Conversations on Faith and Equality

Eli is a clinical phycologist and the co founder and CEO of Kids Matter. A charity working to reduce impact of poverty on children and equip parents. We talked about the rise in mental health diagnosis of young people, rising child poverty, permissive parenting and what every parents need to be thinking about. To find out more about the charity, Kids Matter visit: kids matter.org.uk

Jules talks about Jules's journey with anxiety and how she has found tools, and created a course to help others. She talks about what anxiety is, how to manage panic attacks, fear and negative thoughts. How we can change the way we think. How do faith and anxiety work together.

Clare talks about her and her husband's (former soap star) journey of recovery. We talk about how different alcoholism can look and at the amazing support in the recovery community. Clare runs Kennedy Street Recovery - (kennedystreetrecovery.org) providing support to hundreds of addicts.

Maggie Filipova-Rivers and Fiona Summerfield talk about the work they do supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Maggie is the East of England Coordinator for City of Sanctuary as well as being a local councillor for South Oxfordshire. Fiona runs the Church of Sanctuary work at Greyfriars church in Reading offering a safe place for asylum seekers and refugees. We discuss the response to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, the reality of the situation and what support is actually given and ask questions about the stereotypes, preconceptions and challenges that asylum seekers and refugees face. Find out more about the City of Sanctuary movement here https://cityofsanctuary.org/ Find out more about the Sanctuary Ministry at Greyfriars https://greyfriars.org.uk/sanctuary-ministry/

We discuss what makes a team 'diverse', how to develop diverse teams and the importance of difference of thought. The need to be aware of power structures and to create psychological safety for people to freely be a different voice. Will James is a leadership coach who works with leaders and teams helping them to develop their purpose, potential and impact. Check out Will's TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPQ9h0TTUO8 website: withdiversity.com

We talk about the care system in the UK, orphanages, voluntary tourisms impact on orphanages, the impact of the war in Ukraine on orphanages. Ruth a social worker in the UK and Sophie works for an international charity Hope and Homes for Children. Ruth talks about growing up with her family running a children home and the work she does now for children in care. Sophie's charity aims to end institutional care and she explains how they do that and the reality of orphanages around the world as well as the work they are doing right not in the Ukraine with orphanages. On a side note I have entered a podcast competition. If you vote for me I would be so so grateful. Details are below: https://www.podcastawards.com/app/signup 1. Follow the link 2. Put your name email etc into the form 3. Verify you email (in your own email) 4. Follow the link again and go down to the 'Religion and Spirituality' section 5. Select 'Conversations on Faith and Equality'

A little bit of a reflection on the last 3 years. Thinking about what has changed but what we still need to think about to have better equality and compassion towards one another.

Emily lived in the red light district in Bangkok for 5 years working with women exploited by the sex industry and helping many to escape. She then came back to the UK and started Ella's. Ella's Provides support and housing in London for women who have survived human trafficking and sexual exploitation. For more information on Ella's visit ellas.org.uk

Sue Hopkinson is the mother of Alex who was on a previous episode. She raised Alex on her own, has battled breast cancer and has been working with neurologically diverse children even before Alex was born. She is an amazing and inspiring woman.

Anneka started the beautiful jewellery brand Recognised. She started the business with her husband and she has since won Young Buisness Woman of the Year. The brand supports causes such mental health, loneliness and human trafficking but the key part of it is recognising where people are at. We talk about the tory of Recognised and the importance of recognising peoples pain and struggles. We also talk about what it's like being a female founder and entrepreneur.

Em is a nurse and psychosexual therapist with a private clinic in London. She has been working in the field of sexual therapy for over 20 years. She is an expert in her field. She has written a book called Seasons of Sex and Intimacy. We talk about how she got into the field, problems she sees, we talk about the episode The Things We Do To Women on the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. We talk about inequalities in sex and relationships.

Talking about life with a learning disability, the L'Arche community, covid for those with learning disability and how the community has coped with the revelations of abuse by its former leader Jean Vanier.

Hope is an author and an award winning advocate for people with eating disorders. She spearheaded the #DumpTheScales campaign calling on the government to review the eating disorder guidance delivered by clinicians. We talked about her own journey and struggles with anorexia, her faith and how we as a society we can better support those with eating disorders.

Chat with Jenny the CEO and founder of the award winning food waste brand Rubies in the Rubble. Jenny is an inspiring leader who started the brand as a result of her passion to fight food waste. We talk about how she has found starting and the running the business particularly during Covid as well as getting into the facts, issues and possible solutions around food waste.

Chatting to the inspiring Founder and CEO of the magazine and brand Magnify on where faith, fashion and feminism compliment and conflict with one another. How she started Magnify and some of the challenges she has faced and her own experience of racism.

Tyson speaks brilliantly on the subject of race through giving his own experience and how he sees things in light of the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter protests last summer. He is an actor, model, boxer and producer. He is from East London. We talk about tokenism, being in a mixed race relationship, the police and what he thought about the response to Black Lives Matter protests.

Hearing from Anna Smith about raising 6 kids, working out equality in a marriage when the roles are different and what to do when society doesn't always value your role as a parent. Plus brilliant parenting advice. She is passionate about the role of raising children and an inspiration to hear from on the subject of motherhood.

Speaking to two of the most driven and successful people I know who happen to be my Dad and his one and only sister, Lizanne Gumbel QC. Lizanne is one of the top barristers in the UK supporting some of the most vulnerable clients from child and sexual abuse to the most catastrophic personal injury cases. She has acted on behalf of the Jimmy Saville and Harvey Winestein litigation. We talked about their childhood and what made them so dedicated to the different work they do. This is the first interview they have ever done together.

Conversation with the author and double MOBO award winner rap/grime artist Guvna B on the relationship between music, culture and faith. Discussing inequality in the music industry and the music played in church and his latest book on toxic masculinity.

Talking to Corina about her life having grown up in Romania, the challenge of the world of investment as one of the few woman and how she found faith. Discussing some of the assumptions and biases Romanians face in the UK as well as how and why she came to start a civil action group supporting different needs in Romania.

Talking to Neenu Thomas about her life, working for an international charity helping some of the poorest in India and the impact of Covid on the daily wage workers in India.

TV and Sports presenter Charlie Webster talks about being the first female boxing commentator and her experience of domestic violence.

Talking about faith and disability and hearing the story of the inspiring Sally Whitney.

Dr Gubby Ayida a top Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Director and Founder of the Women's Wellness Centre. Talking about the shocking statistic that black women are 5 times more likely to die in pregnancy and child birth and that Asian women are twice as likely. As well as what it is like to be a black women at the top of her field.

Talking to Karl Lokko about starting a notorious gang aged 14 and how he left it.

Chatting to Ben Lindsay about race and the church. Ben has written the book Why We Need to Talk about Race.

Talking to James about diversity and inclusion at Coutts and the reality of working that out in a private bank.

Chatting to Louise Broni-Mensah, CEO of Shoobs. The first black woman to get funded on the Y Combinator program in silicone valley.

Talking to Myles about race, feminism and chauvinism.

Me having a bit of a chat with my Dad about equality in the church and some family history. Me and Dad are going to interview some other people in the podcast coming up soon, its so you can get to know him a bit before we do too. Hope you enjoy.

I'm Becs and this is just a little intro into why I am making the podcast, what its going to be about and a little bit about me.