GreenPod Labs

submitted by

Andrew Howley

My story of hopefulness is Greenpod labs. To help reduce food spoilage and waste, they study the chemical signals a plant uses to keep its fruit ripe. Then they harness them and put them in sachets to store in crates of harvested fruits and vegetables. Getting those signals, the fruits stay ripe and healthy longer. This is inspiring to me because they were able to ask a simple but impactful question and find a healthy natural solution. It’s a testament to the idea that such solutions can be found for many more challenges we face.

Land and Food

Rockcorps

submitted by

Steve Cole

Using music and culture to inspire action. The only way to get a ticket is to volunteer.

Arts and Culture

https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-eae3-43bd-yc72-0dad51827da7.mp3

Youth led engagement in democracy through design and creative thinking

submitted by

Chrissy Levett

I'd like to celebrate and acknowledge Libby Collar a graduate designer from Manchester Met University who started working freelance for #Whyvote? youth led creative campaign and competition - to get young people engaged in democracy and empowered to register to vote, ahead of the 2024 UK General Election. Libby was unusual as she already had a healthy and much needed passion for politics and the democratic process. She entered and won a Creative Conscience award in 2023 for a project linked to this important theme. Her openness and creative input helped build a successful launch and then the development of the #Whyvote? campaign that engaged hundreds for young people across the UK. Libby continued to work with Creative Conscience for another campaign encouraging black and brown voters in the UK to get involved in the Mayor's election across London and beyond. She has become a valued member of the Creative Conscience community. Now developing and supporting a #Whyvote? USA programme ahead of the presidential elections in America. It's so good to see a passion young creative using their talents and skills to build a better world. Thanks Libby you're awesome.

Civic Engagement

Jimmy Darts - outrageous generosity

submitted by

Dan Potter

Jimmy is a social media influencer who has grown a following of millions though outrageous acts of kindness.

Compassion and Empathy

https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-80ce-4b6c-y963-662afe404812.mp3

Juli Thompson

submitted by

Nathan Atkinson

My story of hopefulness is... juli Thompson They inspire me because... their commitment to working to support people living food insecure lives is incredible. Juli is an inspirational individual, who amongst other things set up the food savers network FoodSavers Network – Food for health not wealth a programme that helps people eat and save money at the same time. juli goes above and beyond and is an incredible person.

Health

Ed Altmann - Compassionate Climate Scientists

submitted by

Chrissy Levett

I’d like to write about Eddy Altmann, a physics graduate who works at Creative Conscience. Eddy is a climate scientist, speaker, and educator who genuinely cares. He has shattered many preconceived ideas that people often have about those gifted with a scientific and logical mind. Eddy's ability to connect with people through powerful, brave, vulnerable, and personal stories is unparalleled. Science can seem cold, unfathomable, and unapproachable to many, yet Eddy brings compassion to the climate and planetary crisis that inspires others to have hope and, from that hope, to take much-needed action. It’s an honor to work with him. He is simply an amazing human—dedicated to working for little, yet always for the good of humankind.

Climate and Environment

Advita, Priya and the A Leader Like Me network

submitted by

Sarah Browning

The A Leader Like Me network set up by Advita Patel and Priya Bates inspires me with its power of community and speaking up. Advita and Priya created the network for aspiring leaders from diverse communities to provide encouragement, support and strength. Inclusion runs through everything they do. Their under-represented speakers list is a fantastic resource for event managers!

Business and Finance

Karen Teago, YESS Law

submitted by

Ed Shrager

Karen Teago and the team at YESS Law provide a great service of employment law advice for anyone who needs it.

Compassion and Empathy

Gender equality in Afghanistan

submitted by

Daniela Barone

Womanity in Afghanistan I was impressed with the charity Womanity Foundation, which works globally with local non-profits to accelerate gender equality. Despite the challenges in operating under the Taliban, and with many non-profits stopping work there, they are still working with women in Afghanistan, educating women and girls.

Education

The Kyoto play

submitted by

Steve Cole

Good Chance Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company have joined forces to produce a stunning production called Kyoto

Arts and Culture

https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-112d-4007-y2f3-3b2f3ff4d3a6.mp3

Luvan Takano and the Global Impact Alliance

submitted by

Stirling Spowers

Sat in the Lavvo tent at the end of Day 1 at Katapult Future Fest, Dana began with a moment of contemplation made all-the-more contemplative by a helicopter sat above us. She then gave the floor to Luvan Takano from the Yepã Mahsã nation in Brazil to narrate indigenous viewpoints on our world today. With indigenous communities protecting around 80% of the world’s biodiversity, yet less than 1% of funding flowing into these communities, a clear chasm exists in our push to prevent extreme biodiversity loss. Together, Phillippe, Luvan and Dana are paving the way for stronger relationship-building to begin between regions and communities as a foundation from which investment into biodiversity can start to reach the hands of those who truly protect the richness of our ecological complexity. To check out their work, please visit the Global Impact Alliance.

Education

Coumba Touré

submitted by

Louise Kjellerup Roper

The first impression of Coumba Touré is her radiant smile which far outshone the bright Oslo sun on the terrace of Sentralen on the Investor Day of Katapult. When we met later at the speakers’ dinner with the evening sun shining strong, Coumba’s laughter was equally infectious. We discussed the work she does in her home country, Senegal. She initially described herself as a writer of children’s books - weaving the role of real women driving social change into narratives and fables.  And gifted us a recent story book called “The Same Water” that traces the water cycle, reminding us that we are connected through time and space by water. Beyond her role as a storyteller, Coumba is an active feminist and women’s rights defender. She facilitates sessions on trauma, healing, gathering hundreds of feminists across the African continent and is the driving force behind “Invisible Giants” which highlights extraordinary women working for social justice, giving a voice and connection to those overlooked. Gathering new hope and power through kindness, determination and that infectious laugh.

Arts and Culture

Canal Connections

submitted by

Nathan Atkinson

My story of hopefulness is Canal Connections CIC in Leeds. Located on the banks of the River Aire, Canal Connections is a beacon of hope, a hub of community, and a catalyst for change. The passion and commitment of Peter Forrest and the team is incredible, they're not just running programmes; they're changing lives. The location of their work is truly something special, from the inviting atmosphere of their building to the tranquillity of the boats on the river, the place is amazing.

Civic Engagement

The woman who washed people's feet

submitted by

Jaz O'Hara

When I think I can't make an impact as just one person, I think of the volunteer in the calais jungle who brought with her a little foot spa and went round washing people's feet. That is impact.

Compassion and Empathy

Systems thinker Donella Meadows

submitted by

Mathilda Tham

The wonder that is Donella Meadows. She was a systems thinker and a woman who has really stood up for a process of change and for increasingly encouraging people to deal, and to stick with the big questions, and not turn away. Donella famously introduced the list of places to intervene in a system and got us thinking very differently about what changed things.

Climate and Environment

The beating heart of communities in Romania

submitted by

Vlad Glaveanu

My hopeful story centres around communities of Easter egg decorators in Romania and Ukraine who through the generations have dedicated their lives to this craft that is the beating heart of so many people and communities. I am inspired by the human capacity to contribute to the common good and the common life of everyone. I’m not going to give a shout out to named creators, I think the beauty of tradition is that we all identify into it.

Arts and Culture

The hope of worms in the soil

submitted by

Simon Lamb

Probably the most important story of hope for humanity at the moment is the worm. There is an enormous soil crisis that's going on all around the world and the worm is is an amazing answer as tiny little ploughs who aerate the soil and pull everything in, process it and excrete it back into the soil. So there's so much hope that remains in these incredible little worms.

Land and Food

Coldplay's environmental footprint

submitted by

Rob Pepper

My hopeful story is a school friend who is part of a band who have become world leaders in addressing their environmental footprint. We desperately need these moments of collective togetherness but there is always a big impact. They made a decision years ago that they were not going to tour until they had worked out how to do that sustainably. What they have done with solar and batteries, the way they work with local partners and looking at the fuel they use is so inspiring.

Arts and Culture

Michiel Bakker at Google.

submitted by

Renee Lertzman

I have a lot of respect for people who are situated in large, complex multinational organisations who are committed to doing good things and doing good for the world. The person who brings me hope is a leader I've worked with at Google named Michael Bakker. What's inspiring to me about Michael is that he is coming from a place of deep business experience and expertise and later in his career has come into the work of regenerative business, systems change and sustainability. What I admire is that he has this commitment to have impact while working with and navigating the tensions that can be inherent in a large multinational company.

Business and Finance

Community heroes who don't get recognition or credit

submitted by

Rachel Woolf

Hopefulness is found in the people who don't get any credit, don't have any recognition, volunteers in care homes, food banks, Samaritan call line volunteers, people who are single mothers working two jobs for the sake of their kids, young carers, people living in tough situations with humility and with grace and without fanfare.

Compassion and Empathy

The Rio Ferdinand Foundation

submitted by

Prospect

I'm going to big up a young man called Keon who I have been working alongside at the Rio Ferdinand foundation who invest into the futures of young men and women in the most deprived areas.

Civic Engagement

Charles Black from Space Exploration Network

submitted by

Piers Linney

Charles Black is my story of hope. He is building The Space Exploration Network. The idea is to deploy a constellation of satellites around Earth which will enable access to a 4k view of the Earth in real time. Charles wants to democratise space that will be an incredible resource for humanitarian, environmental and educational contexts and so many others.

Science and Tech

Rewilding land in the front yard

submitted by

Oliver Pelling

There's lots of people out there talking about all the good they're doing which is amazing and they should be doing that. There are also many people that don't self-promote, like the woman we photographed named Jackie who is re-wilding her area. She is turning all of the land at the front of her house into vegetable gardens which is impacting her community and brings me a lot of hope.

Climate and Environment

An 85 year old adventurer

submitted by

Oli France

I've had the privilege of guiding all kinds of people from all walks of life on expeditions and adventures around the world. There was one person a few years ago, who I guided in northern Iraq and he was by far the happiest person I've ever met. The thing was, he was an 85 year old guy who had terminal cancer. His life quest was visiting every country on earth (he was up to around 175 countries) What I found really powerful was that he was living and breathing every single moment, and you could see it in his face.

Other

Creative Conscience

submitted by

Nicole Yershon

My hopeful story is a creative community and global not-for-profit organisation who believe that creative thinking and innovation can make positive change. Their mission is to embed purpose-driven creative thinking into every institution, brand and organisation across the world.

Arts and Culture