WEBLEY, THE WRITES, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND BATONBEARER READY FOR THE B2022

• CJ Lloyd Webley is a socially conscious writer and champion for young people. CJ facilitates creative writing workshops for disadvantaged children and fundraises to buy school equipment for them. CJ received £30k for his project which tackles inequality and celebrates Black British history. 
• CJ leads Lightpost Theatre, supporting the mental health of over 30 young Black men. CJ’s play ‘Constructed’ at the Birmingham Rep generated £7k during COVID, highlighting the need for more mental health services. 
• In 2020, CJ Founded The Black Pounds Project CIC. He bootstrapped £6k and created a mentorship programme, which has helped over 1.5k Midlands businesses. 

Growing up on the Lyndhurst Estate in Erdington, CJ was aware of the levels of crime that persisted within his neighbourhood. As a young boy, he was keen to avoid this culture and soon discovered, through taking on a role within his school’s production of Oliver Twist, that he could channel his energy via acting and performance.

At both school and university, CJ found that there was a lack of representation in the plays they studied and performed, and he soon realised his drive to tackle inequality and celebrate Black British history within the arts, specifically within theatre. He went onto forge a career in writing for the stage, from a socially conscious perspective, telling the stories of people within his own communities and walks of life.

He has produced material which takes inspiration from Black-British culture. His writing and projects have tackled men’s mental health, overlooked key workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, a worker’s experience on a construction site, Black inmates at Winson Green Prison and stories of immigration. These projects also prepared him to be assistant director on a verbatim project about the Grenfell Inquiry, where he hosted panel discussions with bereaved survivors.

As well as being an acclaimed writer and director, CJ is also a social entrepreneur. In 2020 he founded The Black Pounds Project. Based in the West Midlands, the company runs a mentorship programme, offering support to freelancers, sole-traders, and start-ups. The Black Pounds Project has offered support to many black and diverse business owners, helping them launch and develop careers.

CJ’s mission has been built around the visibility of stories that resonate with his own. He is passionate to advocate to be a positive role model and to continue conversations that help voices be heard.

CJ has been selected as a Batonbearer for the West Midlands for taking on challenges and making a positive impact within his community.

 

Source: B2022