Olympian and Former Commonwealth Games and British Record Holder joins our race to end homelessness in Greater Manchester
Manchester born and bred Diane Edwards has returned to Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity as an Ambassador, joining us in our race to end homelessness across the city-region.
Co-founder of the Diane Modahl Sports Foundation (now Strike UK), Commonwealth Games gold medallist Diane wants to champion sport and bring it to the forefront in her new role with the charity.
Diane shared a little of her motivation with us, before coming on board.
“Using sport more generally as a tool for us to drive our message is definitely going to be a big focus for me in the coming months and also bringing others on board that can help us get closer to answering that question.
“You don’t need to be a medal winning athlete, but by simply feeling a sense of belonging around a shared purpose can have a huge positive effect on people. Sport tells a story of resilience, triumph and overcoming adversity. The ability to feel that you’re connected to something, it has the power of being able to tell those stories.
“Sport can also be a powerful tool for fundraising. If you think of sport organisations like The Manchester United Foundation or City in the Community, and the many others across the region; you have a ready-made audience who love sport, and they understand the opportunity to break down those misconceptions of homelessness and raise vital funds.
As an ambassador, my role is very much about shining a light on the great work the team are doing by promoting and reinforcing those key ambitions. Mostly it's about helping the charity achieve their aims.”
Diane’s drive to support vulnerable communities stems from her upbringing, where church and sport played a crucial role in shaping her values.
“It was always a given. Where we can, we should naturally support others – that’s how we were raised. So, when I had the opportunity to help the charity, it was a natural thing for me to do. Homelessness affects all of us. You can’t unsee another human being suffering in the freezing cold and trying to understand what we can do to help is really driving me.”
Diane hopes to see real, measurable change in homelessness figures over the next five years and hopes to pave the way for other cities in the UK to tackle homelessness.
“I’d like to see a real tangible outcome in the work we’re doing. See how those numbers have reduced, but also if we’ve been able to provide that wrap around support for people who’ve been in those circumstances.
“I’m hoping we can become a beacon for other charities to follow and all the work that the team are doing. It certainly won’t be easy, but I really believe we can do something that can really make a difference.”
In the last 12 months, Diane has featured at our DJ Battles and joined our CEO, Fran Darlington-Pollock, at an industry wide roundtable. We asked leaders from across the region to explore the power of sport in tackling homelessness.
In the coming months and years, Diane will continue to support us in our mission to end homelessness and eradicate the need for rough sleeping in Greater Manchester.