Grace Allen
BA Event Management, 2017
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PIONEER
“When I first started G Beatz, I just felt like noone would take me seriously… But having my degree behind me gave me that confidence.”
From the first open day, Greenwich was love at first sight for Grace.
“As soon as I went there, I just felt comfortable, and I knew that it was somewhere that I wanted to go. It felt familiar – I could see that I could go there and not feel out of my comfort zone”.
Grace enjoyed the social aspect of her degree and speaks highly of the course tutors in particular: “All of the lecturers were really supportive, even if they weren’t yours. You could speak to any of them – they were really helpful”.
While Grace was studying, she launched ‘G Beatz’, a new club night in her local area for young people with learning disabilities, inspired by her foster brother. Launched in 2016 ‘G Beatz’ now welcomes over 200 guests to each of its nights in Gillingham, Kent. Due to its popularity, there are now plans to expand with another night in a new location.
Guests, and their parents and carers, regularly tell Grace it has changed their lives and she says she still gets a kick out of seeing shy newcomers
work up the confidence for the night’s dance competitions. With the help of her tutors, Grace has created a social enterprise to ensure ‘G Beatz’ will have a strong financial foundation, whatever happens.
Grace Allen
BA Event Management, 2017
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PIONEER
“When I first started G Beatz, I just felt like noone would take me seriously… But having my degree behind me gave me that confidence.”
From the first open day, Greenwich was love at first sight for Grace.
“As soon as I went there, I just felt comfortable, and I knew that it was somewhere that I wanted to go. It felt familiar – I could see that I could go there and not feel out of my comfort zone”.
Grace enjoyed the social aspect of her degree and speaks highly of the course tutors in particular: “All of the lecturers were really supportive, even if they weren’t yours. You could speak to any of them – they were really helpful”.
While Grace was studying, she launched ‘G Beatz’, a new club night in her local area for young people with learning disabilities, inspired by her foster brother. Launched in 2016 ‘G Beatz’ now welcomes over 200 guests to each of its nights in Gillingham, Kent. Due to its popularity, there are now plans to expand with another night in a new location.
Guests, and their parents and carers, regularly tell Grace it has changed their lives and she says she still gets a kick out of seeing shy newcomers
work up the confidence for the night’s dance competitions. With the help of her tutors, Grace has created a social enterprise to ensure ‘G Beatz’ will have a strong financial foundation, whatever happens.
MORE POLITICS & CAMPAIGNING PORTRAITS
AJ Frances
GLOBAL HEAD OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AT TRUSTPILOT
BSc Film and Television Production, 2013
BARONESS LAWRENCE OBE
EQUALITY CAMPAIGNER
BA Humanities 1995 | PGCert Therapeutic Counselling 1999 | HonDUniv 2006
BISHOP CHRISTINE HARDMAN
FORMER BISHOP OF NEWCASTLE
BSc Economics 1973 | HonDBA 2018
DENISE HYLAND
LEADER OF THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH
BEd English & Drama 1979
HANNAH CUNLIFFE
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HISTORIC SHIPS UK
MA Maritime History 2005
MEIKE IMBERG
FORMER PRESIDENT, GREENWICH STUDENTS' UNION, 2017-2019| DIVERSITY AND CULTURE MANAGER, VATTENFALL
BSc Sociology & Psychology 2018
METE COBAN MBE
CEO, MYLIFEMYSAY
BA Political Science & Government 2014 | MA Public Policy & Practice 2015
RAPHAEL BOBIE
FOUNDER, HELP THE YOUTH | SAFETY CONSULTANT
BSc Public Health 2014
STEPHEN HOWLETT CBE
FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PEABODY
BA Humanities 1974
