Stories of Men: Beneath the Surface

Abigail was born with one arm and faced pressure from both her doctor and the wider community to wear a prosthetic arm in order to fit in. But Abigail has never been particularly interested in fitting in. Instead, she has found a way to live her life on her own terms. She describes her sense of confidence and single-mindedness as largely being inspired by her mum.  “A group of people who were...

Tinu talks about her experiences of growing up and experiencing racism at school. At the time, racism was institutionalised and virtually ever-present in Tinu’s school life. However, there was one place where Tinu felt safe and there was one special teacher whom she had always remembered fondly. It wasn’t until she returned to her old school for a final reunion that she realised how her special te...

Siobhan is a proud single mum who founded The Positive Birth Company. She talks about her difficult relationship with her mother as a teenager and how she had to make a life-changing decision when discovering she was pregnant as a young single woman. She also discusses the ways in which her attitude towards her mum has developed as she has begun to see the positive influence she has had. “I absolu...

We learn about the special bond between father and daughter. Sunetra recounts how her father, Dhruba, has been a life-long inspiration. She also discusses how she and her own daughters have embraced the values he espoused. It all began back in India when she would discuss politics and art with her father and his friends. Now she has a fulfilling career in the UK and her father’s influence continue...

James talks about how the power of technology can create a sense of community. He recalls the unifying role the radio played while living in a remote village in Somerset. He then goes on to discuss how a shared appreciation for technology created opportunities for bonding at school. Finally, he details how he has pursued his love of communications technology in the workplace, a journey which has t...

We are taken on the evolving journey of the life of Roger. He was a carpenter who went on to become a model and is now a public fitness coach. Roger’s journey has taken him around the world and seen him work with some of the biggest global brands. He recounts some of his life-changing conversations and how the power of words has shaped him along the way. “When you're with someone, really be with t...

Sara Sutcliffe is the current CEO of the Royal Yachting Association. She has had an eventful and fascinating career, including working on the team that secured London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics. She discusses working with prominent politicians such as the late Tessa Jowell and the current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. She also provides her reflections on the role models who have had the biggest...

This season, we're looking at the impact of role models. How people found their role models, what happens when you grow up without a role model, and how to be a good one for others. Here's to all the Role models out there, you know who you are, and you're great! Keep on paying it forward.

Ciara was born with a learning disability but she has refused to accept the limitations that society has outlined for her. Despite having struggles at school and being told that she would not be able to live a full life, she has drawn inspiration from others, including her supportive and successful cousin, The Edge from U2. This has helped her to find a way to unleash her own potential. “Just beca...

Ben, a 17-year-old student with autism is preparing for his A-levels, and excited about the prospect of going to university. He's fortunate to have a big sister, Ruth, who has been giving him advice on how best to prepare for the next potential phase of his life. “The best way for me to describe it is it means I think differently, and my brain is wired completely differently to anyone else. It's a...

Since contracting polio as a child, Ric has been in a wheelchair for most of his life; however, he has proven himself to be particularly resourceful. With his personal mantra of “there’s no such word as can’t”, Ric has found a way to do things that many would assume would be beyond his ability; including, raising his children as a stay at home dad and competing in the London Marathon. “Having a di...

Issy is a woman who is living with Fibromyalgia. She talks about her powerful imagination and the uniqueness that characterises her personality. She also reflects on the way that her differences have made her life particularly challenging as both a child and an adult. More recently she has been able to make her voice heard and she plans to use it to fight for a more empathetic and inclusive societ...

As a child, Seema was a big fan of cars. Her father was a car mechanic and she would roam around his garage and pretend to drive the cars. “My passion was being able to drive. I always thought, when I grew up, I'll have a car, I'll be able to stop at the petrol station, I’ll go and stop and get some shopping. So I used to roleplay all this sort of stuff when I was about 6, 7, 8.” “The thing is, wh...

Gavin is someone who is passionate about promoting disability awareness. He has also made fighting for equality and fairness a principle objective in his life. After working with people with disabilities for a number of years he became aware of how much discrimination such individuals often face due to simple ignorance. He has now made it his mission to change attitudes towards disability by using...

Alexandra is a British-Jamaican woman who suffered a life-changing injury as a teenager and went on to become an award-winning Paralympian. Following a diving accident while swimming in Jamaica, it took many months of rehabilitation and readjustment for Alexandra to be able to relearn how to be independent. Her story shows her ability not only to adapt to the circumstances of her disability, but t...

Episode summary: Clare has taken a positive attitude towards disability. She was born with a neuromuscular condition which meant that she required a lot of support as a child. Yet she was also born into a loving family who did not view her condition as simply an inconvenience. As far as Clare’s family were concerned, she was no different to anyone else and she should have the aspirations of any ot...

The new season of Our Voices is out tomorrow! This season we'll be hearing what it's like to live in the UK with a disability. Check out our website for the latest from Our Voices We're also on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram A Fascinate Production

We will hear a story about travel and self-discovery. Kate is a travel journalist and writer who lives in London. She talks about the origins of her love of travelling and about the difficult relationship she had with her mother while growing up. She also discusses how she found the confidence to take her own path in life, rather than following in the footsteps of her peers. “You can't rewrite you...

This is an inspirational story of community. Elizabeth is a teacher and campaigner who lives in Kosovo. Originally she planned on living in the country for 6 months having joined her husband on a work placement. Sixteen years later and they are both still there. Elizabeth has established the third biggest charity in the country called “The Ideas Partnership”, where she helps those from the least p...

Lesley is a leading figure within the field of chemistry and has spent most of her career as a researcher at the University of Edinburgh. She has had to overcome sexism in order to achieve success at the highest level. We learn about her contrasting experiences while studying science at school and university. We also learn how she now believes the most important thing in life is giving back. *****...

Karen was born and raised in rural Scotland and she has always had an appreciation for outdoor sports, particularly sailing. From a very young age, however, she had sensed that something was not as it should be in her life. Karen was living her life as a male but knew that she should’ve been born a girl. Here is the story of Karen’s long and challenging journey of self-discovery. “I was expecting...

Sylvia Mac, one of 2020’s Women of the Year, discusses the physical and psychological impacts of a horrific accident she experienced when she was just 2-and-a-half years old. She discusses the challenges of being a burns survivor. She also talks about how embracing her body has helped to provide psychological healing and given her the courage to challenge societal attitudes towards non-typical sta...

Athene is a pioneering female physicist who has had to overcome prejudice and discrimination as she has gone on to excel in her career. Her experiences show how males’ attitudes within the scientific community so often act as a barrier to women becoming involved in science. We learn how Athene has used her experiences and success to combat this and encourage women to pursue their scientific ambiti...

This is a story about females triumphing against the odds. Nicola is 22 years old and is a senior instructor with the RYA - the UK’s Royal Yachting Association. She talks about growing up in a single-parent family and about how her mother has been a life-long inspiration. She also reflects on the times she has been underestimated by males. And how she has spectacularly forced them to reevaluate th...

Pinky Lilani is an entrepreneur who has a passion for food. She describes how she grew up in a culture in which men were supposed to be the breadwinners. She also talks about her anguish at experiencing hearing loss in the midst of her newfound career. Finally, she reflects on how support from a kind friend and an inner-determination to succeed saw her overcome these challenges to achieve lasting...