How this organiser went from corporate DEI to planning music festivals

Growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1970s, I was aware of accessibility and inclusion issues. My dad’s best friend had been in a wheelchair since an accident on his 18th birthday. He and his wife, who was also in a wheelchair, were around a lot and dad, an engineer at Rolls-Royce, built a ramp so they could get into our house.

I have a younger brother, Gareth. We lived in a racially diverse area where everyone, including the Indian and Chinese communities, spoke with a Scottish accent. On my first trip to London, when I was 12, I remember my surprise that people were speaking with different accents.

Chance encounter