Chats with Changemakers with Kate Duffy from Junction Point CIC

What if the digital tools we used were built to empower us instead of keeping us hooked? In this episode of Chats with Changemakers , Kate Duffy sits down with Ross Heatley , a former HR professional turned tech founder who is completely flipping the script on digital engagement. After experiencing corporate burnout and uncovering his own neurodivergence through therapy, Ross realised that the sys...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Catherine Marchant, CEO of Impact Family Services, a charity dedicated to supporting adults, children and young people affected by domestic abuse. Catherine shares her journey from the Civil Service into charity leadership and how a short-term role at Impact Family Services became a long-term mission to help break cycles of do...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Philip Drew, founder of Southside Music, a purpose-led music tuition business helping people across South Tyneside build confidence, creativity, and connection through music. Phil shares how years working in the corporate telecoms world left him searching for something more meaningful. What began as a weekend piano teaching ro...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers , host Kate Duffy speaks with Afi Dometi, founder of Africawad Recycling CIC, a social enterprise turning unwanted clothing into employment, opportunity, and empowerment for women in the UK and overseas. Afi shares how her own experiences of isolation and adapting to life in the UK inspired her to create Africawad. What started in her living room has grow...

In this episode, Kate Duffy is joined by Phil Douglas , the Chief Executive & Producer of Curious Arts , an LGBTQIA+ arts, youth, and heritage charity based in the North East. As the organisation celebrates its 10th anniversary , Phil reflects on its evolution from a small social venture in 2016 to a robust Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). With over 15 years of experience developing...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Yulia Dzenkovska, a creative social innovator exploring both craft-based wellbeing and the growing role of AI in social impact work. Yulia shares her journey of building Mint Stitches CIC, and how a personal passion for creativity evolved into a mission-driven organisation focused on empowerment, inclusion, and mental wellbein...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Lisa Cryer, a scientist-turned-social entrepreneur dedicated to improving youth mental health and wellbeing through innovative, preventative approaches. Lisa shares her journey from a career in scientific research to education, and ultimately into social enterprise, where she now focuses on empowering young people with tools t...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Warren Milburn, founder of The Million People Project, a social impact initiative working to lift one million people out of digital poverty by 2034 through the donation and refurbishment of laptops. Warren shares how the project began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many families suddenly needed access to technology for rem...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers , host Kate Duffy speaks with Claire Wayman, founder of The Sunshine Cooperative , a North East UK social enterprise dedicated to local, organic food and community empowerment.  Claire shares her journey from the fast-paced corporate fashion world in New York to creating a cooperative that supports local producers, engages communities, and builds opportun...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Ibrahim Dumbia, founder of People’s People CIC, a Newcastle-based social enterprise dedicated to engaging young people through sports, recreation, and mentoring programmes. Ibrahim shares his journey from witnessing the impact of antisocial behaviour in his community to creating a platform that empowers youth, builds connectio...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy speaks with Samantha Castro, founder of the Newcastle Film Club, a social enterprise dedicated to community filmmaking, creative collaboration, and grassroots film production in North East England. Samantha shares her journey from a lifelong film enthusiast to a community leader, highlighting how her passion for film evolved into a platfo...

This episode of Chats with Changemakers is generously sponsored by the Social Enterprise Academy, who champion leadership and learning for people driving social change. Be sure to check out the links in the show notes for accredited and non-accredited opportunities in your area. A huge thank you to the Social Enterprise Academy for supporting this series and for their ongoing commitment to helping...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy sits down with Ben Mushen, designer-turned-social entrepreneur and founder of the North East Support Directory, an AI-powered, self-service signposting tool that makes finding opportunities relevant to your organisation a breeze.   Ben opens up about his mission to make business opportunities more accessible through technology and AI, and...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy interviews Corrina, entrepreneur and founder of the Gateshead Community Organisation, a community interest company focused on social impact. Corrina shares her journey of discovering her entrepreneurial spirit after being diagnosed with ADHD and how her passion for helping others led her to establish a platform for community support. She...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy interviews Ben Jones, founder of Dingy Butterflies CIC, a social enterprise focused on community engagement through the arts. Ben shares his journey from being an artist to establishing a platform that fosters collaboration with local organisations. He discusses the importance of understanding community needs, the challenges faced in soci...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers, host Kate Duffy chats to Alexia Mellor, who discusses her journey into canine nutrition, driven by her passion for dogs and their health. She shares how her personal experience with her dog, Lucky, led her to create the FETCH framework, which emphasises fresh food and holistic health for dogs.  Alexia also addresses common myths in pet nutrition, the env...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers , host Kate Duffy speaks with Kate Mukungu, a community celebrant dedicated to making ceremonies more inclusive, personal, and affordable. Kate shares her inspiring journey into celebrancy and her mission to challenge the traditional approach to funerals, weddings, and life celebrations. The conversation delves into the realities of funeral poverty in the...

In this episode of Chats with Changemakers , host Kate Duffy interviews Guy Pilkington , chair of the charity Ways to Wellness . Guy shares his journey from being a GP to leading a charity focused on improving health outcomes through non-medical interventions. The conversation explores the importance of perseverance, building relationships, and the impact of social prescribing in healthcare. Guy d...

Welcome @everyone back for the final Chats with Changemakers episode of this series – and what a conversation it is to end on! In this episode, Caroline Hagan from Get Kraken CIC shares how she’s tackling the digital divide across the Northeast by making tech skills more accessible, building supportive business communities, and championing collaboration over competition. From coding in her bedroom...

What a pleasure it was to chat with the brilliant Dan Erasmus from Cornerstone Psychology CIC on this week's episode of Chats with Changemakers! Dan launched his CIC in just January of this year, but is already well underway on his social enterprise journey. His social enterprise aims to make quality psychological support accessible to everyone, and provide workplace neurodiversity services, c...

Good morning everyone! I am very excited to share this week's podcast with you guys, where I chatted with Tove Crossland from Ocean Zen C.I.C. Based in Whitley Bay, Tove and co-founder Nicola work across the North East supporting people to be the best version of themselves through a range of holistic therapies, community projects, events, retreats, and group work. Their talks include wellbeing...

Welcome back to a new episode of your favourite podcast!   I really loved talking to Paul Kirkpatrick from Off The Grid Adventures CIC. Paul and his team work with a range of groups and individuals of all ages to help people become active and healthy. The organisation aims to bring people together through adventure and learning to improve physical and emotional wellbeing, and to increase volunteer...

Welcome back everyone to Chats with Changemakers! I had an amazing chat with the wonderful Wendy Amexo from TechJumpstart Hub CIC. Wendy and her Social Enterprise help everyday people—especially women and those feeling left behind—get confident with technology, build new skills, and open doors to better jobs and brighter futures. They aim to break down tech so it finally makes sense and feels poss...

Welcome to a brand new episode of our podcast for people making the world a better place, Chats with Changemakers! I was truly inspired by this week's chat with Shane Knox, a Royal Navy veteran and passionate mental health advocate, who founded Not A Statistic Northeast CIC to provide vital peer-led support for those struggling with mental health challenges. Driven by lived experience, Shane a...

Welcome back to Chats with Changemakers! This week I had the pleasure of speaking with the incredible Kelly Henderson from Addressing Domestic Abuse CIC about her important work and inspirational advice for those on a purpose-led journey. Addressing Domestic Abuse CIC offer bespoke support to organisations around domestic abuse. They offer Training, Evaluation, Research and Policy Development. A l...