At its onset, Covid-19 was described as the great leveller. But the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inequalities across many facets of life. For many, the situation has never been worse.

During the pandemic, we retreated into our own worlds and focused on protecting what we had. But we also have a renewed intolerance for inequalities, a greater appreciation for those around us, and a desire to cement a better future for all.

As we emerge from the pandemic, we ask; Are the inequalities within our society able to be solved – and if so, how? Will Covid-19 make us inherently more selfish? Or will the ideals that came with lockdowns usher in a more altruistic way of being? How do we prevent humanity from forgetting too quickly, and ensure that we learn from the pandemic and grow?

Exploring those questions will be:

• Maccs Pescatore, CEO, Montessori Centre International
• Dr Jennifer Opoku-Lageyre, Chartered Counselling Psychologist, Clinical Partners
• Andy Ratcliffe, Executive Director of Programmes at Impact on Urban Health
• Laura Oliphant, Founder and MD, Stand

The panel will be chaired by Sarah O'Grady, Social Affairs Correspondent at the Daily Express.

Event schedule:

Arrival and conversation: 3:30pm

Panel discussion and Q&A: 4-5pm

Drinks and conversation: 5-6pm

About the panelists:

Maccs Pescatore, CEO, Montessori Centre International

Maccs is the Chief Executive Officer of Montessori Centre International (MCI), a global leader in Montessori education and part of the Montessori Group. Her mission is to provide educators worldwide the opportunity to provide relevant, quality education using the Montessori Approach and to quality assure their practice. An advocate for the early years sector and the implementation of play and child-led learning, Maccs is particularly passionate about the role of the outdoors in education.

Starting her career as a Chartered Accountant, Maccs then spent 25 years in multinational companies, working in a variety of senior finance positions across Europe. At the age of 30 she sold a multi-national business for £30m and went on to secure a variety of business purchases. Her focus in the latter years was on expanding organisations into new markets and improving performance.

Maccs has held Non-Executive Director positions with Advance Performance (UK) Ltd and the Mountain Training Trust (Plas Y Brenin). She has mentored young people through both The Prince’s Trust and Hatch Enterprises.

Dr Jennifer Opoku-Lageyre, Chartered Counselling Psychologist, Clinical Partners

Dr Jennifer Opoku-Lageyre is an experienced Chartered Counselling Psychologist at Clinical Partners, with over 13 years of experience in the field.

She has worked in a variety of NHS and private settings with adults experiencing mild to complex mental health problems, including Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.

She also works with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Health anxiety, Social phobia, Sexual abuse, Bereavement, Self-esteem issues and Relationship problems.

Andy Ratcliffe, Executive Director of Programmes, Impact on Urban Health

Andy has been Executive Director of Programmes since 2020. Andy leads the programmes’ funding and partnerships, as well as the work of data, evidence and impact teams in support of urban health work.

He has spent his career working on how poverty and deprivation affect people’s chances in life in the UK and abroad. He started out as a poverty researcher at Oxford University before moving into government including time as a senior education adviser in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. After that he moved into the third sector as Deputy Chief Executive of the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative and then Chief Executive of Impetus a venture philanthropy charity focused on social mobility. Andy is a trustee of Generation, a youth employment charity.

Laura Oliphant, Founder and MD, Stand

Laura is an industry expert with a passion for big thinking and not following the crowd. She’s a strategic thinker, that is as interested in business, as the power of communications to change the way people think and behave.

Laura is driven by Stand’s purpose of Believing in Better. Before launching Stand, she spent ten years creating behaviour change campaigns to improve education and health, and at Stand is tackling investment, mental health, social care and sport.

Sarah O'Grady, Social Affairs Correspondent, Daily Express

Sarah is an award-winning journalist with over 20 years of covering social affairs, personal finance and property in national newspapers.

She’s been a Social Affairs and Property Correspondent at Daily Express since 2000. In 2017, she won National Newspaper Personal Finance Journalist of the Year, at the Personal Finance Awards.

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About Stand

The event is hosted by Stand. Stand is an integrated and strategic communications consultancy, specialising in PR, digital, social media, insight, strategy and positioning. They back organisations from any sector that ‘Believe in Better’ – who feel there’s always more to do. By challenging the way people think, feel and act, they help clients create meaningful change.

Inclusivity

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. For inquiries about accessibility, or to request an adjustment, please contact (Grace French, grace@standagency.com, 07906 630 501) ahead of the event.

Seats will be socially distanced for all guests. We will also be offering optional wristbands at the event for people who would like to remain socially distant from others, to ensure their preferences are met.