Ian Wright's Everyday People

For the final episode of the season, Ian meets William Carter, a remarkable student from South London who is refusing to let the barriers presented by severe dyslexia and dyspraxia stand in the way of the highest academic success.  William struggled at school so much that he didn’t learn to read until he was 13 years old. He went on to achieve record breaking exam results, a first class degree and a PhD scholarship at the University of Berkeley in California.  He’s had to fight for access to education at every stage, and is determined to ensure that future generations are not held back by educational inequality.  A Somethin' Else production. Unite Foundation: Providing free accommodation at university to care leavers, young carers and estranged youth - https://thisisusatuni.org Southward Scholarship: University tuition scholarship for low income students in Southwark, South London - https://www.southwark.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/help-you-to-find-a-job-or-training/southwark-scholarship-scheme-2021 NHS: Information and support for Young Carers - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/support-and-benefits-for-carers/help-for-young-carers/ You can find information and support on learning disabilities and differences in the UK through Mencap: https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained/what-learning-disability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Jawahir ‘JJ’ Roble, a football referee blazing a trail on the pitch.  JJ is one of the few female, Muslim referees in the country, and though still in her 20s she hopes the strides she’s making today will inspire other young women to follow in her footsteps. A Somethin' Else production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian meets Tilly Lockey, a teenager testing the prosthetics of the future. Tilly, 15, lost both her hands as a baby after beating Meningitis. Frustrated by the prosthetics available to children, Tilly and her mum Sarah went on a journey to challenge this. At age 9, she became the first child in the UK to be fitted with a hero arm - a bionic prosthesis with life changing possibilities. Today she’s busy co-designing the prosthetics of the future, helping manufacturers to meet the changing needs of young people today. To find out more about the bionic Tilly, head here: @tilly.lockey @openbionics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a saying. If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together. For DJ and poet Charlie Dark, these are words to live by. In 2007 Charlie founded Run Dem Crew - a running crew for people who don’t typically consider themselves runners.  It’s been a lifeline for its members, who’ve not only found fitness but made lifelong friends.  In just over 10 years, the collective that Charlie started to fight his way through depression, has members from all walks of life and has inspired crews and offshoot collectives in cities all over the world. Insta: @daddydarkrdc  @run.dem.crew The Run Dem Crew account Twitter @daddydark Websites www.rundemradio.com www.rundemcrew.com Mental health help and support: https://www.mind.org.uk/ https://www.rethink.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Lizzie Carr, an environmentalist and adventurer going the distance to keep our waterways clean. After surviving cancer Lizzie took up paddle boarding to support her recovery.  But while out on the waterways she made a shocking discovery that would change the course of her life. Find our how a paddle board enthusiast initiated a global movement against single use culture in this episode of Everyday People. To learn more about Planet Patrol and Lizzie’s latest adventures head to https://planetpatrol.co/ / or follow along at @lizzie_outside and @onplanetpatrol Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Gary Crosby and Janine Irons, a couple mentoring the artists of the future. Together they founded Tomorrow’s Warriors, an organisation devoted to nurturing aspiring jazz musicians.  Over the past three decades, they’ve supported thousands of artists on their journey to becoming professional musicians - never once charging a penny for their time or expertise. Today their alumni are some of the most exciting names in British Jazz. To learn more about Tomorrow’s Warriors and to support the work they do in the community head to www.tomorrowswarriors.org/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it take to care for some of Britain’s most vulnerable children? This week Ian meets Andy Hider, a devoted foster parent who has taken in more than 150 children, over three decades. Andy says she grew her heart and her home to accommodate some of society’s most vulnerable kids, and she did this work while raising her three biological children as a single parent. In 2020 after 38 years, Andy retired from fostering.  That same year, she was recognised for her services to children. Think you’ve got what it takes to foster a child and would like to learn more? Head to: The National Fostering Agency; or here; or here.  Organisations in the Bristol area: Website. Get In Contact: enquiries@amicusfostercare.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did a socially anxious young man go from a bag of nerves in the classroom to one of Britain’s best new teachers? Today Ian is in conversation with Abed Ahmed, an inspirational teacher from Birmingham who defied the odds to make it in his dream career. To keep up with Abed’s journey in teaching, follow him at, @stammer_teacher on Twitter. To learn more about stammering and to access help and support head here or here. A Somethin' Else production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would the world look like if we took the time to truly “see” each other? In this episode Ian meets Jodi Ann Bickley, a performance poet spreading a message of kindness, one handwritten letter at a time. Jodi Ann started One Million Lovely Letters during a debilitating bout of chronic illness. Today she writes to strangers from all over the world from her home in Birmingham. To find out more about One Million Lovely Letters, head here, and follow Jodi at @jodiannbickley A Somethin' Else production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you carry on when you’ve lost everything? Today Ian meets Munira Mahmoud, a mother-of-two and survivor of Grenfell Towers who found an unexpected roadmap to move forward after disaster. Munira’s passion for cooking carried her through dark times. Months after the fire, she founded the Hubb Community Kitchen - a space for survivors to prepare meals, process grief and exchange stories. After surviving one crisis, the women of the Hubb Kitchen sprang into action again, this time supporting vulnerable families hit hard by the pandemic. If you like what you’ve heard so far and think you’ve got an amazing story to tell we’d love to hear from you, get in touch with us at everydaypeople@somethinelse.com Follow Munira’s adventures in food and her work within the community at @MuniraEats (Instagram) and www.kinamama.com And to learn how to prepare delicious recipes inspired by the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen head to https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/1084233/the-hubb-community-kitchen.html. A Somethin' Else production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In January 2020, Mel Tait was faced with every parent’s worst nightmare. Her 25-year-old son Jordan had been assaulted, and within hours she would have to turn off his life support. Whilst at his bedside and contemplating how to honour his life, Mel made a decision that would impact the lives of seven desperately ill people. She speaks to Ian about her son Jordan Sinnott, a kind-hearted footballer, who died two weeks shy of his 26th birthday. If you like what you’ve heard so far and think you’ve got an amazing story to tell we’d love to hear from you, get in touch with us at everydaypeople@somethinelse.com Been touched by Jordan’s story? Head to: www.js25.co.uk/supportus @jsftrust on Twitter and Instagram, The Jordan Sinnott Foundation Trust on Facebook And if you or someone you love has been affected by serious crime, for support head to: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How far would you go for the people you love? In today's episode Ian meets Chris Brannigan, a doting father-of-three who took on an epic challenge, in the summer of 2020, to reimagine his daughter's future after she was diagnosed with a rare disease. Nine-year-old Hasti has CDLS, a rare genetic disease that has no treatment or cure. In July 2020, Chris took on an epic endurance challenge, walking the length of Britain barefoot, to raise money to create a pioneering treatment for her care.  If you like what you’ve heard so far and think you’ve got an amazing story to tell we’d love to hear from you, get in touch with us at everydaypeople@somethinelse.com A Somethin' Else production. Interested in following Chris and Hasti’s journey? Head to: www.hopeforhasti.org https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/hopeforhasti Find out more about CDLS and other rare diseases at: http://www.cdls.org.uk/ https://www.raredisease.org.uk/about-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Wright is on a journey of discovery, searching for those positive role models that walk amongst us in everyday life. The real life champions that come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life - this podcast captures him meeting and learning from these inspirational, everyday people. Ian is a goalscoring hero and football legend - a much loved and positive role model across the UK, adored for his openness, vulnerability and of course his cheeky sense of humour, all of which you will hear in this unique series. Each episode Ian meets someone with an incredible story of bravery, resilience or transformation. Ian gets to the heart of how they’ve changed the world for the better and why they do the things they do. You’ll get to hear personal stories of hope and resilience that will move and inspire you, make you laugh and bring you to tears. From Somethin’ Else, makers of ‘David Tennant Does a Podcast With…’ and ‘How Did We Get Here’, 'Ian Wright’s Everyday People' launches 23rd February and will tell the stories of real life heroes that are the beating hearts of our communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices