People Inspired By Purpose - Purposely Podcast

David Pitcher joins Purposely Podcast to share his founder story David Pitcher utilised a brief volunteer experience in 2014 to reshape his future, from a corporate towards a life of purpose. This seminal moment led him to start the charity Wheely Tots a successful social enterprise helping hundreds of families and children in North London to live healthier lives.  It utilises the process of learning to ride and enjoying cycling to lead people to empowerment, greater confidence and more resilience. David talks about his own passion for riding and how that helped him settle on cycling as programme choice. However, he points to his own families lived experience providing the ‘real’ inspiration to start a charity to help improve people’s lives. His family a blend of English (Yorkshire) and Polish roots had been through some hard times and as he saw that they lacked resilience and confidence but had a drive to work hard.  David explains that Wheely Tots works with a number immigrant families as well people who are struggling to get on life and challenged by the effects of poverty. focus on supporting families and young people in Haringey and North Hackney, London

David Crosweller joins Purposely Podcast to share his founder story Sanitation First provide ecosan toilets to people in India and Africa. Incredibly they have helped to transform the lives of 350,000 people since their launch in 1997.  Their slogan is to ‘tackle poverty one toilet at a time’. David had been running a marketing agency in the UK which collapsed in the 1990 economic crash.  This led him to re-focus his career deciding to help others and live a life of purpose. David started Sanitation First with his friend Andy Barr after a life changing visit to Africa where he saw the devastating effects of disease-ridden water and lack of proper sanitation. David talks about crying for an hour in a hotel room following a visit to a hospital where a third of patients had died from diseases directly related to dirty water. They started to construct eco-toilets in a country that had no toilets for millions of people. In 2005 they developed the first composting toilet which was built in an Indian school, a unit that is still in use to this day. This school, like so many others, now has long-term sustainable sanitation and the impact, especially for girls, is enormous. There has been a 17.5% increase in the number of girls enrolling with almost 100% finishing senior school and approximately half going on to further education. A toilet has a big impact.

Tara Arnold lost her first born son Buddy in July 2017, tragically he was stillborn. Tara joins Purposely Podcast to share her story and how she recovered from her ‘catastrophic trauma’. Her deep grief propelled her to start a social enterprise, helping others who have also lost a baby. Tara has gone on to have a second child, a little girl who is now one year old. Nova Foundation, the charity set up to honour Buddy’s memory, provides support so that other parents do not have to deal with the loss of a baby alone. The lack of therapeutic support she received was a motivator for Tara, she realised how little bereavement or trauma support was available to parents who lose a newborn. Nova educates parents to understand the difference between trauma and bereavement and ensures that traumatised parents receive the support and understanding they need to rehabilitate into their ‘new normal’. Nova Foundation’s vision is a world without babyloss. The mission is to ensure that every parent who experiences babyloss receives immediate comfort, trauma and bereavement support for as long as they need, as well as anxiety and practical support in any subsequent pregnancies.

Jamie Feilden joins Purposely Podcast to share his founder story about Jamie’s Farm. Jamie’s Farm was set up to provide a life changing rural experience for disadvantaged inner-city children and young people. The aim of the intense farming experience is to provide a catalyst for change, enabling disadvantaged young people to thrive academically, socially and emotionally long after their visit. They do this through a unique residential experience and rigorous follow-up programme, combining farming, family and therapy. Their vision is that vulnerable young people nationwide (across the United Kingdom) will be better equipped to thrive during secondary school years and beyond. You will hear how the initial spark for the charity came when Jamie Feilden was teaching in the first cohort of Teach First participants in a Croydon comprehensive. Shocked by the battleground the school had become stemming from poor behaviour and a lack of engagement, he initially brought lambs from his own farm in Wiltshire and set up animal pens in the school playground, charging his pupils with the job of looking after them; he observed that it was frequently the children who struggled most to focus and maintain positive relationships in school who benefited most from the responsibility and nurture needed to tend to these animals. At this point, he came up with the idea of taking pupils back to his home farm in Wiltshire. Using his own farming experience and the 30 years’ worth of experience that Tish, Jamie’s mother, had built up as a psychotherapist, they developed an approach based on Farming, Family and Therapy and piloted weeklong visits through the family home. From day one Jamie was determined that the farm would not be a ‘petting zoo’ but that there would be real jobs with a real purpose. When combined with the therapeutic methodology that Tish devised and the essence of a loving, family framework of support, a powerful intervention was born. From the very first week, they witnessed the profound impact that this combination could have on disengaged teenagers. Thirty-five pilot weeks were run through the family home, before the need for a purposely-converted farm became apparent. Farming, Family and Therapy, delivered via a five-day residential and follow-up programme, aims to addresses the root causes of exclusion by equipping vulnerable children to thrive during their secondary school years.

Camila Batmanghelidjh joins Purposely Podcast to share her founder story about controversial charity. Kids Company was set up to provide support to deprived inner city children across the UK. From its original "drop-in" centre in south London it expanded over the following two decades to be a prominent children's charity operating 11 centres in Greater London, Bristol and Liverpool. Camila and Kids Company had involved business leaders, A -list celebrities and government officials to help drive forward their charitable mission. The annual income topped £24 million with almost 500 employees before it controversially closed in 2015. Camila’s fall from grace was dramatic. Listen to her life story and what happened in those fateful years at Kids Co. She talks about how she spent lock down, her impending courtcase and what the future holds.

Awarded an OBE and then recognised as Dame for her services to children and young people Benita (Benny) Refson is one of the most influential people in the nonprofit / charity sector. Benny joins Purposely Podcast to talk about her formative years, including the influence of her father, a false start in psych services and then an interlude in the fashion industry with Vogue as a junior runner. Benny then founded the children’s charity Place2Be and grew it and its impact exponentially over a 29 year period as CEO. Place2Be are committed to helping children with their mental health. Their approach to children’s mental health means they aim to intervene early to prevent life-long mental health issues. Benny offers leadership and commercial advice she also discusses the affects of COVID-19.

Hope and Homes for Children was founded by Mark Cook OBE, a retired Colonel, and his wife Caroline. The first project was an orphanage in Croatia, in a town called Lipik. Cook was posted there as part of the United Nations Protection Force. Initially, he and other soldiers repaired war-damaged orphanages before realising that what children really required was a family. Hope and Homes for children then began to pioneer the deinstitutionalisation of orphanages and children's homes. By August 2018, the charity had closed 105 institutions in nine countries, prevented around 20,000 children entering or re-entering institutions and had helped to change childcare systems. Mark talks about how the early the early mistakes they made on their charitable journey; “We had presumed that what these children needed was food, a roof over their heads, a safe place to sleep and an education, but the children themselves guided us to their heart of our mission – they desperately wanted and needed to be loved. “Over the years we have visited numerous orphanages in many countries. Some were awful and smelled so bad that we felt sick and wanted to leave; others were better, being reasonably equipped and staffed. But the one thing we never found in any orphanage was the feeling of unconditional love that is at the heart of a caring family. “Love became the key to our work and we have quite unashamedly focused on and talked about it ever since.” The charity is still having a significant impact under the expert leadership leadership of CEO Mark Waddington. Hope and Homes for Children working alongside governments and civil society organisations in over 30 countries to dismantle orphanage-based care systems. Their model of transformation is driving reform and laying the foundations for long-lasting change globally.

Annah Stretton joins Purposely Podcast to talk about her successful charitable work. How she has used her entrepreneurial skills to help empower and change lives, particularly women in prison through RAW (rescue another woman). We also delve deep into her other successful career in the fashion industry, initially in a non branded business which makes her significant amounts of money. You will hear how because of changes to the market and the introduction of cheap imports she loses this business almost over night. She then recovers and builds a second clothing business in Annah Stretton Fashion which is still operating to this day. You will hear how Covid-19 and demand for her stylish masks has been exceptionally good for business. But in true Annah style she also donates hundreds of masks to good causes. In the middle of that we also talk about in making a point to her father led her to accountancy and her early years at school and work led to a path destined for success. Enjoy

Olly Belcher joined Purposely Podcast to talk about her founder story and her absolute dedication to helping people living in poverty in India. She talks about how fatherly influence (as well as personal invite from Mother Teresa) led her to dedicate her career to helping people living in poverty in West Bengal. Her father’s career in India led to many bed-time stories focused the wonders and mystique of India to a young impressionable Olly. We go deep into her founder story at the same time reflecting on the charities (her staff in West Bengal) 'inspirational' response to COVID-19. We also delve into her ability to chronically overachieve, this included her University years where she gained a first class honours degree in Geography and a distinction in her Masters degree both from Oxford University. Olly then joined the World Bank in Washington DC where, amongst other achievements, she was awarded the World Bank Youth Innovation Fund. Her time at the World Bank was followed by a move to London where she worked for Accenture Strategy and also helped prepare the 5 year strategy for Accenture Development Partnerships. Back to her founder story… starting the charity Shivia in December 2008 Olly has been the Chief Executive since 2010. It was a brave move, not only was she giving up a great opportunity at the World Bank (a job that paid well and was secure with great prospects) it was also the time of the global financial crisis. These things did not phase Olly though and she has no regrets about the move she made or the life philosophy it has given her... 'there is never a perfect time to do something, you just need to trust your instincts and follow your passion' So what does the charity do and what is Olly's role? Shivia works with some of the poorest communities in West Bengal, India and its mission is to empower them to create livelihoods, boost income and inspire permanent change. Poultry farming is their ‘flagship’ programme launched in 2011. It provides the tools and training (the ‘toolkit‘) for families living in poverty to start a small enterprise from home by raising chickens and selling the produce. You will hear how Olly has become a skilled but reluctant fundraiser. She also forms Shivia’s overall strategy and works hard to support operations.

Kelda Wood experienced a life changing accident in 2002 which almost led to her leg being amputated. Despite these injuries she has turned turmoil into triumph. Kelda’s achievements include para-canoeist representing Great Britain on the world stage, she has climbed two mountains including the highest peak in South America, rowed across the Atlantic solo and unassisted (plus more). Despite all of this her proudest achievement has been the founding of UK Charity Climbing Out which offers intense outdoor activity to people who need it most. Life changing and affirming interventions for people of all ages who have experienced trauma, abuse or who lack confidence and are struggling to reach their potential. A must listen.