Upcoming Events
We're running a social listening experiment with Heard Together.
100 people. 14 dates. Groups of 8 or fewer.
Two hours. No prep. No agenda.
What we do
We provide custom made listening workshops to help create and cultivate a healthy communication culture.
Why we do it
Because we have forgotten how to truly connect with each other.
Because feeling heard is essential to our sense of self-worth.
Because only 2% of people have any form of training in listening despite it being the form of communication we use the most.
Because we want to embrace difference. Social media has created a binary culture where we only engage with people who we agree with, becoming more entrenched in our own narrow view of the world.
Only by sitting and being open to embrace different outlooks can we truly understand others, which enables us to solve problems, compromise and move forward.
With an approach rooted in the performing arts, our team brings a creative perspective to corporate settings, aligning our vision with the core values of the businesses we partner with and fostering a culture of understanding and inclusivity.
Who we are + where we came from
My name is Fred Gray - the Founder of Heard Together. I trained as an actor at RADA and have performed and directed on the West End and Broadway. I have spent 20 years in the creative space honing how to best communicate.
Heard Together was borne out of COVID as a way to connect people who were physically separated from one another. What started as a 'fun' idea turned into something quite profound and I ended up running countless sessions over that very strange period of all of our lives. Strangers were able to connect with each other in a very short space of time and lifelong friends were able to learn more about the people they thought they knew inside out.
Since then, Heard Together has been working in the creative and corporate space to build trust between individuals. I am always struck by how much people are willing to share if they feel others are listening.
Hi I'm Bev Ridyard, I am the driver behind the Truly Heard Campaign. I am a highly motivated individual with bucket-loads of infectious energy and enthusiasm.
I have spent most of my working life in the corporate world and was recognised as one of 28 top 1% marketing talents in The Marketing Academy. I progressed quickly across major brands, becoming Head of Airline Marketing at Manchester Airport Group at 29 and Managing Director of Edtech company Classroom Secrets at 39.
Coming from a totally different background to Fred, this blend brings strength to the Truly Heard Campaign.
Now a leadership coach, I dedicate my time to coaching. I believe listening shaped my career transformationally and I want to show others its power.
Testimonials
"The exercise gives you a wonderful insight into how well you and others listen and communicate."
Lucy Forbes
Office Manager
“ I feel like I've altered the way I communicate since doing it.”
Kate Malyon
Actor
"Trust is key, and Fred’s exercise in story- telling and active listening is instrumental in building on it...they felt empowered as individuals, took risks, and were vulnerable in the knowledge that they will be listened to with respect."
Helen Strange
Course Leader and Founder
"...it gave the students an opportunity to speak, knowing they would not be interrupted which is something many of them will never have experienced before in their lives."
Rae McKen
Assistant Director of Theatre
"Forget dry boardroom training workshops and powerpoint presentations, prepare to be inspired in a totally different way"
Carolyn Fursse,
Head of Communication and Engagement
“I remember noticing that I had a very different outlook on life from another person. And then they gave a backstory which made me understand them better. I liked that. Like we’re all just working with what we’ve got. And there’s a kindness there with understanding.”
Lucy Trodd
Actor/Writer/Improviser
what better way to rekindle our awareness and relationships with the people around us than to listen to them tell stories and share your own. No pressure, no expectations, just stories.”
Tom Babbage
Actor
“It was fascinating how fast we became a company.”
Jenny Rainsford
Actor
“a community exercise, something that builds bonds and lets you truly hear people without judgement."
Ethan Moorhouse
Actor
"I could see that the words I spoke meant something to people. It's one of those thoughts that has been with me a long time and I have often thought about it and still do, and imagine I always will.”
Jackson Pentland
Actor
“an intimate, entertaining and intriguing way to get to know strangers (or not-so-strangers) better in a safe and relaxed environment”
Oliver Senton
Actor
"An evening of chatting and listening that is structured like group therapy, but with the heart and essence of a really good ‘date’."
