The Shaping Portsmouth Podcast

We're saying goodbye to Charla Grant! (Boooo!) Dave Humphries chats with podcast co-host Charla Grant about how she first came to join the Shaping Portsmouth team via Sarah Roads from SLR, how the organisation has changed over her time with us, making an impact in the city, conference and connection, her favourite Shaping Portsmouth memories, gratitude, and where the world is taking her next. #WhatWouldCharlaDo The post Episode 105: Charla Grant first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant chats with Hannah Jeffrey about joining the Shaping Team supporting our social media, how she got into Marketing and completing a Digital Marketing Masters at the University of Portsmouth, her role in The Marketing Agency which provides free marketing support and guidance to local businesses, and Harry Styles! The post Episode 104: The Marketing Agency first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant welcomes Courtnee Mitchell, our Community Pillar Lead, to chat about joining the Shaping Portsmouth team, how her varied career path led her to this point, her love of being involved with the local community and why it is so important to make connections, and her hopes for how the Community Pillar will develop over the coming years. The post Episode 103: Courtnee Mitchell first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

In this episode, Charla Grant talks to Mark Baumfield, Managing Director at Southern Motor Contracts, about how the business was founded and evolved into its current form, the benefits of leasing vehicles, how he came to join and then take ownership of the business, becoming a partner of Shaping Portsmouth and how it inspired them to take on an apprentice, and what's next for the business. The post Episode 102: Southern Motor Contracts first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Dave Humphries talks to Andy Gallie, from the Beacon Counselling Trust and author of HMS To HMP, about his career in the Royal Navy, his decision to leave and ensuing career, his struggles with gambling addiction, how it led to spending time in prison, his recovery, and his work with the Beacon Counselling Trust helping others in similar situations. The post Episode 101: Beacon Counselling Trust first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

This week we're celebrating our own Portsmouth centenary… Episode 100 of the Shaping Portsmouth Podcast! 🥳🎉 In this special episode, Dave Humphries and Charla Grant welcome Portsmouth icon Jane Lamer! Dave and Charla chat with Jane about growing up as a Pompey girl, her role at Portsmouth City Council, why Portsmouth is the best city to do business in, the community spirit within the city, Portsmouth100 and the City of Culture 2029 bid, and all of Jane's local recommendations! The post Episode 100: Jane Lamer first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Rachel Lowe MBE, Creator of the Destination Board Game Series, about coming up with the idea for the game while driving a taxi as a student at the University of Portsmouth, developing it from the initial idea to releasing a final product, growing up playing games, her experience on Dragon's Den, and launching a special edition as part of Portsmouth's centenary celebrations. The post Episode 99: Rachel Lowe MBE first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Dave Humphries talks to Andrew Major about falling in love with Pompey, His career in Business Intelligence & Marketing, and how experiencing burnout led him to earn the nickname Atlantic Rocketman by taking part in the World's Toughest Row, solo rowing 3,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic, raising money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The post Episode 98: Atlantic Rocketman first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Bianca Carr, Founder and CEO of Final Straw Foundation, about starting the organisation, how a single campaign grew into a fully-fledged charity, and the projects they run along the Solent tackling single use plastics and pollution, including Wild Beach Schools getting children to the beach and helping them fall in love with the sea, and restoring native oysters. The post Episode 97: Final Straw Foundation first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant welcomes another new member of the Shaping Portsmouth Team, Sarah Thompson, who has joined us as our new Education Pillar Lead. Charla and Sarah chat about her previous career in teaching, her role at Shaping and how she's finding it so far, and setting down roots in the city. The post Episode 96: Sarah Thompson first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant welcomes Jane Moody, a new member of the Shaping Portsmouth Team, and chats about how she came to join us, her own organisation Marvellous Fabulous Projects, what she's learned about Shaping and the City since starting her role, and how she brings her values and joy to her life and work. The post Episode 95: Jane Moody first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Joe Weston-McDowell, Head of Fundraising & Marketing at Motiv8, about supporting Portsmouth's City of Culture bid, the latest updates from the campaign, how businesses can support the bid by taking the Proper Pompey Pledge, and how it will impact the whole city WHEN we win! The post Episode 94: City of Culture first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Recorded during National Volunteers Week, Dave Humphries talks to Andrew Starr, Co-Lead of the Portsmouth Ambassadors, about his various roles around the city, speaking and teaching multiple languages, Portsmouth's twin cities and other links around the world, the Portsmouth Ambassador programme, what the role of Ambassador entails and opportunities available to Ambassadors, and the new online Portsmouth Ambassador induction course which will be launching soon, and other volunteering opportunities available in the city. The post Episode 93: Portsmouth Ambassadors first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to CP Robinson about his first few weeks in the Chief Operations Officer role, why he joined the team, his management and leadership style, some of his other roles across the city, and his plans for Shaping Portsmouth. The post Episode 92: CP Robinson first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Chris West, Co-Lead of our Workplace Health & Wellbeing programme, about Burnout, what it is and what you can do about it, the difference between burnout and stress, as well as the importance of looking after your mental health and wellbeing in general. The post Episode 91: Burnout first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Jo Dallas about the work Headway Portsmouth & South East Hampshire does supporting people with acquired brain injuries and their families and carers, how these injuries affect lives, how things have changed over the 40 years since Headway launched, how local businesses could support them, and their upcoming abseil of the Spinnaker Tower! The post Episode 90: Headway Portsmouth & South East Hampshire first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Dave Humphries talks to Sam about his role at Airbus, the history of Airbus and what they do in Portsmouth and around the world (and in space!), managing sustainability and their Portsmouth initiatives, and their apprenticeship scheme. The post Episode 89: Airbus first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Nathalie Russell-Clarke, co-director, and Emma Stallard, participant and artist, about This New Ground, an Arts organisation which elevates the artistic voices and talents of people with learning disabilities, their exhibition running at Aspex Portsmouth until 7th June called Inside, their festival, Pivot Fest, taking place in Portsmouth between 8th and 10th May, and what they'll be doing next including their upcoming cultural exchange. The post Episode 88: This New Ground first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Charla Grant talks to Clare Seek about Share (Portsmouth), which runs the Repair Café and Portsmouth Library of Things, creating a cultural revolution in the city, the right to repair and circular economy, and how businesses and individuals can get involved. The post Episode 87: Share (Portsmouth) first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .

Dave Humphries talks to Mark Waldron, Editor in Chief of The News, about his career in journalism, the importance of local journalism and the changes it has gone through, the Business Excellence Awards, and being Co-Chair of Shaping Portsmouth. The post Episode 86: Mark Waldron first appeared on Shaping Portsmouth .