The Make a Difference Show

The Make a Difference Show

Author: BBC Local Radio Language: English Episodes: 57
In a world that often feels fragmented, Make a Difference offers a necessary counter-narrative, sharing surprising stories from communities across England who are pulling together. This BBC Local Radio podcast captures the unscripted moments of cooperation and resilience that define our times, moving beyond headlines to find the human connections being forged in neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Each episode is a journey into the personal journals of collective action, exploring how ordinary people are addressing challenges in society, culture, and even health and fitness, from grassroots mental health projects to local cultural initiatives that rebuild a sense of belonging. You'll hear directly from the individuals at the heart of these efforts, their voices preserved with the intimacy and authenticity of its original local radio broadcasts. Listening to this podcast feels like discovering a series of quiet, powerful revelations about the capacity for kindness and practical support that persists around us. It’s a collection of audio snapshots that together form a larger, hopeful portrait of England, reminding us that impact often starts with a simple conversation next door. These are not grand manifestos, but real stories of tangible change, curated to inspire and connect.
Episodes
Happy Hit: Zumba dreams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:51
Latin aerobics fan Hannah took up Zumba during lockdown when she had to shield.When gyms reopened, Hannah qualified as a teacher and is now the first Zumba teacher in the UK with Downs syndrome.
Happy Hit: From riverside bench to Windsor Castle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:37
Meet Jay Flynn, as online pub quizmaster who hosted weekly quizzes, which at their peak attracted 180,000 people, and raised more than £1m for charity.Before he was a quizmaster, Jay spent nearly two years living on a be…
Happy Hit: A lullaby from a loving dad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:49
When Karen Robson was a baby her father, Brian Teasdale Snr, composed music for her. Brian had a brain injury which left him unable to compose and needing round-the-clock care. Karen shared her story with BBC Radio Newca…
Happy Hit: Bryson Walks to School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:52
Nine-year-old Bryson Taylor has cerebral palsy and had an operation on his spine in February. He has been training hard with his physiotherapist Lorna Wicken to achieve his goal of walking to school for the first time.Th…
Happy Hit: Grandma's voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:44
A lost recording of her beloved late grandma Margaret sparks heart-warming memories for Lucy James from Kidsgrove, Staffordshire. Lucy was a 13-year-old pupil at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy when she was asked to ta…
Welcome to Happy Hit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18
A snack-sized treat featuring family, friendship or other good-hearted folk to warm up your week.Letitia George introduces a hand-picked pop of positivity selected from the best of local BBC Radio across England.If you h…
A message from the world to COP26 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:45
Young people have a message to world leaders at the United Nations climate conference.We hear from listeners to BBC Radio 1, young Climate champions across the UK, experts and young people from the BBC World service and…
Making A Difference in 2020: Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:16
Becca Bryers looks back on a very uncertain year and shares some of her favourite stories of communities across England pulling together to help others, drawn from across BBC Local Radio.
Making A Difference in 2020: Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:48
Becca Bryers looks back on a very uncertain year and shares some of her favourite stories of communities across England pulling together to help others, drawn from across BBC Local Radio.
Kindness at Christmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:33
Becca Bryers guides you through surprising stories of communities across England pulling together to help others, drawn from across BBC Local Radio.This episode - the family from Tees who have just received the best Chri…

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