An NCTJ qualified former journalist, features editor and CIPR Professional Diploma qualified, Becki has over 20 years experience and combines a sharp sense for newsworthy stories with excellent writing, communication and leadership skills and understanding of the media landscape. At Social she heads up the Manchester office and is a key leader providing strategic counsel, PR and media relations campaign strategy and managing client relationships for several high-profile clients including The Growth Company and GC Business Growth Hub. Becki started her career as a regional newspaper journalist working for Newsquest titles in Basingstoke and Winchester before moving to Trinity Mirror’s Reading Chronicle, where she went on to become the features editor – a post she held for just over two years before her move into PR.

Speak to me about… Strategic PR, crisis management & media relations.

James is a trained journalist and content marketer with 20 years’ experience. His writing is informed by strong research skills and a background that also covers communications and digital marketing. He is a Mental Health champion at Social, and has also used his volunteering time to provide counselling services with charities who work with cancer patients, homeless people and asylum seekers.

Speak to me about… Writing.

Sydnee joined us in the summer of 2024 as an intern through the Taylor Bennet Foundation, a charity that exists to increase BAME representation in the PR and communications sector. With a degree in History and Politics, Sydnee has a particular interest in popular culture, social history and current affairs. She provides general communications support including copywriting, issuing news releases, media relations as well as social media content creation and website management.

Speak to me about… copywriting and social media.

Beth has almost five years of communications expertise, working primarily within the built environment, education. heritage and placemaking sectors. She has a strong media relations background, having consistently delivered quality coverage for clients in a number of national and regional trade and news outlets.

With an MA in Postcolonial Literature and Culture, Beth is a strong written communicator and enjoys working closely with clients to create engaging thought leadership that aligns with their vision and values.

Speak to me about… Copywriting, media relations & project management.

John is a versatile communicator and has had 25 years’ experience of working with some of the biggest names in the UK. He set up Social in a back office in Sale ten years ago with no income, no clients and no experience of running a business.

John has lived the highs and lows of running a business. A passionate energetic entrepreneur, he has grown Social to a national agency that is a that is a Certified B Corp.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, John is committed to running Social as a purpose-driven business that is a force for good for clients, colleagues, suppliers, society and the planet. He was named ‘City Region Business Leader of the Year 2021 by the BusinessDesk.com, recognising him for leading with kindness and empathy.

John is passionate about the built environment and placemaking agenda, having led major consultations across the UK, including Harlow with Places for People and at East Wick and Sweetwater for the Olympic Park development.

He is committed to helping people to succeed, particularly in the communities where he is working on behalf of his clients.

John has managed the media for a range of organisations including central government, local authorities, major retailers; private developers and housing associations. He is an expert at hearts and minds communications strategies, a flexible strategist consulting from pub to parliament.

Matt joined Social in 2025. Prior to this, he was head of communications and marketing at West Kent Housing Association, where he led an integrated team to deliver multi-year strategies and campaigns, this included a focus on the cost of living, damp and mould and resident engagement. Matt has a background in strategic communications, PR, marketing and engagement and has previously worked as a communications and engagement manager at the London Borough of Sutton, where he led communications and engagement activities across public health and wellbeing, social care, education and Sutton Housing Partnership. His 12-year career has spanned across the charity and public sector. Matt has a background in journalism and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the UK Black Comms Network.

Speak to me about… crisis communications, strategic communications and engagement and PR.

After completing a specialised training programme with Channel 4, Anna joined Social through a placement opportunity and became an Account Executive in 2024. This follows her studies in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Leeds, and her subsequent MA in Film. Anna draws on her creative background and love for writing within her work at Social, as well as a strong drive for social mobility within much of her internal and external endeavours.

Speak to me about… Film, content creation & creative writing

Ben is an award-winning journalist dubbed a ‘digital superman’ with 25 years in journalism and PR.
He was appointed as the Liverpool ECHO and Trinity Mirror’s (now Reach PLC) first ever breaking news editor in 2013 – with the onus on interacting and engaging with the online audience.

He was an education reporter in the North West for more than eight years and is an expert in turning complex and jargon heavy information into clear copy.

As a former journalist and editor, he has a strong sense of what makes a good story with a track record of creating digital content that maximises reach and engagement. Able to create compelling, accessible copy about technical subjects. Since joining Social Ben looks after a diverse range of clients including the University of Liverpool, First Choice Homes Oldham, Liverpool Waters, Enterprise Cheshire + Warrington, Fusion21 and Marketing Southport.

Speak to me about… Digital PR.

Following her journalism studies at the University of Leeds, Yasmine dived straight into the PR world gaining experience in both B2B and B2C agencies, recently joining Social in January 2024.

She has a passion for delivering engaging and informative copywriting to suit different clients’ needs and desires, as well as gaining further experience in events’ management and social media engagement.

Speak to me about… PR, social media & events.

Racheal has extensive experience of strategic communications and stakeholder engagement for clients across a broad range of sectors, combined with a forensic knowledge of local and regional government.  

Prior to joining Social, Racheal spent 15 years working in both communications and policy roles within local and combined authorities and LEPs. She was Head of Communications and Engagement at WYCA and the Leeds City Region LEP, where she provided leadership to develop communications and stakeholder engagement strategies. Racheal advised regional politicians through the sensitive devolution negotiations that ultimately secured the West Yorkshire mayoral devolution deal. 

Speak to me about… Strategic communications.

Sophie is the Finance Director at Social, an ACCA qualified accountant and proud Mancunian with extensive finance experience and strategic vision gleaned from working with some of Greater Manchester’s most recognised organisations.

Sophie enjoys working for companies that have a social conscience and that are looking to make a positive difference. Previously working on the accounts for Manchester Pride in support of raising funds for the LGBTQIA+ community. Also supporting on the production of the Light Brigade beer which donated to the charity, Help For Heroes, whilst at Robinsons Brewery.

A highlight for Sophie at Social has been achieving B Corp accreditation, a recognition of the high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Speak to me about… Accounting, finance & B Corp certification.

Luke began in broadcast working on productions such as You’ve Been Framed, Jeremy Kyle and Britain’s Got Talent among others. Since transitioning agency side he has worked with major public sector,

retail and sporting organisations such as PlayStation, New Balance, Asda, National Lottery and UK Sport. These campaigns ranged from small reactive content to multi-million pound campaigns.

With over ten years of experience within the creative industry Luke is a versatile practitioner across video, photography and animation.

Speak to me about… Video production, photography & animation.

Margaret heads up Social’s business development team and is pivotal in implementing strategic business development plans. As a long-serving member of the team, she is often first call for what work we have done, who it was for and when we did it. As a champion of social value, Margaret promotes volunteering opportunities to our team and is a co-chair of B Local Manchester. She takes part in panel discussions and is passionate about the benefits of purpose-led business.

Speak to me about… B Corp certification, purpose-led business & business development.

Nishall is an award-winning community volunteer and advocate. He is incredibly passionate about helping and improving the community of Harlow (Essex).

Nishall ‘officially’ started his community advocacy when he was first elected as a Youth Councillor at the age of 13. Amongst his many achivements are recent positions of Founder & Coordinator of #BigUpHarlow, Trustee of Rainbow Services (Harlow), and President of Harlow Hindu Society.

He has also been recognised with the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award, a British Citizen Award and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of East Anglia (UEA) for his contributions to the community. Nishall is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (The RSA).

At Social, Nishall specialises in impact & ESG communications. He supports purpose-driven organisations and investors to tell their stories and define and amplify their positive social and environmental impact credibly.

Speak to me about… digital marketing, ESG & communications.

Lucy’s career has taken her across the country. Having moved from London to the North 7 years ago, Lucy’s experience spans the luxury lifestyle and events sectors and in recent years she’s honed her knowledge within property and infrastructure.

As one of the longest serving members of the Social team, Lucy knows the company inside out and is responsible for overseeing operations and people. Passionate about culture and all things HR. Lucy is also one of Social’s mental health first aiders.

Speak to me about… HR, culture & operations.

Sairah joined Social through the Taylor Bennett Foundation, a charity that supports students and graduates from ethnic minorities into the PR & communications industry. At Social, her responsibilities include producing compelling social media content, drafting and issuing press releases and creating comprehensive media lists.

Speak to me about: PR, social media content creation and writing.

Sami plays a crucial role in the Social’s public consultation expertise, driving forward client relations and delivering public consultations. Along with this, Sami is assisting with Social’s political engagements as part of client and wider work.

Prior to joining Social, Sami spent 3 years working in the Scottish Parliament as a staffer for two Members of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Labour Party. Through this work, he worked in both the constituency office and parliamentary office to deliver for the constituents. He also supported the research and writing of national policy, along with drafting parliamentary questions and statements for the members of the Scottish Parliament.

He studied History at an undergraduate level at Manchester Metropolitan University, before completing a History MSc at the University of Edinburgh.

Speak to me about… Politics (national and regional), public relations and affairs, and public consultation.

Annalyce is Account Director at Social, working closely with her team and clients to help deliver work which has a positive social impact.

With a degree in Conflict Resolution and Public Relations, Annalyce is a strong communicator with a passion for history and storytelling.

Prior to joining Social, Annalyce worked in the corporate team of a communications agency in New Zealand. She has experience across a broad range of sectors, including financial services, sustainability, housing technology, insurance, aged-care, agriculture, travel and food retail, working with a mix of not-for-profits, listed and corporate clients.

Speak to me about… Media relations, copywriting & ESG.

Yaéms is a multidisciplinary designer with a strong track record across digital, print, brand and web. With experience gained at agencies and as a freelance creative consultant, Yaéms has delivered impactful design work for clients across a range of sectors, with a particular focus on the built environment.

Before joining Social, Yaéms worked with organisations from startups to established brands, developing cohesive visual identities and clear, effective communications. He also spent time as an Assistant Graphic Design Teacher at Manchester Metropolitan University, supporting the next generation of creatives.

Yaéms specialises in brand design and strategy, bringing a considered and collaborative approach to every project. From visual identity systems to campaign creative, he helps clients express who they are with thoughtful design, consistency and purpose.

Speak to me about… Brand, print & digital.

Salma is a strategic PR practitioner with more than 16 years’ experience of working in communications and has a strong background in proactive PR, media relations, crisis communications and reputation management. She currently works on Social’s accounts with Incommunities, Marketing Southport, and GM Business Growth Hub.

She joined Social from Bolton Council, where she managed the press office. Salma has an eagle eye on the national and regional news agenda. She regularly researches and secures comment opportunities and forward features for clients through composing relevant and insightful commentary. Salma is an expert at building relationships with journalists and leading on media activity for clients, on often challenging and complex matters.

Salma is also experienced at creating multi-platform content and works closely with clients to generate maximum impact. In her previous role at Bolton Council, Salma provided communications advice to the chief executive, directors, assistant directors, council leader and cabinet members.

Speak to me about… Strategy, PR & social housing.

Jack is a former journalist and has won a number of awards for his work. He is particularly proud of a TV news feature he produced in 2017 looking at homophobia in professional football. Jack has a passion for purposeful communications and making a real difference to communities. He presents a weekly radio show on the LGBT station Glitterbeam and is an advocate for people affected by the skin condition, psoriasis.

Speak to me about… PR, content & purpose-driven communications.

With over seven years of experience in communications across the public and third sector, Mike is passionate about uniting communities around common goals. His background in social housing and environmental projects has focused on putting local voices at the heart of regeneration – championing their stories and giving them a platform to be heard.

At Social, Mike is a key member of our growing consultation team, delivering meaningful engagement and consultation for clients across the country to help their projects create lasting, positive change within the community.

Speak to me about… Consultation, storytelling & community engagement.