What started with one man taking the time to listen became a movement spreading the power of stories across the world.
When Krish Patel from Bolton shared the story of a friend who had experienced homelessness in 2019, he thought only a handful of people might read it.
Instead, within three days, the story had travelled across 15 countries and helped change a life.
Krish, 33, is the founder of Tales to Inspire, a social enterprise born from the idea that everyone has a story to tell.
“We share the lived experience of people from underrepresented communities, and then we support those individuals by taking them into schools and companies, to raise awareness and to create impact,” said Krish.
In November, The Bolton News shared the story of Krish covering 108 miles on his kick scooter, to raise funds for UK kindness charity 52 Lives.
But Krish’s work extends far beyond one heart-shaped marathon, with years of initiatives aimed at supporting people in need.
His passion for storytelling is rooted in his own journey.
Raised in Bolton, Krish grew up navigating questions of identity.
“I’m from a mixed-race background,” the former Bolton School pupil said.
“My dad’s Indian, my mum’s English, and I never quite felt like I belonged in any community.”
A talented footballer, Krish began to find a sense of belonging through sport.
He played professionally for Bury FC before earning a scholarship to play and study in the United States.
Krish said: “It was amazing, but I was pretty materialistic at the time.
“I didn’t really have deeper values other than looking after myself and my family.”
An injury eventually ended his professional football ambitions, forcing a period of uncertainty for Krish.
However, in the US he met a friend who changed his outlook entirely.
Reflecting on the words he was told, Krish said: “Life is full of challenges, and you can break through these challenges.
“The question is: are you going to accept them or run away from them?”
It was in that moment that Krish’s perspective on how he viewed life changed.
At just 23 years old, he decided to do something to help others.
He took on an ambitious fundraising challenge, running four marathons in four days across the north of England to support communities in Uganda.
“I went over and volunteered there, and after doing the marathons, I ended up raising over £10,000.”
That money went on to help build a schoolhouse that still supports more than 150 children every year.
But when he returned home to Bolton, his focus shifted closer to home.
“I came back and I saw homeless people everywhere. I started asking questions, why?”
Krish began spending time on the streets, forming friendships with people experiencing homelessness and leading a weekly outreach group in Manchester called Brew Power.
“We got a lot of negativity,” he said.
“People said, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,’ or, ‘If they can’t help themselves, who do you think you are trying to help them?’
“There was a gap between homeless people and the people walking past.”
Inspired once again to raise funds and awareness, Krish set himself another ambitious challenge.
He decided to swim all the lakes in the Lake District, an impressive 53 miles in total.
“I like the hot tub and the steam room, so I was really challenging myself.”
The Swim4Shelter challenge raised more than £3,000 for the Booth Centre and helped 36 individuals move from the streets into stable employment and independence in Manchester.
After spending countless hours out in the community Krish said: “I realised that people’s stories lit me up.
“But I couldn’t figure out who my role models were. They were celebrities, people outside of my reality.”
Then one day, sitting beside a man who had experienced homelessness, Krish was told words that stayed with him.
“Stories are the pages that make up this book we call life.”
“That was it,” Krish said.
“We all have stories; how do we use them for the better?”
In that moment, Tales to Inspire was born and went live on November 4, 2019.
The first story Krish shared was about a friend, Danny, who had experience homelessness and managed to rebuild his life.
“I thought, maybe my mum would read the blog,” said Krish.
“And after one day, a young lady reached out to us saying she was feeling suicidal.
“But she read Danny’s story, felt encouraged, and went and got help through one of the helplines.”
“Three days, 15 countries. One day, helping someone who was feeling so low.”
Since then, Tales to Inspire has shared 164 stories from around the world.
The organisation has grown beyond its original blog into a podcast with over 150 interviews, as well as workshops, talks and creative projects delivered in schools and organisations.
“We don’t just tell stories,” said Krish.
“We build movements. Movements of empathy and transformation.”
Tales to Inspire works across four key themes: inclusion and belonging, leadership and purpose, mental and physical health, and resilience through challenge.
Krish said the goal is always to “bridge a gap, instead of making a gap”.
“Our society has so many challenges, and they’re all connected.
“By sharing stories of people from different backgrounds, we help others to see that connection and to see each other.”
“I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I believe in honesty, vulnerability and hope.”
Watch our interview with Krish, sharing his story with The Bolton News as our Community Spotlight:
Tales to Inspire has grown far beyond Bolton, but Krish’s guiding belief that every story matters remains unchanged.
“Yours could be the one that inspires someone else to begin again.”
Read more on Lancashire Telegraph
