We Are PoWEr Podcast

In January 2018, Blue Monday to be precise, something happened to Melissa Johns that made getting through the day even harder than for most. Naked photos, hacked from her iPhone, were leaked to national newspapers across the UK. What was most striking in the reports for Melissa, who was born without her right arm below the elbow, was the way her body was negatively depicted. Even more significantly, it wasn’t the first time she’d experienced it but it was the last time she’d let it define her, and has since written and toured the UK with her one-woman show, Snatched. 

Outside of acting, Melissa uses her platform to advocate for disabled artists and works as Co-Creative Lead for Bafta Award-winning organisation, TripleC (co-founded with Cherylee Houston) - a collective of disabled and non-disabled creative individuals which runs projects breaking down the barriers for people with disabilities in the arts. 

Listen to learn: 

• How drama positively impacts disabled youth 
• What TripleC does to further the opportunities of disabled artists 
• How Melissa turned what could have been a devastating experience into one of hope and change 
• What you can expect from Melissa’s new stage show, Snatched. 

⚡Find Melissa here: https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/elevate/melissa-johns  

⚡Learn more about TripleC here: https://triplec.org.uk/  

⚡Listen to Cherylee Houston’s podcast episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-work-better-together/id1250023032?i=1000550260034  

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❗Do you work in HR, or ED&I? Find out how you can join our full programme of events on International Women’s Day 2023 here 

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

Simone Roche MBE chats to Charmaine Connors who is the education and skills manager at Sharp Futures. Simone and Charmaine chat about personal and professional journeys. 

Listen to learn: 

• ⚡ The importance of soft skills 
• ⚡ What makes a good leader 
• ⚡ Her journey of self-acceptance  
• ⚡️ Why role models are essential, especially to the younger generation  

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

For the first 2023 Northern Power Women Podcast, Simone Roche MBE chats to Katherine Fairclough, who is the lead advisor to the Metro Mayor and has been appointed the first ever female Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Simone and Katherine chat about her career, work life balance, and mind maps. 

Listen to learn: 

• ⚡How Katherine has found being appointed the first ever female Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority 
• ⚡How she handles pressure and expectation  
• ⚡How she finds a balance and manages her wellbeing 
• ⚡️ How Katherine is her authentic self in a male-dominated environment 

Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.  

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

The Wrap Up 

Simone Roche MBE chats to the owner and our producer of What Goes On Media, Sam Walker for the final podcast of the year! Simone and Sam reflect on 2022 and look ahead to what they want to focus on in 2023. 

Listen to learn: 

• Listen to learn: 
• ⚡Their favourite episodes of the year and what they learned from them  
• ⚡Their 2023 goals  
• ⚡All about gaining control of your imposter syndrome 
• ⚡The importance of self-care 

Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.  

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

Simone Roche MBE chats to her wonderful WeArePower Team of 2022! Emma Mason, Leah Middleton, Carla Pearce, Olivia Matlock, Anna Davey and Lydia Wong all join the annual Christmas team podcast to reflect on the year and chat about the ways to ‘Be More You’. 

Listen to learn: 

• Listen to learn: 
• ⚡Our favourite episodes of the year and how we learned from them  
• ⚡Our goals to ‘Be More You’ in 2023   
• ⚡All about our newest team members, Carla and Olivia   
• ⚡Who achieved a distinction in their Masters' dissertation!📖 (as well as who moonlights as a Christmas Elf in their spare time!🧝‍♀️) 

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

Simone Roche MBE chats with Crystal Hicks, Chair of Women In Social Housing North East (WISH) and Final NPWAward Winner 2022 for the Innovation Category. Together Simone and Crystal chat about WISH and the 2023 Wishfest festival.   

Listen to learn:   

• The purpose behind WISH (Women In Social Housing) and what it does 
• What is Wishlist  
• The Importance of Male Allies  
• Advice for people wanting a purpose-driven career  

Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.    

Download this episode’s Cheat Sheet here.    

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

How To Make Sport More Inclusive

 Simone Roche MBE chats to Rugby League Player Jodie Cunningham representing Small Organisation winner Rugby Football League. Jodie is also a part of our 2022 Future List. Together Simone and Jodie chat about all things Rugby and making sport inclusive.   

Listen to learn:  

• What Jodie’s role of National Women and Girls Development Manager for the RFL entails  
• Why at this years Rugby World Cup it was important to combine the Men’s, Women’s AND wheelchair tournaments into one mega tournament 
• How Jodie got into Women's Rugby Football League 
• How can young girls watching Rugby League see themselves on the pitch?? 

How to get involved with RFL.  

Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.   

Download this episode’s Cheat Sheet here.   

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

To find out  Simone Roche MBE chats to Person with Purpose NPW Award Winner Alison Madgin.   

Together Simone and Alison chat about Samantha's tragic attack and Alison’s purpose to tackle knife crime 

Please be aware this episode contains descriptions of knife violence

Listen to learn:   

• Samantha’s story 
• How Alison is tackling knife crime 
• Why it is important to educate young people, so they do not go down the wrong path 
• What’s next for Samantha’s legacy 

To find out more about Samantha's story and the work undertaken by Samantha's Legacy please visit their website

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Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

 Simone Roche MBE chats to Mentor Of The Year NPW Award Winner Ali McGrath, Top Mentor on Sabbatical. 

Together Simone and Ali chat about all things mentoring and knowing when to take care of yourself.  

Listen to learn: 

• Ali's on Sabbatical journey and why she did it 
• Why mentoring has been such a big part of Ali's life 
• Why it is important to take care of yourself 
• How being diagnosed with ADHD lifted a weight off Ali's shoulder  

Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.  Download this episode's Cheat Sheet here.  Find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram 

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫

Simone Roche MBE chats to  One To Watch NPW Award Winner Debbie Rogers, Founder and CEO of Seans Place. 

Together Simone and Debbie chat about all things NPW Awards and Debbie's journey as founder of Sean's Place.  

Listen to learn: 

• How the devastating death of Debbie's brother Sean led her to set up Sean's Place  
• What Sean's Place does to help support others who are also living with grief 
• How Sean's place improves men's mental health and well-being across Sefton and Liverpool City Region  
• What is Debbie's goal for the future  

Find out more about Sean's Place here.  International Men's Day.  Hub Of Hope app. Sign up to our Power Platform to check our out events calendar here.  Download this episode's Cheat Sheet here.  Find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram 

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here.  💫