Podcasts about National lottery

John Maytham is joined by Toby Chance, DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry & Competition, to unpack the legal and political fallout after the North Gauteng High Court ruling that found Minister Parks Tau’s appointment of a temporary National Lottery operator to be unlawful. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brilliant volunteer Alan Dart, tells us all about National Lottery-funded project Take Shelter; the only school Air Raid Shelter open in the South of England. He also speaks about how he remembers VE Day being celebrated in Brighton.Join Chris, Vassos and the Class Behind The Glass every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Marine Craig MacLellan gives us the details about his National Lottery-funded charity, Veterans with Dogs.Join Chris, Vassos and the Class Behind The Glass every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textWhat happens when a corporate executive decides to break free from conformity at age 41 and build something meaningful? Pete Starr's journey from Manchester Council Estate to founding the Chilli Group reveals how purpose can transform both career and impact.Growing up in a conservative household where his father wore a shirt and tie on beach holidays, Pete learned early to observe rather than disrupt. This quiet attentiveness would later become his entrepreneurial superpower, though he wouldn't recognize it for decades. After years at companies like Tesco, Coca-Cola, and the National Lottery, Pete took the leap into self-employment when a friend reframed the concept of risk: "If you have one employer and they drop you, you're left with zero. If you're freelance with multiple clients and one drops, you still have several."The Pandemic brought both crisis and opportunity. As cancellations flooded in during March 2020, Pete faced uncertainty but emerged stronger, with a renewed commitment to environmental impact. Inspired by his children's concerns about plastic pollution and the collective power of small actions, he launched Wavy – dedicated to developing people skills within green organizations to accelerate positive environmental impact.Pete's approach centers on emotional intelligence and presence. "You can have brilliant training design and an average trainer and you'll have an average training experience. You can have average training design and a brilliant trainer and you're more likely to have a brilliant training experience." This philosophy drives his work across both Chilli Group and Wavy, where he helps environmental organizations balance purpose with the profitability needed to sustain their mission.For those considering their own entrepreneurial path, Pete offers refreshingly honest advice: "Just do it sooner" and remember that everyone's polished online presence is merely a shop window – "Every shop has got a back storeroom that's an absolute tip." His legacy isn't about business accolades but passing positive values through generations, creating ripples of impact that continue long after we're gone.Discover how small changes and emotional intelligence can drive massive environmental impact. Connect with Pete and explore training opportunities at gochilli.co.uk and wayvie.co.uk.Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website. Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk Twitter thatchrisgrimes LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/ FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :) Thanks for listening!

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter  or Bluesky for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcast.Competition ends on 7th May 2025. The winner will be contacted via Bluesky. Show references: Dynamic Earth website: https://dynamicearth.org.uk/Dynamic Earth X: https://x.com/ourdynamicearthDynamic Earth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-dynamic-earth-dynamic-earth-enterprises-ltd-dynamic-earth-charitable-trust-/Mark Bishop joined Dynamic Earth in the summer of 2022. The Edinburgh Science Centre & Planetarium provides science engagement to over 250,000 people a year at the centre and across Scotland. Prior to joining Dynamic Earth, Mark was a director at the National Trust for Scotland for seven years. In the 23 years Mark has been in the voluntary sector, he has also held senior roles at Prostate Cancer UK, Leonard Cheshire Disability and The Royal British Legion. His commercial sector experience includes roles at HarperCollins, Sky, and he co-founded two Internet start-ups. He continues to be a Trustee of Dads Rock, which is a charity dedicated to supporting men to be great parents. Transcriptions: Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, a podcast for people working in and working with visitor Attractions. I'm your host, Paul Marden. The Millennium Commission was set up by the UK Government to celebrate the turn of the millennium. Funded by the National Lottery, not only did it fund the Millennium Dome, now the O2, it also funded many regional venues, including a number of science centres such as Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, which was the first major millennium attraction in Edinburgh. In this episode, I'm talking to Mark Bishop, the CEO of Dynamic Earth, about those millennium babies and what the next 25 years looks for them. After a career in charity fundraising, Mark moved to the attraction sector in 2015 at the National Trust for Scotland, before becoming CEO of Dynamic Earth nearly three years ago. Now let's get into the interview. Paul Marden: Mark, welcome to Skip the Queue. Mark Bishop: Hi. Morning. How are you? Paul Marden: I'm very good. I'm very good on a very sunny morning here down in Hampshire at the moment. I don't know what the Easter holidays are like up there for you at the moment, Mark. Mark Bishop: Well, people always talk about the weather being different in Scotland, so here in Edinburgh, we had the most amazing first week of spring last week, and that made me sad because indoor visitor attractions often benefit from when it's cloudy or rainy. So I am delighted to say the second half of Easter is terrible outside, but amazing inside our building. Paul Marden: Oh, good. So, visitor numbers are good for you this Easter holiday, are they? Mark Bishop: Well, we had probably the best number of people in since COVID Yesterday. We had 1302 people in. Paul Marden: Wowsers.Mark Bishop: That's great, because to have families and groups in celebrating science in our building during their holiday time makes me happy. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, went. I've been doing day trips with my daughter just recently over the Easter break and you can definitely feel there's lots of people out and about and enjoying themselves over these Easter holidays. So good to hear that it's been kind to you as well. Longtime listeners will know that we always start our interviews with an icebreaker question that you cannot prepare for. So I think I've been kind to you. I've got a couple for you here. This is an A or B question. If you're going out for a night out, is it going to be a concert or is it going to be a museum nighttime exhibition? Mark Bishop: I think I'm supposed to, on behalf of the sector, go for the latter, but I am going to answer it in an authentic way and say A, a concert. So before I had kids, I'd probably go to about 150 concerts a year. Really, in the days when NME existed and it had a print edition and I'd pretty much just buy it, flick it and go, that looks interesting. And go without ever even hearing things because Spotify didn't exist and he goes to stuff and it was terrible or brilliant, but I loved it just from the variety and the surprise factor. Obviously, these days we kind of plan our music events a bit better. We know the artists and in theory we make better choices. But perhaps we don't do such good random things as well. Who knows? Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Okay, now this one's a little bit more in depth. If there is a skill that you could master immediately, what would it be? Mark Bishop: Trying to understand how my three kids think and how I need to respond to that. But I don't think I'm the only parent on the planet that loves seeing the variety of ways they behave. But just question, how on earth did they come to be and think like that? Paul Marden: Yeah, it sounds like almost a kind of being able to speak child and become an interpreter, a child whisperer. Mark Bishop: And I think we, you know, sort of kind of be a bit more profound about these things. As an Earth Science Centre, that predominantly kind of has family audience, actually, some of the best questions we get are from younger people. So sometimes minds are probably more open and liberated. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Well, that's a nice segue, isn't it? So why don't you tell us a little bit about the Dynamic Earth? What stories does the Dynamic Earth try to tell? Mark Bishop: So Dynamic Earth, for those who don't know it, is the Edinburgh Science Centre and Planetarium. And as I'm sure we'll talk about, we were the first out of the millennium babies to launch back on 2nd July 1999. Our building predates being a science centre. It used to be a Scottish and Newcastle brewery. So when people say, I can't organise the proverbial in a brewery, I go, possibly released half row. And in the mid-1990s, they stopped making beer and handed the land over to public benefit. And it's become the UK's leading Earth science centre. So we're very much a science centre, but we're a science centre with a very specific theme around our planet and our universe and the experiences are very deliberately immersive. Mark Bishop: So we allow people to experience in a safe way what it feels like to be in an earthquake, to see a volcanic eruption, to touch a real iceberg, to dive to the bottom of the ocean and then fly out to the outer reaches of space. And we do all of that because we think our planet is beautiful and fascinating and the wonders of the world need to be celebrated. But increasingly, we also want to showcase the perils we're placing on our planet, our only home. We have about a quarter million people come through our doors a year, and that would be families, that'd be tour groups. There'll be a lot of school groups coming in, 30,000 kind of school groups coming in, and then we have about 400 conferences and events a year. Mark Bishop: So we have everything from Arctic conferences, water resilient conferences, and electric aeroplane conferences. You name it, we have it in our building. And I think a lot of the conferences have keynote speakers that tend to be first ministers or senior politicians, because unless somebody can tell me otherwise, I think we are the closest science centre in the world to a seat of government, because the Scottish parliament is 10 yards across the road. Paul Marden: Excellent. So you have the year of government as well? Mark Bishop: We like to think so. Paul Marden: So I've not been to Dynamic Earth yet, and I need to solve that problem. Yeah. But I'm getting a picture in my mind of telling the story around the geology of the planet, and there's going to be lots of physics around. The planetary stuff that you talk about when you take that big zoom out. Are there other elements of the science, the different sciences, that you bring into this storytelling? Is there elements of biology and botany and things like that you bring into this? Mark Bishop: Yeah, absolutely. So, for example, one of the galleries I didn't mention to you is a rainforest gallery. So you go into a tropical rainforest, regardless of what the weather is like outside in Edinburgh and Scotland, you come into a tropical rainforest, but the sounds and smells and sensations of that rainforest immerse you. And we do that because, you know, probably very few people will travel in their lifetime to a tropical rainforest. And there's lots of environmental reasons why you probably wouldn't encourage people to do that. But to be immersed in that space and to feel what it's like to be in a rainforest allows you to understand that it's humans' relationship with the world around them, and that we're not the only beings on this planet. And so hopefully we try and humble people by realising there are other habitats and species than ourselves. Paul Marden: Excellent. So today's episode, what we want to do, we've got a series of episodes that we want to do around the Millennium Project. I've got particular interest in this because my first job whilst I was still at uni was at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, which was a millennium project. So I was there whilst they were digging. I can vividly remember it being a building site, and this dome where they built the gardens, sort of lifted out of the earth. So I felt, I can remember being there and feeling like this was something important, we were building something for the long term. It was an exciting opportunity. And we're at this kind of big anniversary, aren't we, this year, 25 years since many of those millennium projects opened. Paul Marden: And I wanted to kind of look back on those 25 years. Did it work out the way it was planned to work out? Did it turn out to be this exciting new opportunity, building a long term legacy for the country? Were there some growing pains, that kind of thing? And what does the future, what's the next 25 years and beyond look like for those millennium babies? So let's take a little step back because although I was wearing my wellies and walking around a building site, I didn't pay a lot of attention to what drove the investment in the first place. So there was a big explosion, wasn't there, through investment from the Millennium Commission in science centres. So what drove that in the first place? Why did these science centres come into being as a result, the Millennium Commission? Mark Bishop: Well, I think the thing that probably everybody felt in the 90s, from the mid-90s onwards, was you just heard about the millennium coming, as if this was going to be a significant zeitgeist kind of piece. We're all being told that every electronic device was going to break because of the millennium bug. Paul Marden: Yes. Mark Bishop: And that one didn't come to be kind of thankfully. But I think beyond that kind of anxiety piece around technology, there was a sort of spirit of looking to the future, thinking what might be. I felt like a time of optimism and hope. And so therefore it kind of made sense for government and other agencies to invest in thinking about the future, because a lot of museums and galleries and other institutions are fantastic custodians of the past. Mark Bishop: And of course galleries and museums reflect present times in terms of exhibitions and storytelling and interpretation. But there really weren't many science centres or organisations that were specifically existing to help each of us come to terms with what hasn't yet happened. So I think that's probably the kind of founding driving spirit behind it. And Dynamic Earth was very much part of that wave. Paul Marden: You talk a little bit about being a former brewery. How did Dynamic Earth come into being? What, what was the background story to it? Because these things didn't just appear on the high street in the year 2000. They were projects that ran up to that point, weren't they? Mark Bishop: Yeah. And I love going through our limited but really important kind of archive of documents to try and understand these things. And I sort of love heritage because my last job was working at the National Trust for Scotland. So therefore I'm kind of fascinated by the past as well as kind of looking to the future. And so when I go through our kind of archives and records, it shows that we stopped being a brewery in the early 1990s. Scottish Newcastle said to themselves, you know, we want to give the space over to public benefit. At the time, it wasn't defined to be a science centre. And this part of Edinburgh, the bottom end of the Royal Mile, had a royal Palace. It's had that for a long time. But it was pretty much run down housing and factories. Mark Bishop: And so this whole end of town was very down on its luck and everything kind of needed to be thought through again. So Edinburgh City Council and other agencies like Scottish Enterprise and major kind of funders all got behind thinking about this whole part of town in Scotland's capital, rather than just thinking about a side centre. Paul Marden: Right. Mark Bishop: So the land that Scotland Newcastle gave over to doing good things was partly sold off by dynavicarth to allow, you know, to allow flats to be developed next door we've got Rockstar North. The other side of me, we've got the Scottish parliament that opens 24 hours away from Dynamic Earth kind of stuff. So they opened the same week. So it's a whole story of kind of urban capital city regeneration that lies behind that. But very specifically, why did Dynamic Earth become an Earth Science Centre? Yeah, and you can't see it, but if I dramatically look out my window, I can see Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags through Holyrood Park. Anybody who comes to Edinburgh, whose legs allow, will walk up the hill and experience an old volcano and a beautiful view of the city. Mark Bishop: And now the reason that's significant is that a guy called James Hutton, 300 years ago was a real leading light in the Enlightenment, and he managed to challenge all those kind of religious zealots in terms of the age of the planet by studying the rock forms right outside my window. And he went, “Guys, I've got a thought. This wasn't done in a day or seven days”. I'm telling you now, there's billions of years of laying down of rocks and stuff like that. And so, therefore, when we thought, what does this brewery need to become? Mark Bishop: A number of good people said, well, let's make this centre a homage to James Hutton, the idea that the Enlightenment is still alive with us today, the idea that you should be able to challenge existing hard set views by using insight and science to inform your thinking. And then the rest happened. Paul Marden: Excellent. So I didn't know that Edinburgh was the kind of the seat of that thinking around the geological history of the Earth and what drove the purpose for the centre. It makes lots of sense now. So let's talk about opening up. What was that experience like for the Dynamic Earth? I know there were lots of positives for many people. I know lots of millennium attractions didn't bring in the numbers of people that they were perhaps hoping for. What was that early life like at the centre? Mark Bishop: Well, so inevitably, anything that's new attracts a crowd of people who are curious. So the early couple of years were really good from a kind of visitor attraction side of things. But actually quite early on, within the first couple of years, my predecessors realised that you just can't, generally speaking, break even or make a profit from just running a visitor attraction, particularly when your purpose is educational rather than just pure entertainment. Paul Marden: Yes. Mark Bishop: And so our building had the answer built into it, in the sense we have an amazing set of conference suites for businesses, weddings and other kind of celebrations. And so quite early on, we started an events team and that now means we have 400 plus events here a year. Half of them, I would say, are kind of environmental science specific events. But that generates, you know, one and a half getting off £2 million of income ultimately for us. And that's very significant way of A, making sure that we are a place where ideas take place. Our convening power, if you want to call it that, but actually also the net contribution of that is a very significant way to fund any gap you have on the visitor side of things. Paul Marden: Yeah, I should imagine having the seat of Government 10 yards from the building helps with bringing in the events. And that's certainly not going to detract from the events portfolio, is it, being smack in the centre of the city like that? Mark Bishop: Well, if I think, I mean, in the space of what, the last three or four months, ie, 20, 25, we've had the first minister here two or three times, we've had the Deputy First Minister here the other evening. And so therefore, if you're a company or a conference organiser and you want to attract all the good and the great in terms of delegates, knowing there's a senior political figure to do the keynote address is a good way of making your marketing literature kind of really sing. I think, you know. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Mark Bishop: And also from a. I guess for the politicians as well, because their time is in demand, very precious. So the idea that they can reach their key stakeholders on pretty much any topic in the space of 10 yards, half an hour here and then back at your desk within the hour, that's quite attractive from a political perspective. Paul Marden: Absolutely. So, going back to those early days, as your predecessors were finding their feet, of figuring out what operating a science centre was going to be like, what were the growing pains? Were there some challenges along the way? Mark Bishop: So, inevitably, what is brand new doesn't stay new forever. And I think if you design a science centre and retrofit it into a brewery, there's obviously some trade offs in terms of layout and the design. And you have beautiful architects come in and do amazing things for you that look amazing at a kind of brochure, aesthetic level. But when you trade them day in, day out, you do sometimes question the infinite logic behind the design principle. So, for example, if you come through Dynamic Earth, we're a beautiful tented structure like the Millennium Dome or the O2 as it is today. And if you're coming in and you're buying a ticket in person, you would turn left and go to our ticket desk and join the queue there. But then the actual experience side of things is completely on the other side of the building. Mark Bishop: So the intuitive flow of coming in, getting a ticket and joining the experience is designed in a counterintuitive way where, in effect, audiences sort of meet in the middle to a certain extent. So that's probably an example of things that you just wouldn't have got right on day one, but kind of are a gentle living curse for you every day since. Paul Marden: I wonder, though, by retrofitting the centre into this old historic brewery, whether you may not have fallen foul of some of the other attractions that were built around that time, because many of them have got problems with the fabric of the building now, haven't they, these new buildings that perhaps were built with the same level of care and attention that we might lavish on them these days. Mark Bishop: Yeah, I mean, that's a good thing. I sit in this amazing sort office that basically looks like a castle turret. The walls are this thick, you know, they are very sort of stone and authentic. So it's a very authentic historic building, but with new ideas and thinking and experiences within it. So it's a trade off, I guess. Paul Marden: Yeah. So now that these centres are getting to early adulthood, how do you think they're doing? Mark Bishop: Well. Thankfully, the vast majority of science centres and other experiences that launched inspired by the millennium are still in existence. So survival in the first instance is a form of success. And I think that the fact that we're open shows we've all stood the test of time, which I think is an important achievement. I think what's clear from talking to all the science centres that I bump into is we all find it quite challenging to get that balance between your purpose and your profit, trying to get that balance between why you exist in the first place versus how you fund the building, your staff and your other bills. And so that's an ongoing kind of challenge that the original business plans are used to justify an investment probably don't reflect reality 25 years on. Mark Bishop: I think the other thing I would say that's a real shift is I think centres like Dynamic Earth were opened at the time when the Internet was absolutely in its infancy.Paul Marden: Completely. Mark Bishop: And I still remember from my homework and university work, going to libraries and getting books and using physical things to kind of acquire knowledge. And of course, the Internet now means that any facts and figures are available at the touch of a button. So if you want to know about a volcano, you can find as many facts and figures as you want on the Internet, Wikipedia or other sources. It means that Dynamic Earth and other science centres have kind of shifted from simply thinking about ourselves as a knowledge exchange centre to being a place where we inspire people to think for themselves and that. Mark Bishop: I don't know whether that happened on day 4009 or whatever it was, but I definitely think that when you look at what were doing on day one versus what we're doing in our 25th year, there's been a shift in emphasis and approach. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. You're right that all of these facts and figures are the fingertips of the young people who are completely immersed in that as a natural way for them to research. But I've done enough school party visits, I've taken kids to different science centres, and you can't replace the storytelling, you can't replace being immersed in the place that is so powerful. Mark Bishop: I think 100% agree, and you'd be surprised if I didn't say that. But the idea that you learn as a shared experience, either as a school group or a family or a tall group, you have some jokes, you bounce ideas off of each other. And I saw that recently when my daughter came here a few months back for her last primary school visit, aged just 11, coming at 12.  And she begs me over breakfast, she said, “Please, Dad, don't do anything to embarrass me.” And I absolutely, solemnly swore at breakfast, you know, I will not do anything to embarrass you today. And I maintain I kept my promise. Mark Bishop: But when her school bus pulled up outside our building, the doors open, the kids poured out, my daughter's friends all pointed up to the top of the stairs and went, “There's a dinosaur there, Autumn, that's your dad. It's going to be your dad. You know that.” And I hope that you know that their school group had an amazing experience through the galleries, an amazing experience with our learning team and a fantastic sort of outer space experience in the planetarium. But even that sort of jokey bit of Dad's a dinosaur stayed with the kids. So at the end of their year's show, one of them hired a dinosaur outfit and they reenacted my daughter's embarrassment. And so even that tiny, silly example shows that shared experience is what it's all about. Paul Marden: Completely. I think those experiences that kids have when they go out on their school trips, it's something that Bernard et ALVA talked about earlier on this year as being really important, key points for that ALVA was asking of the government, was to make those school trips integral part of the curriculum. I think they're so powerful and so many kids don't get to experience that well. Mark Bishop: I think the challenge we sort of see here that be the same across Scotland and UK wide is even when there are opportunities to have subsidised tickets and you do everything you can to make sure the price of entry for school groups is as low as possible, often the barrier is the cost of the coach hire. Paul Marden: So I'm a governor at my daughter's school and I was talking to the head and they're in a really lucky position because they've got us. They're a very small village school, so there's only 90, 95 kids in total anyway. But they've got their own minibus which makes them mobile, so it means that any. We were at the Horse Crest, like the local heritage railway, just recently because we got invited for a trip and it was dead easy for us to go straight away. Yes. Because the kids can just get there easily and that's a different kettle of fish if you've got to hire coaches, because it's so perilously expensive now. Anyway, we digress a little bit. You've been in post now for three years, nearly three years, I think it is. Yeah. Paul Marden: What does your plan look like in the short term, but also what do you think the next 25 years look like for Dynamic Earth? Mark Bishop: I think that question sort of speaks to the idea that while an organisation should be proud of its 25 years of existence and everything it's done in that time, and we've certainly had some lovely staff celebrations and public celebrations to celebrate that important milestone. It's too self indulgent to spend all your time looking back rather than thinking about and facing into the future. And that's probably more true of science centres than anybody else, because if you were founded on looking to the future, you get to 25 years. Mark Bishop: Yes, have a little look back, but bang, think about looking forward to the future again and ask yourselves brave questions like what do we need to do that honours the spirit of what our founders did and thought about to put us together in the first place and not to betray our roots, but equally not to be constrained by them. Because the world is very different 25 years on, and particularly around the climate emergency and planetary crisis. We at Dynamic Earth, as an Earth Science Centre, feel not just an opportunity, but a kind of absolute responsibility to play our part, to kind of really shift the dial around helping people understand their role and responsibility when it comes to protecting our only home planet Earth. And so that's the kind of challenge we've set ourselves. Mark Bishop: And I'm going to do a dangerous thing of involving a prop. About 18 months, two years ago, we launched our 10 year strategy from beginning to end, and it's a document at the end of. But the exact summary is this. And of course you can see there's a clock there and you might be able to see the kind of temperature, kind of pieces, and the 1.5 is the 1 that we know quite tragically we're going to reach sometime very soon. And what we've done with that 10 year strategy is say how do we honour what we've been famous for, but how do we push and pivot that towards climate kind of response storytelling? Mark Bishop: And so therefore what we are trying to work through for ourselves is how do you maintain a popular visitor attraction? How do you inspire people, bring entertainment and delight into people's lives, but how do you absolutely hit home with some really hard truths around what we are doing to destroy the beauty of our only hope? Mark Bishop: And I'm not sure I've quite got the answers to that because becoming sort of quite purposeful and, you know, risks being didactic. And being didactic takes away the idea that you're helping people to think for themselves and risks being a bit preachy. So there's a really good set of conversations going on at Dynamic Earth and I think a lot of other places across the UK, which is, how do you, how do you exist on the right side of history while still existing as a visitor attraction? Paul Marden: Yes, because it is a tough story to tell, isn't it? And that doesn't necessarily sit comfortably with being a lovely day out with the family, but that doesn't take away from the importance of telling the story and telling it well. Mark Bishop: And I think what we feel is, if there's one criticism I'd kind of make of the past is we probably overdefined ourselves as a visitor attraction and underdefined ourselves as an Earth science education charity that happens to run the visitor attraction. And that might feel semantic, but actually it's quite fundamental because if you realise that your purpose is about educating people inclusively across Scotland, including in Edinburgh, and now increasingly helping people come to terms with climate issues, then your visitor attraction is a tool, a prop, an asset to achieve a bigger thought than just visiting numbers. Paul Marden: So is there work that you do, outreach work that goes beyond the centre in Edinburgh? Are you talking to people outside of that centre? Mark Bishop: Absolutely. And some of the work that makes me most proud of being chief exec here at Dynamic Earth is the stuff you do not see day in, day out. So we have outreach work that goes into schools and community groups right across Scotland. There's about 10 regional science festivals that take place across the year. We're at every one of those with our pop up planetarium, it's got an inflatable planetarium. Unbelievably, 30 people can slip inside a big squishy tent, and the universe comes to life wherever you happen to be. And that's kind of pretty magnificent. We go into children's hospitals, we work with community groups, we do digital and in person delivery in schools. And so therefore what we do away from Dynamic Earth as a science centre is as important as what we do at the centre. Mark Bishop: Because probably the people who might not be able to come to us for geographic reasons or financial or cultural reasons are often the people we most need to reach. And if we really believe that everybody in Scotland should play their individual and collective part in responding to climate planetary emergencies, we can't just say, well, if you don't come to us, we're not going to come to you. Because the climate issues need all of us to respond. So we have the added burden opportunity to get out there and tell our story across Scotland with that in mind. Paul Marden: Is there a shake up that's going on in the centre as you move on to this next stage of the maturity of the organisation? Mark Bishop: So I think that the things that are different in our approach is thinking about channel mix and that we kind of music to your ears because I think that science centres absolutely pride themselves on that in person shared experience, and that shouldn't go away. But actually thinking about how a one off experience is part of a longer customer or supporter journey is really key. So how do you connect with people before they come? By setting them, I know, a kind of online quiz and say how many of these questions about our planet can you answer? And then ask people to redo the quiz afterwards and see whether a visit to Dynamic Earth or another science centre has enriched their kind of knowledge. Mark Bishop: How do you connect what a family does on a Saturday to what a school group do in a classroom on a Tuesday and Wednesday? How do you get to what I call a nudge strategy, a multiple engagement kind of model? Because it strikes me that most things that, you know, mean something to people are developed over time rather than just one off experiences. So that's a shift in thinking, and it's a shift in thinking by not thinking for yourself as a visitor attraction, but thinking for yourself as a charity that exists to promote learning and engagement more broadly. Paul Marden: That's really interesting. So I'm totally guilty of thinking about the visitor attraction first and the commercial elements of it, because I guess that's our job is to get bumps on seats and to drive revenue. But when you think of that visitor attraction as the tool, not the end, you're using that tool to meet your bigger goals, aren't you? And it changes your perspective on how you do that. Mark Bishop: Well, it does because it allows you to sort of exist in a dual way of saying at a customer, experiential level, digital attraction side of things. How do you make sure that the experience you offer to people is distinctive, compelling, exciting and all the basic service features of toilets, cafe, shop, all this car parking, all those sorts of things on the functional side are doing what they need to do and then it means on the other side that you're also saying, “So what? you know, what is that trip all about? What did somebody take away?” Mark Bishop: And part of what people take away is that sense of shared experience, fun, entertainment, something to do on a wet Saturday afternoon. And that's valuable. But if you fundamentally help even a small proportion of your audience think radically different about themselves and the world around them. You might be doing something that goes way beyond what this attraction could ever imagine. Paul Marden: Yes, absolutely. So is that what you're aiming for? Is it the few minds that you can change radically, or is it the nudge of making small changes to the larger numbers of people that walk through the door? Mark Bishop: I mean, the answer to that is both, because we think every one of us has an opportunity and a responsibility to do basic things. So, I mean, the obvious good examples would be how you recycle stuff. And I look at my teenage boys, are they always recycling things in the best way or am I going through the bin resisting things? But then you ask more fundamental questions of, well, it's not just a case of recycling the bottle of plastic water. Why did you buy a bottle of plastic water in the first place? Yes, this stuff like that. Mark Bishop: And so a science centre like us helps people not just do the right thing in kind of lip service ways, but think more fundamentally about your role and relationship with what excites you at school, what studies you take, what degree you might go on to take, or what job are you going to go on to do? And how do you make sure that where you buy things from, where you work, where you spend your time is reinforcing the good rather than perpetuating the bad? And that's, you know, maybe I'm an idealist, maybe I'm a lack of realism, but actually I really do think that on our day, that's what we exist to do. Mark Bishop: And there will be maybe 1%, 2% of the people who come through our doors who are so inspired by science that they choose careers that are acting as environmental activists. I can think of a lovely lady I met the other day. I'll change her name to Laura. She told me that she came To Dynamic Earth 20 years ago for our Saturday science clubs and she used to come most Saturday mornings. And she so fell in love with science that she chose science subjects at school, went on to do a science degree and is now just finishing off a PhD in understanding volcanoes with a view that she wants to look at volcanic eruptions, where they happen and help think about where humans live alongside volcanoes. So all of that came from her coming here on Saturday mornings. Mark Bishop: So she is living proof that you inspire people young, and it can inform the whole direction of their studies and clear intention.Paul Marden: And deadline. Yeah, completely. What a lovely story to end on, but there's one more thing we have to do before we end today's Interview. We always end with a book recommendation. So, Mark, what book have you got for our listeners to maybe win today? Mark Bishop: So it will sound slightly sort of sanctimonious, but I've just started reading Mike Berners-Lee's book, A Climate of Truth. Now, Mike was in Edinburgh the other evening to do a talk as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival. Such an inspirational guy in terms of kind of climate, sustainability kind of issues. His mum must be very proud to have him. And you know, his, you know, one of the boys invents the Internet, the other one saves the planet. You sort of think to yourself, that ain't too bad. And I'm going to cheat slightly. And also just recommend one poem to people. It's Scottish poet Douglas Dunn. And it's a poem that I first heard when I was at school and I would say I read it probably 20 times a year. Mark Bishop: And the poem is called A Removal From Terry Street and it's only about 15 lines. And what I love about it is it finishes on that, on a beautiful line. That man, I wish him well, I wish him grass. And the context the poem is talking about a family removing, you know, working class family moving away from Hull and the neighbour is looking at them moving out and saying, you know, I wish him well, I wish him grass. And so I think that's just a lovely line that stayed with me. It speaks to the idea that we should all think the best of each other and hope for the futur, and think positive thoughts. Paul Marden: Well, Mark, it's been lovely talking to you. Thank you ever so much for coming on Skip the Queue, telling the story of dynamic Earth and looking forward to what happens next for your amazing attraction. Thank you very much. Mark Bishop: Thank you. Paul Marden: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others to find us. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them to increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcripts from this episode and more over on our website, skipthequeue fm.  The 2024 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsDownload the 2024 Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

"Great athletes aren't just terrified of losing – they're traumatised by it. That's what drives them."In this powerful and inspiring episode, Sue Anstiss is joined by one of the most influential figures in British sport, Mel Marshall. A former Olympian turned world-renowned coach, Mel is best known for guiding Adam Peaty to Olympic gold and multiple world records – but her story is so much more than medals and podiums.From her early days as a fiercely competitive swimmer to her current role leading an elite performance hub in Australia, Mel shares the highs, the heartbreaks and the lessons learned along the way. She speaks openly about the pressure of elite sport, the emotional cost of coaching and the values that have shaped her remarkable career.Mel reflects on the extraordinary partnership with Adam Peaty, the importance of empathy in high performance and why we must do more to support and spotlight female coaches. She also reveals what's next in her journey – and why she believes her best days are still to come.This is a powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention and the people who quietly shape greatness from the sidelines.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with The National Lottery is back!Today on the show, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner flips through her latest novel Rosie Frost: Ice on Fire, out now.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we have something a bit different for you - it's actually an episode from another podcast that Kevin and PJ were guests on! It's called ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams', the podcast brought to you by EuroMillions from the National Lottery. It's hosted by the brilliant Sarel and it's all about what the lads would do if they won the EuroMillions jackpot - we're talking £200,000,000! You can follow ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams' on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fc TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/4d9k5457 Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrme Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7ned Get that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes. Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I hate mediocrity. As soon as it feels like we're sitting in the status quo, I feel like I'm failing."In this brilliant episode of The Game Changers, Sue Anstiss is joined by Jess Thirlby, Head Coach of the Vitality Roses and one of the most respected leaders in world netball.From growing up in a deeply sporting family in the South West to representing England at the Commonwealth Games and ultimately leading the national side, Jess shares an extraordinary journey through sport.Jess's warmth and candour are apparent as she reflects on:Finding her love for netball in a primary school playgroundPlaying alongside legends during the pioneering years at Team BathMaking history as England's first full-time netballer and how it reshaped her view of the sportStepping into the Roses Head Coach role after their historic 2018 Commonwealth Gold — and the pressure and privilege of leading a team with the nation's hopes on their shouldersHer bold, collaborative coaching style and relentless pursuit of excellenceHer ambition to lead the team to World Cup Gold in 2027Balancing high-performance leadership with family life and the realities of motherhood in elite sportJess speaks powerfully about the evolution of netball, her hopes for Super League 2.0, and why the sport must remain unapologetically female-first while building a more inclusive and sustainable future.A compelling conversation that highlights what it takes to lead with integrity in the spotlight, inspire the next generation and stay grounded — even when chasing that elusive World Cup Gold. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Police have been called to a farm's family fun day after animal rights activists targeted the event - with some parents saying young children were “upset”.Officers were pictured at the spring fair in Ashford, as the protesters handed out leaflets promising a “fun-packed tour of your local abattoir”.Also on today's podcast, a frantic 999 call made after a young man was fatally stabbed in the heart by his girlfriend's cousin has been played in court.Jack Cadwallader was attacked after a row broke out at a flat in Harrietsham last July. An investigation has found one local authority is sitting on almost £20 million of unused funds meant for health, education and leisure projects.You can hear from local democracy reporter Robert Boddy who's been getting to the bottom of why the cash has not been spent. Construction has started on two housing developments in Swale which will have more than 700 “much-needed” homes.Diggershave begun work in Minster and Sittingbourne – once complete some of the properties will be affordable housing. And, the Kent winner of a National Lottery prize of £10,000 a month for 30 years has just one week left to claim their prize.We know the winning ticket was bought in Sevenoaks in October – we've spoken to lottery bosses about all the places it could be hiding. 

Lucy Wray: Building Culture, Driving Change and Backing Women's Sport"Sport is this incredible rollercoaster of winning, losing, learning and bonding — I don't think anything else creates that kind of magic."This week on The Game Changers, Sue Anstiss is joined by Lucy Wray – an inspiring and influential leader in sport whose journey spans elite performance, business innovation and transformative change.A former Wales lacrosse captain with over 70 international caps, Lucy's early experiences as an athlete have shaped her deep understanding of team culture and what it takes to succeed at the highest level. As Group CEO of Saracens from 2020 to 2024, Lucy led the club through one of its most turbulent periods – navigating relegation, the salary cap scandal and a global pandemic, all while pregnant. Her reflections on resilience, leadership and staying true to your values in the face of crisis are both powerful and profoundly honest.Now as an investor, co-owner of London Mavericks Netball and board member of the Netball Super League, Lucy shares her bold vision for the growth of professional women's sport. With a rare mix of commercial acumen and heartfelt purpose, Lucy speaks about building sustainable business models, creating inclusive, player-first cultures and investing in women's sport not just as a commercial opportunity – but as a force for social change.Whether she's talking about building businesses, empowering athletes or creating unforgettable matchday experiences, Lucy's story is one of courage, creativity and an unshakeable belief in the power of sport to do good.This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of sport, the rise of women's sport and what it truly means to lead with purpose. Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Rowan is celebrating after being awarded £15,000 of National Lottery funding to develop their Movement and Arts for Wellbeing project. The Charity runs sessions for adults with learning disabilities at […]

“When the world forgets Afghanistan, we keep speaking. We are the voices of the women who can no longer be heard.”What would you risk for the right to play sport? For Khalida Popal, the answer is everything.This powerful episode of The Game Changers tells the extraordinary story of a woman who defied the Taliban, challenged a corrupt sporting system and used football to fight for the lives and freedoms of women and girls across the world.Khalida Popal was just a child when her family fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan. In the harsh reality of a refugee camp, she discovered football – a game that gave her joy, freedom, and purpose. Returning to Afghanistan as a teenager, she dared to play in public, formed the country's first women's national team and proudly captained her side in the face of threats, abuse and constant danger.But her leadership didn't stop on the pitch. Khalida spoke out about the abuse of female players by senior figures in Afghan football and uncovered horrific corruption at the highest levels. It was these actions that meant she was eventually forced to flee for her life.Now living in Denmark, Khalida continues her relentless activism through the Girl Power Organisation, while leading a global campaign to get FIFA to recognise Afghan women footballers in exile – players stripped of their national identity simply because they are women.In this gripping and deeply moving conversation, Khalida shares how she helped evacuate over 600 women and girls from Afghanistan when the Taliban returned to power in 2021, what it means to lose your identity as a refugee, and why she refuses to stay silent – even when her own life is at risk.Raw, emotional and deeply inspiring, this is not just a story about sport. It's about power, oppression, survival and hope. Khalida Popal is a true game changer.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

'How we feel' was the theme for the 2025 StAnza international poetry festival, and the Lantern Live team were on stage, bringing all the feels!Kathleen Jamie and Ally Heather were joined by award-winning performance poet Charlotte Van den Broeck, and Nuala Watt, whose first collection - The Department of Work and Pensions Assesses a Jade Fish - is a must-read for the austerity age. To access poetry for free in person, via post, or online, please find details at the Scottish Poetry Library website here.The Lantern Scottish Poetry podcast is produced by Bespoken Media, and is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

Someone could be about to start the weekend a lot richer as the Euromillions has a record breaking amount up for grabs! Tonight's jackpot is set to hit almost a quarter of a billion euro. Darragh O'Dwyer, National Lottery spokesperson, joins us with more...

"I've become the person I needed when I was younger – and that's the greatest gift I can offer the athletes I coach today."Jenny Meadows is a former world-class middle-distance runner and now one of Britain's most respected athletics coaches. Recently honoured – alongside her husband – as BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year, Jenny is a European and World medallist whose success was forged through resilience, grit and a quiet determination to prove she belonged, even when she often felt like an outsider.In this deeply honest and moving conversation, Jenny shares how sport transformed her from a shy young girl who let her brother speak for her, to someone who found her voice, her power and her purpose through athletics.Affectionately known as the “pocket rocket”, Jenny speaks candidly about the mindset challenges she faced, and how it took her decades to believe she deserved her place at the top of the sport.She discusses the devastating impact of doping in athletics, the heartbreak of missing out on  podiums and finals, and how, ultimately, it was a broken heart that led her to retire.Today, Jenny co-leads the M11 Track Club in Manchester with her husband and long-time coach, Trevor Painter, guiding a group of elite athletes including Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson.She reflects on the joy of coaching, the role of empathy and the emotional intelligence needed to support high-performing athletes as whole people - not just performers.A passionate advocate for greater gender diversity in coaching, Jenny also shares her hopes for the future and her commitment to creating more visibility, opportunity and community for women in the coaching space.This is a powerful conversation about identity, belief, and finding meaning beyond medals.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

The amazing Alison Hammond had us chuckling along with her podcast Smart TV, with new episodes released Fridays.Director of RSPB England, Michael Copleston, sung the praises of The National Lottery's Open Week!Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Women's physiology isn't a problem to be solved - it's an opportunity to innovate.”In this fascinating episode of The Game Changers podcast, I speak with Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, one of the world's leading researchers in female physiology, about the critical need for women-focused sports science.From her unconventional journey into the field, to leading ground-breaking research, Kirsty challenges outdated approaches and highlights why women's health must be at the centre of performance science, not an afterthought.We cover:➡️  Bridging the research gap – why we must innovate rather than simply adapt male-based models➡️  The Centre of Excellence for Women in Sport –  how the Manchester centre is dedicated to advancing research and collaboration➡️  ACL injuries in female athletes – does oestrogen play a role, or are we missing the bigger picture?➡️  Menstrual-cycle-based training – the scientific evidence (or lack of it) behind tailoring training to cycle phases➡️  Pregnancy & performance – how attitudes are shifting, and why more female athletes are competing as mothers➡️  The future of women in sports science – how young women can break into the field and drive changeKirsty's message is clear: women's physiology isn't a limitation—it's a strength that should be studied, understood, and embraced.“If we only ever research men, we'll only ever understand men. It's time to stop playing catch-up and start leading.”Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Bake Off-winning bestseller Nancy Birtwhistle shares recipes from her new book, Nancy's Green and Easy Kitchen, out now!Filming manager at The National Trust for Scotland Anna Rathband tells us more about The National Lottery's Open Week!Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to lead some of the biggest sporting events in the world? In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Massey, Managing Director of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, to uncover the strategy, ambition and passion behind running global sports championships.With over 30 years of experience, Sarah has played pivotal roles in organising major sporting events, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games and World Championships, as well as working at the very top of global sports including athletics, rugby, tennis and hockey.Before taking this key role at World Rugby, Sarah was CEO of the World Athletics Championship Oregon22, having also worked at the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).From her early days at Loughborough University to managing international sporting events, Sarah shares her journey through the world of sports leadership. She talks candidly about the challenges of organising major global events, the importance of building an inclusive and high-performing team, and the key to balancing multiple stakeholders in an ever-evolving sports landscape.Sarah also reflects on the impact of gender equality in sport.We explore how the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 is set to break records in attendance and visibility as Sarah offers a behind-the-scenes look at what fans can expect from the tournament, how cities and communities are embracing the event, and what legacy she hopes it will leave for women's rugby worldwide.If you're passionate about sports management, leadership or the advancement of women's sports, this episode offers valuable perspectives from one of the industry's leading figures.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

The hilarious Ellie Taylor gets us excited for The National Lottery's Open Week, which returns on Saturday 15th March.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A South-Clare community has been overcome with celebrations today following a major euromillions win. Crowe's Gala in Sixmilebridge sold the lucky ticket in what's the town's biggest lottery win in almost a decade. The excitement has been enough for some loyal customers of Crowe's Gala to break into song this lunchtime. After a very lucky customer of the Sixmilebridge store purchased one of two winning Euromillion's tickets last night to scoop a half a million euro prize. Shop Owner Flora Crowe received a call from National Lottery HQ late last night with the good news. Although the winner is yet to claim their prize, with the lucky numbers being 3,6,9, 36 and 44, Flora has a theory about who the winner or winners may be. It's the biggest win Sixmilebridge has seen in almost a decade, having surpassed the million mark before. The big question on everyone's lips today is who the mystery winner is and customers are being urged to check their tickets. Darragh O'Dwyer from the National Lottery has advice for the lucky winner, while some customers have been telling Clare FM what they'd do with the jackpot. But the overwhelming consensus in Sixmilebridge today is good fortune.

"Women's sport has come so far, but there's still a long way to go in terms of investment and opportunity."In this fascinating episode of The Game Changers, host Sue Anstiss sits down with Dame Tracey Crouch, an influential figure in both sports and politics. Tracey shares her personal journey from growing up as a passionate sports enthusiast to serving as the UK's Minister for Sport. Her political career was defined by her commitment to grassroots sport, governance reform and championing women's participation in sport.Tracey also opens up about her decision to step away from politics, her ongoing work in the private sector, and how her personal battle with breast cancer re-shaped her outlook on life and leadership. Throughout the conversation, Tracey provides unique insights into the intersection of sports and policy, the challenges facing women's sport and the steps needed to create systemic change in the industry. Links & Resources:Follow Dame Tracey Crouch on Twitter/X  and LinkedInLearn more about Hanover CommunicationsFollow The Game Changers PodcastStay Connected: Subscribe to The Game Changers for more inspiring conversations with women breaking barriers in sport. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.#TheGameChangers #TraceyCrouch #WomenInSport #Football #Leadership #PodcastThank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

This week we released AI from the punishment cupboard in which we've been keeping it in order to win the approval of author, marketing super-brain and AI believer Paul Dervan. As the Head of Brand Marketing at Miro, Paul has been busy bolstering his reputation as one of the industry's smartiest pant-wearers when it comes to marketing effectiveness. Miro is just the latest stop in a marketing career you could only possibly describe as both distinguished and glittering (glittinguished?) and has seen Paul tackle the marketing challenges on behalf of everyone from O2 to Telefonica to the National Lottery in Ireland (scooping, along the way, the title of Ireland's Marketer of the Year in 2022.) He's also the author of Run With The Foxes, a superb book about marketing, mistakes and making much better decisions. This episode is very proudly dedicated to Peter Field. Peter has had a huge influence on Paul's career both as a mentor and advisor. ///// Follow Patrick on LinkedIn. Timestamps: 03:45 - First Job and Proper Job 05:10 - Early Career in Marketing 07:34 - Career Path and Focus 09:30 - Paul's Sweet Spot in Marketing 11:00 - Writing the Book: Run with Foxes 13:27 - Learning from Mistakes 15:51 - Mistakes and AI in Marketing 18:08 - Decision-Making Process 20:40 - Classical vs. Modern Marketing 22:22 - AI's Impact on Marketing 25:06 - Practical Applications of AI 30:05 - Advanced Uses of AI 33:08 - Synthetic Research 34:28 - Skepticism vs. Cynicism 36:42 - Curiosity and Experimentation 39:27 - Admitting Mistakes 43:27 - Listener Questions: Embedding Chapter One  Paul's Book Recommendations are:  Ogilvy on Advertising – David Ogilvy The Anatomy of Humbug – Paul Feldwick Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy – Phil Barden /////

Hello and welcome back to The Game Changers, the podcast where you'll hear from trailblazing women in sport who are challenging the status quo for women and girls everywhere. What can we learn from their stories as we explore equality in sport and beyond.This is the 19th series of The Game Changers and what an incredible range of guests we have. Talented, inspiring women who are changing the game in sport.With new episodes launching every Tuesday from March 4, the guests for this series include: Dame Tracey Crouch – The former sports Minister, who drove huge change in British sport and served as an MP for 14 years before standing down in 2024 and becoming Managing Director of Hanover SportMel Marshall – a former Olympic swimmer turned highly respected coach, best known for coaching Adam Peaty to multiple world records and Olympic golds.Sarah Massey – Managing Director of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, who shares her extensive experience in delivering major international sporting events.Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale – a leader in female sports science and exercise physiology who heads the Centre of Excellence for Women in Sport at Manchester Metropolitan University.Jess Thirlby - head coach of the England Netball team – Jess is a former international player with extensive experience in the sport, known for her strategic acumen and dedication to the netball community.Khalida Popal - former captain of the Afghanistan women's national football team and a pioneering activist who has dedicated her life to empowering women through sport, advocating for gender equality, and using football as a tool for social change.Lucy Wray – the former CEO of Saracens Rugby Club, who is now helping to shape the future of women's sport and is co-owner of London Mavericks Netball Team.And Jenny Meadows - a world-class middle-distance runner, World Championship bronze medallist and Olympian, who is now an award-winning coach, recently honoured as the BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year.The Game Changers is available for free wherever you find your podcasts or you can listen directly from our website at fearlesswomen.co.uk. Please do start following the podcast now so you don't miss out on these brilliant new conversations.We also have a fantastic back catalogue of over free 200 episodes – including interviews with elite athletes, broadcasters, coaches, entrepreneurs, scientists, journalists and CEOs – all women who are changing the game in sport.The whole of Sue Anstiss' book ‘Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women's Sport' is also available on the podcast. You'll find a free audio book in series 13.As well as listening to The Game Changers on the Fearless Women website, it's also where you can find out more about the Women's Sport Collective, a free inclusive community for all women working in sport. We now have over 10,000 members across the world, so please do come and join us. Do come and say hello on social media where you'll find the host of The Game Changers @sueanstiss Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Friend of the show Super Max joins us alongside Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, and super skiers Menna Fitzpatrick and Hester Poole tell us how they have been supported by The National Lottery!Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NEW! 2025 MARCH SPEAKER SERIES!WITH WORLD-RENOWNED ASTROLOGERS!SIGN UP BEFORE FEB 28TH TO CHOOSE YOUR TUITION RATE!LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP NOW AT ⁠https://www.synchronicityuniversity.com⁠Schedule1. Attila Nagy (Zan's Astrology) - Ascending to the Quantum Age: Exploring the Mysteries of Dwarf Planets2. Scott Hogan - The Cards of Truth: An Introduction3. Medium CynthiaRose - Utilizing Your Personal Planets4. Yuriria Robles - Chart Interpretation: A Multiple Level Approach5. Kapil AB Sinh  - Destiny Decoded: Your Identity Revealed Through NumerologyYuriria Robles - Chart Interpretation: A Multiple Level ApproachDate: Saturday March 22, 2025Time: 2:00 pm Eastern Time (Toronto)​In this class, Yuriria Robles takes you on a comprehensive journey through natal chart interpretation. Delving into the various levels of astrological analysis, students will explore how the celestial map can shed light on the unfolding of one's life. Through a dynamic and insightful exploration, they will venture beyond surface-level interpretations and dive into the nuanced depths of astrologicalwisdom.​Students will gain a profound understanding of how the natal chart can serve as a roadmap, guiding us through the complexities of human experience. Yuriria's expertise will empower students to navigate the astrological landscape with a refined and multidimensional perspective. Yuriria Robles is an art historian with a master's degree in Visual Arts. She is also a teacher and certified practitioner of Resonance Therapy. Certified NCGR IV astrologer and astrological consultant since 1988. Yuriria is the author of a course called "Planetary Frequencies" that she has presented in the United States and Mexico, with 17 manuals relating astronomy to astrological meanings. She worked as an astrologer for the National Lottery of Mexico for 12 years, making predictions for the zodiac draw. She held four art exhibitions at this institution, related to the subject of astronomy, astrology and culture. Find her online at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yuririastrologaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuririastrologa Yuriria's book Mayan Astrology is for sale on Amazon - In this book co-written with Nadiya Shah, Yuriria Robles offers a unique perspective, guided by Mayan wisdom, for our current times: https://www.amazon.com/Mayan-Astrology-Ancient-Wisdom-Compatibility/dp/0994755961

We invited 14 couples to the Top of the Tower to battle it out in a chaotic live round of Rock Paper Scissors... Yes, you read that right. Rock Paper Scissors live on your radio!One lucky pair won our Live Like A Millionaire Competition, thanks to The National Lottery.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Awesome Aussie Adam Hills has us giggling with news of the latest 32nd series of The Last Leg, which continues on Friday at 10pm on Channel Four.The National Lottery's longest serving Winners Advisors, Kathy Garrett and Andy Carter tell us what it's like to help some very lucky lottery winners.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into the cosmic brilliance of Mayan astrology with Yuriria Robles, a renowned expert and keeper of ancient wisdom. In this extraordinary episode, we explore the mysteries of the Mayan calendar, the profound significance of the 13 lunar zodiac signs, and the ancient prophecies that still echo in today's world. Discover how the Mayans' deep understanding of planetary cycles, especially Venus and Jupiter, shaped their culture, guided survival, and foretold major societal shifts. Yuriria sheds light on the hidden truths about the 2012 prophecy, the spiritual symbolism of animal archetypes, and how we can apply this timeless knowledge to navigate life's challenges with clarity and intention. Whether you're drawn to astrology, ancient cultures, or the interplay between science and spirituality, this episode is a treasure trove of insights. Tune in to reconnect with the stars, awaken your cosmic consciousness, and uncover the celestial dance that weaves us all together. About Yuriria Robles Yuriria Robles is a multifaceted scholar, astrologer, and artist with a rich background in art history and visual arts, complemented by over three decades of astrological practice. Certified as an NCGR IV astrologer and a Resonance Repatterning practitioner and teacher, she has authored two acclaimed books, Planetary Rituals and The Return of the Maya, as well as a course titled “Planetary Frequencies,” presented across the USA and Mexico. Yuriria is the creator of the TV series Mayan Horizons, which explores the Mayan zodiac in relation to archaeological sites and has worked extensively with the Mexican government to deliver lectures on Mayan astrology and its connection to cultural heritage. From 2012 to 2022, she served as an astrologer for Mexico's National Lottery, contributing astrological predictions and curating exhibitions that intertwine astronomy, astrology, and art. Currently, she maintains a consulting practice, delivers conferences on mundane astrology with a focus on Mexican history, and shares her insights through monthly video predictions. You can watch the video of the interview on YouTube Find Out More About Yuriria Robles Connect with Yuriria on Facebook Follow Yuriria Robles on Instagram @Yuririastrologa Check out Yuriria’s YouTube Channel Book Mentioned in the Episode Mayan Astrology : Ancient Wisdom For Your Sun Sign

Send us a textIn Episode 46 of The Vault, we discuss this week's controversial opinion, “Playing the lottery is basically throwing money away”, before diving into our listener dilemmas:

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 21ú lá de mí Eanair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1982 bhuaigh seacht múinteoir ó Mhaigh Eo urghaire san Ard Chúirt. Bhuaigh siad é ionas nach bheidís curtha as a bpost ón ASTI nuair a dhiúltaigh siad chun stailc a dhéanamh. I 2016 tharla cibirionsaí ar an National Lottery nuair a bhí 12.5 milliún euro le bhuachaint. Ní raibh na meaisín ag obair agus ní raibh an suíomh gréasáin ag obair ach dúradh go raibh gach rud socraithe roimh an dtarraing. I 1982 bhí tuairisc sa Clare Champion ag rá go raibh turasóireacht I gCill Chaoi ag titim. Laghdaigh an lóistín sa bhaile, na n-óstán ar leith agus ní fuair an bhaile tarraingt a thuilleadh. I 1986 tháinig sé amach go raibh Eileen Casey an duine den bhliain ón chontae. Bhí sí ag Muintir an Chláir dinnéar I mBaile Átha Cliath. Thosaigh sí gnó taistil cosúil le seirbhís bhus idir Inis agus Baile Átha Cliath. Sin A-Ha le The Sun Always Shines On TV an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1986. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 2018 bhí níos mó ná trí lá de caoin do Dolores O Riordan. Tháinig na mílte chuig an eaglais chun ómós a thabhairt chuici agus a chlann. Bhí a chónra ar oscailt do cheithre uair a chloig. I 2022 chuir Adele a gig rialta in LA ar ceal nach mór 24 uair roimh a bhí sé chun tosú. Chuir sí an cheolchoirm ar ceal mar go raibh Covid ag nach mór leath de a fhoireann. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh imreoir rugbaí Éireannach Brian O'Driscoll I mBaile Átha Cliath I 1979 agus rugagh amhránaí Emma Bunton I Londain ar an lá seo I 1976 agus seo chuid de a amhrán. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo.

Dave the Vicar joins us to spread some festive cheer ahead of the big day!Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Chris, Vassos and the team!Make sure you start 2025 the right way by asking your smart speaker to "Play Virgin Radio" from Monday 6th January, when Chris and the gang return on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with The National Lottery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Anyone can get abused. Smart people, really intelligent people, old people, young people, beautiful people, average looking people. It doesn't matter who you are, you're not like exempt because of any characteristics that you have.”Mhairi Maclennan, Kyniska Advocacy Today's episode of The Game Changers podcast could be the most important ever. Over the past five years it's been a privilege to share the stories of 150 trailblazers in women's sport and to explore topics around equality in sport and beyond.This final episode of series 18 considers a topic that should concern everyone that loves sport – how do we keep it safe for all participants? This episode is a must listen for all parents of children in sport, along everyone working in the sports industry.  My guest is Mhairi Maclennan, the co-founder of Kyniska Advocacy. Mhairi is an elite GB athlete, who, in 2021, made the extraordinarily brave decision to waive her right to anonymity after suffering sexual abuse at the hands of her coach. Following a hugely impactful campaign that saw her coach's three-year exclusion from athletics increased to a lifetime ban, Mhairi and fellow athlete Kate Seary founding Kyniska Advocacy, the UK's only athlete-led and sport-wide safe sport organisation. I learnt so much in this powerful conversation with Mhairi. I was shocked to discover that there's no obligation for sports to report coaches found guilty of sexual abuse to the police or local authorities; no central register exists to track banned coaches in the UK or globally and no independent body exists across sports to deal with the most serious cases.Mhairi also provides incredibly useful guidance about what we should all be looking out for when it comes to abuse in sport, what the law says and what still needs to change.In the episode we talk about Kyniska's excellent Manifesto for the Future of Safe Sport. Here's a link to the website where you will find it and many other useful resources: https://www.kyniskaadvocacy.com/Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Carol Boate, Regulator of the National Lottery, discusses a new report which found that up to 30% of shops failed to deny the sale of scratchcards to minors.

Wonderful winners Ian and Sandra Black take us back to the moment they won £2 million pounds on one of The National Lottery's scratchcards! Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg writes, directs and stars in new comedy drama film A Real Pain, in cinemas on January 10th!Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Mel Bound the founder of This Woman Runs (formerly This Mum Runs), the world's largest digital and in-person running community for women. Mel is driven by her vision to inspire women everywhere to enjoy the life-changing benefits of being active and in this inspiring episode shares her journey from a chronically asthmatic child to a successful entrepreneur.We explore how what started as a local women's running group in Bristol in 2014 has evolved into a powerful, global movement for over a quarter of a million women.Mel talks about her experiences of running health clubs in the fitness industry and how she recognised it's actually a space that fails many women. We discuss Mel's transition to working sports events at Alan Pascoe's Fast Track in the 90's, a place that provided the foundation for many leaders in sport today.  Mel shares the accidental creation of This Mum Runs, the challenges of building a community, and the impact of COVID on its growth. We discuss the challenges female founders face in securing funding, the innovative strategies TWR has employed to grow the community-focused business, and the importance of creating supportive environments for female entrepreneurs in sport.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Our guest today is Laura Youngson, the co-founder of Ida Sports, the world's leading female sports footwear brand that recently received $2M in investment funding.Laura is a huge advocate for gender equality and in 2017, led a group of women to the top of Kilimanjaro to play a record-breaking football match with Equal Playing Field. The trip highlighted a common problem facing female players all over the world: their boots were made for men, or children, and left their feet in pain long after the final whistle blew.Laura went on to co-found Ida Sports which launched its first boot for female players in 2020 and since that time the brand's continued to innovate and drive change in the sector. This brilliant episode explores Laura's diverse career path – before founding Ida Sports Laura worked as a senior policy advisor for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and in event management for major sports events including the London Olympics and the European Games. Our conversation highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality in sport and the innovative steps that are being taken to create a more inclusive environment for women and girls. Laura openly shares the challenges and opportunities in designing sportswear specifically for women, the response from retailers, and the importance of fundraising for growth. We discuss the wonderful collaboration taking place amongst female entrepreneurs in this space and the impact of motherhood on Laura's own entrepreneurial journey.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Lucy Horsell is a woman on a mission to empower female athletes at all levels as the co-founder of PeBe Sports Bras, a company that is transforming the sports bra market. This episode tracks Lucy's journey from losing her way in formal education at school to becoming a successful entrepreneur.With a passion for education, science and product, Lucy's journey to merge these worlds into one innovative venture was kickstarted after seeing firsthand the challenges schoolgirls face when it comes to sports kits. Equipped with a background in product development, Lucy is driven by an ambition to establish the sports bra as a functional and critical piece of kit.Lucy talks so articulately about the importance of body literacy and self-care, especially in relation to breast health, as we explore the often-overlooked importance of proper sports bras for young women, the impact of breast size on participation in sport, and the need for better representation and understanding of women's needs in sportswear. With a background in investment banking, Lucy understands the world of funding and growth and she shares the huge challenges still facing women-led businesses.We also discuss the importance of collaboration amongst women entrepreneurs as they support each other in a competitive landscape.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Chris chats to Bend It Like Beckham's Director, Gurinder Chadha celebrating 30 years of The National Lottery, which played a big part in funding the film.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Danielle Sellwood, a former sportswear designer, trend forecaster and women's sport publisher who now shares diverse stories of sport and adventure through powerful documentaries made by her company Find It Film.In 2008 Danielle co-founded Sportsister, a trail-blazing sports website and magazine for women, and from 2012 she directed visual campaigns at Women's Sport Trust (WST) helping create lasting change in the representation of female athletes.Danielle's passion for filmmaking was born from frustration over the lack of diverse representation in sports and adventure films, so she picked up a camera and set to work to redress the balance. Alongside this work today, Danielle is an expert in making content and film accessible via open captions and audio description. Danielle is also a former GB canoeist who in recent years has turned her hand to triathlon, swimming, cycling and surfing.Danielle shares background to the inception of Sports Sister with Louise Hudson back in what they thought was to be ‘The Golden Age' for women's sport, the evolution of women's sportswear and the ongoing challenges faced in promoting women's sport. It's fascinating to hear of Danielle's journey as a self-taught documentary maker to where she is today, creating powerful documentaries that highlight the underrepresented voices of women, the disabled community and older people.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

The marvellous Vicky McClure helps us to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The National Lottery.Man vs Food's Adam Richman has our tummies rumbling with news of his new show, Adam Richman Eats Football, which begins in December.Join Chris, Vassos and the team every morning from 6.30am for laughs with the listeners and the greatest guests. Listen on your smart speaker, just say: "Play Virgin Radio." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest today is Yvette Curtis, founder of Wave Wahines, a female surfing club dedicated to empowering women and girls in the sport.We discuss Yvette's journey from her childhood in Bristol to her current work in North Devon, the importance of fun and non-competitive environments in sports, and the challenges of promoting diversity and inclusion in surfing. Yvette shares her experiences of the backlash she faced when addressing issues of representation and the need for diverse voices in sports management. We explore the importance of representation and diversity in surfing and sport, the impact of Yvette's research on UK surfing and the empowering role of surf therapy for marginalized communities. Yvette highlights the therapeutic benefits of surfing for mental health, the challenges of finding funding for the grassroots CIC and the growth of female participation in the sport. Wave Wahines which has supported hundreds of women and girls coming into the sport, along with running surf therapy with women living in refuge, sessions for resettled young female refugees, collaborations with Queer Surf Club, the first Trans and nonbinary youth surf session & hosting the first UK female focused surf contest which is now an annual event.There's huge recognition and celebration of Yvette's powerful work in the areas of inclusion and ocean activism.  Here is Yvette's Surfing & Diversity ReportThank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

This week, William and Jordan are guests on Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams, the podcast where guests talk host Sarel through all the ways they'd spend a £200million EuroMillions jackpot.Join William and Jordan as they reveal their extravagant plans for their EuroMillions win, including the ultimate “bliss hour”, an exclusive day out with Barack and Michelle Obama, and a private theatre in William's mansion showing Mary Poppins every single night!Follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams…On YouTube:https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fcOn TikTok:https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansdOn Instagram:https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329On Apple Podcasts:https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrmeOn Spotify:https://tinyurl.com/4ths7nedGet that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes.Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative. Join Sexted Extra and laugh along to William Hanson and Jordan North helping you navigate the challenges of modern life ad free at https://plus.acast.com/s/sextedmyboss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly Newton is the founder of NIXI Body - absorbent & discreet underwear for periods and little bladder leaks. Nixi body has a focused mission – to keep women moving through menstruation, motherhood and menopause. Kelly is doing so much to open up the taboo conversation around female incontinence and is an expert on stress and urge incontinence in women – a topic which is incredibly relevant in sport.A desire to stay active was the biggest driver for Kelly to design her first pair of leak-proof underwear back in 2019 as she knows the massive impact that exercise can have on mental and physical health.It's been a joy to watch the evolution of Kelly's company with NIXI body products now sold in Boots, Superdrug, Decathlon & Mountain Warehouse, along with being on QVC and at Parkruns.In this episode Kelly shares her journey in sports, the challenges women face with periods and incontinence and the importance of more open conversations about women's health. We explore Kelly's motivation to create leak-proof underwear and the evolution of the business. Kelly also addresses the difficulties female entrepreneurs face in securing funding and highlights the collaborative spirit among women in the product space.Sue and Kelly also celebrate the newfound confidence that comes with age.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

Baz Moffat is having an extraordinary impact in the world of women's health.A former GB Rower, Baz co-founded The Well HQ, an organisation that educates and empowers women to understand their bodies and use that knowledge to thrive in sport, health and life. Baz was in the GB Rowing team from 2005-2008 – medalling at the World Championships in 2007. With degrees in Sports Science and Health Related Behaviour Change, Baz ran personal training and fitness businesses before moving into women's health and in 2021, co-founding The Well HQ.Baz is also the co author of ‘The Female Body Bible'.We explore so much in this fascinating episode from the challenges of competing in sport at the highest level to the systemic changes needed to accommodate female athletes today.Baz is refreshingly open about the challenge of running a mission-driven business whilst addressing taboos that have existed in society for hundreds of years.It's inspiring to hear more about the cultural shift that is finally taking place, as Baz shares her hopes for a more inclusive future in sport and physical activity.Thank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

This week, Richard was a guest on a whole other podcast - ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams', the podcast where guests talk through all the absurd ways they'd spend a £200 million EuroMillions jackpot. Join Sarel & Richard as they break down all of Richard's wild plans - we're talking... a teleportation device, a live-in dental hygienist, and paying every restaurant in London to ban James Acaster and Ed Gamble from Off Menu!Follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams…On YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fc On TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansd On Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329 On Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrme On Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7ned Get that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes. Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/rhlstp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this, the 18th series of The Game Changers I'm talking to founders and entrepreneurs. These are the women who have set up organisations that help change the landscape for all women and girls across sport. There's so much we can learn from their journeys as they openly share the challenges and joys in establishing new brands, finding investment and building businesses.With new episodes launching every Tuesday this autumn the guests for this fascinating series include: Baz Moffat – A former GB rower who co-founded The Well HQ, an organisation that educates and empowers women to understand their bodies and use that knowledge to thrive in sport, health and life. Kelly Newton – the founder and CEO Nixi Body, which makes absorbent & discreet leak proof underwear, who has a very focused mission – to keep women moving through menstruation, motherhood and menopause. Danielle Sellwood – A former Sportswear Designer and women's sports publisher, who now shares diverse stories of sport and adventure through powerful documentaries made by her company Find It FilmYvette Curtis – The founder of Wave Wahines a surf club enabling women and girls to access surfing at an affordable cost and in a nurturing environment. Striving to increase representation in surfing and its culture. Lucy Horsell – the founder of PEBE Sports Bras who is driven by a mission to empower female athletes of all levels and establish the sports bra as a functional and critical piece of kit.Laura Youngson – CEO at Ida Sports – the female sports performance footwear company. Laura's also a STEM advocate, a TED Speaker and co founder of Equal Playing Field, highlighting the gender inequalities that exist in sport and celebrating women's football. Mhairi Maclennan – the CEO & Co-Founder of Kyniska Advocacy, Mhairi is a Safe Sport Advocate, a sexual assault survivor and an incredible elite athlete who recently become British Marathon Champion.Mel Bound – the founder of This Woman Runs (formerly This Mum Runs), the world's largest digital and in person running community for women, with a vision to inspire women everywhere to enjoy the life changing benefits of being active.The Game Changers is available for free wherever you find your podcasts or you can listen directly from our website at fearlesswomen.co.uk. Please do start following the podcast now so you don't miss out on these fascinating, inspiring new conversations.The whole of my book ‘Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women's Sport' is also available on the podcast. You'll find a free audio book in series 13.As well as listening to The Game Changers on the Fearless Women website, it's also where you can find out more about the Women's Sport Collective, a free inclusive community for all women working in sport. We now have over 8,600 members across the world, so please do come and join us. The Game Changers. Fearless women in sportThank you to Sport England who support The Game Changers Podcast with a National Lottery award.Find out more about The Game Changers podcast here: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangersHosted by Sue AnstissProduced by Sam Walker, What Goes On MediaA Fearless Women production

This week, Danny & Billy were guests on the BRILLIANT ‘Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams', hosted by the wonderful Sarel! It's the podcast where guests talk through all the ways they'd spend a £200 million EuroMillions jackpot.From backyard roller coasters and a Pride the size of Glastonbury, to an Alison Hammond statue, and an S-Club/Steps supergroup, it was hard to get Danny & Billy out the studio!Follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams:On YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fcOn TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansdOn Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329On Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrmeOn Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7nedGet that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes.Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sam and Pete are guests on a whole new podcast, Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams, where they chat about what they'd do if they won a mind-boggling amount of money—a real EuroMillions jackpot.The pair dream up some wild ideas—Sam's planning to build a safari park in Kenya, while Pete's envisioning an exclusive island just for him and a thousand dogs. And much to Sam's dismay, Pete's first move is to shut down Staying Relevant productions.Subscribe and follow Rich Beyond My Wildest Dreams on;Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/29z8xrmeSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4ths7nedYouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfv2fcTikTok: https://tinyurl.com/mrxtansdInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/ykumd329And remember, you can get that EuroMillions feeling every Friday with brand new episodes.Brought to you by EuroMillions from The National Lottery and Acast Creative. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.