Founder of Lacuna Voices

I founded my ethical journalism platform Lacuna Voices to bridge a gap in the mainstream media for topics that matter to so many people, but are rarely given the column inches they deserve.

There, I give interviewees and writers a space to speak their truth without a need for me, as the publisher, to set an agenda, use salacious headlines or run stories more outrageous than the last.

That’s why the layouts and headlines are simple and straightforward. I don’t want to detract from the core messages of my Featured Voices. To that end, I only publish topics that are meaningful and worthy of Lacuna Voices readers.

I believe everyone has a story to tell or a passion to share. Lacuna Voices harnesses the power of true-life stories told in the first person and delivers them to readers who’ve tired of click-bait and sensationalism, on a free digital platform governed by its strong ethics.

If you’d like to help support Lacuna Voices, you can donate to the commissioning pot on ko-fi.

The diverse content is categorised into Health, Family, World, Careers and Lacuna Men. In an age when men are encouraged to talk and share, there has until now been no publication dedicated to giving their voices a home. I’ve made sure they are heard.

Of course, brilliant journalism in this vein appears in little pockets across mainstream titles, but its impact can often be diluted by other content. Lacuna Voices doesn’t feature any traditional news, showbiz, politics, or sport so there’s a unique focus on high-quality, true-life features.

THE CONTENT

One of the first things a visitor to Lacuna Voices will notice is the sheer diversity of our features. I hope there’s a little something for everyone.

From women suffering scorch marks from the constant use of heat-pads for their endometriosis to abused fathers coping with post-divorce parental isolation; from people with disabilities, whose stories are often limited to specialist titles, to couples trying to save their marriage as one transitions to another gender; from women whose health problems are overlooked because of their ethnicity to people experiencing grief, joy, injustice, triumph, illness, success, racism, kindness and so much more.

These voices might not be heard regularly elsewhere, if at all, but I strongly believe their stories hold value for today’s reader.

I’ve experienced first-hand how hearing the right message at a low point can be life-changing and I hope Lacuna Voices will connect those with inspirational and moving stories to those who want to listen - or need to hear it the most. The word lacuna means void - and with Lacuna Voices, I’m filling the void in the mainstream media with unique and diverse voices.

Lacuna Voices harnesses the power of brilliant story-telling through first-person reads, with ‘celebrities’, ‘normal’ people and those sharing anonymously appearing side by side.

THE ETHOS

All editorial and business decisions are governed by three vital pillars: integrity, candour, and courage. You can read more about this on the site’s ethos page.

THE FUTURE

Many journalists are currently worried or sad about the future of the industry, but I feel hopeful. Though print circulation is contracting, the appetite for features isn’t – it’s evolving into digital consumption and I believe independent platforms like Lacuna Voices are the future of ethical, worthy journalism.

I want to give writers – junior and veteran – a beautiful space to showcase words that mean something again. Where every feature on our digital pages is worthy of our Tribe’s time. And above all, where journalists and readers alike can feel welcome, represented, valued and inspired.