Welcome to your Black Design Guild Cohort Guide. This is the home of everything you’ll need to know in the run-up to the retreat, and throughout the rest of the programme.

We’ve included everything you’d ever want to know in here, but if you want to know what’s essential for now, check out the links in the essential reading box.

Cohort Guide 2026.

All you need to know for the 2026 cohort.

Essential reading:

Things to read:

View important dates & cheat sheet.

Things to do:

Share your retreat photo preference here.

Deadline: 20 July 2026.

Share your retreat feedback here.

Deadline: 21 August 2026.

About the Black Design Guild.

The Black Design Guild is a fully funded programme of support for Black researchers and designers hosted by Hello Brave and funded by Impact on Urban Health and JRF. Our vision is a new generation of confident and well-compensated Black research and design leaders, pushing towards a more equitable civil society and world.

About the Programme.

We’ve designed this five-month leadership programme to be lightweight, but mighty. It includes a 3-day retreat, a series of 3-hour cohort workshops, £800 of Learning & Healing budget and a celebration event at the end.

Giving you dedicated space, time, resources and community to reconnect and realign as you continue to learn, heal and grow.

About the Cohort Workshops.

These workshops are a moment to come together, support each other’s learning journeys, and explore a leadership topic in more depth. We’re imagining a mix of some peer sharing, talks from people across the industry and lots of reflection.

Important Dates.

The Retreat. 

Where: 42 Acres.

Mon, 20 Jul - Thu, 23 Jul 2026.

Cohort Workshops.

Where: Zoom.

Friday, 21 August 2026 ⋅ 14:00 – 17:00.

Friday, 18 September 2026 ⋅ 14:00 – 17:00.

Friday, 16 October 2026 ⋅ 14:00 – 17:00.

Celebration Event.

Where: Location TBD.

Fri, 30 Oct 2026. 16:00 til late.

Programme cheat sheet.

You’re all busy people, so if you don’t have a chance to read everything, here are the things you must know including your next steps. 

Retreat Location: 42 Acres, Farmhouse Retreat Centre. 

Retreat Address: Holt Road, Witham Friary, Frome BA11 5HL.

Closest stations: Gillingham (Dorset), Bath Spa or Bristol Temple Meads.

Shuttle Service: Shuttles available from Bath Spa station

Your Next Steps: 

You can get in touch with us at hello@blackdesignguild.org

Meet your cohort.

Bethany Thompson.

Senior Race Equity Project Officer. Mind.

Haja Bangura.

Associate User Researcher. NHS England.

Hafsa Hersi.

Health Care Management Consultant. User Centred Design. Accenture.

Jade Bradford.

PhD Researcher. University of Hertfordshire.

Jarius Manu-Barrett.

Implementation Coordinator. UCL Partners.

Omena Osivwemu.

Education Policy Officer. National Education Union.

Thabita Luzitu.

Relationship Manager. Social Change Nest.

Tobi Bello.

UX Designer. Accenture.

Souad Deen-Swaray.

UX Designer. Shelter.

Vivian Látìnwọ̀-Ọlájídé. Research Fellow (Applied), Oxford University.

NOTE: If we’ve got the wrong role or link for you, please do let us know!

The retreat team.

Tayo Medupin, Facilitation Team. Is a researcher, designer and facilitator who operates under the name Hello Brave. Focused on early years, mental health and structural inequalities and obsessed with power, equity and process design, Tayo brings 15 years experience of research, design and facilitation. Clients have included Nuffield Foundation, JRF, Citizens Advice, Mellon Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Alphabet X. Tayo is currently writing a fantasy novel and loves plants, theatre and pottery.   

Dr Peggy Warren (she/her), Facilitation Team. Is a Leadership and OD consultant with 30+ years’ experience. She’s passionate about inclusive systems change, equity, and accessible research. Worked with the NHS, Barclays, FitFlop, and Sainsburys. Currently, Peggy leads on a double award-winning programme for women of colour in HE sectors. Her work is grounded in justice; she’s an integral coach and published author. Peggy is also interested in spirituality and is currently a Postgraduate Chaplaincy student.

The care team.

To make sure the retreat runs smoothly we’ll have the support of the amazing events team at 42 Acres and some awesome members of the Black Design Guild Team on hand throughout.

Tope Medupin.

Will be helping to make sure your experience is smooth.

Michael Ojo.

Will be paying attention to the finer details across the days.

Amelia Woods.

Will be coordinating with the wider events team at 42 Acres.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime.

  • The first session on the first day will start at 17.00 at 42 Acres. So we recommend arriving around 15.45-16.00 so you can get settled in. We’ll share the full agenda with you soon. If you think you’ll arrive later than 16.30, please contact us as soon as possible. 

  • If you miss the pre-arranged shuttle from Bath Spa, feel free to jump in a taxi and we’ll reimburse you. If you’d like us to support you in arranging a taxi for the final leg of your journey, if you missed the shuttle, please contact us as soon as possible.

  • We’re really excited to see you at the retreat but we know that life happens. If you find that you’re no longer able to join us at the retreat, please do let us know asap. We currently have a long waitlist, so letting us know asap will allow us to offer this fully funded space to someone else. 

    You can let us know by emailing hello@blackdesignguild.org.

  • The Black Design Guild team is on hand to support you all the way through the run up to the retreat. 

    Please do not hesitate to contact us if there’s anything you need. Please say 100% of what you want and we’ll work together to see what we can do. 

    As ever you can reach us at hello@blackdesignguild.org.

    In the run up to the retreat we’ll also provide contact numbers, in case you have something urgent and need to text or call.

This is a live cohort guide so you may occasionally see us here making edits and additions. 


Something missing? Let us know at hello@blackdesignguild.org