Sometimes I’m accused of being disingenuous when I say, “bankers in general can’t be trusted.” People hear it as a sweeping statement, unfair to the many good people working in finance. Then stories like this one come along. This week, former Co-operative Bank chairman Paul Flowers was ordered by the CPS to repay £184,862 to … Continue reading When Bankers Betray Trust: Why Structural Change is Needed
Tag: mental-health
The Hillsborough Law: What It Means for Survivors and Citizen Investigators
David Lammy told MPs yesterday that he was introducing a “groundbreaking law to ensure that victims and survivors never again have to wait decades for truth and justice” For decades, survivors of state failure—whether Hillsborough, Grenfell, the Post Office Horizon scandal, or pension fraud—have shared a common burden: being lied to, silenced, and abandoned by … Continue reading The Hillsborough Law: What It Means for Survivors and Citizen Investigators
🌱 Introducing The Empowerment Cohort: Turning Human Capital into Sovereign Living
At the Academy of Life Planning, we’ve always believed that real wealth is not measured in money alone, but in human capital — our skills, passions, networks, creativity, and purpose. Yet too often, financial systems and even “planning” conversations strip people of agency, leaving them dependent, isolated, or defined by what they lack. It doesn’t … Continue reading 🌱 Introducing The Empowerment Cohort: Turning Human Capital into Sovereign Living
Why We Need to Step Into the Battle Mech Against the System
Yesterday, a mural appeared on the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Painted by the street artist Banksy, it depicted a chilling scene: a judge raising a gavel like a weapon over a fallen figure. Within hours, it was covered up. Art has always been a mirror to society — and this image was no … Continue reading Why We Need to Step Into the Battle Mech Against the System
From Tragedy to Justice: Why I Built Goliathon for the Financially Exploited
[Me & Jessica on our wedding day, 20 June 2024] After watching the Footballers V11 documentary, and listening to others who’ve been financially scammed or suffered financial injustice, one thing becomes painfully clear: People have no one.They trust no one.And rightly so. So… why trust me? What can I possibly offer? Well, I’ve been there. … Continue reading From Tragedy to Justice: Why I Built Goliathon for the Financially Exploited
When Oversight Becomes Obstruction: What Evidence Suggests About the Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) was created to be the independent referee — the place where consumers could seek justice when financial firms failed them. Its role is vital: to provide fairness, transparency, and accountability in a sector where trust is already fragile. Yet evidence suggests a troubling pattern of behaviour inside the organisation. Instead … Continue reading When Oversight Becomes Obstruction: What Evidence Suggests About the Financial Ombudsman Service
💡 The Cost—and Power—of Telling the Truth
At the Academy of Life Planning, we often say we are not here to manage money—we are here to help people reclaim their power. But with that mission comes a hard reality: truth-tellers are rarely embraced. More often, they are ignored, ridiculed, or even pushed to the margins. Why? Because truth unsettles. 💥 Why Truth-Tellers … Continue reading 💡 The Cost—and Power—of Telling the Truth
The Evolution of Life Planning: From Exploitation to Empowerment to Saving Lives
When Justice Still Feels Like Defeat Even when victims win, they often lose again. Legal fees, corporate negotiations, and drawn-out settlements can devour most of the compensation survivors fight for. The Post Office Horizon scandal is a prime example. In the Bates & Others v Post Office Ltd group litigation: The Post Office agreed to … Continue reading The Evolution of Life Planning: From Exploitation to Empowerment to Saving Lives
Goliathon: Equipping Citizen Investigators to Take on the System
“The system is stacked against victims. Goliathon puts us on a level playing field.” – Robert, Citizen Investigator Why We Created Goliathon Across the UK and beyond, thousands of ordinary people have been devastated by financial exploitation. Victims of fraud, mis-selling, and institutional neglect are too often left to pick up the pieces alone. Many … Continue reading Goliathon: Equipping Citizen Investigators to Take on the System
🎓 When the System Shuts You Out, Build Your Own Path
Why graduates need a GAME Plan for life beyond rejection It’s the question every graduate dreads: “What’s next?”For too many today, the answer is bleak. Rejections from AI-driven recruitment systems, unpaid internships, demoralising trips to the Jobcentre, and—inevitably—signing on for Universal Credit. Recent reports highlight a shocking reality: over 630,000 graduates are now claiming Universal … Continue reading 🎓 When the System Shuts You Out, Build Your Own Path
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