The Family Tree

Later this year I will be launching a Getting Better Acquainted mini series titled ‘Down to a Sunless Sea: Memories of my Dad' about the my relationship with my dad, my dad's life story and his descent into dementia.The show will be be mixing clips from over 15 hours of interviews that I've done with my dad over the last 10 years with narrations based on these medium pieces: https://medium.com/@goosefat101 Additionally to the main thread of the show I've received The Pulse Award from the Wellcome Trust and British Podcast Awards to make some episodes that look at the science behind the issues covered which include dementia, heart conditions, mental health and euthanasia. https://fund.britishpodcastawards.com/news/50k-awarded-to-uk-podcasters/ As part of the requirements for this funding I'd really appreciate it if people who have listened to Getting Better Acquainted at some point since it launched in 2011 could fill in this survey: http://podcastviews.com It shouldn't take too long to fill in and you can select an option to be entered into a draw to get a pair of tickets to this year's awards ceremony.

This Christmas special functions as an epilogue, a coda, an outro and a final thought, for The Family Tree. Dave spends Christmas with Philip Beech and the Sullivans, and Jen reads a special Christmas story written by Mia. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron

In the final episode of the show, Dave and his brother go to visit their dad to say hello, and also to say goodbye: endings are more complex than a simple full stop. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron

In the last Cutting of Season 3, Dave reflects on accountability and forgiveness, and considers the best ways to end things by asking some big questions. We hear from past guests, new guests and listeners to the show, who talk about how they approach these issues. We also hear from Dave's partner, Jen, about how she has experienced the making of The Family Tree, and are introduced to a song written for the end of show by Martin Zaltz Austwick. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. This episode forms a kind of trilogy with these two previous Cuttings: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-6-the-big-questions/ http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-2-cuttings-5-saying-goodbye/ Find our Guests! Martin Zaltz Austwick: Pale Bird, Song by Song Alex Iantaffi: Gender Stories Podcast Tanaka Mhishi: Tanaka's work around sexual violence, The Consent Collective Oliver Thorn: Philosophy Tube Dr. Alice Tarbuck Dr Cathy Elliott Kevin Allison: RISK! Jenny Adamthwaite Dr Robert Poole Dr. Alexander Cummins Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad  

Dave talks to Mark about his role in the trauma his family has experienced, and reflects on the importance of accountability and justice. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron

Family is about more than blood. Dave continues rounding up the end of Season 3 by catching up with the extended family. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron

As Season 3 starts to come to a close, Dave catches up with the Sullivan family to find out how they're all doing and what the future holds for them. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron

In the fifth Cutting of Season 3, Dave considers different elements of identity. He talks to Scout Pup about furries and puppies, and speaks to Alex Iantaffi about genograms, intergenerational trauma and mind plasticity. The episode features more clips from the Meg-John and Justin podcast, which consider hierarchies of love and relationships. CONTENT NOTE: trauma, holocaust, genocide and intimate partner violence. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. Find our Guests! Alex Iantaffi: http://www.alexiantaffi.com/ Gender Stories Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gender-stories/id1353717550 Meg-John and Justin (podcast, book, zines): https://megjohnandjustin.com/ Meg-John Barker (writing, zines):  https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/ Justin Hancock's sex and relationship education for young people: Bish https://www.bishuk.com https://bishtraining.com/ Life Isn't Binary by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Isnt-Binary-Beyond-Between/dp/1785924796  

With no need to hide anymore and a firm plan for her future, Violita is finally ready to tell Dave exactly what happened when she became a liminal person. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Sam is back from Australia, and eager to update listeners on their new life. They introduce their friend, Tee, and Dave witnesses a new kind of liminal lifestyle. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dave catches up with Ben and Kora, who discuss how things are working out for them in their new life as Ben, Kora, Nathan and jaguar. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the fourth Cutting of Season 3, Dave considers different forms of and approaches to therapy; talks to poet, playwright and performer, Tanaka Mhishi about consent, masculinity and recovering from trauma; and plays some clips from the Meg-John and Justin podcast, which consider social and personal scripts, staying with our feelings, and power. CONTENT NOTE: rape, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, mental health issues, racism, violence, trauma The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. Find our Guests! Tanaka Mhishi: https://tanakamhishi.co.uk/ Tanaka's work around sexual violence: https://www.angles.org.uk/profiles/tanaka-mhishi/ The Consent Collective: https://www.consentcollective.com/ Meg-John and Justin (podcast, book, zines): https://megjohnandjustin.com/ Meg-John Barker (writing, zines):  https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/ Justin Hancock's sex and relationship education for young people: Bish https://www.bishuk.com https://bishtraining.com/ Tanaka's episode of Getting Better Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-347-tanaka-mhishi

Dear Listeners, The conversation I'm sharing with you today is the first conversation I recorded with Melanie after her escapades with Ellie. I don't mind telling you that I found the whole experience extremely distressing, and it was important to me that I communicated this to her. I was a little more confrontational than I generally like to be, but I think Melanie and I both feel that our friendship has benefitted from frank and open discussion. Please don't judge her too harshly. We are all navigating this situation the best we can, and while, in many ways Melanie and I are something more than human, we are also only human. Best wishes, Phillip -------------------------------------- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear Listeners, Mark was a very dear friend of mine a long time ago, and his friendship with the tree is also rooted deep in my consciousness. I do find it very difficult to reconcile this with my feelings about his actions, particularly now I have come to get to know Melanie better. In the conversation I'm sharing with you today, I had the opportunity to talk to him about his decision to change into her, and about his feelings about having multiple conciousnesses within him. I found the conversation quite difficult at times, but ultimately, I think it was valuable, and I hope you will find it of use if you too are struggling with a changeling experience. Best wishes, Phillip -------------------------------------- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patr

After Jane's conversation with Mark, the recorder is left on, and accidentally captures Nathan meeting his father for the first time since his return. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Mark visits Jane, who finally gets to confront him about the effect his decision has had on their family. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

After meeting Ellie, Melanie is open to the idea of allowing Mark to the surface. Along with Ben, Kora, Melissa and Shajahan, she and Dave return to Goldsmith's to attempt to bring Mark back. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the third Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Philosophy Tube's Oliver Thorn, witchcraft scholar Dr. Alice Tarbuck, and historian Dr Robert Poole about the history, philosophy and ideology of persecution. Dave also considers how the legacy of Lancaster Castle, his own family tree, and an excellent twitter thread by Dr Clare Askew fit within idea that ‘we are the heirs of the witch hunters.' This episode follows on from the last Cutting, which looked at Magic –  http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-3-cuttings-2-magic/ – and is a companion piece to this Cuttings episode from Season 2: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-2-cuttings-2-systems-and-structures/ Zoe Prosser, who gives a reading in this episode, was a guest in this Cuttings episode from Season 1: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-5-fantasies-and-conspiracies/ The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. Find our Guests! Oliver Thorn: Twitter - @OllyThorn, @Philosophy Tube  Philosophy Tube - https://www.youtube.com/user/thephilosophytube The video featured in this episode is Witchcraft, Gender & Marxism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmk47kh7fiE Dr. Alice Tarbuck - https://alicetarbuck.net/ https://twitter.com/atarbuck Dr Clare Askew: https://twitter.com/OneNightStanzas The twitter thread featured in the episode is this one: https://twitter.com/onenightstanzas/status/1049601689089728512 Dr Robert Poole: https://www.uclan.ac.uk/staff_profiles/dr_robert_poole.php The book focused on in this episode is The Wonderful Discovery of Witches in the County of Lancaster https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Wonderful-Discovery-Witches-Lancaster/dp/1874181780

Dear Listeners, I hardly know how to present this episode to you. I thought about telling you all about it, but I think you may find some value in experiencing the surprise the way that Melanie and I did in this conversation. I would like to reassure you all, though, that I am very much alive and well, so please don't be concerned about anything like that. Goodness me, what a strange world we find ourselves in. Best wishes, Phillip -------------------------------------- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the second part of a very personal part of the story for Dave, he visits his dad for the first time since he began his changing journey. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the first part of a very personal part of the story for Dave, he talks to his dad, who plans to become a changeling. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the second Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Dr. Alexander Cummins and Dr. Alice Tarbuck about magic and its role in society from the past to the present. And the creators of The Boy Who Hasn't Lived, CJ Bruce and Arlie Adlington, discuss their families' perceptions of magic as they were growing up, as Arlie prepares to introduce CJ to the Harry Potter series. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. Find our Guests! Dr. Alexander Cummins - http://www.alexandercummins.com/ Dr. Alice Tarbuck - https://alicetarbuck.net/ CJ & Arlie on The Boy Who Hasn't Lived - http://www.theboywhohasntlived.com/

Following an enigmatic voice message, Dave facilitates a meeting between Nathan and Nigel. It's the first time they've seen each other since Nathan's change, and they have a lot of catching up to do. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear Listeners, I hope my last recording was of some help to some of you. I find myself frequently revisiting Azariah's thoughtful advice. Every good answer leads to a new question in my experience, but I trust in God to guide us towards a path that is right. I may have believed that They had only one path for us at one time, but I feel that things may be very much more complicated than that. Melanie and I have taken the decision to begin recording our conversations again, and this is what I have to share with you this week. I hope that you may find it interesting, and that it may help those in need. Best wishes, Phillip -------------------------------------- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Following a message from Skarbek, Dave meets up with her on Gallions Hill. What she has to tell him is the information that encouraged the Sullivan family to continue recording The Family Tree. In this conversation, Dave learns both encouraging developments and some tragic news. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear Listeners, I hope this finds you well. It truly is a pleasure to be writing to you again, and I'm delighted to be able to connect with you through The Family Tree. It perhaps won't surprise you to learn that I have faced many challenges since David and I had our little excursion to St James's Park to visit the oak tree. I find I am quite changed, and I don't mind telling you, I've found it rather difficult to process some of the thoughts and feelings I've had since I became a changeling, or a liminal person, as David likes to call us now. David very kindly put me in touch with his friend Azariah, a fellow man of the cloth, and with him I talked through some of the difficulties I'm having. I found his counsel to be very valuable, and I want to share our conversation with you, with the hope that it may serve to help others as much as it helped me. Yours Faithfully, Philip P.S. My parishioners have often preferred to address me as ‘Reverend Beech', or simply ‘Beech'. I think it has allowed them a separation from me that they've found useful, and over time, I've found myself thinking of myself that way too. But I think I would like to try being a little less separate, and from here on will sign my letters to you with my Christian name, if that's alright with you. I find it extremely poignant to see how I titled this episode; Azariah's comfortableness with his first name while I shelter behind my surname. --------------------------- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the first Cutting of Season 3, Dave talks to Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad and Philosophy Tube's Oliver Thorn, discussing philosophical questions around transition, change and belief. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. Find our Guests! Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad – publications - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Chakravarthi+Ram-Prasad Papers - http://lancaster.academia.edu/ChakravarthiRamPrasad Lancaster University - http://www.research.lancs.ac.uk/portal/en/people/chakravarthi-ramprasad(02068fdc-a65d-4a1f-982f-659e6620190f).html BBC Radio 4 – In Our Time - Hindu Ideas of Creation -  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03k289f Oliver Thorn: Twitter - @OllyThorn, @Philosophy Tube  Philosophy Tube - https://www.youtube.com/user/thephilosophytube

In the aftermath of Nathan's return, Dave catches up with Kora, Melissa, Nathan, Ben and Melanie as they all process their feelings about the change, and reflect on Ben and Nathan sharing a body. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Leaving the others to process what just happened, Dave accompanies Nathan back to visit Jane and sets up his recording equipment. Jane and Nathan catch up and discuss their feelings about Nathan's circumstances. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dave catches up with Melanie and Kora, and with Melissa and Ben after their journey to the rainforest. In a controlled experiment at Goldsmith's, University of London, and with the help of Shajahan, they attempt to bring Nathan back. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

New information about changelings has surfaced. Dave speaks to previous Cuttings guest, Jackie Hagan and her partner, Klara, and learns information that will have a huge impact on the Sullivan family and other changelings he's met while documenting The Family Tree. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Spotify Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Season 3 is on its way, and Dave has an announcement. In this special mini episode, he gives an update and shares some clips showing the developments since Nathan's disappearance.  The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the final episode of Season 2, Melissa calls Dave and asks him to meet her and Ben at Paddington Station. They share a worrying plan with him, and when he gets home and listens to his voicemail, things get even worse. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the fifth Cutting of season 2, Dave tries to process recent developments on The Family Tree and get perspectives that will help with issues in his personal life by asking questions about how we deal with loss and with death. Content Note: Death, bereavement, dementia, illness, suicide, euthanasia, violence, murder The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron. Find our Guests! Imam Monawar Hussain: https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com Reverend Azariah France-Williams: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-shapeshifters/id1100385786?mt=2 Rabbi Charley Baginsky: http://www.liberaljudaism.org Wasi Daniju: http://wasidaniju.com/ Against Borders For Children: https://www.schoolsabc.net/ Shaun Attwood: http://shaunattwood.com/ Marlo Mack: http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com/ Tony Pickering: Pick-Art.com Peter Wohlleben: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-hidden-life-of-trees/peter-wohlleben/9780008218430 Peter Pickering: Dave's essays about his father: Down to a sunless sea: memories of my dad   Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-6-the-big-questions/  

In the aftermath of Nathan's death, Reverend Beech comes to talk to Dave. Together, they share their grief and talk about an important change to Melissa's understanding of herself as a changeling. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

An anonymous caller leaves a series of panicked messages for Dave. Is The Family Tree putting the Sullivan family in danger? Content Note: This episode touches on issues around homophobia, rape and child sexual abuse The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

After receiving some tragic news, Dave talks to Thought Adventures co-host, Nigel, about what has happened to Nathan. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dave meets Violita, who views it as a blessing to have become a changeling. She clearly has a lot more story to tell than she shares in this conversation, but nonetheless, her very particular lineage has a lot to tell us about what happens to someone when they take on the memories of other creatures. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. Tunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear Listeners, David tells me that you like me writing to you, so it has come to feel very right that I accompany these recordings with a short note. I'm afraid I don't know much about podcasting, so I've been leaving all the music to David, who has much more experience and has made the last two sound jolly good. Melanie and I should probably work on introducing ourselves properly; I'm afraid we just jump straight in again. However, I think regular listeners to The Family Tree might be very happy to hear the recording this time – Melanie is really beginning to remember a few things now, and is increasingly comfortable with trying to talk about it. Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy Episode 3 of ‘Conversations'. Yours Faithfully, Reverend Phillip Beech P.S. We did think about calling the episode ‘Roger and Olaf', but I think it's best to keep it simple. Do write to David if you have any better suggestions for a name for us.     ----- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dave talks to Reverend Beech and Kora at Jane's house before a special party for Mia to say goodbye to the oak tree: they're going to plant a sapling grown from one of its acorns. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear David (or should I say, Dear Listeners?), I'm delighted that people enjoyed reading my email on your website last time. How funny! I'm not sure I can write anything that will live up to their expectations this time, I'm afraid. But anyway, I attach the latest recording of myself and Melanie talking about our experiences as changelings. Well, I say ‘our'; really it seems to be mostly mine again. Teenagers are very good at steering conversations, I find. As you will hear, we still haven't come up with the right name for our podcast. Melanie doesn't seem to think it's very interesting, but we'll stick with ‘Conversations' for now. I should say, we didn't really introduce it properly like you do: we were in the middle of discussing a book when we started recording, so listeners may want to know that the book we're talking about is The Hidden Life of Trees, introduced to me by your fascinating Cuttings episode with the author, Peter Wohlleben. If I could trouble you to put some more music around our conversation again, that would be wonderful. I hope your listeners enjoy our second episode. Yours, Phillip   ----- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Dear David, Further to our chat about the possibility of you sharing my research with your listeners, I am sending you the first of my recordings with Melanie. She thinks we should be calling them a podcast, but I think that perhaps that's more your domain. As you can see, we haven't yet decided on a name for it… I was thinking maybe we should call it simply, ‘Conversations'. Until we settle on something more permanent, at least. I think to properly be a podcast, we'd really need some music, but I'm afraid we don't have anything like that. Perhaps you would frame it nicely with a piece of the delightful music you use on The Family Tree. Anyway, I hope your listeners will find it valuable. I'm afraid there's rather more talk of me in there than I imagined there might be! Yours, Phillip PS You can use this email if you need some text to go on the website in order to fit your format.   ----- The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In this episode, Dave talks to Shajahan, a friend of a friend, who is considering the hypothesis that her late mother was a changeling. If what her mother told her is true, Shajahan may still have her mother with her after all. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.   iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

As a favour to Nathan, Dave is still putting out episodes of Nathan's podcast, Thought Adventures, on The Family Tree podcast feed. * We think it's important not to believe everything we're told without thinking about it from all angles, even the ones that might not work the way we think angles work. That's why we've created the new podcast, Thought Adventures. In Episode Four, we exchange seasonal gifts, discuss the interesting new developments that came out last week on The Family Tree, and compare the our attempts to be abducted by aliens. We also announce our most exciting investigation yet! We do apologise for the severe delay in getting Episode Four out to you, Thought Adventurers. Nigel has promised that we'll be more frequent from now on. But fear not: now it's time for a Thought Adventure! It's just like a thought experiment, but it's fun! Festive wishes, Nathan and Nigel * The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the fourth Cutting of season 2, Dave tries to make sense of recent developments on The Family Tree by talking to an Imam, a Priest and a Rabbi about death, change, transition, faith and belief. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron. Find our Guests! Imam Monawar Hussain: https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com Reverend Azariah France-Williams: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-shapeshifters/id1100385786?mt=2 Rabbi Charley Baginsky: http://www.liberaljudaism.org Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-1-podcasts-and-priests/ http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/cutting-8-stories-and-more-stories/  

Dave and Reverend Beech have returned after their trip to St James's Park. There's a lot of processing to do as they drink cocoa and go over the events of a very long night. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.   iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.  

Reverend Beech has a plan so drastic that Dave has decided to split this episode into two parts. In Part I, they discuss what they plan to do and why that will involve a drill, a sleeping bag and a freezer. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.   iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

Ben is eager to come on the show to talk about his new organisation, ‘Change of Heart', dedicated to researching and protecting changelings. Accompanied again by Kora, Dave begins to see tensions within their relationship. Meanwhile, the threat posed by information disappearing online looms ever-larger. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

***CONTENT NOTE: This episode generally deals with interpersonal, systemic and state violence but the section from 9.29 min to 26.10 min involves the experience of living in prison and includes graphic descriptions of violence.*** In the third Cutting of season 2, Dave looks at the ways that systems and structures hurt people considered different, other or lesser, in order to contextualise the ways that society might treat Changelings. We hear from Schools ABC about their work fighting to keep immigration checks out of UK schools (1.55-9.29); from writer, activist and ex-prisoner Shaun Attwood about his experience in the Arizona Prison system (9.29-26.10); from intersectional feminist, therapist and equality consultant, Guilaine Kinouani, who reflects on how the mental health system operates for marginalised people (26.10-48.33); and from Marlo Mack from the How to Be A Girl podcast, who considers how being a parent of a transgender child feels in Trump's America (48.33). The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron. Find our Guests! Against Borders For Children: https://www.schoolsabc.net/ Schools ABC crowdfunder: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/againstbordersforchildren Wasi Daniju: http://wasidaniju.com/ Shaun Attwood: http://shaunattwood.com/ Guilaine Kinouani: https://racereflections.co.uk https://twitter.com/KGuilaine Marlo Mack: http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com/ On Getting Better Acquainted: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-314-wasi https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-218-shaun-attwood https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-274-guilaine-kinouani Previously on The Family Tree Cuttings: http://thefamilytreepodcast.co.uk/cuttings/the-family-tree-season-2-cuttings-1-flesh-and-blood-bark-and-seed/  

Many years ago, Mark recorded stories for Ben and Nathan to listen to on a car journey. The cassette has turned up in Jane's loft. But perhaps there's more to these stories than the family ever realised: from what Melanie has revealed about her pre-Mark history, it would seem that in one of them, Mark may have been subtly telling his family what had happened to him. The Family Tree is a magical realist dramatic fiction about family, belonging, change and identity.   iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron.

In the second Cutting of season 2, Dave talks to his dad about living with dementia, his brother about making art about diagnosis, and with true storyteller Radcliffe Royds about addiction, past lives and what it's like to come back from the dead. These conversations explore the kinds of human experiences that might help us to understand the experiences of Changelings. The Family Tree's Cuttings discuss the real issues raised in the show with special guests from podcasting, journalism, religion and the arts. iTunes RSS Help The Family Tree to grow by becoming a Patron. Find our Guests! Tony Pickering: Pick-Art.com Radcliffe Royds: The Radcliffe Episodes Peter Pickering: Dave's essays about his father: Down to a sunless sea: memories of my dad