Promoting Healthy Relationships Through Lived Experience Storytelling

Tales to Inspire was commissioned to create two powerful and emotive short films that shine a light on the reality of domestic abuse within the Armed Forces community. The purpose of these films was not only to raise awareness, but to support culture change around what healthy relationships look like, particularly among males aged 45 and under and their families.

We worked with beneficiaries who courageously came forward to share their personal experiences. Through sensitive facilitation and expert storytelling, we captured the depth of pain, recovery, and transformation that these individuals have experienced. Where personal sharing was not possible, we brought their stories to life using actors, ensuring integrity and emotional impact while protecting anonymity.

These 10-minute films were created as educational resources, tools to support training and early intervention across Greater Manchester. The stories aimed to increase awareness of domestic abuse, strengthen identification of early warning signs, and ultimately connect people to the support they need.

Our end-to-end support included:

• Pre-interview planning and guided story facilitation
• On-site filming in real-life settings for authenticity
• Post-production editing and storytelling structuring
• Full Service Storytelling Support

These stories are deeply personal, and as such, remain for private use within Armed Forces HQ and their partner networks. However, their impact has been profound.

Testimonial

“Working with Tales to Inspire was one of the most meaningful collaborations we’ve undertaken. Their approach to storytelling, grounded in empathy, care, and authenticity meant that our beneficiaries felt safe, heard, and empowered throughout the process. The final films have been invaluable in driving forward our commitment to creating safer, more informed communities. Tales to Inspire didn’t just create videos, they captured hearts and minds.”

— Laura Ingham , CEO of The Armed Forces HQ