Charity Champions Podcast S03E02: Helen Barnard, Director, The Trussell Trust

Charity Champions Podcast S03E02: Helen Barnard, Director, The Trussell Trust

In this episode of Charity Champions, host Emily Formby is joined by Helen Barnard, Director of Policy and Research at Trussell, to discuss her journey through research, policy and operational leadership. Helen shares lessons from evaluating government policy, shaping strategy at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and building effective teams under pressure. She also reflects on collaboration, decision making and psychological safety.

Charity Champions Podcast S03E01: Debra Allcock Tyler, Chief Executive, Directory of Social Change

Debra Allcock Tyler, Chief Executive of the Directory of Social Change (DSC), joins Emily Formby to share her candid journey through the charity sector. From unexpected career twists to leading one of the UK’s most influential organisations, Debra reflects on leadership, culture, and the realities of change. Packed with honesty and insight, this conversation is essential listening for charity leaders and trustees alike.

Charity Champions Podcast S02E08: Michelle Baharier, CEO, Cooltan Arts

Lived experience can be the most powerful foundation for leadership in the charity sector. In our season 2 finale, Michelle Baharier, artist, disability rights advocate and charity founder, shares her journey from the squats of 1980s Brixton to building and running a mental health charity for 25 years, growing it to 24 staff supporting around 3,000 people a year. Her insights highlight the realities of grassroots founding, the structural pressures pushing small charities toward burnout, and why good governance, succession planning and work-life balance matter as much as funding.

Charity Champions Podcast S02E07: Dr June O'Sullivan, Chief Executive, London Early Years Foundation

Leadership in the charity sector demands resilience, vision, and a commitment to social justice. Dr June O’Sullivan OBE, Chief Executive of the London Early Years Foundation, shares her journey from psychiatric nursing and social work to building one of the UK’s leading childcare social enterprises. Her insights highlight the power of purpose-driven leadership, the importance of community, and why social enterprise models can transform access and fairness in early years education.

Charity Champions Podcast S02E06: Kate Darby, CEO ,Dementia Disco

In this Charity Champions Podcast, Emily Formby talks with Kate Darby, founder and CEO of Dementia Disco. Kate shares how a deeply personal journey inspired her to create a joyful grassroots movement that brings music, connection, and community to people living with dementia. They explore how grief was transformed into purpose, the challenges of scaling a volunteer‑led idea into a registered charity, and the role of bold branding and technology in building sustainable growth. Kate reflects on the importance of partnerships, the power of lived experience, and her vision for every town in the UK to have its own dementia disco. This is an inspiring conversation about resilience, innovation, and the leadership lessons that help grassroots ideas grow into national impact.