AN Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist is the latest star to through their weight behind ending homelessness as the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity newest ambassador.
Manchester born and bred Diane Edwards Modahl aims to bring her passion for community and resilience to her new role to amplify the charity’s work of ending homelessness across the city region.
Co-founder of the Diane Modahl Sports Foundation (now Stride UK), the athlete wants to champion sport and bring it to the forefront of her role.
“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.” she said.
“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.”
Diane’s journey with the charity started in its infancy. She helped form the foundations of its governance, ensuring the right structures were in place to support the mayor’s ambition to end rough sleeping. Now, as an ambassador, her focus shifts to putting a spotlight on the charity’s achievements and encouraging more people to support the cause.
“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,” said Diane.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist Olympic medallist’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.”
Whilst recognising the major strides the charity has made to tackle homelessness in the city, Diane also realises the challenge of breaking down the stereotypes around homelessness that still exist in society.
“There is a certain stereotype when it comes to homelessness and a misconception that it ‘won’t happen to someone like me’ but we are all just one street or one road away from it. It can happen through a multitude of reasons, from a relationship breakdown, loss of job, a divorce, it could be any number of reasons why.
“It’s important we tell that story. It could be people with no recourse to public funds, it’s our job really to understand the layers that have led to people being homeless. The challenge for sure is to start breaking down those stereotypes that we all fall into now and again. So that’s why the charity is great for starting that conversation.”
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.”
