Join me in this episode of Sukany4 – The Podcast, for a powerful and eye-opening conversation with Karen Livesey, co-founder of No Whispers CIC, as we walk through Avenham and Miller Parks in Preston. Karen is a former youth worker, trainer, and safeguarding leader whose work focuses on raising awareness around child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, county lines, and safeguarding education for all.
A Park Rooted in History
On a bright and beautiful day in Preston, I had the privilege of taking a walk through Avenham Parks with Karen Livesey, founder of No Whispers CIC. What unfolded was not just a stroll through a cherished landscape, but a deeply human conversation about the lifelong impact of childhood trauma, the importance of safeguarding, and the quiet power of speaking plainly about things many would rather avoid.
The park is rooted in Karen’s own history. She remembers coming here as a little girl, running through the rose gardens and spiral paths, her grandparents by her side. She later brought her own children here, and now her grandson. It is a place filled with layered memories. It is also stunning, the River Ribble winds alongside you, floral displays burst with colour, and historic features like the Japanese Garden and old park keeper’s cottage dot the landscape. There is beauty everywhere. But beneath the gentle gradients and birdsong, we talked about work that is anything but gentle.
Never do Nothing
Karen is the founder of No Whispers, a Community Interest Company working to raise awareness, deliver training and offer practical tools around child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, county lines and safeguarding. It is serious work, and it is very much needed. As we walked, Karen shared how she first encountered serious safeguarding failings while working in the youth service. These early experiences, seeing children fall through the cracks and not being believed, lit the spark that eventually became No Whispers.
Her approach is factual, unflinching and full of care. She is clear that safeguarding is not just for professionals. We all have a part to play. Whether you are a teacher, parent, youth worker, neighbour or volunteer, learning how to spot signs of concern, understanding what exploitation really looks like, and knowing how to act on it, are things everyone should be equipped with.
Because as Karen says, “Never do nothing.” That one sentence hit home.
The Ripple Effect
What is striking about Karen is her ability to talk about difficult realities without drama or sensationalism. She doesn’t soften the facts, but she doesn’t frighten either. Her honesty is disarming. She shares how triggers vary wildly, from the scent of lavender to the number twelve, and why we need to stop worrying so much about saying the wrong thing and instead focus on saying something.
Throughout our walk, we stopped often. To take in the view. To watch a robin land on a branch. To admire the light in the Japanese Garden. But also to share stories. One that stood out was of a woman who came to a No Whispers event and, after hearing a speaker’s lived experience, realised that what she and her daughter were going through was abuse. She told Karen that one evening changed everything. That’s the ripple effect Karen is creating.
Local Knowledge and Community
As we looped past the suffragette-linked statue of Lord Derby (who, I learned, was tarred and feathered for opposing women’s right to vote), the thread of history felt strong. We were walking among stories, both personal and political. Karen’s depth of knowledge about the park’s past, from Victorian egg-rolling to a lily-shaped crocodile from her childhood, showed how deeply place and purpose are interwoven in her life.
There was laughter too. About growing up here, about being told off by her kids for sharing too many facts, about possibly getting a sandwich board and leading walking history tours on weekends. And there was warmth, the kind that comes when someone has found not only their calling but their community.
A Final Thought
If there’s one message Karen wants people to take away, it’s this: do not be afraid of safeguarding. It is not a cold policy on a shelf. It is a living, breathing act of care. It is about protecting each other and creating environments where children and adults alike feel safe to speak, safe to be heard, and safe to be helped.
Karen’s work through No Whispers CIC reaches beyond Lancashire. She speaks at national conferences, runs online and in-person training, and creates safe, informed spaces for conversations that too often remain in the shadows. If you’re curious, concerned or simply want to understand more, visit the No Whispers website, sign up for a Friends of No Whispers event, or get involved as a volunteer.
Because we all have a role to play. And as Karen says, never do nothing.
- This walk and conversation with Karen Livesey is part of Sukany4 – The Podcast, where we walk, talk and open space for connection and change
- Learn more about No Whispers CIC: www.nowhispers.co.uk
- Walk location: Avenham and Miller Parks, Preston, Lancashire
- Walk highlights: Victorian egg rolling hill, Japanese Garden, the River Ribble, Edith Rigby’s house and a very chatty robin
