Digital Women Awards 2025 Winner: Shelley Hayward
Introducing Digital Women Award 2025 Winner
Shelley Hayward: Purpose-Led Podcast of the Year 2025
The award for purpose-led podcast of the year spotlights those podcasts created around a clear mission to inspire, educate, and empower their audiences. All of our finalists use the power of audio storytelling to share insight, spark meaningful conversation, and drive positive change. Meet our wonderful winner, Shelly Hayward, and her podcast Lincs Lives Natter.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Shelley, Founder of Lincs Lives Natters Media and Producer of the award winning Lincs Lives Natters podcast, where we give Lincolnshire people a voice (and a good natter while we’re at it). My work mixes interviewing, editing, producing, and a lot of caffeine, but at the heart of it all is one simple belief: stories connect us.
I’ve seen firsthand how a simple conversation can build confidence, break down barriers, and bring a community together. That’s why my mission is all about creating media that matters not flashy or filtered, but honest, human, and a bit heart warming too.
What does winning this award mean to you?
Winning the Purpose Led Podcast Award at the Digital Women Awards 2025 feels like a giant high five for community media. It’s not just my win ! it’s for every single person who’s shared their story with us, from small business owners to charity founders and local legends.
It proves that local voices really do matter and that podcasts can be more than background noise. They can connect, inspire, and sometimes even change lives. (Plus, I finally have an excuse to keep that sparkly trophy on my desk. It looks great next to my microphone!).
What career achievement are you most proud of?
Definitely turning a small idea, recording community stories, into media that matters. What started as a side project with one microphone has grown into a buzzing little media hub. We’ve now produced hundreds of podcasts, run training programmes, and created a space where people who never thought they’d have a voice can be heard loud and clear.
When someone tells me, “I never thought I’d sound that confident,” or “You helped me find my voice,” I know we’re doing something right and to then see that recognised nationally well, that’s the cherry on top of a very busy, slightly chaotic podcasting cake.
What impact have you seen from your work?
The ripple effects have been incredible. Guests have gone on to launch new projects, win awards, and even get featured in the local press and BBC Breakfast, all from being brave enough to tell their story. For local charities, our episodes have helped raise awareness (and often much needed funds).
One of my favourite things is when listeners message to say, “That’s my story too.” Because that’s when you realise it’s not just audio/Media it’s connection. It’s community. It’s media that matters.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve had to learn, and how did you grow from it?
That you don’t have to do it all. (Even though I tried. Repeatedly.)
In the early days, I wore every hat, from producer to editor, designer, tea-maker, therapist… you name it. Eventually, I learned that collaboration isn’t a weakness, it’s the key to survival. Building a team and a support network turned the chaos into something sustainable. Now, I get to do what I love most – telling stories and helping others tell theirs without losing my mind in the process.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
Before podcasting, I worked on air as a radio presenter hosting a sports show – quite by accident. I was asked to be a co host to help another presenter out! I knew nothing about sport! So I was winging it!
It was all going swimmingly until the day I had to report on a Greek tennis player with a very rude-sounding name. Let’s just say, one slip of the tongue and I’d have made broadcasting history and gone viral for all the wrong reasons!
That job taught me how to think on my feet, laugh off mistakes, and keep my cool when the mic is live – all skills that still come in handy when recording with guests! (Especially the odd one or two who forget they’re being recorded! and you're not sure what their going to say!).
What advice would you give to the next wave of Digital Women?
Be bold! Be curious. And for goodness’ sake, don’t wait until you feel “ready.” None of us ever really do!
Start small, start messy, but start. Tell stories that matter to you, because chances are they’ll matter to someone else too. Community starts with one voice, one story, one brave step.
And if all else fails, grab a brew, press record, and remember: the world needs more women creating media that matters.
