The Good Listening To: The Story Behind Your Story Show!

Ladies n' Genminminminmin (er, min...) we have Clergy in 'The Clearing'!Please welcome my very dear and lovely old friend The Reverend Olivia Coles. A real life "Vicar of Dibley" here in The Good Listening To Podcast: The Story Behind Your Story Show! recorded as a FaceBook LIVE!"More tea Vicar?""No, but I'll have another one of those Rock Cakes. Those are the buggers that made me fart..." erm, etc!Hurrah!Olivia Coles is the Vicar of Whittlesford, in Cambridgeshire. Her late father, Jeremy, was himself a Vicar, her mother Margaret was a Trauma Counsellor (and still with us). Her husband, Alasdair, is a Professor of Neuropathology at Cambridge University and he too is ordained. Their son Alex is a Northampton Saint! (He plays Rugby professionally - he has not been canonised!) Their social worker daughter, Kana, is currently specialising in Domestic Abuse. More about Olivia:Olivia herself has enjoyed a lot of training, a lot of counselling and a lot of open-house life experience in Zambia and Peru as well as in the UK. Her faith is God is beacon-like without being off-putting. Her sincerity shines through her conversation. Some might say she exhibits evidence of low self-esteem. Others might more charitably recognise her attractive humility and wonderful work ethic. The Reverend Olivia Coles loves people. She loves listening to them. She loves sharing their joy at christenings and weddings, as well as in old age, supporting their grief at funerals and wakes. Olivia takes her job very seriously - but not herself. (She once sat in a bath of porridge as a student for a whole day to raise money for charity!) For Olivia, all relationships are of paramount importance. Primarily, of course, her relationship with God and then follow all her other relationships - with her extended family and many friends, her parishioners and the wider community, including refugees arriving soon under her roof from Ukraine. She loves walking with her dog, especially on the seashore, describing the sea itself as ‘God’s paintbox’. Olivia has no doubt whatsoever that God is always with us. She has no doubt whatsoever that God loves us unconditionally. Her best advice resonates the recommendation of all 12 Step fellowships: “Let go and let God!”If you are world-weary and cynical, you may find Olivia’s ideas at best, naive and at worst, simplistic. But remember, it is both ignorant and arrogant to reject them without even listening to them. We invite you therefore to open your ears, open your mind, open your heart. Who knows how affected you may be by Olivia’s quiet enthusiasm? Do you remember the story of St Paul on the road to Damascus?  Think about it!Reg Starkey - Health Triangle Magazine

Ladies n' Genminminminmin (er, min...) please welcome Bristol Broadcasting Legend Keith Warmington legendary BBC Radio Bristol Presenter, Blues Harmonica Player, Voiceover Artist & Cycling Nut!Top bloke, top local Broadcaster and top local legend!   After 52 years in Bristol, the mellifluous Keith Warmington is an optimistic Francophile, who is on his way to becoming the finished article. He is a self-confessed "cycling nut", happy to be on the road for up to 3 hours on any day he chooses. Habitually he enjoys saying hello to people, counting local cranes on a regular basis and changing his spectacles every year. He also enjoys sharing chocolate cake in the Primrose Cafe. Keith does not yet have his own website but claims the BBC website’s version of him is inaccurate. He was born in Camborne, not as a ‘chopper’ in Redruth, as implied by the BBC. Keith started working with them in 1983, not 1993 as their website suggests. This programme is proud to set the record straight! Keith is a professional performer and harmonica player, who also plays the guitar. His great loves, apart from his lawyer wife and his grownup daughter, are recognising random road bikes and gazing at beautiful guitars. While still at school in Redruth, Keith was inspired by role-model folk singers like Mike Chapman and Ralph McTell in denim jackets, carrying their guitars around in cases. Later he was impressed by Tour de France competitors with their seemingly effortless energy and elegant sunglasses. Keith actually taught French for 9 years in Bristol before finding more fame and job satisfaction in broadcasting with the BBC. There, the late John Turner was his mentor. Keith remembers John’s pragmatic advice:* Always know what you are going to do next* When the red light goes on, make sure you’ve got something to sayIt has stood him in good stead to this day. What Keith says is colourfully fluent and well worth listening to.  Hear for yourself, here. Thank you!

Delighted to welcome creative and comedy legend Vic Llewellyn to The Good Listening To 'Clearing' to talk about all things being Vic, castle building, writing, creativity & random squirrels!Vic is a theatre maker, writer, actor & chewed bread sculptor! Funny, educational & inspiring on the outer limits of creativity.You can also 'watch/listen' to Vic's episode here: about Vic:John Victor Llewellyn Williams, aka Vic Llewellyn, is a delightful, deadline-driven dramaturg, who wants to be remembered for what he has done rather than what he was called. Yet his name itself is interesting. He was called Victor after Victor Silvester, the world champion ballroom dancer who also sold literally millions of records as a band leader from the 1930s onwards. The name Llewellyn comes from the Nurse, who was present at his birth, which he sees as something of a miracle in any event - on two counts. First, his father survived a potentially lethal booby trap explosion in Egypt in World War 2. Secondly, his grandfather was a genuine Foundling - abandoned on a Bucher’s doorstep as an unknown  newly born baby! Happily, grandfather, father and the young Vic Llewellyn all survived and thrived, although Vic himself was turning 30 before his natural creativity got into overdrive. He was taught to be a Clown by the one and only Philippe Gaulier and remains inspired by Gaulier’s teachings to this day. Vic met his future wife Emma while working with Tom Clark from the then famous Clark’s shoes’ family. Vic is inspired by art, books and music. Even if a book is not to his liking, if he has started it, he will always finish it, optimistically hoping to find the rare pearl amid the encircling dross. Likewise for him, there is no such thing as ‘background music’ in the curious world of Vic Llewellyn. With a brother called Alex who is 9 years older than him (another miracle!) Vic was naturally way ahead of his peers in his liking for Jimi Hendrix and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. One of Vic’s schoolboy nicknames was Mature Alex! The theatricality of that band appealed to him. As well as writing and performing, Vic now has his own live radio show and is totally unworried if “no one’s really listening “! Art is its own reward. Applying a Profit and Loss metric merely demeans it. Vic agrees with Eleanor Roosevelt’s assertion that critics are habitually overrated and adds his own delightfully idealistic idea that “Everyone’s got this beautiful thing inside them!” The challenge, Vic suggests, is simply to find where you belong as early in your life as possible.Reg Starkey UK Health Triangle Magazine

Welcome to the Clearing for a special "Leadership Reflections" Episode,  the wonderful 6’ 5 Scottish man-mountain of entrepreneurial flair & generosity and a truly 'Great Scot': Russell Dalgleish  😊  Chair & Co-Founder of the Scottish Business Network.Russell's lifelong, blazing 🔥 passion is helping other people to succeed in business and in his high-achieving career he’s helped thousands of them. Could YOU be next?Russell Dalglish is a Scottish serial entrepreneur and network builder extraordinaire. So if you need help in your business too, then do not miss this show!Many generations of entrepreneurs, directors, business managers and executives of all shapes and sizes have hugely benefited from his extensive business wisdom and proven track record of success.What Russell says about himself:The first thing people notice about me is ‘me’ because I'm a unique character and a natural performer who’s happy to speak up for what I believe (the fact I'm 6’ 5” and Scottish helps too). My true passion, my “why”, is to help others to succeed. The career I have followed has allowed me to develop a truly global mindset, an inner capacity to “do the right thing” and resilience which has allowed me to accept both success and failure as simply milestones on my journey.I know how challenging it can be to lead, how lonely it can sometimes feel and how important it is to ask for help. I also know how difficult it can be to reach out and admit we can’t do everything. Don’t worry you’re not alone, we’ve all felt this way.I have been fortunate to experience success in my career and recently was listed as one of the top 100 most influential entrepreneurs in the UK (No. 67) you are unsure if I can help you then please drop me a note at russell@exolta.com and let’s schedule a call. More about Russell:Consciously committed to helping others, by any measure, Russell Dalgleish is a great Scot. 6’5” in his tartan socks, Russell can trace his family back well over 400 years! (Ancestry, eat your heart out.) Russell is an extraordinary Scottish success, both personally and professionally. He believes in the big vision. Why else would he be the pioneer investor in an award-winning feature film, no fewer than 9 years in the making?Clearly patient, this is an honest, entrepreneurial family man, driven by the power of purpose. ‘Have laptop, will travel’ Russell is an international digital nomad who has helped develop a global network of Scots, which is now over 10,000 strong, in no fewer than 76 different countries. A decent human being, he is an unashamed technophile, who is willing to present his ideas on Zoom after midnight to connect with people at a convenient time for them in Chicago. But he is definitely not a ‘Work comes first” automaton. On the contrary, here is a straight-talking character, whose key words to live by are ‘Family first’ and are proved by his actions. Witness the fact that Russell married his first great love from college days and remains with her to this day, one day at a time, the best part of 40 years later - with three sons to their credit. A great Scot, an economical yet inspirational communicator, whose every word is well worth listening to: an opportunity not to be missed!Reg Starkey Health Triangle MagazineThe Good Listening To Podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout with its own weekly show on UK HEALTH RADIO NETWORK LIMITED with an audience reach of 1.2 million.'Leadership Reflections' is where I wrap an episode of the podcast, with its strong and established Storytelling construct, around you as a Leader, to uncover your 'leadership-lessons-learned-along-the-way'.DM me if you’d like to be in the Show

A reunion here in "The Good Listening To" Clearing, 34 years later after we both 'hacked our ways into the thickets of life', having trained together as actors at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School!"So Richard, what's it like to Fight Direct and keep correcting Robert DeNiro? How was it working with Brad Pitt on the set of "Troy"? And how did you end up being Michelle Pfeiffer's Stunt Double in "Stardust"?" To answer this and all the usual other questions, Ladies n' Genmin please welcome to the Good Listening To 'Clearing', internationally renowned Stunt Coordinator, Fight Director & Master at Arms for the Film & TV, Richard Ryan, currently Fight Director for Netflix's "Vikings Valhalla".Richard was mentored in his early formative training by the great Henry Marshall, who handed on the glorious title of "Master at Arms at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art" to Richard as his successor. Richard was subsequently also mentored by perhaps the greatest Film Fight Director of all, William Hobbs.William Hobbs fight coordinated all of the best sword movies in the 70's-90's, including the iconic fight, regarded by many as being "the greatest sword film fight ever filmed": The sword fight and final 'battle to the death' between Liam Neeson & Tim Roth in "Robroy", with John Hurt & Brian Cox looking on.

Please welcome the "Queen of Valuable Content" Sonja Nisson, recorded as a special LinkedIn LIVE 'Brand Strand' Episode of the Podcast. 'Brand Strand' is where I wrap an episode of the podcast - with its strong and established Storytelling construct - around a particular company or individual, to help amplify their company or personal brand.In a nutshell Sonja Nisson "helps people unlock what they want to say in the world of business".In the kelp beds of Sennen Cove in Cornwall for her Clearing (as a wild swimmer & 'happy mermaid'!) Sonja tells us the 'story behind the story' of her curation of  "The Land of Content":  "What if the land of content was an Island? What would we find?!"Listen up to learn more about the "Bay of Quick Wins", Foggy Bottom", "Shit Creek" & "Lonely Crag"!More about Sonja:"If you are going through a business identity crisis and are keen to get your message and communications approach sorted, she can help. Her clients are founders and leaders with expertise and ideas to share, and most often, a website they're frustrated by and finding it hard to move forward on. Sonja helps you get clear on your story - who you are and what you do as a business - using research and feedback as a mirror to align your thinking and find a confident way forward. Working together, you'll craft a unique message, website and valuable content strategy that lands with those you want to influence, driving you and your business to reach your full potential. - Co-author of Valuable Content Marketing, how to make content the key to your business success - the first UK book on content marketing, published by Kogan Page 2013, 2015. - Alongside her independent consulting work, she runs the "School of Valuable Content" with co-author and friend Sharon Tanton. They run courses and writing clubs to help people create the valuable content they need to power their businesses. - She believes that the quest to create valuable content is a great catalyst for a more customer-centred approach to business and marketing. - She's increasingly curious about the role of listening in business and in life. She'd love to unleash a listening revolution in the business world. Imagine the radical change that would happen as a result!Enjoy!

Comedy Double Act Beauties Howard Coggins & Stu McLouglin from "Living Spit" Musical Theatre Company, here to "dissect their frog" on their wonderful anarchic comedy method and madness!The warmth between the 2 is palpable and their comedy magic together a work of collective comedy genius. Howard & Stu work with a creative crack team of 5 to generate their magic together and are based in Clevedon at their home venue (which is also delightfully their "Clearing")  which they also co-founded, "The Clevedon Theatre Shop" This is their story on what has shaped them in the crafting of their impressive canon of 17 hilarious comedy musical theatre Shows to date as "Living Spit". "Living Spit" so called because Howard is - as Stu discovered much to his delight on a day trip to  Hever Castle - a "Living Spit" of Henry V111.  Stu got straight on the phone to Howard - and the rest - as they say, is comedy history!Enjoy!More about Living Spit:Introducing an extraordinary couple of colourful characters from the West Country, the frontmen of their own theatre company, called mysteriously “Living Spit’. Not so mysterious when you learn that Stu saw a picture of Henry VIII at Hever Castle, which struck him as the spitting image of his friend, Howard. On the strength of this striking physical similarity, the two friends decided to create their own lighthearted musical comedy about Henry and his various wives. Howard was a shoe-in for Henry. Stu was happy to play the wives. Musicians in their teens, actors in their twenties, the two thespians created Living Spit - as if inspired by the Bob Dylan song ‘Don’t think twice, it’s alright.’ Now their company has 5 key people, including their own ‘third man’, producer / director Craig Edwards. Over ten years later, Living Spit has over 17 different original comedies to its credit and two or three more live ideas in the pipeline. These days the shows are more comedy than history. They always involve original music. The founders are now related by marriage, but not to each other. Brothers-in-law, they happily share family occasions as well as gruelling professional tours. In the pandemic, they played on camera- or rather six cameras - to an empty house at the Bristol Old Vic. This was a breeze compared with one unhappy night in Runcorn - so disappointing that they vowed never to return. And they never have. Instead, Howard and Stuart do their own thing, in their own way, then turn to Craig to help them make it work. Allowing a mere three weeks for rehearsals, they’re ready to go public with it. The audience is the only thing that matters to Living Spit: their laughter, their delight, their satisfaction. Our heroes are happy to be the best in the West. They don’t need to prove they’re the best in the world - even though they may be. They certainly have a better work/life balance than most people in show business. It’s time to meet the original founders of Living Spit. Listen, it will certainly raise a smile or two. Listen, you might learn something!Reg Starkey - Editor UK Health Triangle Magazine

Welcome to the Clearing: Actor, Director and one the original founding members (alongside his brother Mark) of "The Medieval Players" Carl Heap!"Finding the method in Medieval Theatres"  The Guardian"The Medieval Players" were a pioneering British touring theatre company in the 1980's & 90's renowned and lauded for restoring a delicious vocabulary and experience of Medieval performance for us all, by re-introducing us to a different kind of Actor: An ensemble that is completely at ease talking directly to an audience and not hidden in the dark:"If the audience is sharing daylight with the Actors it seems rather rude to ignore them!"Indeed I had my 1st ever professional touring experience with The Medieval Players in a production called "Courage" in 1989 (as party of a 10 month tour) very shortly after graduating from The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.Renowned Theatre Director Emma Rice said of The Medieval Players: "Gasp makingly cheeky,  so bloody funny, so bloody skilled!" as she witnessed the all juggling, all fire-breathing, all stilt walking Medieval Minstrelsy as one of her very formative theatre experiences.Carl now writes, continues to act and direct as Artistic Director of Theatre Company, "Beggars Belief" (see what he's doing there?!) and he also sings on an epic scale with The Crouch End Festival Chorus.

Ohhhh yes! Ladies n' Genminminmin please welcome Actor, Director, fellow Instant Witter, ex-Banker and dropper of the occasionally delicious 'F' Bomb (!) the very entertaining and wonderfully enigmatic Craig Edwards.As an ex-Banker not so much "Cashier Number 3 please" but "F Bomb Number 12 pleeeeeease!" Chortle!So Craig: How would you most like to be remembered? "I'd like to be remembered as someone who laughed a lot. But I won't be remembered for that, I'll be remembered as being a grumpy old fuck!"Lol! A wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable conversation indeed...A special "Digital Nomad" recording (go me!) as I speak to Craig LIVE from my balcony and strapped to the old interweb in Madeira! Wooo-hoo!

Welcome to "The Clearing" Darren O'Conor: Learning Designer, healthy sceptic and co-founder of Passe-Partout Leadership Consulting & Coaching to talk about all things Leadership & Wellbeing.If you Google Darren O'Conor you come up with a Lightweight Thai Boxer. Erm, this Darren is the other one!“In Business Is It Time To Ask Yourself: ‘Where Did I Go RIGHT?’”The pandemic profoundly affected both Darren O’Conor’s business and his family.The flourishing agency his wife Alex and he have run for 25 years faced some client challenges. And recently, like many people, they both sadly lost some close family members. “I lost my father, Alex lost her mum, and last year Penny, our niece, died. They remind you of the importance of having a sense of perspective about what you are doing,” learning designer Darren tells me.Despite the economic downturn that hit so many other UK firms hard, Alex & Darren’s well-established business, Passe-Partout Consultancy, has grown from strength to strength.“The pandemic changed our whole perspective. It’s been the most rewarding period for us. We have been able to turn things round and help far greater audiences than ever before,” he says. “’Where did I go RIGHT!?’ – People don’t ask themselves that question very often!”Passe-Partout Consultancy empowers clients to make a significant personal and professional breakthroughs. Darren’s done the same.When things aren’t going well, so many business people worry about where they went WRONG. But Darren’s hugely positive and refreshing perspective turns that upside down – he went RIGHT!

Hooray for Hollywood! Ladies n' Genminminmin (er, min...) please welcome the warm, generous and wise L.A based Talent & Brand Manager and occasional humming-bird whisperer, Seamus Lyte!UK Agent and close friend - back in the day - to none other than Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher!  And Agent today to the likes of Ross King, Christopher Biggins & Tyler West to name but three.In this delightful episode, Seamus Lyte also tells bravely of how ‘trusting his higher power’ - in combination with the love and support of his close family, clients & friends - has helped in his recovery and happy remission from a shock diagnosis in March last year, of a Glioblastoma tumour & brain cancer.A recent guest described being in "The Good Listening To Podcast" as like having a 'Day Spa' for your Brain! So it is my absolute pleasure to offer that to Seamus in particular!Also listen out for the many accidental and wonderful book titles (!) that we stumble upon as we enjoy chatting along together, including:  "We Walked Through Clouds of Jasmine" (& Marijuana) ; "Flying Somewhere Fabulous on a Fabulous Day" (as he turns 'left' - see what he's doing there?! - on boarding a plane to go somewhere fabulous!)  and of course the guaranteed Agent classic: "No Time for Bullshit!" Seamus has also been extremely generous in guiding and supporting me in the journey of the Podcast so far.  Thank you Seamus! And best wishes for an ongoing remission and complete recovery,  as you continue to walk the high cliffs of Malibu of a Sunday.(And another Book title you can have for free: "Sunday On The Cliffs With Andrew!")Enjoy!

Ladies n' Genminminminmin (er, min...) look who I've gawn' n' snagged in my Zoom Hole for special Episode 100 of the Podcast!Please welcome to "The Good Listening To" Clearing - Dave Cornthwaite, life-adventurer, explorer, film maker and creator/leader of the "YesTribe!" a community that like to "SayYesMore!""After realising my cat was way cooler than me I decided to make life better and say yes more!" which he did by developing a habit of embarking on long journeys without motors in a series of epic adventures called Expedition 1000."A journey of 1000 miles doesn't start with a single step it starts with an idea""Expedition 1000 a long-term quest to take on 25 journeys, each one a minimum of 1000 miles, each one using a different form of non-motorised transport".15 journeys complete. 10 to go!Adventures so far have included  swimming the Missouri,  skateboarding across Australia and tandem-riding from Vancouver to Las Vegas. Dave is also owner & co-curator (along with his partner Em) of "Big Sky Hideaway" which is a wonderful place all about glamping, camping, alpacas and big skies in Bolton Lancashire.And as he says in his opening line on his website at  "BEGIN: If ever caught between 2 decisions always go for the one which makes for the best Story..."Dave also has his own Podcast called "Self Propelled" which explores the drive, motivation and secrets of people who take the road less travelled.An epic guest indeed!Enjoy!

Naxos Creative courses are all about taking time to reconnect with yourself.  "Creativity courses for everyone!"So Ladies n' Genminminminmin (er, min...) please welcome Ros Hickson & Neil Johnson, the husband and wife team behind "Naxos Creative", as they tell us all about their combined vision to curate "confidence building courses, culture and creativity akimbo" in the sunshine paradise and clear skies and sunsets (and-and-and...) of Naxos in Greece!Beneath the ancient cedar tree of Paradise on one of the beaches of Naxos for their 'Clearing',  this is the "story behind the story" of being Ros & Neil from Naxos Creative.Pause to look at the sunset...And then check out then BOOK!I'll also be joining Ros & Neil as part of the Naxos Creative Team to run "INSTANT WIT Laughter Lab" later this year too!Hurrah!

Welcome to a special 'Brand Strand' Episode of "The Good Listening To: The Story Behind Your Story Show!"In the Clearing: Kingsley Neill, part-man-part-Viking, full-on-majestic-bearded-beauty-and-all-round-awesome-pants-of-an-executive-coach!Here to explore with us all things Fulcrum Coaching and the "pivotal moments" in our lives that lead us to significant change and greater self awareness.A man who clearly and very genuinely  loves his work. His compassion for people is palpable and his presence is strong. Having cut his teeth for 20 years in the Energy Business of Oil, he's now made the pivot to the transformational energy business of Coaching, inspired by helping others to navigate their own leadership journeys with confidence and clarity.Now on a trail to help us all to make time count. One leader, one team, one business at a time, inspiring authentic leaders to create "pivotal moments" of their own.

Have you ever had your entrails spread about the audience of a threshing circle in Ibiza whilst being sacrificed (and disembowelled with a ruddy great sickle) as a Sun God by the Moon? And whilst wearing a pointy helmet? Well Author Ben Dunwell has!"And we had this rather lovely thing where I had this fake tummy that was stuffed with red ribbons and when they cut it open, they could pull them all out and spread them amongst the audience..."Lovely!Ladies n Genminminminmin (er, min...) please welcome Author & Librettist Ben Dunwell to "The Good Listening To" Clearing for a special 'Good Books' series-strand recording of the Podcast as Ben tells us all-out his new Book:"Pine Tree Island: A Novel From Ibiza's Dawn" circa 650 BC as populated by the Phoenicians.(Ibiza's Dawn is the timeline, not the Island Post Mistress erm, obvs, obvs, obvs...)The Good Listening To Podcast: The Story Behind Your Story Show!The adventure continues!

Welcome to the Clearing: Founder of Leadership Training Company Passe-Partout Alex Taskin - to tell us the ‘story behind the story’ of being Passe-Partout! Join me and Founder Alex Taskin as she tells us how and why her Leadership, Coaching & Training Company Passe-Partout (.com) so enjoys analogising their founding story to the epic adventure story of “Around The World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne.Not so much "Around the World in 80 Days" but "Around the World in Training Ways!"In the story Passe Partout is of course the Personal Valet to intrepid adventurer Philleas Fogg.Training Company Passer-Partout position themselves as being the 'Personal Valets to your success!' across all aspects of Leadership, Coaching & Wellbeing.  What Alex Says About Herself:I feel at the top of my game right now and get a real buzz out of helping people and businesses achieve positive change. What am I best at? I think in the nicest possible way, it’s pushing people, coaxing them to think clearly, to make 3-dimensional decisions and take action in ways they probably wouldn’t otherwise attempt. A few stats: the other day we calculated that I have clocked up at least 20,000 training hours, about 15,000 in Organisational Development consultancy and just over 5000 in coaching. Scary figures, but they do kind of ratify my sense that I am getting the hang of it now! Specialties: Coaching (for Executives, Managers and People in transition) Helping teams and organisations develop and improve Training on Leadership, Change, Relationships, Service Improvement and People Management OD consultancy from diagnosis to return on investment Investors in People Positive psychologyWhat Can Horses Teach You About Running A Business?!Leadership and Change Consultant Alex Taskin from the wonderful Passe-Partout Consulting Ltd likes to take the reins and spur people on to make changes in their life. But not just horses - she's a People whisperer too!“My twin passions are coaching and horses,” she says. “And I'm so pleased finally to be putting the two together in a new venture into the world of Equine Assisted Learning.”Sounds fascinating and anyone who loves horses will surely vouch for their intelligence and sensitive souls when it comes to helping humans. Recorded also as a LinkedIn LIVE Alex has huge experience as a business consultant having clocked up 20,000 training hours. That's Mastery right there!“The Good Listening To: The Story Behind Your Story Show!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing” (or 'Serious Happy Place' of your choosing)The Clearing is where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told…Think 'Desert Island Discs' but in a Clearing - and with Stories rather than Music!With some lovely juicy Storytelling metaphors to also enjoy along the way:The Clearing itself - a Tree - a lovely juicy Storytelling exercise called “5-4-3-2-1” - some Alchemy - some Gold - a couple of random Squirrels - a cheeky bit of Shakespeare - and a CAKE!So it’s all to play for! Hurrah!(…and indeed Huzzah!)Enjoy!

Ladies n Genminminmin (er, min...) please welcome to 'The Clearing' the Award Winning Curative Wonder-Pants that IS Anna Farthing! Award Winning Producer, Creator & Curator extraordinaire of all things Cultural & Heritage on a truly Epic Scale: If there's a Cultural or Creative Pie in the offing - particularly in the City of Bristol - Anna Farthing's normally either had or got her finger in it!Put quite simply Anna Farthing is "The Lady Who Launches!" And she's quite good at lunch too...More about Anna:Anna Farthing is a delightful, super-articulate ‘Lady who launches’! Her whole career has centred around creating something out of nothing, where the highest common factor is always bringing people together – whether that involves a festival or a film or a casserole! Anna acknowledges the benign influence of good people from her humble beginnings in Essex, where dance teachers awoke her love of music and movement and then a Head Teacher called Philip Oakshot, a Quaker, whose school motto was ‘Fight for the Truth’. Anna is still deeply troubled by unacknowledged lies. At her 6th Form College in Southampton Anna remains grateful to this day for the gift of a teacher called Roy Faithful, who opened her eyes to the formerly totally unconsidered possibility of going to Bristol University. And the rest, as they say, is history. Inspired by the strong women in her family, like her mother and her four formidable sisters, her aunts, Anna set about making things happen. In this interview she is allegedly nervous - and occasionally emotional - telling her own story, yet totally professional when presenting other people’s inspiring stories – from African slaves to holocaust victims to Hull’s most famous poet, Philip Larkin. Anna Farthing is happiest in a room with people working together to create something out of nothing or sitting in solitude gazing out at the horizon where the sea meets the sky, reassured that the tide will always turn when the time comes for it to do so. Anna’s words to live by are these: “Plant seeds. Tend shoots. Pick fruit – and share it.” You might think that for her this is both literal and metaphorical. As they used to say in Westminster, we couldn’t possibly comment!Reg Starkey - EditorUK Health Triangle Magazine Enjoy!“The Good Listening To: The Story Behind Your Story Show!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing” (or 'Serious Happy Place' of your choosing)The Clearing is where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told…Think 'Desert Island Discs' but in a Clearing - and with Stories rather than Music!With some lovely juicy Storytelling metaphors to also enjoy along the way:The Clearing itself - a Tree - a lovely juicy Storytelling exercise called “5-4-3-2-1” - some Alchemy - some Gold - a couple of random Squirrels - a cheeky bit of Shakespeare - and a CAKE!So it’s all to play for! Hurrah!(…and indeed Huzzah!)Enjoy!

Please welcome Mike Dilke - Back & Ergonomic Products Expert & host of "The Relaxback Show" on UK Health Radio.As we share a relaxed bit of back-chat (see what we're doing here?!) about all things healthy back!Do you have back pain? Or would you like to know more about how to avoid it in the first place? If so, then "sit back - relax - and enjoy the show!" as Mike Dilke and I  “blow a bit of reciprocal smoke” at each other to share audiences from our respective UK Health Radio Shows!"The Relaxback UK Show" on UK Health Radio has been hosted by Mike Dilke since 2017. Mike Dilke also runs the Relaxback UK Company that provides ergonomic equipment to help people with back pain or help to ensure they avoid it in the first place.Website – www.relaxbackuk.com Twitter handle – @relaxbackukMike Dilke is a Civil Engineer, who became a Broadcaster and a Podcaster when his Professional Consultancy career eventually ended in an unacknowledged recession, created by the Noughties’ austerity measures. A yoga enthusiast, Mike designed a means of turning the human body upside down safely at home and tried, unsuccessfully, to secure a patent for his invention. Instead he became a business person in his own right as the UK distributor of an ergonomic, musculoskeletal Swedish chair that ensures better posture and less back pain. It also stimulates more healthy movement. Mike Dilke then met Johann Ilgenfritz, the founder of UK Health Radio and the two characters gelled instantly. No slouch by anybody’s standards, Mike is a family man with an unusual sense of humour, possibly related to his own unusual internal wiring system. Take cricket, for example. When he plays, which admittedly is not often these days, he is a right-handed batsman and a left-handed bowler. Yet he is not ambidextrous and by his own definition, he is just a bit weird. He constantly sees things as funny which others may not even see at all. Mike met his scientist wife in the first week of his first year at University and married her a few years later. Together they have a boy and a girl who are now teenagers. And a dog. Mike regularly turns to his wife and his children for guidance and inspiration for his weekly programme on UK Health Radio and his Podcast. As he has never studied or practised medicine, Mike makes the most of his natural curiosity to question people on subjects that interest him. He asks the questions that the (intelligent) man in the street might ask and explores issues with courage as well as good humour. For example, recent programmes have found him having his Liver tested and asking all kinds of questions on that vital but often neglected organ. Ignorance, he finds, can be a real advantage if used effectively. On another occasion, Mike used Dry January as a sound reason to explore the growing popularity of high quality alcohol-free drinks. The conversation in this episode travels through time and across the world with eccentric charm and occasionally chaotic cul de sacs. Overall and in the end, the posture of the pair is just about perfect. Mike’s mission to relieve back pain in as many people as possible and raise a laugh or two along the way is certainly above criticism. Chris Grimes’ improvisation skills are tested in real time when Mike leaves the Zoom meeting to get himself a glass of water. Altogether a surprising and rewarding encounter where the lack of editing adds to its authenticity!   Reg StarkeyEditor - UK Health triangle Magazine“The Good Listening To: Your Life & Times With Me Chris Grimes!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing”:Where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told.Enjoy!

Ladies n' Genminminmin (er, min...) please welcome Tom Seals to The Clearing!For The Story Behind The Story Of  ‘The Man Behind the Keys’ Of Boogie-Woogie-Wonder Pants & Jazz Musician Sensation - The Real Deal Tom Seals!To quote his own Hero Jools Holland: "Fantastic feel, fantastic voice, the wonderful Tom Seals!"He has also been described as being "A master of the piano and with vocals to pierce your soul - a Boogie-boogie-Genuis!"I was very recently introduced to Tom Seals c/o his lovely Agent Juliet Matthews as we have a venue in France in common!It's www.lessoeursanglaises.com where I do my INSTANT WIT Comedy Improvisation "Laughter Lab" Workshops each year and where Tom is due to be hosting a "Boogie Woogie Weekend" 3 months after me!Tom Seals is a man definitely on the ascension.  He has been lauded as being "quite possibly the future of Jazz, Blues & Pop!" and as I say to him in the Podcast: "I'm glad to have caught you here in The Clearung before you 'Rocket Man'!" (see what I'm doing there, as he's also been compared to Elton John!)His new show format, devised during lockdown "The Tom Seals Show in Isolation" was picked up by Sky TV for its own 13 Show Season.Tom Seals has played with the likes of Jools Holland, Gregory Porter, Jamie Cullum, Dame Cleo Lane, Hugh Laurie, Katie Tunstall, Billy Joel and Sting to name but few!Scales have played an important part in Tom Seals’ life. As a lad, his older sister got him to play them for her on a simple keyboard to help her with her singing practice. More about Tom:At 18 a record company told Tom he needed to lose a lot of weight (3 stone) before they would even talk to him. He himself has always been acutely aware of his ginger hair, his glasses and of ‘carrying more weight than his frame might otherwise wish’. At 10 writing his first autobiography, Tom recorded his admiration for Jools Holland. He now plays piano with him 7 or 8 times a year. When Tom Seals was playing pub gigs for fifty quid as a teenager, he set himself 3 ambitious goals: to play piano at Ronnie Scott’s, to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and to appear on stage with his band at the Royal Albert Hall. Still in his twenties, Tom has achieved his first two goals and has this year been invited to represent the best of what Britain has to offer at the international Expo in Dubai. Tom Seals may travel the world but he still lives in Crewe - with his partner and lifelong friend, Laura and their dog, Charlie. Tom’s grandfather on his dad’s side had a big band called ‘The Versatile Concert Orchestra’. His grandfather on his mum’s side was a role model and childhood hero. Tom still has the highest respect for his mother’s work ethic and wisdom. He remains a family man through and through. Self-employed and self-motivated, Tom Seals’ focus is on musical achievement rather than just money. He loves his life and appreciates the rewards for his energy and effort. The smart money is in no doubt that this is a young man with a world of opportunity in front of him. Jools Holland described him as “wonderful."  Tom’s spectacular versatility on stage makes him hard to label. “If you like good music and incredible musicianship, you’ll like my band.”Tom also quotes a line from Billy Joel: "I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints". Tom Seals will definitely be in that number, singing and laughing, when the saints really do ‘go marching in.’Reg StarkeyEditor - Health Triangle Magazine“The Good Listening To: The Story Behind Your Story Show!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing” (or 'Serious Happy Place' of your choosing)The Clearing is where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told…Enjoy!

Ladies n' Genminminmin (er, min...) please welcome to "The Clearing" for her "damn good listening to!" the wonderful Actress, Stand-Up Comedienne & Performance Poet Angie Belcher!Angie Belcher is an award-winning stand-up comedian and a popular performance poet. She also teaches comedy and recites deliberately poor political poetry through a young male caricature comic-creation called appropriately, Odious Vex.Angie is patron of charity in Uganda called ‘Youth with a Vision’. She has her own young son called Ulysses. Angie Belcher is Comedian in Residence at Bristol University. She has her own Hidden Comedy Club. And now she is pioneering a Comedy on Prescription project for the NHS. The first course has some 15 traumatised people who are willing to work on a new way of recovering from the individual horrors they have all experienced. Angie provides a safe space in which she encourages the participants to cleanse their wounds by reviewing their vulnerability and reframing it for the rest of the group to experience. She turned down a request from Channel 4 to cover it for broadcast because it would compromise the confidentiality of the therapeutic endeavour. Angie’s own personal relief comes from an hour in the local Park every day focusing on the Guardian crossword, created by their somewhat sinister nom de plume: Professor Serpent. Angie recently lost her mother who was and still is an inspiration to her. Her mother, Angie tells us, never told jokes but was always very funny. Blessed are those who are willing to play the fool in order to bring smiles and laughter into our troubled world. Angie’s own guiding concepts are that Doing is better than Worrying.  And that “Chance favours an open mind”.  Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet the one and only Angie Belcher!Reg Starkey. Editor UK Health Triangle MagazineEnjoy!“The Good Listening To: Your Life & Times With Me Chris Grimes!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing” (or 'Serious Happy Place' of your choosing)The Clearing is where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told…Think 'Desert Island Discs' but in a Clearing - and with Stories rather than Music!With some lovely juicy Storytelling metaphors to also enjoy along the way:The Clearing itself - a Tree - a lovely juicy Storytelling exercise called “5-4-3-2-1” - some Alchemy - some Gold - a couple of random Squirrels - a cheeky bit of Shakespeare - and a CAKE!So it’s all to play for! Hurrah!(…and indeed Huzzah!)