Heard

Heard is working towards a future where the media and popular culture are abundant with stories that move us towards a more equitable and sustainable world. They focus on the stories that reach audiences of millions, in media and popular culture – because these are the stories that shape how people understand the world and what they believe is possible.

Heard work with organisations, creatives, media and people with lived experience. They use research about how people make sense of stories, and work alongside those with lived experience, to help shape storytelling that is more impactful, engaging and authentic. Heard also shares its approaches and learning with other charities and communicators.

Heard has worked on areas including poverty, economic injustice, climate change, migration, domestic abuse, sexual violence, trans experiences and children’s palliative care. In altering the way that certain stories are communicated through the media and popular culture, they help change the narrative around complex issues and encourage a better understanding of historically misrepresented groups.

We have supported Heard since 2012, and in 2020 they were announced as one of the recipients of our Backbone Fund, recognising them as vital advocates for their communities and acknowledging their efforts to strengthen civil society. 

In 2011 Heard launched their project, ​‘All About Trans’, which aimed to improve media coverage of transgender people, strengthen transgender voices to engage with the media safely, and increase public support through introducing relatable pop culture representation. In 2022 PHF awarded a grant of £150,000 towards the growth of the project through their Youth Fund, enabling more young transgender people to have their voices heard. Nathalie McDermott, CEO of Heard, explained:

Heard’s work uses the latest communications research to create unique spaces where transgender young people, and those who make up their support systems, can have conversations with media professionals about the realities of their lives. Heard bring experience and expertise to host conversations in a way that is safe, supportive, productive and which benefits all participants. This leads to more informed and higher quality media content appearing in popular culture, which ultimately leads to better public understanding of the lives of young transgender people and their families.

Notably, this work has led to the introduction of three transgender characters on national TV shows (Emmerdale, EastEnders and Hollyoaks), bringing accurate portrayals of transgender people into millions of British homes each night. In 2024, Heard’s years of work collaborating with Emmerdale and trans actor Ash Palmisciano culminated in the soap broadcasting the first wedding of a transgender character. Other recent successes include the award-winning BBC Two sitcom Boy Meets Girl, work with Cosmopolitan on a feature about trans joy and supporting the British Board of Film Classification on a resource to accompany films about trans experiences. In 2022 All About Trans collaborated on I, Joan – a critically acclaimed production staged at The Globe, London. Their network of spokespeople have appeared across broadcast media, including on shows airing on the BBC, Talk Radio and LBC, and written comment pieces in The Guardian, Independent, Huck and Metro.