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Leading Lights

Leading Lights

Von: Abi Mellor from MOREVER
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 Unfiltered conversations with women leading change in the charity and non-profit sector. Leading Lights shines a light on female leadership, amplifying the voices of the inspiring women making a difference through purpose-driven work. In each episode, we speak to non-profit CEOs about how they lead, what they’ve learned, and what keeps them going. Expect honest conversations, bold ideas and practical insights. It's the perfect listen for anyone passionate about the third sector, purpose-lead work or leadership. Brought to you by MOREVER – the creative agency for charities & changemakersAbi Mellor from MOREVER Management & Leadership Ökonomie
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  • Fundraisers Make Great CEOs with Rachel Kirby-Rider, CEO of Young Lives vs Cancer

    Fundraisers Make Great CEOs with Rachel Kirby-Rider, CEO of Young Lives vs Cancer
    Mar 2 2026
    Rachel Kirby-Rider, CEO of Young Lives vs CancerIn this powerful conversation, Rachel Kirby-Rider shares her journey from working-class roots in Essex to CEO of Young Lives vs Cancer, and the resilience, self-doubt, courage and conviction that shaped her leadership along the way .Rachel talks openly about being the first in her family to go to university, underperforming academically but overdelivering in impact, and starting her career in corporate sales before discovering fundraising, by writing directly to a charity leader and asking how to do his job .She reflects on:Becoming CEO just two weeks before the UK went into COVID lockdownLeading with energy and recognising burnout before it’s too lateWhy fundraisers make brilliant CEOsThe importance of peer networks, mentors and coachesChallenging class bias and belonging in the charity sectorRachel also explains the vital role Young Lives vs Cancer plays in supporting children and young people from diagnosis through their treatment, and providing social workers, accommodation and financial support at the most traumatic time in a family’s life .And after a decade of campaigning, she shares a landmark win: a new government-backed travel fund for young cancer patients, helping families who were previously forced to choose between paying for treatment journeys and everyday essentials .This is an episode about resilience. About collaboration over ego. About empathy as a leadership superpower. And about backing yourself.Key themes: Charity leadership and CEO journeysFundraising to CEO pathwayLeading through crisisSocial work in healthcareCollaboration and system changeWomen in leadershipBelonging and class in the charity sectorOur favourite quote:“Empathy is an absolutely vital component for a leader — because it’s how you notice what other people miss.”Find out more about the charity:younglivesvscancer.org.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/younglivesvscancer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/younglivesvscancer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/younglivesvscancer/About the charity:When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Playtime is stopped. Independence is taken. Confidence is stolen. It can result in years of education missed, careers put on hold just as they’re starting. It’s spending days desperately trying to navigate complex systems just to get basic support. It’s missing out on experiences and not getting the chance to enjoy new relationships. It’s watching countless opportunities pass by as debt begins to pile up.Young Lives vs Cancer is the leading UK charity for children and young people with cancer and their families. From the moment of diagnosis, its specialist social workers provide day-to-day support for each child, young person and family, from information and guidance to financial support. It works in all the main children’s cancer treatment centres across the UK, working closely with doctors, nurses and other NHS professionals as an integral part of the team caring for children and young people with cancer. It helps them to navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer, removing barriers, solving problems and prioritising wellbeing. By taking the the time to understand what matters most, stopping at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch future episodes, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity?Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector.Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.⁠www.morever.co.uk
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    1 Std. und 19 Min.
  • From Purpose to Policy with Caroline Lee-Davey, CEO of Bliss

    From Purpose to Policy with Caroline Lee-Davey, CEO of Bliss
    Feb 2 2026
    What does it take to turn purpose into real policy change, and keep your organisation anchored to its mission along the way?In this episode of Leading Lights, host Abi Mellor is joined by Caroline Lee-Davey, Chief Executive of Bliss, the UK’s leading neonatal charity. Caroline shares how purpose-led leadership can move beyond good intentions to deliver tangible change. Her campaigning experience is broad and deep, including benefitting from a quirk in the British parliamentary systems, the Private Members’ Bill, to bring the Neonatal Care Leave and Pay Act into law, transforming support for families with babies in neonatal care.Caroline reflects on staying true to mission, navigating the realities of charity leadership, and why trusting your gut instinct matters more than following logic alone. This is a conversation about campaigning that delivers, leadership that is sustainable, and the quiet determination behind real impact.Content note: this episode includes discussion of neonatal care and supporting families with babies born premature or sick.In this episode, we explore:How Bliss turned frontline insight into national policy changeThe stages of a successful campaign, from evidence to ParliamentWhy Caroline’s mantra is: “What difference is this making for babies?”Tackling inequalities in neonatal outcomes for Black, South Asian and disadvantaged familiesTechniques for leading as an introvertWhy joy, boundaries and protected time are essential for long-term impactAbout Caroline Lee-DaveyCaroline joined Bliss as Chief Executive in November 2014; she also sits on the Executive Committee of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, and is a member of NHS England’s Neonatal Critical Care Clinical Reference Group and Maternity & Neonatal Stakeholder Council.Before joining Bliss Caroline was the Director of Policy, Advice and Communications at Gingerbread, the single parent charity, where she led on policy and campaigning work as well as overseeing the delivery of multi-channel information and advice services. Caroline was previously Deputy Director of Communications, Policy and Campaigns at housing charity Shelter. Caroline is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and was a trustee of homelessness charity Crisis from 2014-2020.Find out more about Bliss: https://www.bliss.org.uk/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/blisscharityLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bliss_4/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blisscharity/About BlissFounded in 1979, Bliss is the UK's leading neonatal charity. Its vision is that every baby born premature or sick in the UK has the best chance of survival and quality of life. Bliss champions the right of every baby born premature or sick to excellent neonatal care, experience and outcomes. It achieves this by improving care, giving voice to babies, and supporting parents to be partners in care.Bliss' work delivers significant impact for neonatal babies, families and health professionals - at an individual level, across neonatal health services and systems, and nationally, including in the delivery of its landmark campaigning achievement to introduce paid neonatal leave through the Neonatal Care (Leave & Pay) Act, which came into effect in April 2025.At the heart of its work is also a focus on tackling neonatal inequalities. Its 2025-29 strategy prioritises equity of care, equity of voice and equity of support for all neonatal babies and their families.Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch future episodes, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity?Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector.Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk
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    50 Min.
  • Mission-Driven Leadership | Deborah Alsina, Arthritis UK

    Mission-Driven Leadership | Deborah Alsina, Arthritis UK
    Jan 5 2026

    In this episode of Leading Lights, Abi Mellor is joined by Deborah Alsina MBE, CEO of Arthritis UK, for a deeply honest conversation about mission-driven leadership and the personal cost of leading purpose-led organisations.

    Drawing on decades of leadership across the health and charity sector, Deborah reflects on why arthritis remains widely misunderstood, and is often dismissed as part of ageing rather than recognised as a serious, life-limiting condition for millions of people. She shares her own experiences of advocating for others, caring for loved ones with serious illness, and leading organisations through moments of profound change.

    This conversation goes beyond strategy, exploring why belief in the mission is what sustains leaders through challenge and sacrifice. Deborah also reflects on her husband’s sudden cancer diagnosis, the years of uncertainty that followed, and why choosing work you truly care about matters more than ever.

    To quote Deborah: “Charities deserve people who give a damn about the mission.” This conversation makes it clear that she is exactly that kind of leader.

    Arthritis UK is the leading arthritis charity, changing lives through research, campaigning and support.

    Learn about Arthritis UK’s ‘Arthur Tut’ campaign on TikTok:

    https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisuk/video/7575131588199992598


    Find out more about the charity:

    https://www.arthritis-uk.org/


    Follow Arthritis UK on social media

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arthritisuk

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VersusArthritis/

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritisuk


    Enjoyed this conversation?

    Subscribe to Leading Lights to catch future episodes, and please consider rating and reviewing to help others find the podcast.


    Are you a Head of Brand, Marketing, Fundraising or Comms at a charity?


    Come along to the MOREVER Meetup, a welcoming space to connect with other women working creatively in the charity sector.


    Leading Lights is brought to you by MOREVER, an independent creative agency for charities and changemakers.www.morever.co.uk
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    1 Std. und 16 Min.
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