Gemma brings her warmth and skills to the Friendship Lab project by co-hosting our flagship course, Friendship Lab On Demand.

Passionate about spending quality time with people, Gemma was delighted to join Friendship Lab to help others discover how they too can share in lifelong, meaningful friendships.

Gemma started her career in television in 2003 and hasn’t left our screens since. Those with children may have seen her presenting on CBBC or more recently on CBeebies on the pirate themed game show “Swashbuckle.” Gemma is on the presenting team for Songs of Praise and recently co-hosted The Caravan Show on Channel 5 alongside Rufus Hound. As well as thousands of hours on TV Gemma can also be found hosting at festivals and running Confident Communication Coaching workshops. As if that wasn’t enough, she is a published author of children’s books in the “See! Let’s Be” series with more books on the way.

Gemma loves cooking and is well known for making fudge, although doesn’t eat much of it herself. But she does love a Friday movie night with her husband and daughter with a large selection of popcorn, sweets, chocolate, crisps, and nuts!

As our Strategy Lead, Lois helps us clarify and focus on our most important goals so we can have the greatest impact in each season. 

Professionally, Lois is a Strategic Change Planning Consultant, supporting organisations to achieve ambitious transformations which enable growth and (crucially) take their people on the journey with them. Currently working for Oxford University, Lois has worked in education, health, technology and commercial sectors, and has a particular passion for building healthy working cultures that ensure organisations are both successful and joyful. 

"What makes me most excited about Friendship Lab," she says, "is the sheer number of people who tell us how much they need it. Getting to be part of building something truly special that will make such a difference to peoples lives - there's no buzz like it!"

Lois spends a lot of her time chasing after two toddlers and getting their snacks stuck to her socks. When she isn't doing that, she loves to write, paint her nails, and watch formulaic crime dramas.

Hannah helps turn Friendship Lab's visions and plans into reality by shaping the processes and systems that run everything behind the scenes. She’s a genius at making complex things work!

Professionally, Hannah works in Product Management which involves leading the design and development of software products. Across her career she has helped keep jet engines flying safely, enabled whistleblowing reporting for the Beijing Olympics, and created software to help the UK government manage the Covid-19 pandemic. Outside of work Hannah has been volunteering with a wide range of charities for more than twenty years. She is the founder and Event Director of Alvaston Parkrun in Derby and volunteers weekly at her local foodbank. 

"So many people tell me they're lonely," Hannah says. "It's a joy to be empowering people to change that. The Friendship Lab concept really resonated with me and I love how often it resonates with others when I talk about it."   

Hannah was part of a Guinness World Record-winning group crochet event and is currently endeavouring to make a crochet aquarium for her loungeroom. Other hobbies include growing crazy vegetables, hosting dinner parties, and visiting the mountains with friends. 

Mike looks after the day-to-day finances of Friendship Lab, managing income, mapping expenses, and being our resident master of P&L sheets. 

Mike brings over 40 years experience in charity finance and administration to this role, in both the UK context and overseas. 

Asked why he dedicates his time and talents to Friendship Lab, Mike says “Friendship Lab is such an exciting project, helping people to make and sustain friendships. It’s needed so much in our society today!”

Mike is married to Cath and friendships are an important part of their lives. For them, time with each other and those they love is time well spent.