Saving Lives Through Education: Saving Lives Through Education: Aaron Beacher's Work in Road Safety and Powerful Personal Motivations Ep. 11.

Join host Debbie Ann Turnbull MBE as she sits down with Aaron Beacher, an award-winning road safety educator, to discuss his personal journey, impactful advocacy work and ongoing commitment to raising awareness. Their candid conversation touches on real-life tragedy, resilience and the importance of mental health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Aaron's early inspiration to get involved in safety education after a life-changing classroom story
• His current role supporting students across North Wales and projects that make a difference
• The emotional impact of "Olivia's Story" and its effect on road safety awareness
• Personal stories of loss, resilience, and how family shapes Aaron's drive
• Honest insights into men's mental health, including support resources like Andy’s Man Club

Don't miss this episode of Beyond the Surface—real people, real stories, and important lessons.

Chapters

00:00 "Impactful Story of Water Safety"

03:57 Supporting Learners for Real World

08:38 "Driving Lessons and Personal Stories"

13:31 Loss, Memory, and New Purpose

15:42 Selflessness and Caring Reflection

19:14 Slipped Discs and Misdiagnosis

22:01 "Grateful for Supportive Wife"

27:07 Reflection on Love and Loss

30:41 "Real, Raw Conversations That Matter"

32:45 "Open to Conversations Always"

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Connect with Debbie and find out more about her work here:

W: www.riverandseasense.com

E: debbie@riverandseasense.com

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-anne-turnbull-mbe-33190510/

Uniting for Water Safety: Community, Partnership and Personal Stories That Save Lives with Dawn Whittaker - Ep.10.

Join host Debbie Ann Turnbull as she sits down with Dawn Whittaker, a decorated leader in UK drowning prevention, to discuss what it really takes to keep families safe around water. Discover the hard truths, lived experiences, and strategies that are shaping water safety across the UK.

• Dawn’s personal journey and what drew her into drowning prevention
• The evolution of water safety initiatives in the UK, including key national strategies
• The impact of data and research on targeting effective drowning prevention campaigns
• How partnerships and unified messaging have improved water safety awareness
• Practical advice and crucial safety tips for parents and young people around water

Like, subscribe, and check out the resources below for more tools on keeping your family safe and strong.

Chapters

00:00 "Origins of a Lifelong Journey"

05:59 Near-Drowning Experience to Lifesaving Journey

06:55 Promoting Water Safety Awareness

12:14 UK Drowning Prevention Strategy Launch

15:54 "Drowning Data Platform Launched"

19:35 Water Safety: Key Prevention Campaign

22:10 Navigating Support for Families

25:29 Coroner Support and Court Preparation

30:38 Honored at Windsor by Princess Anne

33:21 Water Safety for Teens

36:28 Promoting Water Safety Awareness

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Connect with Debbie and find out more about her work here:

W: www.riverandseasense.com

E: debbie@riverandseasense.com

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-anne-turnbull-mbe-33190510/

From Tragedy to Mission: How Communication Saves Lives with Tom Stanhope | Beyond the Surface Ep. 9.

In this special episode of Beyond the Surface, Debbie Anne Turnbull MBE sits down with Tom Stanhope from Podforge to explore the crucial role of communication in mission-driven work.

After losing her son Chris to drowning, Debbie transformed her grief into a powerful water safety movement through River and Sea Sense. In this candid conversation, she shares how she learned to tell her deeply personal story without being overwhelmed, the evolution from organic community support to formal organisation and the challenges of building credibility whilst navigating grief.

Tom, who has supported Debbie's work for years and now produces her podcast, reveals the strategic thinking behind effective mission communication and how podcasting can amplify important messages in an AI-saturated world.

Key Topics Discussed:

How to communicate personal tragedy for public good
The transition from informal advocacy to formal nonprofit work
Public speaking strategies for emotionally difficult topics
The role of authenticity in building trust with audiences
Strategic podcast development for mission-driven organisations
Balancing personal healing with public mission

Chapters
0:00 Introduction - Debbie introduces Tom Stanhope
1:40 How their professional relationship began
3:45 The challenge of communicating personal tragedy publicly
4:50 The immediate aftermath - week three after the funeral
6:30 Community response and first fundraising walk
8:15 Going back to school and recognising the need for action
9:10 First press conference - the catalyst moment
10:30 When did the mission become inevitable?
11:40 Setting up River and Sea Sense - the "whispered" name
12:50 The transition from organic to formal organisation
14:20 Support from the Unlimited fund and building confidence
16:30 Dealing with criticism and finding determination
17:40 The growth of media opportunities and awards
19:40 The emotional reality of school presentations
21:20 Why podcasting became necessary for the mission
23:00 Tom explains the strategic podcast development process
25:20 The unexpected business plan outcome
27:10 Tom's approach to working with mission-driven clients
27:50 Public speaking experiences - the biggest audiences
29:20 Speaking to 1,100 people at company conference
30:10 The Ireland drowning prevention conference
32:00 Using humour in difficult presentations
33:20 National Lottery Award and Bear Grylls moment
34:40 The power of communication to create change
35:40 Closing thoughts and next episode preview

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Connect with Debbie and find out more about her work here:

W: www.riverandseasense.com

E: debbie@riverandseasense.com

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-anne-turnbull-mbe-33190510/