This week Kelly’s chatting to HIV rights advocate and campaigner, Mercy Shibemba. Mercy strives to raise the profile of young people living with HIV, as she herself was born with it, and is one of 3000 people under the age 24 in the UK living with HIV.

For the majority of her life Mercy has been campaigning to tackle the stigma and break the discriminatory myths surrounding HIV. Her efforts were recognised in May 2017 when she was awarded the Diana Legacy award, which was presented to her by Prince William and Harry. 

Since then, Mercy has gone on to give a TED talk, contribute to and deliver The HIV Commission to The House of Lords, and is currently working in partnership with BBC Radio 1 Xtra and Children in Need to empower black children and young people through the We Move Fund!

“It’s better to know your status and know the facts, and because of that you should be able to be proud that you can still live a full and happy life” Mercy Shibemba.

05:28 - We’re board with the portrayal of HIV.

11:11 - Mercy’s experience of being outed as HIV school.

13:39 - What can schools do to better support young people living with HIV?

17:33 - How can we be supportive when asking questions about HIV?

23:17 – The media, and their portrayal of HIV.

25:58 – It's a sin.

29:33 - The HIV Commission.

Check out Mercy’s Twitter, where you can support her!
https://twitter.com/mercyshibemba

Take a look at the We Move Fund!
https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/the-work-we-do/our-focussed-funding/we-move/

Visit the Social Change UK website to keep up with the latest episodes.
https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers

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52 Lives is a charity with the mission to help an individual or family for every week of the year. Since its inception in 2013, 52 Lives has helped over 12,000 people, hugely surpassing their target!

Jaime Thurston, the founder and CEO of 52 Lives, is on the podcast this week chatting with Kelly. 52 Lives was originally a Facebook page before it was a charity, set up by Jaime to help those in need after seeing a call for help on the social network - a lady was in desperate need of a rug, after she was forced out of her home as a result of an awful domestic situation; her new rented accommodation had no carpet, so her children were in danger of cutting their feet on the bare wooden floor.

52 Lives snowballed into something more than a Facebook page after Jaime’s husband nominated her for a spot on ITV’s long-running show ‘Surprise Surprise!’ in 2016. After Jaime’s appearance, she was inundated with requests from people wanting to donate and help out, which resulted in her turning her Facebook page into a registered charity so that she could accept the many donations!

Jaime has forged some amazing connections and partnerships, which mean that 100% of what is donated and raised by supporters goes directly to the people who need it.

“Our aim is to change somebody’s’ life every week, every year, and inspire people to be kind” - Jaime’s mission statement.

02:27 - Surprise Surprise!

05:44 - Find out what made Jaime want to start 52 Lives.

08:47 - Hear some of Jaime’s favourite stories about people she has helped. 

11:52 - We’re living through a cost-of-living crisis - ‘are there any requests that are recurring?’ - Kelly

15:12 - Kindness; it’s a science and it’s good for your heart.

19:02 - The School of Kindness.

23:45 - 52 Lives Partnerships

28:42 - What’s next for 52 Lives?

Check out 52 Lives website, and how you can get involved!
https://www.52-lives.org/

Visit the Social Change UK website to find out more about Tea with the Changemakers.
https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers 

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!

The Beeswax Wrap Co. make an innovative yet tried-and-true product-that eliminates the need for cling film and unnecessary plastics in the kitchen, and the firm’s founder and CEO, Fran Beer, is on the show this week chatting with Kelly. Fran founded the company after she fell out of love with the advertising world; after training to become an acupuncturist and studying the harm that plastics do to our bodies, Fran went looking for an alternative to cling film. Starting off by making the wraps in her kitchen as a hobby, family and friends subsequently took interest in them, so Fran set up a stall at a local market in 2017 and completely sold out, highlighting the huge gap in the market she’d identified. Five years on, the company’s home is now in a 1,200 square foot workshop employing 10 staff, and the brand has partnerships with Cath Kidston, Prue Leith, The National Trust, Emma Bridgewater, and Liberty London.

Fran speaking on beeswax wraps, “They can be used for up to 6 years, they’re a really nice sustainable alternative to a single use plastic that many of us rely on every day of our lives.”


02:07 - Beeswax wraps can make your food last longer “Cling film seals everything in, the mould and the bacteria builds quite quickly because the food sweats.” - Fran

02:54 - Why should you switch to a beeswax wrap?

04:10 - Fran tells Kelly how partnerships have boosted her business.

07:57 - How did Fran go about setting up The Beeswax Wrap Co. and make it what it is today?

18:55 - Fran and Kelly discuss the pride and benefit of being a B-corp.

23:37 - “What’s the next shift we need to see on plastic?” - Kelly

38:42 - Fran gives us permission to “be a bit of pain the bum” and ask questions about the source and sustainability of products.

39:47 - Find out how Fran takes her tea.


Check out The Beeswax Warp Co. and buy direct from their website.
www.beeswaxwraps.co.uk/shop/

Find out more about B-Corp.
www.bcorporation.net/en-us/

Visit the Social Change UK website to find out more about Tea with the Changemakers.
https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers 

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!

This episode contains sensitive content and discussions about suicide.

Charlie Bethel CEO of the UK Men’s Shed Association, the organisation that champions and supports the development of safe spaces for men to connect, is on the show this week chatting to Andy. Charlie joined the association in 2018 having worked in the third sector for over 20 years. His role focuses on delivering the organisation’s goal of ‘Healthy and Happy Men’. To define what a men’s shed actually is can be quite difficult as they serve a multitude of purposes - they obviously provide a space for DIY, but also help to combat loneliness, champion good mental health, and forge connection within communities.

Charlie sums up the work that the UK Men’s Shed Association does perfectly - “adding years to life, and life to years”


02:40 - Charlie illustrates why the UK Men’s Shed Association works, by way of a broken lawnmower in a box room.

03:20 - “It’s through this distraction of making, shoulder to shoulder, that people have the conversations and talk about something that’s worrying them” - Charlie 

05:30 - “...those that can do, and those that can’t talk about it - but with the sheds, are you encouraging both?” - Andy

09:50 - Charlie shares a story involving a ‘shedder’ he met a few years ago, about how the sheds can lower men’s facades and create safe spaces in which men can be honest.

17:20 - “Is this a generational thing?” - Andy

21:40 - “There are over 750 open men’s sheds in the country, and another 200 in development.” - Charlie

26:50 - Charlie speaks on The Charter for Wellbeing in Craft and DIY, and the conversation that inspired it.

30:10 - “What would help create more of these great community hubs?” - Andy

36:25 - Find out how Charlie takes his tea...


Check out the UK Men’s Shed Association, and where you can find your nearest shed.

menssheds.org.uk

Visit the Social Change UK website to find out more about Tea with the Changemakers.

social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers 

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!

Joshua Coombes – Founder, #DoSomethingForNothing

Joining Kelly for a chat this week is Joshua Coombes, founder of the #DoSomethingForNothing movement, which started when Joshua gave a haircut to a homeless man; offering his time, skill, and experience to someone who needed help, simply out of kindness and for want of nothing in return.    

Joshua has been giving free haircuts to the homeless since 2015, documenting their stories and transformations on Instagram, striking a chord with over 150,000 followers. Joshua joins us from Beirut in Lebanon, where he’s currently on a trip with his girlfriend who runs the Worldwide Tribe - together, they’re documenting stories of people who have been displaced.

Joshua’s work has resonated with thousands of people around the globe, and the #DoSomethingForNothing movement continues to see people utilise their skills, connect with others, and dedicate their time to those who need them most. 

“None of us are above life happening” - Joshua Coombes 

03:53 - "the isolation from rest of society is huge” - Joshua 

07:38 - Joshua tells David’s story, a story that stuck with him throughout all of his work.  

12:15 - “Where there is war, innocent people will always suffer” - Joshua’s response to the war in Ukraine. 

13:54 - Joshua speaks about the trip he’s currently on with his girlfriend who runs Worldwide Tribe. theworldwidetribe.com 

19:25 - Joshua talks about his book, ‘Do Something for Nothing’ -  All of the proceeds are reinvested in not-for-profit art to continue to support people. 

22:38 - Joshua celebrates another contributor to the #DoSomethingForNothing movement, a man in America who started mowing people’s lawns. 

25:35 - “Kindness doesn’t have to cost” - Kelly 

Check out Joshua’s website, Do Something for Nothing. 

www.dosomethingfornothing.org 

Buy his book on Amazon - 100% of the author’s proceeds will be put back into future not-for-profit arts projects that highlight the lives of isolated people. 

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1911632167 

Make sure to give Joshua a follow on Instagram to keep up with his latest projects. 

www.instagram.com/joshuacoombes 

Visit the Social Change UK website to find out more about Tea with the Changemakers. 

https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!

Michelle Kennedy, Founder and CEO of Peanut, the app that helps women navigate fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, and the menopause, is on the show this week chatting to Kelly. Michelle founded Peanut in 2017, and last year the app was named one of Apple’s Best of 2021, a huge achievement for the Peanut team! 

Michelle was integral to the founding of Bumble, the female- centred dating app, and upon Peanut’s release it was branded as the “Tinder for mummies”! However, it’s now so much more, and in this episode, Michelle will tell you why. What hasn’t changed are the foundations of the app; “it’s a safe space for conversations on any topic”, aiming to “reduce feelings of isolation and empower women to connect”. 

“There is a place for a social network which is based on principles of care, kindness and support; we’re proof of that.” Michelle Kennedy. 

03:31 - The story behind Peanut. 

09:16 - “We’re a community and communities have standards, and our standards are based around care and kindness.” - Michelle. 

12:29 - “The Peanut community are the most amazing women” - Michelle. 

13:40 - What is the most talked about issue on Peanut? 

15:10 - “How many people are on Peanut?” - Kelly 

16:40 - Peanut is one of Apple’s Best Apps of 2021! 

18:00 - Michelle speaks about Peanut Menopause. 

26:57 - Michelle speaks to Kelly about her new venture, Peanut StarHer, and her need to invest in other businesses founded by women. 

30:50 - How is it being a woman in tech? 

Check out and download Peanut.
https://www.peanut-app.io/

Visit the Social Change UK website to find out more.
https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!

Welcome to your very first sip of Tea with the Changemakers. 

This trailer features Kelly Evans and Andy Senyszyn, hosts of Tea with the Changemakers.  

Kelly and Andy discuss what it is we aim to achieve through this podcast, who you’ll be hearing from in future instalments, why you should ensure that Tea with the Changemakers is a regular feature of your week, and how they take their tea. 

Be the change, subscribe, and find a new episode in your library every Tuesday.  

Find more information on Tea with the Changemakers and Social Change UK below.
 
Website- https://social-change.co.uk/tea-with-the-changemakers
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-change
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/socialchange_uk
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/socialchangeuk
Twitter- https://twitter.com/socialchangeuk

Cup only half full? Follow Tea with the Changemakers on TikTok, for behind-the-scenes content and clips from our episodes!