E86: We Are Undefeatable - 3 Lessons for Local Success
Fri Jan 30 2026
Alison Whitaker Stewart & Peter Dutton — localising We Are Undefeatable in Blackburn with Darwen
In this episode of BrainFuel, Ruth is joined by Alison Whitaker Stewart, Physical Activity Campaigns Lead at Together in Active Future (a Sport England place-based partner), and Peter Dutton, Senior Engagement Manager at the Richmond Group of Charities.
They share how they took the national We Are Undefeatable campaign and made it work locally — using real residents’ stories, strong system partnerships, and evaluation that goes beyond reach and impressions. This is a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a behaviour change campaign that actually lands.
🧠 What you’ll learn
The three things to do first when starting a local campaign: stakeholder buy-in, strategic alignment, and realistic resourcing
How they built community partnership by recruiting 16 local storytellers through trusted networks
How to link inspiration to action by signposting directly to local sessions and services
Why agile content wins (reels, WhatsApp-friendly edits, community-led tweaks)
How they measured impact with both numbers and qualitative insight
What “system change” looks like after the campaign goes live
📊 Outcomes & impact shared
85% said it showed people with health conditions can be active
87% said it showed being active helps you enjoy more of life
62% said it encouraged them to visit the campaign website
Stakeholders reported strong fit with local needs and priorities (including 73% saying it reflected local demographics)
The work helped trigger ongoing system activity (including funded local offers and continued partnership working)
🚪 Room 101
Peter: bin “traditional before/after case studies” — the power is in lived experience, emotion, and solidarity
Alison: bin short-term thinking — campaigns work better when you can build, iterate, and keep going
🎉 Free Event — Making Hidden Voices Heard (26 March 2026)
To celebrate five years of Hidden Voices Heard, we’re hosting a free training event:
📅 26 March 2026➡️ www.hiddenvoicesheard.com to save your spot.
More
Alison Whitaker Stewart & Peter Dutton — localising We Are Undefeatable in Blackburn with Darwen In this episode of BrainFuel, Ruth is joined by Alison Whitaker Stewart, Physical Activity Campaigns Lead at Together in Active Future (a Sport England place-based partner), and Peter Dutton, Senior Engagement Manager at the Richmond Group of Charities. They share how they took the national We Are Undefeatable campaign and made it work locally — using real residents’ stories, strong system partnerships, and evaluation that goes beyond reach and impressions. This is a practical, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a behaviour change campaign that actually lands. 🧠 What you’ll learn The three things to do first when starting a local campaign: stakeholder buy-in, strategic alignment, and realistic resourcing How they built community partnership by recruiting 16 local storytellers through trusted networks How to link inspiration to action by signposting directly to local sessions and services Why agile content wins (reels, WhatsApp-friendly edits, community-led tweaks) How they measured impact with both numbers and qualitative insight What “system change” looks like after the campaign goes live 📊 Outcomes & impact shared 85% said it showed people with health conditions can be active 87% said it showed being active helps you enjoy more of life 62% said it encouraged them to visit the campaign website Stakeholders reported strong fit with local needs and priorities (including 73% saying it reflected local demographics) The work helped trigger ongoing system activity (including funded local offers and continued partnership working) 🚪 Room 101 Peter: bin “traditional before/after case studies” — the power is in lived experience, emotion, and solidarity Alison: bin short-term thinking — campaigns work better when you can build, iterate, and keep going 🎉 Free Event — Making Hidden Voices Heard (26 March 2026) To celebrate five years of Hidden Voices Heard, we’re hosting a free training event: 📅 26 March 2026➡️ www.hiddenvoicesheard.com to save your spot.