In this episode John speaks with Michelle Cooper, CEO of County Durham Community Foundation about how the charity supports Spot On! ideas to help the most vulnerable individuals in the North East of England.

County Durham Community Foundation is an independent grant-making charity, promoting lasting charitable giving by bringing together donors with their chosen causes, through well-targeted grants that make a genuine difference to the lives of local people.

Michelle recently visited Windsor Castle to be presented with her MBE by the now King Charles III. She was awarded the honour for her outstanding contribution to the community effort through the pandemic.

In this episode John speaks with customer and employee experience expert Kate Cooper Faye, CEO and founder of CXY, about her Spot On! ideas to help companies and organisations deliver a winning customer experience.

Kate is an individual who successfully challenges the status quo and consistently maximises the potential of key people, colleagues and customers.

Kate is hugely experienced and qualified to support businesses, including Google and Lloyds Bank, to do better for their customers. She is a Chartered Director, member of the Professional Board Forum, Fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing and holds an MBA from Cranfield alongside a degree in Commercial Law.

In the this episode John speaks with former journalist and PR consultant, and now Conservative Deputy Mayor of Middlesbrough, Meika Smiles. She tells John about her Spot on! ideas for education, social mobility and how Middlesbrough is recovering from its bad reputation.

Mieka started her career in journalism, writing for several North-East and national papers. When her children’s school missed out on funding it had been promised, she decided to get involved in local politics. Today, she is deputy mayor of Middlesbrough, a town in North East England - in the heart of the Red Wall.