When our name was announced as the winner of the Technology Award at the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards 2026, there was a moment of disbelief. We were incredibly proud. National recognition from people who understand the care sector meant a great deal to everyone involved.
But, if you ask me what I remember most about that evening, it is not walking onto the stage or collecting the trophy. It is looking around at our presenters – people who, just a few years earlier, never imagined they would speak into a microphone were now standing proudly in a room full of leaders from across the care sector, celebrating something they had helped to create. That moment summed up what Tune Ability has always been about. Not radio, not technology but people.
It was not supposed to become a radio station
Like many organisations, COVID-19 forced us to think differently. The people we support suddenly lost the activities, routines and social connections that meant so much to them. We wanted to give them something positive to focus on, so we started recording simple messages over Microsoft Teams. We would edit them together into podcasts that families could listen to.
There was no grand plan. No strategy. No expectation that we would still be talking about these recordings years later. Then something unexpected happened – people wanted to do more. One person asked if they could choose the music, another wanted to introduce the songs and someone else wanted to write their own links. Without really planning it, those short podcasts slowly became radio programmes. Looking back, I do not think we created Tune Ability – the people we support did. We simply gave them the opportunity.
Every presenter is different and that is exactly the point
One of the things that I am most proud of is that Tune Ability does not have a standard format. Every show is built around the presenter, not the schedule. If someone loves country music, they present a country show. If they are passionate about heavy metal, musical theatre or soul music, that is what they share. The programmes reflect the people behind the microphone.
Today, we produce 14 weekly radio shows covering a huge range of music and interests. Alongside them sits Voices of One Fylde, our podcast where presenters interview politicians, healthcare professionals, charities and community organisations while discussing issues that matter to people with learning disabilities and autism. Those conversations have become every bit as important as the music.
Technology is not the innovation
People often ask how we won a technology award. The honest answer is that I do not think technology is the innovation – our approach is. Technology is simply another way of removing barriers. For some presenters, that means recording traditionally, while for others, it means adapting scripts, changing production methods or taking more time.
For individuals who are non-verbal or whose speech may be difficult for unfamiliar listeners to understand, ethical AI voice technology has opened doors that simply were not there before. Their words, personality and choices remain their own. The technology does not replace anyone; it simply allows more people to take part. That distinction matters.
Confidence you cannot measure
If you ask me what Tune Ability has achieved, I will not talk about listening figures. I will talk about confidence. We have watched people who once lacked confidence speaking in small groups become radio presenters, podcast hosts and interviewers. They have interviewed MPs, NHS professionals, charity leaders and local organisations. They have represented One Fylde at conferences. They have spoken at Lancaster University.
After winning the Markel 3rd Sector Carer award, something changed again – the presenters realised they had not just taken part in an award-winning project. They had helped create it. The pride that gave them was impossible to miss. Since the ceremony in Birmingham, we have seen presenters volunteer to stand in front of audiences, tell their stories and deliver presentations with a confidence that simply was not there a few years ago. No trophy can measure that.
Beyond One Fylde
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been discovering that Tune Ability is not just something that works within One Fylde. The model works elsewhere too. Over the past year, we have begun working alongside other organisations, adapting the same person-centred approach to meet different needs.
One partnership we are especially proud of is with The Harbour, an inpatient mental health hospital in Blackpool. Together, we have created opportunities for patients to produce radio features, choose music, record interviews and tell their stories. The outcome is not simply better broadcasting – it is conversation, purpose, confidence and connection. Seeing the same approach make such a positive difference in a completely different environment has reinforced our belief that the principles behind Tune Ability can benefit many more people than we ever imagined.
We are only just getting started
People sometimes ask what comes next. The honest answer is that we do not have a grand masterplan. We have never had one. Tune Ability has grown because we have listened to the people taking part and allowed them to shape what it becomes. That is exactly how we will continue: we will keep developing new programmes, we will welcome new presenters and we will continue exploring accessible technology where it genuinely removes barriers. We will also keep working with other charities and organisations that believe everyone deserves the opportunity to have their voice heard.
Winning the Technology Award was a huge honour but the award is not the destination. It is another step on the journey because, when I look back in years to come, I do not think I will remember the trophy sitting on a shelf. Instead, I will remember the people who discovered talents they never knew they had and found the confidence to stand in front of hundreds of people and proudly say, ‘I helped build this.’
The Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards will return to the B:Music Town Hall in Birmingham on Friday 30th April 2027; save the date!
Nominations are open now. Familiarise yourself with the categories and why not nominate yourself, someone else or an organisation for an Award? There is no charge to nominate, so what have you got to lose?
To stay up to date with future announcements, follow the Awards on X, Facebook and Instagram using #3rdSectorCareAwards, and sign up on the here to receive updates direct to your inbox.
Darran Wilson is Creative and Inclusion Lead at One Fylde and Founder of Tune Ability.
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin: @Darran-Wilson