discussing her art journey

00:06:36 favourite Meet the Mancunian podcast episodes

00:08:23 talking about the autumn creatives

Hello and a warm Mancunian welcome to all my incredible listeners out there! I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your friendly host, and you've just tuned in to the sixth season of the Meet the Mancunian podcast: where I share remarkable social impact stories from the heart of Manchester every Tuesday throughout the season.

This podcast is a celebration of the unsung heroes, the change-makers, and the passionate souls who are making a real difference in our vibrant city. From social enterprises to non-profits and community groups, I bring you the voices of worker bees and volunteers, all coming together for a common cause.

Join me on this audio adventure as my guests and I explore the transformative power of collective action and the remarkable impact we can create when we unite for a common cause. Their tales are a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and the indomitable Mancunian spirit.

I hope you enjoy listening to the podcast on Apple, Spotify or Google, or any of your favourite podcasting platforms or on my website www.meetthemancunian.co.uk.

Take care, stay inspired, and keep making a difference.

Podcast cover art designed by artist Mahua Roy (https://www.instagram.com/purpleart_studio/)

Good morning. Presenting Season 5, Episode 12 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #climatefriendly #betterbusiness #purposeled #community #socialimpact #nonprofit Hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe (https://www.instagram.com/meetthemancunian/).

In the twelfth episode of Season 5, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Hannah Cox, Founder, Better Not Stop (https://betternotstop.com/) and Better Business Network (https://thebetterbusiness.network/). Hannah talks about supporting businesses to become purpose-led and serve their communities better. Better Not Stop aims to bring people together to create a better future for people and the planet. The Better Business Network is an inclusive network for purpose-led business owners who want to grow their businesses and make the world a better place.

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

Good morning. Presenting Season 5, Episode 11 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #absentlovedones #reading #community #socialimpact #nonprofit Hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe (https://www.instagram.com/meetthemancunian/).

In the eleventh episode of Season 5, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Caroline England, Founder, Featherbed Tales (https://www.featherbedtales.com/) about the emotive power of voices and stories. Caroline talks about how they offer storybooks which can be personalised by absent loved ones for children. She also shares how this fires the imagination, increases wellbeing and helps children develop their language skills. She also shares how the storybooks are free to certain libraries in the UK and the Royal Manchester Children's hospital.

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]

Good morning. Presenting Season 5, Episode 10 of the #MeettheMancunian #podcast #mancunian #manchester #refugees #asylumseekers #community #socialimpact #nonprofit Hosted by Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe (https://www.instagram.com/meetthemancunian/).

In the tenth episode of Season 5, the Meet the Mancunian podcast talks to Liz Hibberd, Strategic & Partnership Lead, Manchester City of Sanctuary (https://manchester.cityofsanctuary.org/) [https://manchester.cityofsanctuary.org/]about welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and providing safe spaces for safety, welcome and friendship. They help them connect with Mancunians for friendship and wellbeing. Liz also shares how they offer refugees and asylum seekers an opportunity to volunteer in local organisations.

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk [http://www.meetthemancunian.co.uk/]