We are a creative audience development consultancy based in the North West, operating wherever our clients need us.
With decades of experience in journalism, communications, and engagement between us, we work with clients to find creative and effective solutions – often acting as an extension of the team already in place.
Meet the team behind Alma:
Ed Walker
Director
An experienced media leader, journalist and entrepreneur, Ed has held senior editorial roles at the UK’s largest commercial news publisher Reach PLC and was described as a ‘key part’ of its digital transformation over the last decade.
He’s led both large and start-up newsrooms, leading new digital brand launches and helping to grow the audience and engagement rapidly of existing media brands. As Editor-in-Chief of InYourArea, the local news and information app, Ed led it to the best social good campaign in the 2022 AOP Digital Publishing Awards. He is also the founder and non-executive director of one of the UK’s leading hyperlocal titles Blog Preston and spent a decade as editor of the title covering the city of Preston.
Ed is currently leader-in-residence and associate lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire’s school of journalism including on its journalism leadership & innovation programme.
Shirah Bamber
Director
Shirah is a strategic comms specialist with extensive experience delivering communications, marketing, and engagement services across the public, private, and third sectors.
She has delivered a wide variety of strategies, ranging from compex public information campaigns to multi-channel destination marketing activities, high quality internal magazines to high profile events. Shirah has been a senior advisor to management and political leadership, navigating through major organisation change and crisis situations.
She played a leading role in Preston through the pandemic as part of the Covid Task Force and Lancashire Resilience Forum and has built a strong network across the region.
Shirah also has experience delivering high-profile policy agendas such as Community Wealth Building (the Preston Model), collaborating to achieve ambitous outcomes.
Luke Beardsworth
Director
Luke is a rising editorial star with a strong track record of building northern digital audiences.
He has worked for key local titles across the UK, including the Birmingham Mail, Bristol Post, Plymouth Herald, Hull Daily Mail, and Burton Mail before launching LancsLive in 2019.
As senior editor, Luke led LancsLive to become one of the UK’s top 10 regional news websites. Through LancsLive, Luke worked as a media partner to support charities, such as Burnley FC in the Community, to engage with local audiences to run successful high-profile fundraising events.
Luke also launched Curiously, a new youth-focused content brand across social and video platforms.
More recently, he has worked with local businesses on campaigns, profile boosting and more.
Let’s work together.
What people say about us.
We have worked with some great people on some great projects. This is what they have to say about working with us.
★★★★★
…Ed was incredibly generous with his time in training and supporting so many regional newsroom teams, which quickly came to trust Ed’s advice and his knowledgeable, practical and clear best practice training.
I, and my teams, learned so much from Ed – when training, his passion for the subject always comes through which is a huge part of bringing people with him.
Helen Dalby
★★★★★
Shirah has considerable experience of supporting the public, voluntary and private sectors. She always thinks strategically, is knowledgeable, creative and practical and I have always found her great to work with.
Shirah has excellent contacts, knows how to get things done and from my experience she is someone you want in your corner!
Adrian Phillips
★★★★★
Luke has been paramount in the success of navigating our business through a hard transitional time. His knowledge and respectful approach has helped our customers understand the way our business is changing and developing.
He has been motivational in his positive approach and we really enjoy working with him and would really recommended Luke.
Rebecca Rowlands
Meat and Drink Group
Alma 