Earlier this year, Bristol Surf Cinema launched its very first event – a night dedicated to celebrating surf storytelling on the big screen. What started as a small, DIY project to bring people together around meaningful surf films quickly grew into something bigger, with almost 250 people buying for the inaugural screening in April.
The idea was simple: create a space to showcase surf films that go beyond the highlight reels, beyond the big brand edits – stories that dig into the social, political, and environmental threads woven through surf culture.
As a camera assistant working in film and TV and a lifelong surfer, I (Theo) set out to build something that connected those two worlds. In a time when the industry was unusually quiet, Bristol Surf Cinema gave me a creative project to get stuck into and a chance to pour energy into something that mattered. It was also a way to genuinely support filmmakers, every film we screen is fully licensed and paid for, and £1 from every ticket is donated to The Wave Project to help fund surf therapy for young people in the UK.
But perhaps what stood out most from the first event was how the Bristol surf community (and the wider ocean-loving crowd) showed up. Feedback from the night wasn’t just about the films, it was about the feeling in the room. People supported the event and made it clear they would like to see more. They wanted a space where all surf stories could be told, with better representation, better balance, and an even stronger connection to the community.
That’s where our second event comes in. On Saturday 12th July at Watershed Bristol, Bristol Surf Cinema returns with a matinee screening of Point of Change, a powerful documentary by acclaimed director Rebecca Coley. The film tells the story of Nias, Indonesia – a surf paradise that was ‘discovered’ in the 1970s and the environmental and cultural impact that unfolded for the local community as surf tourism in that area grew.
It’s a film that makes you think about the consequences of surf tourism — and we’re lucky to have Rebecca joining us on the day for a Q&A to explore those themes in more depth. Rebecca will be answering questions on her filmmaking process, handling delicate themes within documentary and the impact of tourism on the earth and native communities.
Alongside the feature, we’ll also be screening two UK-made short films:
Surfaced by Paul Stevenson, telling the story of Nick Corkill’s journey through addiction and mental health, and the grounding role that surfing and photography play in that journey.
Seb: A Surf Therapy Journey by Matilda Thompson, a beautifully observed short following a young surfer with ADHD and autism as he experiences surf therapy with The Wave Project Bristol.
For those who can’t make the main event, we’ll also be running a catch-up screening on Wednesday 16th July — same films, just without the Q&A.
Both events will offer the opportunity for networking and drinks at the Watershed bar after the event so you can minglew with like-minded film or ocean enthusiasts.
Bristol Surf Cinema was never meant to be a one-off. The ambition is to keep this platform going – to continue curating thoughtful, story-first surf films and to keep building a space where filmmakers feel supported and audiences feel connected.
Looking ahead, there are exciting plans for a national tour to bring these kinds of surf screenings to other UK cities and coastal towns. The vision is to grow Bristol Surf Cinema into a national platform, while always staying true to the ethos: supporting independent surf filmmaking, elevating underrepresented voices, and creating community-led spaces where ocean & surf centred stories, of all kinds, can be seen, heard, and shared.
Want to come along?
Tickets for the July screenings are available now via the Watershed website: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13320/bristol-surf-cinema-point-of-change
To stay up to date with future screenings or to get involved, follow @bristolsurfcinema on Instagram.
Bristol-made podcast, High Notes, returns on Monday 30th June, as it continues conversations around the art and business of voice, featuring the voice actors, directors and creatives who make it all happen.
Host Melissa Thom brings insightful conversations, illuminating perspectives and plenty of behind the scenes moments from the worlds of gaming and animation.
With six new episodes dropping every week, each lasting around thirty minutes, the podcast shines a light on the world of voice acting, for anyone who is already working in, hoping to break into, or simply fascinated by the business. The new series features professionals working in high level casting, voice acting and directing across AAA games.
Melissa Thom is an acclaimed voice actor with decades of experience voicing projects including Grand Theft Auto V for Rockstar Games, Elder Scrolls for Zenimax, LL COOL J, Google, Amazon, Nike and many more.
Melissa is also the Founder and CEO of BRAVA, and has trained thousands of people in voice from the UK and beyond – from rappers and reverends to ad creatives and countesses.
The first episode of the new season kicks off with a conversation with Kate Hansen-Birnbaum, Casting Director at Pixar, whose credits include animated films including Inside Out 2, Soul, Elemental and Luca.
Kate shares her unconventional path into casting, which began at a San Francisco talent agency under the mentorship of seasoned actors. She offers a rare look inside Pixar’s intricate casting process, highlighting the value placed on authenticity, natural vocal tone and the ability to truly inspire the animation team. The conversation touches on Pixar’s commitment to diverse and inclusive casting, including their practice of anonymised auditions to help reduce unconscious bias.
The full line up of episodes and release dates are as follows:
30/06/2025 – The Magic of Pixar: Voice Casting with Kate Hansen-Birnbaum
Kate brings memorable stories from her career – particularly the joy of working on Elemental – and shares thoughtful advice for aspiring voice actors.
07/07/2025 – Vocal Shapeshifting: Acting for Video Games with Andrew Whieldon Dennis
Andrew reflects on his expansive career as a voice actor in the videogame industry, from indie projects to AAA blockbusters.
14/07/2025 – Inside Aardman: Bringing Clay to Life – Characters, Voice & Performance with Merlin Crossingham, Creative Director for Wallace and Gromit at Aardman Animations
Merlin shares some surprising stories from his childhood that led him onto a very specific career path in animation, as well as thoughts on the timeless appeal of Wallace and Gromit.
21/07/2025 – Casting for Mocap, Games & Animation with Jessica Jefferies
Melissa sits down with Jessica Jefferies, a casting director who specialises in motion and performance capture for video games.
28/07/2025 – Directing Performance for Epic Games with Tom Keegan
Melissa talks to Tom Keegan, an acclaimed performance director behind major AAA titles such as Jedi: Fallen Order, Wolfenstein, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and more.
04/08/2025 – Bob Bergen: The voice behind Star Wars, Spirited Away and Looney Tunes
Melissa is joined by five-time Emmy-nominated voice actor Bob Bergen, best known as the voice of Porky Pig – a role he’s brought to life for over 30 years.
Melissa Thom, High Notes’ host, said: “This season we’ll be lifting the curtain to reveal the reality of working within gaming and animation. Some key players in the business have shared their perspectives and experience to help the next generation of voice acting talent to break through. The voice acting world can seem like a mysterious closed shop, but the aim of High Notes is to demystify and remove barriers for those who would love to know more about this fascinating business.”
High Notes can be found at www.brava.uk.com/podcast and on all major podcast platforms.
Season 3 will be released later in 2025 and will focus on BRAVA Business and its corporate offering – how professionals can use their voice for impactful communication in the workplace and beyond.
The much anticipated creative industries sector plan has been published by the government.
With the creative industries one of the key sectors of focus in the government’s industrial strategy and the West of England one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries, there is much of interest in the plan to creative businesses in our region.
Here’s a round-up of what’s in the creative industries sector plan:
Bristol and the wider region is mentioned several times in the plan. That includes a reference to Bristol as a “strong regional creative hub” and home to “cutting-edge createch“. It also references the BBC Studio’s Natural History Unit in Bristol which it says “has led to the region being known as ‘Green Hollywood'” which “not only boosts the region’s economy but also adds vital social value”.
A map of the creative industries in different regions has this for the West of England, with references to Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Aardman Animations.
The West of England is one of six areas getting a share of £150m to “design interventions that work for the creative businesses and freelancers in their region” as part of the new Creative Places Growth Fund. The government said this could include providing access to mentors, expert guidance, and connections to suitable investors.
The other areas are Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire.
The fund will also support the development of a West of England-South Wales Creative Corridor.
Highlighting the West of England, the plan said the region is the UK’s third-largest production hub, a global centre for natural history filmmaking, and film tourism. It also referenced the region as being home to the the BBC as well as Bristol Creative Industries members Channel 4, The Bottle Yard Studios, and Oscar-winning Aardman Animations.
Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said:
“I promised to work with the government and invest in the West. To have our creative industries recognised with this funding is a real vote of confidence in our region. People are drawn here from all over the world, whether it’s for our balloons and street art or the city so historic that UNESCO listed it twice. Creativity in the West knows few limits – or equals.
“Culture is part of who we are, whether it’s Oscar-collecting Aardman Animations or treble-winning Bath Rugby. It’s also a big part of the West of England’s economy, and it’s growing. Now we can invest in the future through the Industrial Strategy: helping businesses to grow, bringing through the next generation of creatives, and driving economic growth.”
The British Business Bank (BBB) will “significantly increase” support for UK creative businesses with debt and equity finance. It will be provided with £4 billion of Industrial Strategy Growth Capital to support investment and growth in the Industrial Strategy eight key sectors which includes the creative industries.
The British Business Bank will also launch a ‘Cluster Champion’ programme, with ‘Champions’ with deep expertise and local knowledge to support investment in 10 city regions, including the West of England.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will “significantly increase” public funding for the creative industries, including support for commercialisation and technology adoption.
A £100m UKRI investment will “support the ambitious next wove of R&D creative clusters in new sub-sectors and locations throughout the UK”.
UKRI will publish a new creative industries R&D strategy later in 2025, enhance and streamline the funding support journey through Innovate UK, and support access to Horizon Europe funding.
The government wil investigate specific measuresto tackle barriers to lending to IP-rich SMEs in the creative industries.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will fund the £25m Creative Futures programme to add five new CoSTAR R&D labs and two showcase spaces across the UK.
HM Revenue & Customs will publish revised guidance for the R&D tax reliefs. It will clarify that “where a project in the creative sector seeks an advance in science or technology, arts activities that directly contribute to the advance by resolving scientific or technological uncertainties are within the definition of R&D for the reliefs, and their qualifying costs, such as salaries, can qualify for relief”.
The guidance will be published in 2025 and will clarify that eligible interdisciplinary innovation can be supported by R&D tax relief.
Protection of copyright in the AI age has been a conversial issue in the creative industries. The government said it “will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. It said is analysing responses to the consultation on delivering a copyright and Al framework and “recognises the need for this to be done properly and carefully in a considered, measured and reasoned way, to develop any future proposals”.
The government will establish a Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to be “a trusted marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets”.
An independent review will be published in the autumn which “seeks to deliver a curriculum that readies young people for life and work, Including in creative subjects and skills”.
The government will launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education in England in September 2026.
A new UK-wide £9m creative careers service will be launched “to equip the next generation of young people withthe ambition and knowledge to work in the creative industries”.
The government will launch a new DCMS and Skills England led Creative Sector Skills Forum and the Digital Skills Council, an industry-led advisory body.
DCMS, Department for Education and Skills England will work with industry to support increased access to quality specialist creative education provision acrossEngland to strengthen the supply of highly trained creative students.
The government will refine and develop the growth and skills offer to deliver apprenticeships and skills training that recognises the particular needs of the creative industries.
The government will allocate £132.5 million to increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities, including in arts and culture, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.
UKRI will provide resources and support for technology adoption, as well as an online directory of facilities across the UK where creative businesses can access cutting-edge technology.
Creative UK will work with chief technology officers from the sector and other technology leaders to identify next steps to accelerate the adoption of responsible AI.
The government will upskill creative businesses on security through guidance from the National Protective Security Authority and National Cyber Security Centre .
The government will appoint a creative freelance champion, to advocate for the sector’s creative freelancers within government and be a member of the Creative Industries Council.
The Department for Business and Trade will increase funding to facilitate meetings and showcasing at major creative trade shows and events, including South by Southwest, Cannes Lions, Game Developers Conference and International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo.
DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme for emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week showcases and business mentoring.
The government said createch will be a central part of UKRl’s new strategy for the creative industries launching later this year. UKRI will bring together stakeholders to tackle barriers and accelerate createch growth, reporting to DCMS and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) ministers with recommendations by the end of 2025.
Describing createch, the plan says:
“Createch combines creative innovation and cutting-edge technology to generate novel products, services and experiences. Createch businesses have the same growth potential as other technology firms and are expected to generate £18 billion in gross value added (GVA) and 160,000 jobs over the next decade.
“They are found in every creative sub-sector, with an estimated 13,800 creative businesses leveraging technologies including robotics, engineering biology, and XR. 3D printing has revolutionised sustainable fashion, AI is reshaping video games and performing arts, and gaming technologies are used in mental health therapeutics, aeronautics and engineering.”
A new £75m Screen Growth package over three years to develop independent UK screen content, support inward investment, and showcase the UK and International film. It includes a scaled-up £18m per year UK Global Screen Fund from 2026-2029 to develop international business capabilities, enable co-productions and distribute independent UK screen content.
The government will provide £10m to expand the National Film and Television School. It said the investment will unlock £11m of private investment, including from the Walt Disney Company, the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation, and Sky.
The government will scale up the BFI Film Academy to support 16-25 year olds from underrepresented backgrounds to enter the film industry.
New funding of £30m will be launched to suport start-up games studios and talent.
The UK Games Fund (UKGF) will be enhanced by providing support for new UK titles and skills over 2026-29 attracting match-funding for every supported project.
A new UK Video Games Council of industry representatives will work with the government and the Creative Industries Council to support growth of the video games sector.
Up to £30m in funding over the next three years will be launched with the aim of helping more UK emerging artists break through on a domestic and international stage.
A new ticket levy on arena and stadium gigs will deliver up to £20m annually through the LIVE Trust, with the aim of bolstering the UK’s grassroots music sector, supporting artists, venues, festivals and promoters.
The goverment said it is “working towards an industry-led agreement on music streaming, which will boost earnings for creators.
Ad tech businesses will be supported with accelerator programmes, to upskill founders towards International expansion and connect them with key investors.
The government will launch the BBC Charter to “ensure the BBC is empowered to continue to deliver a vital public service funded in a sustainable way, delivering a BBC that can maintain the trust and support of the public in difficult times, support the wider ecosystem, and that isset up to drive growth in every part of the United Kingdom”.
The government will ask the CMA and Ofcom to set out how changes in the sector – such as the convergence of broadcast, on-demand and video sharing – could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of television and advertising markets. This would include when considering any potential closer, strategic partnerships or possible consolidation between broadcasters which may benefit their financial sustainability and audiences.
On 6th June, our Performing Arts students came together to perform Echoes of the Stage at The Playhouse Theatre, an original production that incorporated a range of legendary musicals theatre numbers from existing Broadway and West End shows across different eras.
In this production, time had been shattered in a forgotten theatre and, in order to restore time and revive the theatre, six dreamers were summoned by the Clockmaker to journey through legendary musicals such as The Great Gatsby, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Cabaret, Les Misérables, and many more to piece time back together.
The students from Level 2 and 3 Performing Arts worked together throughout the 12 weeks of rehearsals to create this incredible show! They worked extremely hard on learning the choreography, songs and scenes, as well as developing new roles, characters and embracing this new and exciting original production.
Throughout this production, students stepped out of their comfort zones and became more adaptable in a range of roles, characters and responsibilities. They developed their confidence on stage and perfected their techniques in a professional, real-life theatre environment which was excellent practice for future industry experience.
The production celebrated a range of musicals throughout history, seeing the development of different songs and dances over time. This was a great way for the students to experience the progression of Musical Theatre and the impact these popular productions have had on today’s industry.
The students took on a range of production roles to give them the opportunity to develop their skills, increase their employability, and provide them with a more holistic understanding of the theatre industry and its current requirements. This provides them with a variety of transferrable skills to give them a broader knowledge base, from helping with lights and sound, to assisting with the Marketing of the production.
Not only this, Echoes of the Stage was also a celebration of inclusion and support, with all students getting the chance to sing, dance and act in the role that they desired. It was a fantastic way for everyone to flex their creativity and, due to the variety of musicals included, get the chance to be front and centre. They got to experience multiple quick changes and practice a range of different dances from across the decades.
Witnessing the teamwork, collaboration and professionalism from all the students was fantastic. They successfully learnt and executed this production in a short amount of time and seamlessly adapted to the new approach of this musical. It was very different from anything Weston College Performing Arts had done before as it was an original concept and script written by the team.
Joe Miller, one of our Performing Arts lecturers at Weston College, expressed how proud he was of the learners, saying, “The learners were stretched and challenged throughout the 12-week process, developing their skills in dance, acting, singing, planning, problem solving and performance, to name but a few!”
“The final show in The Playhouse was a huge success and we are incredibly proud of the work our learners have achieved. The feedback and reviews about the production were amazing, saying how inclusive our show was, how professional it was and, above all, how incredibly entertaining they found it! Here’s to next year’s show!”
This original production was created by the Performing Arts lecturers, Joe Miller, Lisa Frost, and Fiona Philp, who worked hard to choreograph and direct this unique and uplifting musical. It wouldn’t have been possible without their hard work and dedication, and with the collaboration of the students, this production was a celebration of all things Musical Theatre.
Well done to all the students who performed and helped, your efforts didn’t go unnoticed!
If you are interested in applying to one of our Performance and Production courses, click here.
This performance forms part of the Performing Arts and Production Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College’s Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners’ careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.
Written by Theo Locke, this article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.
We spoke with Alistair Paul, Director at Bright, a creative event production company specialising in employee engagement. With a focus on people and planet, Bright is now a certified B Corp, using events as a force for good.
Here, he shares their journey to certification, how the B Corp framework aligns with their values, and what it means for their team, clients, and the wider industry.
Bright is an event production & management company with a specialisation in internal and employee engagement events. We think differently about events, developing creative and insight-driven event solutions that tick all the boxes; on brand, on time and on budget. You can find out more about our approach on Bright’s website.
I found out about B Corp after seeing some other companies getting accredited, and so out of curiosity looked into what it was all about. Once I did, it was a no-brainer as the B Corp principles aligned with our values as a business and the ways we were already working.
For me it’s less that being a B Corp has changed what we do at Bright, but more it gives us the stamp of legitimacy to find other likeminded organisations and keep us on the right track. It also give our clients the confidence that they are working with a company that understands the impact events can have both on people and the planet.
The process was great, and to be honest I wish it had been around when Bright was set up because it really is a template for how businesses should be run if they want to build with purpose.
Being able to take it bit by bit rather than all in one go allowed us to work through our accreditation while also managing client projects, but I can’t stress the importance of having an internal champion. Someone who will take the lead and make sure it all gets done – for us that was the amazing Beth Simmons and I’m so grateful!
Internally, it’s something to unite with a clear vision and structure so that the team can be proud of where they work.
Before our B Corp journey we were already members of isla and Corporate Charity Partners for Caring in Bristol so we were already thinking about our impact socially & environmentally. The main internal change however is that being a B Corp means that we’re committed to measuring and reporting on this impact, so that we can continue to improve as we grow.
Externally, it allows us to advocate for a fairer and more sustainable events industry, and hopefully find and attract like minded partners at every part of the event production process from suppliers and venues to clients themselves.
Written by Chris Naswari this article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.
We speak with Heather Hepburn, Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner, where she’s spent the past five years embedding inclusive design across one of the world’s leading travel platforms.
In this conversation, she shares her journey into accessibility, practical ways to design more inclusively, and how the Champions of Accessibility Network is helping drive change across the industry.
Hey, I’m Heather Hepburn, Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner. For those of you who don’t know Skyscanner, we’re an online global travel brand. We find great flights, hotels, and cars for our travellers. We translate our services into 37 different languages. We have over 10 million travellers a month who use us.
I run the accessibility programme and I’ve been doing that for five years. Internally, my responsibilities include creating the accessibility strategy for the business, planning our work and roadmaps, raising awareness and understanding of accessibility and disability inclusion, running our champions network, and building accessibility into our processes. I also advocate for accessibility externally, working with our airline and online travel agent partners, and speaking at various events. I also co-run the Champions of Accessibility Network (CAN) with Gareth Ford Williams and Charlie Turrell.
When I started at Skyscanner, I joined as a content designer. During my interview process, I was asked to do a UX critique of the Skyscanner app, and that’s when I realized how inaccessible it was. I had some knowledge from my previous job at RBS, where we considered accessibility when designing our products, but not loads. I ended up writing a job description for myself to start an accessibility programme at Skyscanner, and that’s how it all started. I’ve learned an awful lot in the last five years!
It really does. One of the biggest things in accessibility is making your content easy to understand. The role of a content designer carries significant accessibility responsibilities. If you’re writing visible content, you should also write any hidden content for screen readers at the same time and in the same tone of voice, so inclusion has always been something I’ve had to consider. The content design team at Skyscanner is now heavily involved in accessibility as well and help keep the rest of the designers in check, which is great.
Super important – it is my work. Every project or conversation I have is about improving accessibility, mainly in our traveller-facing products like our websites and apps. I also speak to our brand marketing teams about making their output accessible. We’re a team of two in a large company, so we have to shout loudly and often. We talk at town halls, other teams’ meetings, and have one-to-one conversations with designers and developers all the time. These range from getting people on board with accessibility to reviewing work and helping make elements or features more accessible.
Skyscanner runs global induction sessions for new staff every two months, which now include an empathy lab where we simulate different disabilities and get participants to carry out simple tasks. Empathy labs can be controversial, as the best way to understand disability is by speaking to someone with lived experience, so we do caveat these sessions very strongly that they are just simulations. However, they are easy to set up and can be repeated, and they start great conversations to get people thinking differently. So many people say things like “I’d never considered how someone might use a phone if they can’t see” and those conversations and considerations are so important to making them think in an inclusive way. It’s a great start for our new staff to then go on to learn how to create accessible products for our travellers, or how to be more inclusive with the way they communicate internally.
Our efforts to promote inclusive design begins with training product and content designers and we’re always looking to improve on what training we provide.
In addition to our accessibility training courses, we run hands-on workshops, including screen reader workshops with Adi Latif, an accessibility consultant who uses a screen reader himself. We’re also striving to implement accessibility practices into design processes by default. User testing is important, and we try to get designers to talk to disabled users early and are also trying to promote more co-designing with disabled users.
We also do what we can to ensure accessibility is considered as early as possible in the concept and design process, so we try to make this as easy as possible for our designers. We’ve introduced an accessibility checklist, as well as a semi-automated accessibility annotations tool called Include, which is eBay’s open-source toolkit. On top of this, we have weekly drop-in sessions for designers to ask questions and review their work with us.
There are plenty of challenges to this. Designers have a lot to think about and so we need to make accessibility feel like something they want to do rather than extra work to get buy-in from them. And accessibility is difficult! There are so many elements to it, and while it’s easy to start making positive changes, it’s hard to consider everything and be very good at it. That’s why we’re always looking to upskill and make the improvements we can.
It’s very, very hard to make things perfect, but considering these three areas will help designers make something great. It’s so much easier to do things right from the start than to fix them later.
I heard Gareth Ford Williams and Charlie Turrell, both ex-BBC, were thinking about starting a champions network, so I got in touch and asked if I could help. We had a steering committee with big names in accessibility which was exciting – I was pinching myself about actually being there! After initial work with them to set the direction, Gareth, Charlie and I got CAN up and running.
It started a couple of years ago as a LinkedIn group. It’s a network for anyone involved in accessibility, with over 2000 members from various sectors, from accessibility specialists, to designers, to developers, and everyone in between. The idea of the group is that it’s a safe space for support and advice, with such a wealth of experience amongst our members to provide guidance. We run monthly online meetups and some face-to-face meetups on topics ranging from accessibility strategy or the European Accessibility Act to setting up your own accessibility champions networks or burnout in the industry.
It’s a very supportive, collaborative group which anyone can join. A great part of the online meetups are the breakout rooms at the end for people to connect – it’s a lovely way to network with others who care about accessibility. So that’s what we’re trying to do – get people together, share all the wins and the struggles, and learn from each other. It’s just such a positive group of people. We absolutely love running it and feel very honoured to do that.
Accessible Design Resources
Following the insightful recommendations from our Design For All participants, we’ve curated an extensive collection of tools, guides, articles, books, blogs, and videos. This resource is specifically designed to support accessibility and inclusion specialists at every stage of their journey.
View Accessible Design Resources
Written by Chris Naswari this article has previously appeared on the ADLIB Blog.
In this article, we chat with Matt Thomas, Design and User Experience Manager at Motability Operations. With over a decade at the organisation, Matt shares how he and his team are embedding inclusive design across a range of internal and B2B products, supporting over 800,000 people with limited mobility.
From weekly “Accessibility Surgeries” to department-wide learning, Matt gives a practical look into what it really takes to make accessibility a core part of how a business designs, builds and delivers.
My name is Matt Thomas, and I’m the Design and User Experience Manager at Motability Operations. We work in the Commercial Operations division. I lead a team which is responsible for design across a range of products, including our B2B commerce platform which sells vehicles to dealerships across the UK, and all the supporting products and services which our colleagues use that help make this happen.
I’ve been at Motability Operations for 11 years. Early on, I worked in internal communications and marketing before moving into design. Reflecting on my career, whether at MO or previous companies, I’ve always been focused on improving experiences, whether with software or physical services. I guess I’m just one of those people who believes there’s always a better way of doing things and I’m keen to explore new ideas.
Motability’s main customers are people with limited mobility or disabilities, and everything we do ultimately aims to improve the experience for them – it’s great to work in a role in such a purpose-driven environment. My team specifically work on products which are used by car dealers in the motor trade, and our colleagues we work with each day. Quite a broad range of users and needs!
It’s really important. We work for a company who help over 800,000 people access independent mobility. As a leader in the design and product space, inclusion must be core to what we do, and part of that is bringing other people on that journey to show them the value of inclusion as well. It’s also simply the right thing to do.
We design for accessibility as a core principle, not just for customers but internally for our colleagues too. It’s about embedding accessibility across the board into how we design and work.
I think of it on three levels: individual, team, and departmental.
At the individual level, I expect designers to be comfortable and confident with accessibility. I set that expectation and support them through providing one-on-one coaching, learning through others in the team, and other resources so they can embed that learning within their product teams. I want them to get excited by accessibility, and encourage them to bring interesting new accessibility things they to share with the rest of the team.
At the team level, we hold an “Accessibility Surgery” every week — a dedicated session with specific actions focused on accessibility. This can involve exploring new tools or resources, tackling a particular problem that someone from the product team is facing, or discussions around how to embed accessibility into a new feature or product. We also look at how the designers can work more closely with their colleagues in each of their product teams to help build their knowledge and transfer their accessibility knowledge to other disciplines.
At the departmental level, we share accessibility learnings during town halls and product days, which are days dedicated to working with all the product teams across the department. We’ve also hosted talks about inclusive design at internal tech conferences too, helping spread knowledge across the wider company. It’s really important not to just keep our learnings within the team, but to take those learnings and push them across the whole department and broader organisation.
One of the challenges is that while our team has chosen to go deep into understanding accessibility, other teams and disciplines haven’t always reached the same depth. When we suggest the changes needed to meet accessibility standards, it can sometimes seem like a lot of extra effort if they haven’t already got the knowledge in place. Sometimes that means it takes longer for teams to implement those changes, which might lead to accessibility being perceived as slowing down delivery and make it harder to get teams to make accessibility changes in future.
Again, thinking at those three levels:
· Individual: Dive in and learn all you can. There are so many resources online now that make it easy to learn a lot quickly. Early on in your inclusive design journey, looking for gaps where you can make a difference with small changes is great. Finding smaller, quick wins add up over time, and help you dive in and understand those things further.
· Team: Set up a recurring accessibility meeting like an Accessibility Surgery. There was a point where I just had one designer in my team, and I put it in the calendar at that stage, so we had that time, even if it was just an hour a week, dedicated to accessibility. Now, years on with a bigger team, it’s still in the calendar every week and makes sure we’re always thinking about how to design inclusively, makes sure we’re building knowledge and solving problems. Dedicating time weekly builds momentum and knowledge over time so I’d definitely recommend this.
· Department: Share your wins. If you make accessibility improvements to a feature or product, do a bit of a write-up to show the before and after, what difference it makes, and share these with managers or in broader meetings. People won’t know it’s happening unless you tell them about it, so it’s really important to show people the improvements you’re making to build that attention and understanding of accessibility.
Also, don’t wait to be asked. Start doing, start sharing — even small actions matter.
· Craig Abbott’s blog — particularly his guidance on the European Accessibility Act given that’s coming into effect so soon.
· Mobile app testing resources — like Andrew Hickory’s guidance on mobile app testing and an accessibility handbook by a Dutch company called Appt.org. Doing accessibility right on mobile can be really tricky, and a lot of issues that come up in our Accessibility Surgeries are on the mobile side of things, so it’s great to have
· Accessibility card deck because everyone loves card decks! This is a visually engaging resource that’s being improved over time, and is really easy to dip into and get to grips with accessibility.
· WCAG in Plain English – This is our new favourite accessible thing to share! Really nicely broken down and easy to understand and consume. It’s made it really easy to collaborate closer with our content and engineering colleagues around accessibility, too!
Accessibility is hard and there’s no quick fix. It’s not a case of just getting a list of things you need to do to make a website accessible and implementing them in one go – it’s regular, ongoing work. Even if you build a fancy design system with accessibility built in, that’s just to the level of the components. You still need to do accessibility testing once you put those jigsaw pieces together. A design system like this isn’t a replacement for an accessibility focussed mindset.
It’s a long and enduring commitment, but it’s the right thing to do, and there’s a great community out there to support you. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.
Accessible Design Resources
Following the insightful recommendations from our Design For All participants, we’ve curated an extensive collection of tools, guides, articles, books, blogs, and videos. This resource is specifically designed to support accessibility and inclusion specialists at every stage of their journey.
View Accessible Design Resources
Open to third-year design students in the South West and Wales, the South West Design + Digital Student Awards is an annual competition that champions commercial thinking in creative higher education.
Hosted by Bristol-based creative agency Proctor + Stevenson, the Awards have been inspiring students to make and submit exciting, commercially viable work since 1986.
With categories for Graphic Design, Digital Design, and Video & Motion Graphics (including 3D and CGI), these awards can really kick-start design careers.
Entries close on midnight on Friday 13th June 2025 so hurry and enter, or share this with any students you know who could be crowned the next Ultimate Creative Champion!
The South West Design + Digital Student Awards were launched by P+S founder Roger Proctor MBE as part of his ongoing campaign to tackle how institutions approach design education.
Previous winners include Charles Golding – Senior Creative at Hello Charlie (now a regular on the SWDDS Awards judging panel) and Emily Hawkins, who went on to start her career by winning an internship at P+S. The internship led on to a full-time position in the Proctors Studio back in 2022, and she is now Digital Designer at Inside Travel Group.
And the coveted paid design internship isn’t the only prize on offer. Students could win up to £2,000.
“Finalists of the SWDDS Awards join an elite group of graphic and digital designers, animators and film-makers, many of whom have gone on to become leaders of our industry.
“And that’s’ why the Awards are so special. They’re not just a celebration of outstanding creativity. They’re a genuine opportunity for the best talent in our region to begin their professional journeys.”
Ailsa Billington
Managing Director, Proctor + Stevenson
Finalists will be asked to present their work to a friendly panel of esteemed judges, including Bristol Creative Industries’ Membership Manager Alli Nicholas, before attending the awards ceremony.
Students, what are you waiting for? Find out more and enter now.
Bristol Creative Industries was delighted to be part of the Culture and Creative Industries Summit organised by the University of the West of England at Bristol Beacon. The event brought together people from cultural and creative businesses and organisations from across the region to discuss the government’s UK creative sector plan which will be published soon.
Officials from Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Sir Peter Bazalgette, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council which advises the government, set the scene including outlining how the West of England is one of the government’s priority areas for the creative industries.
A panel (Ben Shorrock from techSPARK, Charlotte Geeves from Bristol Old Vic, Fiona Matthews from Super Culture, and Nimesh Joshi from ITV News West Country, chaired by Annabel Smith from Centre for Progressive Policy) then discussed the key issues, before, grouped into tables, delegates discussed ideas for strengthening the economy in the west.
The conversations have been summarised into the brilliant list of ideas below. It has been shared with DCMS and West of England Combined Mayoral Authority.
Regional Production Fund and screen agency: Establish a dedicated fund and agency to match creative funding levels in other UK nations. Functions include soft money support, local employment stimulation, retention of post-production services, and enabling regional intellectual property (IP) ownership.
Addressing funding gaps: Ensure long-term, strategic investment to overcome inconsistencies and short-termism in current funding models.
Public-private partnerships: Promote and expand collaborative investment models, taking cues from Creative Wales. Encourage cross-sector funding initiatives.
Bristol Music Fund: Introduce a regionally managed fund sourced from a small percentage of ticket sales to bolster the music sector.
Creative tech investment: Develop a sustainable, large-scale funding pipeline for creative technology ventures beyond the pilot stage.
Cross-sector collaboration: Encourage stronger relationships among creative organisations, universities, local governments, and adjacent sectors.
Higher education partnerships: Foster collaborative projects between higher education institutions and the creative industries, overcoming resistance to commercial partnerships.
Shared data strategy: Develop coordinated, standardised data collection and impact measurement across the sector.
Creative cluster hub: Create a physical and strategic hub to promote connectivity, knowledge-sharing, and sector resilience.
Creative education reform: Advocate for more modular, skills-based learning at further and higher education levels, with links to primary/secondary outcomes.
Freelancer support: Fund paid development and training opportunities to support freelance creatives.
Film/TV entry pathways: Clarify and promote inclusive, sustainable pathways into screen industries.
Talent retention: Tackle affordability and infrastructure issues to retain local talent.
Place-based storytelling: Highlight regional strengths such as the BBC Natural History Unit, social innovation legacy, and cultural diversity.
Unified regional narrative: Promote a cohesive story across urban, coastal, and rural areas to avoid intra-regional competition.
Valuing creative process: Emphasise the importance of creative processes and R&D alongside final products.
Global positioning: Market the region internationally as a cultural hub with strong geopolitical and creative links.
Creative innovation culture: Elevate visibility of values-driven, socially-conscious innovation. Align with broader innovation strategies.
Creative health: Support initiatives at the intersection of arts, health, and policy for societal benefit.
Cultural placemaking: Embed creatives in city planning and infrastructure development.
Creative tech coordination: Improve storytelling, infrastructure, and investment strategies to scale regional creative tech.
Sustained leadership: Build consistent leadership in both civic and business sectors to guide long-term cultural strategy.
Regional coalitions: Establish strategic alliances across key geographic hubs like Bristol, Cardiff, and Cheltenham.
Devolved powers: Advocate for devolved powers in cultural development to local and combined authorities.
Civic engagement: Pilot a Citizen’s Assembly for Culture as a model for inclusive, democratic cultural strategy-making.
Funding complexity: Simplify access to funding, reduce reporting burdens, and diversify beyond dominant bodies like Arts Council England (ACE).
Inclusion gaps: Prioritise equity-focused strategies to support underrepresented groups.
Leadership fatigue: Address burnout and recruitment issues within the creative sector.
Infrastructure deficits: Invest in new and upgraded venues, studios, and support spaces.
We are delighted to announce an amazing new benefit for Bristol Creative Industries members this summer. You can enjoy free access to the brilliant Origin Workspace in Berkeley Square, Bristol.
Here are all the details direct from Origin:
Every Friday throughout June, July, and August 2025, Origin Workspace invites members of Bristol Creative Industries to enjoy a complimentary, inspiring, and productive workspace in the heart of the city.
Whether you’re a designer, writer, artist, or innovator, this is more than just a free desk – it’s a chance to thrive with no strings attached. Our lounge and lobby provide the ideal setting to focus, connect, and create, with unlimited coffee, reliable Wi-Fi, and a welcoming atmosphere designed to support your productivity and wellbeing.
We know many creatives are navigating the challenges of securing consistent work. That’s why we’re offering more than just space, we’re a community, offering solidarity, and creating a space where local talent can connect and collaborate.
Surrounded by like-minded professionals, you’ll have the chance to be part of a vibrant network that values support and shared success. As a proudly independent Bristol business, nurturing our Bristol ecosystem is at the heart of what we do. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a spark of inspiration, or simply a place to get things done, Creative Fridays is your opportunity to be part of something bigger.
Spaces are limited, so fill in this form to secure your spot and make Fridays your most creative day of the week. We can’t wait to welcome you to the space. Terms and conditions apply.
Not a Bristol Creative Industries member and want to take advantage of this brilliant offer? Join today.
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