Podcast appearances and mentions of nick hayes

On this episode, my guest is Lewis Winks, a researcher, writer and campaigner who specialises in nature connection, cultural and behavioural change, and has a background working in the environmental and outdoor education sector. He joins us on behalf of the Right to Roam campaign as well as the Stars Are For Everyone campaign, the latter which he helped spearhed to defend wild camping rights on Dartmoor.Since 2021, Right to Roam has been organising peaceful trespasses into some of the vast areas of countryside from which the public are currently excluded. They follow the tried and tested access code which governs Scotland's right of responsible access, respecting privacy, crops and nature – all while seeking to leave a positive trace and practising deep care for the natural world: a concept they call Wild Service. Their vision is of a future countryside in which people not only enjoy the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of nature but serve as its guardians too.Show Notes* Right to Roam's origins (Guy Shrubsole & Nick Hayes)* The Stars Are For Everyone (Dartmoor National Park)* The right to wild camp in England* The commons and the enclosures* Taking back trespass* The shadow places of fortress conservation* Wild service* Levellers and landlordism* Deifying dispossession* The community right to buy* International solidarityHomework* Right to Roam UK - Website - Instagram - Twitter - BlueSky* Wild Service (Book)* The Book of Trespass* Who Owns England?* Val Plumwood* Survival International* S3 #2 | Decolonizing Conservation in Africa & Beyond | Fiore Longo (Survival International)* S5 #5 | Fortress Conservation in the Congo w/ Martin Lena & Linda Poppe (Survival International)* International Land CoalitionTranscriptChris: [00:00:00] Welcome, Lewis, to the End of Tourism Podcast.Lewis: Good to be here. Hello, Chris.Chris: Yeah. I'd like to thank you for your willingness to join me today on behalf of your comrades and colleagues at Right to Roam, as well as those of The Stars Are For Everyone. And I'd like to begin by asking you where you're tuning in from today and what the world looks like there for you.Lewis: Well, I'm currently in South Devon, where I live in the southwest of England. And I live in a town called Totnes, which is just on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. But the town that I live in has grown up around a river - the River Dart. And so that's a short walk from where I live.And, yeah, obviously, the river's shaped this place, from its headwaters up on Dartmoor, all the way down to the kind of rugged coast. So, I feel very lucky that, not far from where I live, there's a whole range of [00:01:00] landscapes, but not without their challenges.Chris: Yeah, certainly. I remember, not just a few years ago, I was there in Totnes, visiting for the first time, and I had the great honour of getting to explore Dartmoor as well, in a place not too far from where some of my old ones are from, in Devon, in Exeter.Lewis: It's a great place. I mean, Dartmoor is, on global standards, a very tiny national park, really, but I think for people like myself that live near it, to have this kind of expansive space to be able to walk for days sometimes in this sort of landscape, seemingly without boundaries, without walls, without fences, is amazing, in what feels like quite a contained landscape, a kind of patchwork of fields and enclosures. And so, a lot of people are drawn to Dartmoor because of its openness. But that also is an issue, I think. A lot of us here that live in this area are very much working on ecological [00:02:00] issues and challenges, and lots of those are found up in the national park.Chris: Well, would we all be so lucky to have such spaces to walk and roam. On that point, I'd like to ask you if you'd be willing to offer our listeners a little bit about what your organisation, The Right to Roam (in the UK), does there and your role in the organisation.Lewis: Sure, yeah. Well, the Right to Roam campaign, I mean, we've been established only for a few years in our current format, really. We were born out of the pandemic. We were formed principally by two of the co-founders of the campaign, Guy Shrubsole and Nick Hayes, who had both written books at the time and sat together around a kitchen table in 2020.Nick had written a book called The Book of Trespass, which kind of brought into public conversation this kind [00:03:00] of idea that there are places we are not supposed to be and not allowed to go, and challenging the kind of “why,” asking that question of, “Why is this? What's the historical context for our exclusion from landscapes? And through a series of adventures and walks into landscapes, he challenged that in his book. And it's an amazing primer, really, I think, for something that a lot of us take as a given, which is that we live in the corridors, really, between these vast estates here in England and in Wales, and we're excluded from much of the land. And so, it was quite a game-changing book, really, to sort of start to question that kind of assumption, that if you step off those narrow corridors, you are trespassing.And then in the meantime, Guy had written a book called Who Owns England?, asking questions of, “ Who does the land belong to? Who owns the title deeds? And really, most of us don't know. I mean, the government doesn't even really know who owns lots of land. And so, Guy embarks on this project, which he's been working on now [00:04:00] for the last decade or so, to try to find out and try to get more transparency, and really to bring about more democracy in how land is managed and how decisions are made, and really who has a stake in the land in England.And so these were kind of natural collaborators, really. And they sat around this table, and they formed this campaign called Right to Roam, which was really just to ask a simple question, which is, “Why do we not have a right of access to land in England?” And to call for new legislation for greater rights of access so that people can feel they have a greater stake in the landscapes around us.So we're a small team. We're a very much a grassroots campaign. We're not backed by big funders. We don't have any office space. We're just distributed across England, Wales and Scotland. And then, there are just six of us in the kind of core team. But we also have a network of almost [00:05:00] 20 local groups of people who are doing just amazing active work on the ground within communities to push for access reform.And we're funded by about 650 of those supporters who just give a small amount every month. So we're really just beholden to the people that are pushing for these kinds of changes. And we think we're getting somewhere. The conversation is shifting, socially and politically. We've still got somewhere to go, but we're hoping to bring about that change in law before too long.Chris: Hmm. Thank you, Lewis. And what drew you personally to the organisation?Lewis: Well, I live, as I said, down in Devon, and one of the things that happened back in 2022, was that one of the larger landowners in Dartmore National Park decided that he was gonna challenge this historic right that we have here, which is very unusual in England - the right to sleep out under the [00:06:00] stars, the right to wild camp, out in this kind of amazing landscape of Dartmoor.So, this landowner, Alexander Darwall, took the national park to court, and I was one of a few people who got together in the early days of that court case and said, “Right, we need to campaign on this. We need to stand up for these historic customary rights that have existed here and that have given so many people, these beautiful life-shaping experiences over generations.” And he was trying to snub them out. And so we thought, “let's campaign on this.”We set up a campaign called “The Stars Are for Everyone,” to protect those rights, but also to kind of say, “ Well, isn't it just mad that these rights only exist in this tiny corner of England? Shouldn't they exist also elsewhere?”Our intention right from the beginning of that campaign was to transform a court case that was about defending a set of rights into something which was really about taking a giant leap forward and putting in place something much [00:07:00] better for people in the future. And over the course of three years, that campaign was really dynamic, creative, and brought together loads of people.We actually lost the right to wild camp in early 2023. The landowner was successful in overturning that right in the High Court. And just one week after that court decision, we got together with three and a half thousand people up on quite a remote part of Dartmoor, probably one of the biggest land rights protests that we've seen since the 1930s in England. And, the voices of those people were really just... I mean, the ripples went out far and wide. I mean, we were sort of met with international support and interest. And, politically, overnight, it changed the conversation on access in England.And, really to fast forward to the present day after two more court cases, including it being escalated to the Supreme [00:08:00] Court, unanimously in the Supreme Court, the judges agreed that the case should never have been brought. And actually, then, we were able to reassert those rights as they had already existed.And so, not only have we got those rights back, we are now in a much better position, we think, to call for those rights elsewhere. And so my campaigning with the Right to Roam campaign really was kind of came out of this campaign for wild camping, to sleep under the stars.Chris: Mm-hmm. Wow. Wow, I remember, I think that was probably the thing that really drew me, for the first time, to the organisation and the work that you and your team are doing there in England, was through the social media awareness that the storyteller Martin Shaw was bringing to that campaign. Really amazing. And so, I wish nothing but blessings upon your feet and your work. It's incredibly important, and perhaps, a kind of [00:09:00] pioneering way of bringing this kind of organising and this kind of awareness to other places in the world where such access is also needed.But before we dig deeply into that work, I'd like to perhaps offer a little bit of context for our listeners in terms of the history of access in the UK to what is often referred to as “the commons.” And so, I'm wondering if you would be willing to offer a bit of historical background about what we mean when we talk about “the commons” in the English language and the history of the enclosures of the commons, that, for English people, is a kind of history that is all too well known, but for the rest of the world might be obscure.Lewis: Hmm. Well, sure. I mean, the commons, I think it's fair to say that a lot of people in England, really, this is not part of our lexicon, and our understanding [00:10:00] of the land.And, I think that demonstrates really just how effective the loss of commons has been here, is that there's not a broad understanding of what they were or what they are. But the commons really are... I mean, we're talking about a form of governance, a form of collective stewardship and governance for a place that transcends ownership. Commons are about how we relate to a place, and the rights that go with that place. And so, if we look at kind of property rights today, often those property rights exclude anybody who doesn't have their name on the title deed of the property.But yet, that's not always been the case. And certainly, we can still see today in England, and elsewhere globally, systems that acknowledge rights of others, and not just humans, but also kind of more-than-human rights. So in England, if you've gone back to the 1500s, [00:11:00] half of England or thereabouts, (it's difficult to be precise with this) would've had some form of common property understanding, or a kind of tapestry of rights that went with it. And that might have been rights to take firewood and fuel from land to dig peat, to graze animals, to put your pigs out to pannage for acorns. And these rites would've been particular to the landscapes that they were in. So, commoning rights were not the same everywhere. They were responsive to the wider kind of contexts, and today that figure is more like 3% of England. So, a diminishment of the commons in England has been part of our history here, and also part of the history which has affected almost the entire globe as well through colonial activities. But in England, really, this kind of experiment in sort of uprooting and unearthing cultures [00:12:00] that are deeply tied to the land was almost entirely effective at removing people's stake in land and in shoring up the rights of property owners.So, our commons, as they did exist, were fundamental to communities, were fundamental to how people sought to make a living, but also there were other things within that because commoning was about being on land that you didn't own. So with that came other things, which perhaps were taken for granted, which today we might call “recreation,” “being idle under a tree, watching the sunset”, and having those kinds of experiences. Now, we've kind of partitioned them off and put them into national parks and kind of put them in our holiday time, and things we might do when we're on vacation as tourists. But actually, for commoners, presumably, people were spending their time with the pigs out to pannage, thinking about other things, in conversation, meeting their neighbours under trees, doing things which were convivial.And so, [00:13:00] the erasure of the commons in England, and the enclosure acts, which sort of set about to diminish the commons and put them more firmly into private ownership, was also about a loss of community and people's stake in landscapes and also their ability to kind of relate to one another.But I should say as well that this obviously was very intentional. This was about looking at landscape through a kind of lens, a particular form of extraction, to take money from the land. It was also about control. It was about taking people, who, through that particular lens of industrialisation, seemed to be kind of labourers, their worth was kind of in the factories, it was not out on the land. And through mechanisation, as well, obviously, this was accelerated.In the early days of the enclosures, there were anti-enclosure acts in England that sought to try to prevent some of the steamrolling over of what felt like a kind of a deep-rooted culture. But by the [00:14:00] 1600s, those anti-enclosure acts were pretty much repealed, and with them, any kind of opportunity to get back those commons was lost.Loads and loads of rebellions took place to try to prevent that. And it's really interesting to look back in English history at the richness of rebellion and how it was kind of linked to how people relate to land. Looking at this today, it's sort of fairly plain to see that there's a disconnection between people and place. And I think that that kind of keenness to reconnect is a really vital ingredient for how we can kind of push back against some of the more damaging systems that we see around us.But people were rioting against the loss of rights to be able to put pigs out amongst woods that were being enclosed for the private laws, hunting rights. And there were many, many rebellions which took place by poachers, by people that were kind of deemed to be [00:15:00] poachers, who were kind of subject to some of the most harsh laws against them. And actually, a lot of the way in which criminality is portrayed now in England comes directly from the fact that they were trying to clamp down on how property was being challenged by people that have been dispossessed from something that was seen as a common good.Chris: Wow. There's so much there in the way that traditional peoples in England previously would've stewarded the lands that they lived on, even though they didn't own them, per se, and how the enclosure of those lands also led to this degree of, I would say anyways, historically, tourism wherein, the longing to gather as a community or as a group of people, in a place in order to, as you said, even just sit idle under a tree, to learn about the place that one lives in, or other places. That tourism largely took up that mantle [00:16:00] as an industry, as a way of commodifying that human longing toward being together in a place, largely outside of strict work hours. But even during them as well. And of course, the history of tourism is such that, through the enclosures, there was a schism, as you said, that brought people into the towns and cities to work as workers, essentially, rather than stewards of land.And then their “leisure time” was also separated in order to find ways in which that longing could be fulfilled, but through the industrial means of bringing people in mass to the beach or to forests, to other lands.And we'll get to that in a moment, that notion of the kind of colonial and neo-colonial enclosures that today show up as national parks or reserves. But you did mention this rich [00:17:00] history of trespass in England. And on The Right to Roam website, it says that, “it's fair to say that none of the limited access rights established in recent generations has been won without the willingness of ordinary people to cross the lines of property.”And so, it seems to me that the work that Right to Roam is doing is picking up those anti-enclosure movements of previous centuries and bringing them into the contemporary milieu. And so, I'm curious how you imagine or how you think notions of trespass might be understood and utilised as forms of resistance to the enclosures or privatisation of common lands.Lewis: Well, trespass in England is part of civil law, so if you trespass, it's not criminal. It's not a criminal act. So the police can't be called, as long as you're not causing damage. So, in fact, it's just between you and the landowner.And I think one of the first things that we try [00:18:00] to do as a campaign when we're speaking to whether it's new groups, or people that are kind of joining us, is to say, well, actually in custom and in history, we have this right. We have this right to be on land, and that it's only really through a kind of spell that we've been put under this kind of narrative that we've been told that we don't have a right to land. That we don't go there. And so, one of the main forms of action that we take as a campaign is to trespass, is to cross those lines which feel like they're kind of physical lines when you look at a map or where you see a barbed wire fence. But actually, as soon as you cross them, they become quite arbitrary, but also political.And we try to politicise it as much as we can, because if we take it for a given that we're excluded, then we will just remain excluded. So, it's both empowering and also quite an undertaking really to trespass and to do that together is one of the most empowering things you can do as a group or as a community, to go to the places that we're told we don't [00:19:00] have a right to be, but yet when you go there, it suddenly doesn't really make sense that you are excluded.And actually, quite often, as a campaign, we're able to go to places and to learn more about them and to learn more about our landscapes just outside of the towns and cities that we live in, to feel more connected to them. And, in a lot of cases actually do work for the betterment of places as well.I mean, often we're kind of reporting illegal rubbish dumps or seeing where damaging, invasive ecological species have taken hold and or reporting pollution in rivers. And I think it is part of the work of our campaign to help people feel that they can be a part of these places.And as you've mentioned, this idea that tourism is this kind of leisure time activity that we do that feels quite extractive, actually. There's something that we can do, which is about giving back as well, and giving back to our communities. And, [00:20:00] so yeah, it's about crossing lines, and it's about kind of challenging the politics that play there, but it's also just simply about reclaiming something that has historically been a cement that's held communities together.And what we find, I think, is that across the political spectrum, in various sectors and quarters, people just see that as common sense. I mean, it's interesting being part of a campaign that is at once radical as well as being, actually, just people get it, and they want to support it. And that has really helped us, I think, make headway and make progress, because we think we make quite a good argument for why we need better access to land and why we need laws to support that. And we are receiving a good amount of support from many quarters.Chris: Thank you for illustrating that. I remember as a child in Toronto going into the valleys there and the [00:21:00] creeks, and there's, thankfully, a large system of public lands, but of course, there was some areas where you would see signs, and it says “no trespassing,” and you would see this quite a bit, more so as you left the city. And there was this kind of subtle, imposed, instilled sense in me as a child that, like, “okay, obviously I can't go here. But secondly, if I do, then I am not just a guest or a visitor, I'm a trespasser, I'm a criminal. Right?And so to return to this question of the way that governments in the last centuries have taken common lands from people and kind of converted them into what we imagined to be better, pristine environments by virtue of there being no humans.I'd like to broach this question with you because in our correspondence, you referred to, “the hidden damage done to landscapes, the displacement of damage [00:22:00] elsewhere in the name of conservation, creating pristine landscapes and how this plays out as a way to restrict land access as a rationale for exclusion, while we turn a blind eye to damage and exploitation.”You write, “we can see this on a smaller scale with regard to estate and large farms or intensive agriculture in the UK, as well as on a global scale through supply chains and trace both back to a colonial mindset.”And so, previously on the podcast, I've spoken with authors and activists in regard to conservation as a kind of neocolonization of land, both in Africa and in Asia, and we also see it in Scotland.And so, I'm curious how this shows up in the UK and in the Right to Roam's work. This notion that no humans means that somehow the ecologies of place are better off and that there seems to be hiding in these considerations, in these concepts, a kind of misanthropy, a kind of hatred [00:23:00] toward humans.Lewis: Yeah, I mean, conservation I think has been doing amazing work, has also been doing some quite troubling work, I think, over the years. There's no simple kind of response to this. Conservation by its very nature is about working in relationship with place, with people, and with the more-than-human world.And I think like any relationships, those can be difficult and also fulfilling and beneficial and sometimes both. I think conservation as a movement, if you take a historical lens on this and obviously know, looking at it through a cultural perspective, taking in place, people, and history, and thinking about it as well, not just as a kind of a single place-based concern, but also kind of more broadly on a global scale, how conservation has evolved.And it's both evolved out of a kind of a controlling mindset, but also out of a kind of almost a palliative desire to sort of ease [00:24:00] the suffering of the natural world. And I think that that, when we look at it like that, there's a kind of a deep trauma which conservation has been born from, which is that we've done such huge amounts of damage to other places, to other peoples, to our own homes, and our own landscapes here in England that our kind of desire to kind of remedy that is kind of caught up in a kind of traumatic relationship with place. And I think we've learned a lot and obviously come a long way from a kind of fortress conservation mindset, but I think that the kind of misanthropy, which has been present in conservation, still comes through sometimes.I mean, we work as a campaign with so many amazing people working on the forefront of conservation, who are working very hard to try to transform and challenge the sector that they are working within. [00:25:00] But it's kind of understandable that this history of exploitation and damage is kind of wrapped up with a desire to press the emergency button and say, “actually, we need to kind of take drastic measures here.” And for some people, that's led them down the path of wanting a very exclusionary take on how we manage these places and these landscapes.And I think that the other thing is that, what I was talking about in the correspondence that I sent to you, really, particularly inspired by the work of Val Plumwood, the amazing philosopher who took this kind of incredible view of conservation, linked it to what she called “shadow places.” The idea that actually, for every time that we create one of these kinds of islands of pristine habitat, whether it's through exclusion or whether it's through management, planning and whatever else, actually, there's a whole world of things that we displace, and we neglect to see.And we see that with our national [00:26:00] parks here in England. I think it's interesting that Dartmoor, my nearest national park, is actually, historically, it is a very managed and very industrial landscape, yet it's kind of like held up and revered as a place of ecological tranquillity.I mean, it's actually in quite a damaged state. But we see it more broadly, as well. We can see it through our supply chains in England and through food security, or what we might call food security, by basically exploiting other places, the minerals we use, the resources that we use.So many of them come from landscapes that don't have the same protections that we're sort of overlaying onto landscapes here in England. So I think that it is a complex question. I think the fact that we are dealing with the kind of fallout of empire and the colonialization of other places and our exploitation of them leads us back to this sort of issue of actually “ how do we repair our relationship with land, with people? [00:27:00] How do we come to this through a lens of collaboration between people and place that's not about, ‘this is for nature, this is for people'?”And I think, one of the most concerning things I've seen happening in recent years, is this sort of resurgence of a neocapitalist economy in the countryside that's sort of operating under the guise of wanting to protect, but actually is about excluding communities and excluding people. And some of the most amazing work that's happening in England and Wales on Rewilding is about including people and ensuring that there is a joined-up approach between people, place, and ecology.Chris: Thank you, Louis. Your professional background prior to working with Right to Roam was in outdoor and environmental education. And so I imagine that such work kind of flows fairly easily into raising awareness for public access to the commons. But it also seems to me that the [00:28:00] contemporary and commonplace relationships between people in the commons run through the government in the form of laws and regulations. And you write, “there are things you can do on public lands, and there are things you will get fined or arrested for.”And so, a system based on allowances and punishment, a system of rights. But rights do not necessarily breed responsibility. And it can be argued that rights can undermine responsibility both on personal and collective levels. A central question that arises in the debate as to whether to repeal these prohibitions on access is that a people growing up in a culture of enclosure and hypermobility, such as most urban people do these days, tend to have no personal or peripheral example of what worthy stewardship looks like.And so I'm curious, how does the Right to Roam team and perhaps other authors and activists you've come across contend with this notion? There's a mention [00:29:00] on your website of the ability of people to offer “wild service,” and I'm curious what this means in the context of rights and responsibilities.Lewis: Well, I don't think that rights necessarily undermine responsibilities. I think badly designed rights can, but I think that, in a meaningful way, rights can give people a stake. They can really say to people, actually, “ this is something which belongs to you, and that's worth defending.”If people are only experiencing the countryside through prohibition, then clearly that's gonna lead to a form of feelings of unwelcome. And I think that that kind of relationship with the countryside is damaging, and particularly, I think it damages the ideas of trust and our sense that we can actually learn to care for these places. And that's deep set [00:30:00] within the culture, I think, that we're part of. And one of the things, as you've highlighted, this challenge, which is also an opportunity, is for education. And not only do we have these very exclusionary laws, which prohibit us from accessing so much land. I mean, we're talking about we only have access to 8% of England, and about 3% of our rivers. These places also only exist in particular parts of England and Wales. So there are vast parts of the country where the countryside might as well just be wallpaper.And so, for so many people, access is a kind of an academic exercise. It's this idea that you might be able to access it, or if you have a car, you can drive to a place. So I think there's a lot of work to be done to give people the experiences that really build up that kind of culture of care, which I think... or “stewardship” is the word that you used.Getting those laws in place, getting the right to roam legislation that we're after, is the first step on the ladder. [00:31:00] And then the next step is maybe something like, “how do we put in place those systems of infrastructure and support, which we need to actually see more people in the countryside?” And some of those things might be about, “how do we get more school kids out?” I mean, even here near Dartmoor, the only place in England where you can sleep out under the stars, most of the kids in this area won't have had that experience and probably will never have that experience. So how do we remedy things like that? How do we support schools to do more of that? How do we get more of our education systems, both formal and informal education systems, to embrace a culture of access?In England, we can look north of the border to Scotland to see where such a system's been in place since 2003, where the Scottish Land Reform Act was put in place, which gave people a default right of access to land and water in the country, which [with] sensible exceptions for things like privacy, wildlife, land with crops growing on it [00:32:00] and public safety, backed up by a code of responsibility. But that in itself is only just over 20 years old, as an act. So, culturally it's still quite young, but it's been a real success.And then, we can look elsewhere. We can maybe look elsewhere in Europe, to Norway and to Sweden, for examples where, culturally, this is sort of something which is more deeply accepted. And there are many other examples, obviously from across Europe and globally, where there are different sets of rights that give people different sets of access and mobility within landscapes.So I think all we're trying to do really here in England is point to a way of being, which is about the structures of how we do that, but it's also about our kind of mindset and how we relate to places.And we can see that it's entirely possible and preferable to the system that we have here today. So I think [00:33:00] that yes, rights in themselves are not the answer, but they are the kind of the bedrock on which we could build a whole world of possibility.Chris: Hmm. Hmm. Yeah. Thank you, Lewis. I guess the question that I was trying to drive towards is this notion that's come up quite a bit in the podcast, which is that tourism doesn't necessarily begin once you get off a plane or a boat or a train. That tourism is a kind of lifestyle that seems to exist in the bedrock of the modern condition. And so how do we bring people into the possibility of something like “wild service” or stewardship when the vast kind of understanding of how we proceed towards quote “nature” or other communities is touristic in nature.And so I'm curious, in the organising that you've done, when people have the opportunity to dig deeper into the histories of their lands, and the access to lands, and the [00:34:00] enclosure that access and the enclosure of the common lands in the UK, and when they start to see perhaps what's possible by virtue of other people showing up, interested in the same research, in the possibility, the real possibility of things being otherwise, once people gathered together toward these possibilities, I'm curious what shows up for you among people who perhaps come from this more touristic sensibility.Lewis: Yeah. Well, a couple of years ago, the campaign wrote a book, a collection of essays called “Wild Service,” which is sort of acts as a bit of a compass towards this kind of new narrative of beyond extractive tourism, beyond recreation even, towards something which we sort of playfully called “re-creation” sometimes, this sort of sense that, actually, there's another way of doing this stuff. There's another way of [00:35:00] being in new places and of experiencing nature places near to and beyond our home. And Wild Service really is about... the kind of the subtitle of the book is “Why Nature Needs You.” So it's really kind of flipping this thing we were talking about earlier, which is that kind of a lot of conservation tends to focus in on, “ we desperately need nature, so we need to protect nature, and the way we do that is by excluding people.” And that's not all of conservation, but that is a kind of prevailing mindset which has existed and is entrenched now.So, wild service is trying to chart a different way, which is that we need to find this kind of peace, really. We are feeling that we can be active agents of benefit for the world around us. And there are some great examples. I mean, Paul Powlesland's an amazing barrister activist, who lives in northeast London and is [00:36:00] guardian of the River Roding up there who kind of lives on the river in his boat, and is out on the river every day, normally waist-deep in the river, acting in service to clean that river up.And it is in a mess. This river's been a historic dumping ground for industry, and neglected by government and local authority over the years, and just trashed. And Paul is with a team of volunteers, working so hard to shine a light on that, but also just basically to clean it up, and to demonstrate how illegal rubbish dumps and illegal sewers are overflowing into it. And it's become this flashpoint really for a wider conversation of concern.And there are many other examples where, you know, on the River Wye, for example, on the border between Wales and England, which is one of the first rivers really to have its kind of legal rights asserted in England through the action of communities.And we're talking about wild swimmers and anglers and [00:37:00] kayakers and people who are kind of out on the river. And I think it's no coincidence that the River Wye is also one of the only rivers in England where there is a legal right of access to swim and to connect with the river. And that people have seen it as a gift really, to then act on behalf of the river. And of course, then that's playing out now.The rights of nature are playing out globally. I mean Ecuador, being one of the kind of trailblazing, the constitution, embedding this. And I think acting as an inspiration for so many more communities to really take on board the rights of nature. And to see a kind of community activists stepping forward in wild service to do some of this work. And in cases like Paul, they often trespass whilst they're doing it.Chris: Yeah, I think there's definitely this question of animism that comes into play, perhaps peripherally as well in these conversations, which is that, so many of our ancestors, at least at some point, [00:38:00] understood the more-than-human beings and worlds within their places as just as alive and deserving of a good life and dignity as humans are.And that over the course of the last 500 years, at least, a degree of deanimation has occurred as a result of the enclosures. Certainly, you could get into the Cartesian philosophical questions, regarding who has a soul and who doesn't. But I think there's something deeply embedded there as well about the questions of, when we find ways to ensure that rivers, for example, or other aspects of the more-than-human world have rights, that we are trying to find a way back towards respecting the dignity that exists, and is [00:39:00] more or less, demanded, if not, seen or experienced a priori, within an animistic perspective.Lewis: Yeah, I mean, absolutely the same logic that tore people from the Commons was also at play, of course, in the kind of instrumentalising and essentializing nature, and creating this sort of division between people and the rest of nature. And it is certainly there in the history of the British Isles.You just don't have to look even back that far to see that people had a much kind of closer relationship. And I think this isn't about going back to anything. This is about finding a new path where, actually, this kind of experiment in driving a wedge between humans and the rest of nature has been wildly unsuccessful, and has caused great harm, and has precipitated, also, the harms done to people elsewhere.And, part of our kind of job now, I think, is to look to other [00:40:00] ways of doing things. And I see really in the kind of richness of the work being done by communities and individuals, and increasingly, with work being done within governance, that actually rights of nature is not a panacea, but it does give us this sort of direction towards something, which is perhaps more unifying, and can be part of that future.Chris: Hmm. Yeah. I'm reminded of a fairly famous quote, at least within the psychedelic culture, of a man named Terrence McKenna, who said that this work is not a return to the archaic. It's a return of the archaic.Lewis: Hmm.Chris: And so perhaps there's something in there that can give us pause to consider and reconsider how we are with more-than-human worlds.Well, I'd like to take a, just a slight detour if we can, because there's this question of [00:41:00] what the enclosures of the commons did, to people both in England and then abroad, later. And a lot of it has to do with the human relationship to nature, to more-than-human worlds. But I'm also curious about this relationship to home, and to housing even, and to what the enclosures kind of precipitated in the behaviour of human beings, what displacement and expulsion and enclosure do to human beings.And so, I have a little quote here from a great book, called The War Against the Commons. And in that book, the author writes,“The largest number of migrants left England entirely, mostly for North America or the Caribbean. [This is as a result of the enclosures.] Net emigration in the century before 1640 was close to [00:42:00] 600,000, and another 400,000 left by the end of that century, extraordinarily large numbers from a country whose mid-1600s population was barely 5 million people.What's more, those are net figures. More people left, but their numbers were partially offset by immigrants arriving in England from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and continental Europe. Most of the emigrants were young men, and about half paid for the dangerous ocean crossing by agreeing to be indentured servants for four or more years there, in the ‘New World.' That was a high price, but hundreds of thousands of landless peasants were willing to pay it.For some, it was not a choice. English courts frequently sentenced vagrants and other criminals to indentured servitude in the New World.”And so, I don't think it's such a huge [00:43:00] stretch of the imagination to say that the chain reaction that began with the enclosures in England and later spread to most parts of the world had direct consequences for how the Americas, among other places, were colonised. I think it's quite curious and telling that the sometimes brutal dispossession and dislocation that was unleashed on commoners in the UK was then later unleashed by those same commoners turned migrants or their descendants on the other side of the Atlantic. And so, given that one of the major issues of our time revolves around migration and borders, I'm curious if this history or this unauthorised history has come up at all in the conversations around migration in your part of the world.Lewis: Yeah. Well, I think the harm that has been done to the landscapes here, clearly, the mindset and the exploitative mindset have been at play [00:44:00] elsewhere as we've discussed. You talked about how vagrants were treated. People are told they have no place on land that they don't own. And then when they find themselves, suddenly without work and dispossessed and subject to new laws that were criminalising that kind of vagrancy, I think that's such a strong kind of signal within a society that there's this kind of way of being successful or a way of undertaking a life, and of doing business, whatever you wanna call it. And so as soon as people are given an opportunity to go off and set off for new shores... we were effectively training a whole population on how to other, and how to exploit. I mean, this was the kind of place in which that mindset was cultivated.Chris: Mm-hmm.Lewis: And people, I think what I always come [00:45:00] back to in, whenever I'm reading about the enclosures and the commons, is that people were resisting, as well. And I think, the Levellers, the amazing campaigning done by the Levellers who took up arms and really knew resisted the kind of modern enclosures and the idea of landlordism, that only land landowners should have a broad set of rights, including the right to vote. The people were resisting this at every step of the way.And I think that we see that obviously internationally, as well. Colonisation by Britain and by other colonising powers has always been resisted, and there are movements globally that are working to protect the rights of people and land against these kinds of damaging and exploitative practises.But I think it comes back really, as somebody who lives here in England, that it might feel small to be a part of a campaign, which is about “I want [00:46:00] rights to be able to walk outta my door and walk into the nearby countryside, whilst there are these sort of incredibly awful, colonial practises going on in the name of progress, globally, in my name.”This is also about how we cultivate that kind of awareness and resistance. Because what I see and what I've learned through being part of this campaign is that, something which is kind of meaningful for us here today, by learning our histories and how this has kind of evolved, really, and grown out of the land where I live, part of that journey is also about educating ourselves and taking action on things which are an injustice for us in our lives, and joining those injustices to others, which are taking place in the name of the same systems that exploited the world, the more direct world around us.So, these are joined up. And, I think the other thing I wanna say is that like so many times in our campaigning we've come across the role of power and privilege and money in the countryside, [00:47:00] and how the larger states and the names that go with them that persist in the countryside today...I mean, about a third of England is still in aristocratic hands. We're unsure of the exact figure because so much of the land in England is not registered, but around about a third of England is still in the hands of... many of those people can trace their lineage right back to the Norman Conquest, to 1066, when William the Conqueror came over and handed out the land of his newly acquired domain to all of his mates. We're still living with that legacy today.And so, we see those power structures in the countryside. We see the money that's behind them. And all of the new money, the corporate money as well, that's being poured into the countryside around us. And there's a direct link there to democracy, as well, to what we're told about who belongs and who gets a say and who actually should feel welcome here. And when we look at the rise of the far-right here [00:48:00] in England, and I think, elsewhere, globally, the perpetuation of the narratives that go behind the rise of the far-right comes from that kind of land-owning, embedded power structure, the same power which has actually disconnected and dispossessed the majority of the population, the 99% of us, who don't own half of England.And that's really shocking. And I think, when we see figures like Nigel Farage here in England, pointing to migrants as the problem, it doesn't take much delving back into our history to see that this is a defence strategy, a way of deflecting blame from those who have acquired through exploitation, through murder and destruction, massive amounts of wealth and privilege and power.And so, this is the latest iteration of blaming people. We blamed the vagabonds and the [00:49:00] poor for causing problems in the countryside by criminalising activities, and exporting them off. And today we're blaming migrants, and I think, to be able to know our history and to look at how the enclosure acts and the loss of a sense of common belonging is connected to how we are having our dispossession thrown back at us through a sense of blame for others who have absolutely no stake in the uprooting of our connection.Chris: Hmm. Brilliant. Yeah. Thank you so much, Louis, for bringing this up. I mean, I've had my friend and mentor Steven Jenkinson on the pod a few times. And one of the things that he's written that describes the dynamics in a lot of the modern condition. But I think in this question, particularly around migration and colonial history,[00:50:00] he writes that, “ they deify what dispossessed their ancestors.” They turn into a God, the trauma that dispossessed their ancestors. And then, of course, in this particular context, they project it onto the people who are now being dispossessed.Lewis: Hmm.I mean, we see this logic also play out in other, smaller ways, I think, in the countryside in England. Like, for example, massive running battles and riots to protect Fenland, the fenlands of the east of England, from being drained and improved. Massive protests to prevent woodlands from being enclosed. But today, we'll see the everyday public who don't have any ownership of those lands, protecting this kind of sense of industrial improvement. And I think that there's a lot of unpicking to be done, to look back [00:51:00] and to say, actually, this is something that was done to us. And with that, we lost our rights, and also now, one of the biggest kinds of parlour tricks really of that whole system has been for us to blame each other.Chris: Yeah. I mean, I see it on a smaller scale as well in terms of landlordism and rent. I mean, we, I had an interview a few months ago, and we brought up the question of rent, which surely existed before the enclosure of the commons, but has become a staple, a normalised aspect of modern life. And it's become that rent has become so normalised that no one questions the kind of wage and rent slavery that we're born into in this late capitalist context. And therefore there's no need to imagine our relationships with home or [00:52:00] house or housing or land being any different.And as you mentioned, how the enclosures created this kind of notion perhaps among people in England in the previous hundred years, and then of course exported elsewhere, that the roots of enclosures and the different forms that they take or can take in the world, are the recipe for a ‘better life', right?And so I see that as well as a kind of historical extension of the enclosures, this notion that, like, “well, it's just the way it is and you just have to pay your rent, and there's no questioning the dynamics of private property. And if you don't like it, just submit or become a landlord yourself.Lewis: Hmm. Well, one of the interesting things I think that happened again in Scotland was that in 2003, the Land Reform Act, which came in and which [00:53:00] I've mentioned as being the acts which brought about the Scottish right to roam as we know it today, actually, that was almost a kind of footnote to the wider act. And one of the main things that it brought about was for people to have a right to buy, for communities to have a right to buy. And one of the big transformations in Scotland in recent years has been communities being able to buy up parts of whole estates and even sometimes whole islands.And so, the Isle of Eigg was one of the first examples, but now there are many, many more across Scotland where communities are starting to take literal ownership of places, and with that obviously comes things like rent controls and responsibility and accountability, between each other, within communities.And so, looking at it through that lens, where people have a greater stake in landscapes that they literally own or have a stake in, there are many, many outcomes in terms of nature conservation and public [00:54:00] access, and a wider sense of responsibility, which can kind of spill over. And it is not without problems. I mean, of course, there are still issues in Scotland with estates, and large, faceless landlords extracting massive amounts of extortionate rent from people. That's, of course, still happening.One of the things that we see in England, and I think is maybe a bit of a kind of telling contrast to that, is that in the last year we've seen two large estates, and there's probably been many more, but two that have come up on our radar, really, that have held-in properties.So one of them down in Dorset, a kind of neighbouring county to where I live, had 32 houses, ostensibly, affordable dwellings for people to live in the countryside, which is hard to come by, actually. In some parts of rural England, it's really hard to live affordably in the countryside. So, people who have been there for generations saw an estate that had been held by the same family for seven generations, suddenly bought by a [00:55:00] faceless corporation on behalf of an anonymous absentee landowner.And suddenly, overnight, the community was hit with kind of massive amounts of uncertainty. People worried about evictions or rents going up. And the same things happened just down the road from us, with an estate owned by the royal family suddenly put up for sale, and suddenly, tenant farmers, people who had had this kind of certainty that actually this has been owned by the royal family since the 1300s, are now being put up for sale.And from that point of view, the person selling it just looks at it like a set of assets that could be sold off. And I think what I would love is for, in England, for us to have a community right to buy. So when things like that happen, then actually communities get this kind of first refusal.So, landlordism and ownership patterns that are linked to the extortions going on are deeply connected to rights of access, because the golden thread that links all of those is a right to belong. And without that kind of certainty that you can call a place home [00:56:00] without being evicted, or without being told that you can get to your kind of favourite river swimming spot, for me, those two things are deeply related, and they point to the need for something much more robust for people who so desperately need it, who don't have the means to buy land themselves.Chris: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Thank you, Lewis. I'm grateful for this work that you do with the right to roam, and hopefully, as the movement grows, there'll be an opportunity for, perhaps, seemingly disparate movements or campaigns to join in this way and to recognise their mutual goals.And so I'm curious, I'd love to ask you about how this shows up on a broader spectrum, in a global spectrum, in terms of the Right To Roam, in terms of access to land and the campaigns and movements that are happening, not just in England, but elsewhere, beyond the Isles and perhaps beyond [00:57:00] Europe.And so I'm curious what kind of similar movements or campaigns might be happening in other countries or continents, for which there might be solidarity between the fight for the commons in the UK and the fight for the commons elsewhere?Lewis: Hmm. Well, land. It literally underpins everything, really.I mean, we see so many campaigns and injustices, which obviously are linked to land and the right to belong and the right to be. And land justice, globally, there's so much international solidarity. Our work today is very much about drawing those threads and remaining kind of focused on what we need to do, but we can see sort of the parallels elsewhere.And, people that we campaign with are also involved in international campaigning with Survival International, for example, doing amazing work to support the rights of indigenous peoples and rights to land globally. And the International Land Coalition, the work that they're [00:58:00] doing, a lot of which is in South America.We talked already about the rights of nature movement, and seeing lots of that kind of showing up and the rights of nature in the constitution of Ecuador, has, as I've already said, been a massive inspiration for that movement now in the UK.And, obviously, in the majority of Latin American countries, this is a real present challenge, and it's highly contested. I was speaking with a group from Dalhousie University in Canada as well recently about the kind of the rights to the coastline up there, and how, even in North American countries, there are like these challenges because of the development of coastlines, and not just coastlines, but also, the private property rights which excludes people to perhaps a more extreme extent than we have here in England.I was always struck by how, in the United States, the [00:59:00] right to roam campaign is sort of... I think people are just bewildered by it. Like, “What is this kind of campaign?” Because the rights of property are so sacrosanct, and the rights of property and the right to exclude, with the exception of the national park.So, we see these interesting challenges coming up, and international solidarity with people, in all sorts of different contexts.I was really interested in the conversation that you were having with Devon Taylor on this podcast about the rights to the coast, for example, in Jamaica, as well, and how that is absolutely linked to the exploitation of Jamaica and of people, and that land is still subject to the same kind of sets of exclusions there. And I was really interested to hear about the campaigning that's being done to just give people a simple right to get to the beach, which just seems so [01:00:00] basic and simple, but actually is fundamental. And so, I'm really gladdened and also shocked by what's happening there. And particularly if you contrast it with a place like Barbados, where there's a right to the coast, to see just what's possible with campaigning. And with political will, actually, you can see that these things are winnable and that they're winnable because of people like Devon doing that kind of work.So yeah, our work's very much focused on England, and what we can achieve within this parliament. We basically want to finish what we're doing, and then carry on with the wider work that we're all also interested in doing, and getting this law changed is our kind of like tiny puzzle piece in the wider tapestry of land justice, globally.Chris: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. May it be that the people who listen to this and who find their way towards the Right to Roam's work, join up and remember the [01:01:00] histories that have led us to this point and to people like yourself who are working to reconcile, as you said, what's been done historically in your name, or in your names.And, it's been a blessing to have you on the pod Lewis, to be able to both historically and contemporaneously, bring together a lot of the threads that a lot of other podcast guests in the past have spoken to, threads that bring us to a degree of source or historical origin in terms of how these enclosures came to be and of course, how people like yourself in the place that they began are working for their proper subversion.And so, on behalf of our listeners, Lewis, I'd like to thank you for joining me today for being willing to speak to these issues, these very complex issues. And I'm of course grateful that you're digging into the complexities in the way that you do.It's a great honour. And finally, [01:02:00] I'd like to ask you, how might our listeners find out more about the Right to Roam and its campaigns? How might they get involved and support, or begin this good work, in the places that they live?Lewis: Thanks, Chris. It is great to be on here and speaking with you, as well.And yeah, I mean, we're a small campaign. We do what we can with the small amount of resources that we have available. But I think, if people want to support our work, you can head over to our website. We've got our website at righttorome.org.uk. So check that out. We've got a mailing list, as well, and we try to send out fairly infrequent, but we hope, worthwhile emails, which give you a bit of insight.They tend to be focused on the work we are doing here for England and Wales. But I think for international listeners, this is potentially of interest as well, because, obviously, this speaks to the wider context. We've got social media as well, so you can see us on Instagram and on Blue Sky. And we're just in the process of setting [01:03:00] up a blog, as well. So, stay tuned for that. But get in touch and listen out for any updates.Chris: Thank you, Lewis. I'll make sure that those links are on the End of Tourism website in the homework section. And, for those who are outside of England who are wondering about this, perhaps the Right to Roam and their work is something not only of an inspiration, but a foundation for the ways in which you and your people might come to gather together and organise for access to land in your places.Thank you so much, Louis.Lewis: Thanks, Chris. Get full access to Chris Christou at chrischristou.substack.com/subscribe

Media commentator Nick Hayes joined Ben Davis on 4BC Breakfast to expose the massive gap between the perceived wealth of digital influencers and the harsh reality of their actual earnings. This eye-opening segment delves into why traditional, regulated media remains the trusted choice for major advertisers while cautioning listeners against relying entirely on social media for their news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sermon by Dr. Nick HayesFor our current sermon series - My Story, My SongScripture Reading: John 21:3-19

This week, Mickey-Jo headed to Woking Theatre to *finally* catch the new UK Tour of a show he loves - Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.This production stars Adele Anderson, Kevin Clifton and Nick Hayes as the three drag performers who travel together across Australia, accompanied by a jukebox score of disco classics.Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of this production, its new designs, and its performances...• 00:00 | introduction 02:15 | this production10:02 | creative choices17:25 | performances21:24 | conclusionAbout Mickey-Jo:As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 95,000 subscribers. With a viewership that is largely split between the US and the UK he has been fortunate enough to be able to work with PR, Marketing, and Social Media representatives for shows in New York, London, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Toronto, Sao Pãolo, and Paris. His reviews and features have also been published by WhatsOnStage, for whom he was a panelist to help curate nominees for their 2023 and 2024 Awards as well as BroadwayWorldUK, Musicals Magazine and LondonTheatre.co.uk. Instagram/TikTok/X: @MickeyJoTheatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 456 of the Wests Tigers Podcast is ready to go! Nick Hayes is in the hosting seat alongside Jordan and Josh to break down a massive Sunday afternoon at Campbelltown, where the Tigers delivered a statement win over the Knights. We debut TWO brand new segments this week:Did You Know / Nick's Fun Facts — including some eye-opening stats about where this season is already tracking compared to recent years.The Month Ahead / Dare to Dream — with a look at a huge 4-game stretch that could define the season.We also take a trip down memory lane, reliving some classic Tigers v Broncos clashes — from the 24-all draw in 2000 to the unforgettable 48-0 demolition in 2020. Then it's all eyes on Saturday night at Campbelltown: Can the Tigers keep the momentum rolling against a Broncos side missing key stars but welcoming back Adam Reynolds? We also cover: Team changes, including the return of Taylan May and Jarome Luai.Key selection calls (Herbert, Makasini, Samuela, & Jock at 14).What the Broncos outs mean for this matchup.Conditions set for a fast, dry track under the lights.Plus our score predictions and full match preview to wrap it all up. Don't miss it — plenty of reasons to dare to dream this week.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wests-tigers-podcast--6660380/support.

The Wests Tigers need to play finals football in 2026; it's as simple as that. But what does the club need to do on the field to make that happen? How do we do something that we haven't done in 15 years?On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, we identify our areas of improvement that the club and team need to make. Joel Helmes and Nick Hayes suggest improvements that should and could be made in important aspects, such as bench rotations and impact.We also identify consistency in the halves and arrest a worrying trend that has crept into many failed or frustrating Wests Tigers seasons, a long mid-season run of outs!Watch or listen to this edition to see what else the club needs to do to see finals footy once again, finally!What has us worried heading into the 2026 NRL season? Joel and Nick also list a few factors that have them concerned at this point in the Wests Tigers' preseason. These concerns include positional question marks, key contract discussions, and a reliance on some inexperienced and untested young players.As always, feel free to agree or disagree with the boys on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. Other topics up for discussion on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast included:Is Royce Hunt ready to turn the corner and hit a new high?Why aren't a couple of key 2026 recruits listed on the 'Teams' page of the official Wests Tigers website?And the brand-new Wests Tigers jersey design also comes up for discussion, with a Wests Tigers legend also being mentioned in that discussion.It's the latest big edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. We hope you enjoy it and that you're surviving another long Wests Tigers off-season! We hope to be back again with another podcast edition soon. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wests-tigers-podcast--6660380/support.

The Wests Tigers have signed New Zealand Warriors cult player, Bunty Afoa. Always a strong performer when playing against our club, Afoa is coming across the ditch on a one-year deal with Wests Tigers for season 2026.But what does the signing of the 29-year-old front-rower mean for the 2026 prop rotation, and in particular, for existing impact prop, Royce Hunt? Joel Helmes is joined by Nick Hayes and Declan McCutcheon on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast to discuss the signing of Afoa and make some predictions around the impacts in 2026 on Hunt, Pole, Sione Fainu, and Twal.Another "off the back fence" type prop has also been linked to the Wests Tigers in recent times, Nathan Brown. Brown, who debuted with the Wests Tigers way back in 2013, could be heading back to the club as a swap for Jack Bird. Is this a good move? Does the Afoa signing put an end to this deal? And what do we expect from Jack Bird next year if he remains with the club?Also on the agenda of this off-season edition of the podcast is the announcement that Terrell May has won the 2025 Kelly-Barnes Award. The boys discuss the reasons why May was the standout for the award, but a few other potential winners also get a mention. There's also a look at what we might get from the 2025 Rookie of the Year, Tony Sukkar, in 2026.Lastly, the Wests Tigers bus has made a stop and let a few guys off. Staines, Feledy, Matamua, etc, didn't come as a great surprise. However, there was one name on the departing players list that we might not have seen coming: Brent Naden. We take a look at the reasons why Brent was put through the shredder and what that might mean for our backline next year.As the weather starts to heat up and the countdown to the start of pre-season training commences, we hope you enjoy this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. And don't forget that you are always welcome to join the conversation and engage with other Wests Tigers fans on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wests-tigers-podcast--6660380/support.

Things were looking pretty bleak for Wests Tigers fans after about an hour in Townsville. However, trailing by a significant margin, the boys managed to regain some respectability with a late surge that fell just four points short. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes, Garry Watson, Steve Stretton, and Nick Hayes try to make sense of the 32-28 loss. There were some worrying signs, there were some classic Wests Tigers-only moments, and then some real flair and potency in attack. So, where exactly are we as a football team? There's also a look at some of the promising performances from individual members of the team, including Starford To'a, Tony Sukkar, and Charlie Staines. But what about the new five-eight?! Heath Mason grabbed that number 6 jersey and did a lot right, both with the ball and in defence. So, what do with do with Latu Fainu this week? The boys try and answer that question on this edition of the pod. There are, of course, lots of 'One Word' submissions from members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, including one that brings up a left-field coaching suggestion. 'Peter A' from the forum reckons we should make a coaching change and bring in the former Eels coach, Brad Arthur. Another discussion on the podcast circles the refereeing, and we ask the question - does Benji need to burn $10,000 to get some respect from the officials? Or, as some members of the pod believe, are we ultimately responsible for the way we get treated by the referee? There's also some good news from the lower grades with wins recorded over the weekend. The question is, is there anyone we can call on to replace the HIA-affected Alex Twal? Yes, it's another post-loss edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, but we hope you enjoy our take on things, and don't forget you can join the conversation now on the forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wests Tigers made it two straight wins with a victory over the Dragons in Magic Round. Travelling to Brisbane after last Sunday's dramatic win over the Sharks, the Wests Tigers held on against the Red V 34-28. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Eddie Otto, Garry Watson, and Nick Hayes try to make sense of the Tigers' most recent performance. Some bits looked great, other aspects of our performance were less impressive, despite our boys coming away with two valuable points. The boys put the game under the microscope and looked at areas we can still improve, and the areas that have some of us confident we're going to go at least darn close to the finals. Another discussion point is the difference in the team now, after eight rounds, compared to the Tigers' team that started the year. Some of the individual performances from the Saturday night fixture also get a mention, including Jerome Luai, Jahream Bula, Charlie Staines, and our Terminator, Terrell May. Saints and Sinners, Eddie turns to God? Yes, the man upstairs gets a mention on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast with Eddie thanking the all-mighty for his help in recent games! There are, of course, some great 'One Word' submissions from the many loyal and dedicated Wests Tigers fans on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. Stefano Utoikamanu also gets a mention this edition, that's ahead of our big clash with the Stoem this weekend (three in a row??). And Steve Stretton, who did have a leave pass for this edition of the podcast, has turned up in the newspapers after taking a well-known (maybe not overly respected) rugby league columnist to task. Get all the details on that by clicking download and play on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wests Tigers have scored a memorable win over the Sharks in Round 8 of the 2025 NRL season. Coming into the game as outsiders, the Wests Tigers managed to hold the Sharks to 18-all at the end of regular time. But in Golden Point, the boys found a way to win it, with Adam Doueihi kicking a penalty goal for the points! After eight rounds, the Wests Tigers have eight points, a 50% win ratio, and are just outside the top eight. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes is joined by Nick Hayes and Garry Watson to look at the remarkable events that unfolded at Leichhardt. Some big issues to discuss. The two-point win raises questions around the rest of the season for the Tigers. For example, are there still more improvements to come? What could be tweaked to make us an even more potent football side, not just this year but into next season too? The individual performances on the day from guys like Sunia Turuva, Adam Doueihi, Starford To'a, Jarome Luai, Sione Fainu, Sam Fainu, and Terrell May. While 150-game warrior, Alex Twal, also gets a special mention, not just for his efforts yesterday, but for what he's brought to the Wests Tigers during his career. Naturally, the boys give their one-word submissions from the roller-coaster experience that was Tigers V Sharks, and there are plenty of submissions from members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum too. And we give our take on 'Richo's Meter" too, determining just where the Tigers are currently sitting on that Poor to Great scale. While there's also a little bit of player transfer news around that comes up for discussion, including the departure of Tim Johanssen from the club. But really, it's all about a dogged and determined Wests Tigers team that did us all proud at Leichhardt Oval yesterday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wests Tigers Podcast has had a bit of a reshuffle with regular programming put on hold this week. That change is because of two different reasons: the boys don't play until Easter Monday, and then there's Lachlan Galvin. After a debate on Monday night on the future of the 19-year-old half, where quite polar opposite opinions were aired, have things changed in the ensuing 48 hours? In other words, is someone going to say on this podcast that, in fact, "Joel was right"? You'll have to listen to this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast to find out. Who's on the show? Eddie Otto is hosting and is joined by Steve Stretton, while Declan McCutcheon and Nick Hayes get a chance to have their first say on the Galvin saga. Some of the questions the boys look at include the obvious one - where does this go from here? If Galvin does get off at the next bus stop, who do we need to target as a replacement? Does that need to be someone to play in the halves? And how will this affect our season? Could it even be a positive in regards to camaraderie among the playing group and a more settled offense on the field? Don't forget to join everyone over on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum to have your say! A bit get for the Ambush! How's this for a get? This Monday's Ambush fan event at CommBank Stadium will see man in waiting, Latu Fainu, join the boys for an interview. Joined by fellow injured Wests Tigers star, Jeral Skelton, get along to that event to hear firsthand from Latu and find out his thoughts on his future alongside Jarome Luai in the Tigers' halves. Attendance to the event is free and will take place at the CommBank Stadium Bar inside Gate B from 2:30 pm. We hope you enjoy this rejigged mid-week pod, and we'll have a preview pod for the Eels game for you later in the week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mid-week edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast has warmed up and had last words from the coach! Eddie Otto, Nick Hayes, and Garry Watson are ready to run out onto the podcast field...but there isn't much Wests Tigers news to discuss. That means we've had to call in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to see what topics this 21st-century marvel produces for us. What we do know is that the Tigers are sitting at two wins and two losses so far in season 2025, and Nick and Eddie share their thoughts on Sunday night's Warriors match. Roster Changes at Wests Tigers. Also on the agenda (though not an AI suggestion) is the announcement by Wests Tigers of three roster changes. The changes see Solomona Faataape upgraded to the NRL Top 30 squad, and one Wests Tigers Podcast member believes this move might have been strategic to make way for a young star. While Izaac Tu’itupou and Krystian Mapapalangi are also joining the club on training contracts, both have limited NRL experience. The boys give their thoughts on all that. There's also a look at how the NRL's crackdown on accidental head-high tackles might affect the Tigers (as if it hasn't already!). Under the microscope is a look at reports of a five-year, five-million-dollar contract offer on the table for Lachlan Galvin from our club. And there's another Galvin that might be part of the package! Beating the Broncos on the other side of the border. Eddie, Garry, and Nick also preview the match against the Broncos on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium. Of particular interest for most Wests Tigers fans is the potential impact of youngsters Latu Fainu and Luke Laulilii. And, lastly, Nick tests out his quiz master skills after being volunteered responsibility for Yioti's Quiz. We'll see you on the other side of the Broncos game with hopefully a post-victory edition of the pod, and don't forget to lodge your 'One Word' submissions on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The mid-week edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast is coming off the back fence like Royce Hunt! And speaking of Royce Hunt, the big boy from the Sharks has been joined at the Wests Tigers by four other genuine first-grade players. It's no surprise then that these five players are dominating our Geoff Chisholm Player of the Year Award voting on the Podcast Forum. It's also no surprise that these new players have managed to take Wests Tigers up a cog or two, and that's something we discuss on this edition of the pod. Joel Helmes is joined by Nick Hayes and Garry Watson on this edition, and asks - are the Wests Tigers no longer a terrible footy team? It doesn't sound too positive, but poor old Wests Tigers fans would probably be ok with being just plain ordinary for a bit! How to beat the Dolphins? We then shift our focus to this Saturday's big clash with the Redcliffe Dolphins on their home turf. What can we take away from both team's round two performances? Where do the Dolphins prove a threat? And where do Wests Tigers need to be better to win this one? And, of course, we look at the possible exclusion of Jahream Bula with an ankle injury, looking at how we might be able to cover that loss with Heath Mason. Yioti has chimed in with a really good version of his quiz where ex-Tigers including Shane Elford, Matt Utai, Matt Eisenhuth, and Elijah Taylor get a mention. And see how you go with a 'Who Am I?' that will bring back memories of a fan favourite from last decade. Don't forget those 'One Word' contributions too, we appreciate getting your responses and you entering the chat on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum! Let's get these really important two points on Saturday night boys! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How great is it to see our Wests Tigers back in the winners circle! Round 2 of NRL Season 2025 has been completed and the Wests Tigers have their first victory of the season, smacking the hapless Eels 32-6. There can be a break down or two on the Wests Tigers Podcast, however the only break down this time around is breaking down a victory! Eddie Otto is joined by Declan McCutcheon, Nick Hayes and Garry Watson as they take a deep dive into the 26-point win over Parra at CommBank Stadium. Eddie looks at the 'one word' submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, and then the boys give their one-word answers. The team then discusses the differences in the Tigers between Round 1 and Round 2. Has Wests Tigers defense turned a corner? The boys put the improved defence we've seen so far this season under the microscope and ask is this a genuine improvement? Or is the significant drop in points conceded down to the quality of the opposition the Tigers have faced in the opening 2 rounds? There is also a conversation about individual player performance. Will any of the podcast team eat some humble pie with the improved performances on display yesterday? Not surprisingly, the performance of the Wests Tigers spine is also looked at, and the differences that we witnessed in style and execution compared to the loss to the Knights. Finally, Eddie delivers a message for a former Wests Tigers player, who caught Eddie’s wrath this week? We'll give you a clue - he's not in the crocodile roll! Thank you for tuning in to another edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, and what a pleasure it is to be talking about a victory. And a shout out to all the Wests Tigers fans leaving their 'one word' wrap up of each Tigers match on the forum, we appreciate it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NRL season 2025 has officially kicked off and the Wests Tigers play this Friday night. That means it's time for some fearless predictions around some of the big Wests Tigers issues and questions for the coming season. Eddie Otto makes a rare weekend-edition podcast appearance, joining Garry Watson and Nick Hayes for episode 0380. The boys give their thoughts on how the coming season might pan out for the Wests Tigers. Player and team predictions. Our predictions podcast includes looking into the crystal ball around who will be the Wests Tigers' best player in 2025, and which youngster will be the standout too. There's also fearless predictions around best back, best forward, and the player who is picked and played in the wrong position most this coming season. Eddie's prediction category also includes the surprise packet of the year, and the player that will prove to be the biggest disappointment of the Wests Tigers 2025 year. And then it's the big one, the prediction that always causes the most angst - where will the Wests Tigers finish on the table this season? Is anyone brave enough to pick us for the finals, or perhaps you have to be brave to leave the Tigers out of the top 8? Have your say as well. We'd love you to join in the discussion and leave your 2025 predictions on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. Predictions are now being taken in our 2025 Wests Tigers team discussion thread and we'd love it if you could contribute too! The Wests Tigers Podcast will return mid-week with a look at the team named for Round One by Benji Marshall, and get ready for the return of Yioti's Quiz for 2025. Thank you as well for your strong support over the NRL off-season and we look forward to being with you right throughout what is one of the most keenly-anticipated Wests Tigers seasons of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wests Tigers proved too strong for Parramatta on Friday night at Leichhardt Oval. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes is joined by Steve Stretton and Nick Hayes to break down the trial win over the Eels. The boys look at some of the main talking points out of the game, including the form and contribution of recruits Terrell May, Jack Bird, Jeral Skelton, and Royce Hunt. There's discussion around the possible backline for round one, including whether Adam Doueihi will take one of the centre spots, and Heath Mason's prospects at fullback (if chosen). And, naturally, there's a discussion around the Wests Tigers halves with one Wests Tigers Podcast Forum member calling for a radical rethink before the season starts. Wests Tigers forwards impressed The Wests Tigers made more metres than the Eels, more post-contact metres, and made more tackle breaks, but despite this, there were a couple of forwards that had relatively quiet games on Friday. Joel, Steve and Nick take a look at the forward stocks and discuss what might be the best combo for the game against the Knights next weekend. Hooker discussion also comes up with Tristan Hope impressing in his time on the field, but has he done enough to take the nine jersey from Tallyn Da Silva for that game? Do we stick with Alex Twal at lock? And, is it just us, or have this Tiger's team bonded better over the off-season than going into previous seasons? Referee Ashley Klein also gets a mention, though not in a particularly positive manner! Lots of listener contributions Thank you to all the members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum who contributed their 'One Word' responses, naturally, we will stick with this tradition through the season. Check out some further tweaks made on the forum, including changes to advertising settings which should make for a better user experience through season 2025. That's it, the 2025 NRL pre-season is over (thank heavens), let's get on board and enjoy a huge Wests Tigers year together! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts Gayle Knutson and Jim Maher welcome Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for an extended conversation about legal action by Ellison and other state Attorneys General against the Trump administration and current threats to America's constitutional order (4:00). Also included is an update of local news (44:00). Matt Quast is technical director.This Week's GuestKeith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General  Email us:riverradio@marinecommunitylibrary.orgGovernment Links:City of Marine on St. CroixCity of ScandiaMay TownshipWashington CountyRiver Radio Previous Shows9/17/22 with Prof. Nick Hayes and Khrystyna Synytska, former Odessa resident4/9/22 with Prof. Nick Hayes on Russia-Ukraine war4/15/23 with Aaron Bogott, American and former Russian resident5/9/20 with Attorney General Keith EllisonEvent LinksScandia Fastpitch Softball – email Dan LindgrenPollinator Friendly Alliance Best Practices for Pollinators SummitBusiness/Organization Links:Marine Community Library

It was great to see the Wests Tigers in action on Sunday, though most of our star players were absent. This edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast is a look back at the 20-14 (four tries to three) loss to the Bulldogs at Kogarah. As per tradition, we start with a healthy list of 'One Word' submissions about the trial from members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. Then we look at some of the positives to come out of the game, including the impressive performances of guys such as Kit Laulilii, Solomon Saukuru, and new buy, Jeral Skelton. These good showings might make for some rethinking of the round one Wests Tigers team, along with this Friday night's trial against the Eels at Leichhardt Oval. Other positives? It is fair to say that the Wests Tigers look fitter than last year, while there seems to be some real class coming through in the next generation of playmakers. While the strong performances from Royce Hunt and Brent Naden in the Indigenous All-Stars game also give us reason to be optimistic. More questions than answers Joel Helmes, Garry Watson, and Nick Hayes, also look at some of the head scratches that still exist, including: Sione Fainu, is he a chance of playing on an edge in the NRL? What will Tim Johannssen's future bring? Who will play fullback in Round One if Bula isn't available? What is going on with Justin Olam and his knees? If he is out, who will play centre for Round One? Is Luke Laulilii out for an extended period? Some things to be concerned about too. On the other side of the coin, the boys raise some concerns out of the trial match, including the performance of a couple of guys who we thought might be genuine NRL prospects this year. We hope you enjoy this first post-match edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast for 2025 and don't forget to join the conversation right now at the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a long off-season Wests Tigers are back in action in the first trial of the 2025 NRL season. The Wests Tigers will meet the Canterbury Bulldogs at Netstrata Stadium (Kogarah Oval) for the trial match at 5pm this Sunday. Ahead of that match, the Wests Tigers Podcast team take a look at the side selected by Benji Marshall, and what our expectations are of the team. Mix of youth and experience Benji has named familiar faces including Lachlan Galvin and David Klemmer for the match, while new recruit Jeral Skelton will also feature on the wing. On this edition of the pod, Joel Helmes, Nick Hayes and Garry Watson put under the microscope the naming of those three likely first round NRL players. Is there anything more to read into their selections? While a whole group of rising stars will also represent the Wests Tigers, including Heath Mason, Latu Fainu, and Tallyn Da Silva. All eyes will also be on round one hopefuls, including Tim Johannssen, Tony Sukkar, Sione Fainu, and Justin Matamua. Sione Fainu was named as an edge forward, does that mean he's a chance of grabbing that seemingly vacant second row spot in the NRL team? A few names missing Also up for discussion is the whereabouts of a few guys that we thought might feature in this first trial, including Adam Doueihi, Starford To'a and Charlie Staines. Does their exclusion mean they're being considered for the NRL team? Brent Naden may have also featured in this game, however he, along with Royce Hunt and Reuben Porter, are on 2025 All Stars duties. While this edition of the podcast wraps up with a quick game of Buy, Sell or Hold with some serious questions around fan expectations and recently departed Wests Tigers players, and a not so serious question about a missing podcast host! The football is so close you can just about touch it, buckle up for a huge 2025 Wests Tigers season with the Wests Tigers Podcast! and don't forget to join us for lots of great Tigers' discussion through the season on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's poem opens a week of poetry about food. Happy eating reading.Bill Holm was born in 1943 on a farm outside Minneota, Minnesota. He received a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1965 and an MA from the University of Kansas in 1967. Holm was the author of several poetry collections, including Playing the Black Piano and The Dead Get By with Everything. His collection The Chain Letter of the Soul: New and Selected Poems was published posthumously in 2009. He also wrote several essay collections, including The Windows of Brimnes: An American in Iceland. A professor emeritus at Southwest Minnesota State until his retirement in 2008, Holm was known for his connection to Minnesota. In an article for the Minn Post, Nick Hayes describes him as “the quintessential voice of our small towns and prairies.” He goes on to note that Holm “was also our lost Icelander in Minnesota.” The grandchild of Icelandic immigrants, Holm spent most of his summers at his cottage in Hofsos, Iceland, and his writing was influenced both by the heritage and landscape of both of his homes. In 2008, Holm received the McKnight Distinguished Artist Award. He died on February 26, 2009, in South Dakota.-bio via Milkweed Editions Get full access to The Daily Poem Podcast at dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

How good is it!? A post-victory edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast! The Wests Tigers registered their fifth win of the 2024 season on Saturday night at Campbelltown with a two-point triumph over the Rabbitohs. Aside from beating Souths, a great thing at any time, the win lifts the team one win ahead of the totals recorded in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. It also keeps some hope alive that we might be able to hand that dreaded Wooden Spoon to another arch-rival, Parramatta. In this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes is joined by Nick Hayes and Garry Watson to review the game, particularly the performances of some of the individual Wests Tigers players. This includes a look at the quite raw, but still quite promising fullback, Heath Mason. A stack of one-word submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum also features, and these range from 'Confused' to 'Relief' and everything in between! We take a look at two things that might affect the 2025 Wests Tigers team, firstly, the importance of beating Souths and thus ending a losing streak that we didn't want to take into the new season. Secondly, our new recruit Jerome Luai has a big challenge ahead at Penrith over the next six weeks, how will what happens to the Panthers in the finals affect our side when he lands at Concord in November? It's so good to be talking about a Wests Tigers win and we hope that means you really enjoy this much lighter and brighter edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is time for your weekly dose of the Mid Week Edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Garry has once again been forced into the host's chair and is joined by Nick Hayes and Jordan ‘Matamua' Prime. The boys take a brief look at las weekend's loss to the Knights in Newcastle, giving their one-word submissions for the game. The latest news is then discussed including today's announced signing of Bulldogs winger Jeral Skelton and the news that Benji Marshall will be inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. The team give their opinions on both these announcements. There is a game of Buy, Sell, Hold with topics including Are we headed in the right direction and should Benji be the coach moving into 2025. There is a preview of the upcoming game against South at Campbelltown on Saturday as the boys give their thoughts on what the Tigers need to do to get their 5th victory for the season. The Pod closes as always with a shortened version of Yioti's quiz, can Nick improve on his zero-point effort from last week. Thank you for listening to the Wests Tigers Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Garry Watson pulls some double time, he is joined by Nick Hayes for the Midweek Episode of the Wests Tigers Podcast where the boys discuss the latest news from the Wests Tigers and the upcoming game against the Knights. In the latest Wests Tigers news it was mentioned on the BTR Pod this afternoon that Tim Johannssen has resigned with the club for a further 2 years so the guys give their thoughts on this signing. As Season 2024 winds down the team turn their eye towards season 25 and Nick takes the seat of Shane Richardson and discusses which of the off contract players he would re-sign, which contracted players he would be looking to move on and who would he target for season 2025. Discussion then turns to this Sunday's game against the Knights in Newcastle, who are the players Knights players to be wary of and how can the Wests Tigers get a 5th victory for season 24? The Pod as always closes with Yioti's quiz, can Nick manage to get a win or will he struggle despite their being no opponent? Thank you for joining us for this week's Midweek Podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wests Tigers failed to come up with the victory against the Cowboys last round at Leichhardt Oval. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes is joined by Eddie Otto, Nick Hayes, and Garry Watson to take a quick look back at that performance. Beyond that, on a milestone edition of the podcast, the boys play a huge round of Buy, Sell, or Hold with a host of different Wests Tigers-related topics in play. These include, why has our defense gotten worse as the season progressed? Should we buy Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Shaun Lane from the Eels? And, will we beat a five-game losing streak against the Knights this weekend? Thanks again for supporting the Wests Tigers Podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wests Tigers Podcast is back with a slightly delayed post-loss edition! It was last Friday night when the Wests Tigers last played, another loss was recorded, this time against the Warriors in New Zealand. On the podcast this time around Eddie Otto is joined by Steve Stretton and Nick Hayes and that Warriors game is put under the spotlight. Eddie also shares all the 'One Word' submissions from members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.  And Eddie asks, why do the Wests Tigers seem to have a lot of players that don't bring a strong physical presence? There's also discussion around the news that dropped yesterday that Stefano Utoikamanu will leave the Wests Tigers at the end of this season. The boys discuss the situatuion, including whether Benji Marshall should exclude Stefano from the NRL side for the last games of the season. The news also means that the Wests Tigers have an even more hefty bag of cash to spend on players from 2025 on. So, who do we buy? Keep your chin up Wests Tigers fans, it may be another tough time but there's always hope that things are about to turn!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another loss for the Wests Tigers on the weekend, but is this side slowly starting to turn the corner? Yes, we conceded 42 points and made some pretty big and costly blunders, but the Wests Tigers' young guns showed what they are made of with some silky tries. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel Helmes is joined by Garry Watson and Nick Hayes for a full review of the 42-28 loss to the Bunnies in Gosford. Aside from a healthy array of very diverse 'One Word' submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, some of the main talking points included: The impressive performance of Tallyn Da Silva Do we stick with Luke Laulilii in the NRL side, or give him some NSW Cup time? The continued struggle of some of the team's experienced players The use of the bench this year, and this game Are the Wests Tigers on the up?  We mention some of the crazy clickbait Wests Tigers stories doing the rounds. And, out of left field, Joel brings up a possible external recruitment option for season 2025. Unfortunately, it's not a post-victory edition (they are the best kind), but we still hope you enjoy listening to the latest installment of the Wests Tigers Podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Mongabay's podcast, Rachel Donald speaks with campaigner and activist Jon Moses about the ‘right to roam' movement in England which seeks to reclaim common rights to use private and public land to reconnect with nature and repair the damage done from centuries of exclusionary land ownership. In this discussion and the new book Wild Service: Why Nature Needs You he's co-edited with Nick Hayes, Moses recounts the history of land ownership change in England ('enclosure') and why re-establishing a common ‘freedom to roam'—a right observed in other nations such as the Czech Republic or Norway—is needed. English citizens currently only have access to 8% of their land, for example. “There needs to be a kind of rethinking really of [what] people's place is in the landscape and how that intersects with a kind of [new] relationship between people and nature as well,” he says on this episode. If you enjoy the Mongabay Newscast, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing. Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet, and all support helps! See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage, mongabay.com, or follow Mongabay on any of the social media platforms for updates. Image credit: Participants of the 'Love Your River' event on the River Derwent. Image courtesy of Jon Moses. --- Timecodes  (00:00) Introduction (02:19) The 'Right to Roam' (06:06) The historical context of 'enclosure' (13:42) The modern struggle to reclaim access to nature (27:49) Cross cultural perspectives, and breaking the barriers (38:32) Post-chat (50:19) Credits

In this episode of VP Land, we dive into the ZEISS CinCraft Scenario with Nick Hayes and Tanner Grimshaw, a powerful camera tracking system for virtual production. 

This evening, I am joined by Nick Hayes, Co-Founder and MD of RG Real Estate. Nick joins RG a main contractor with an established track record as construction partner to the living sector, but who now wish to be both developer and delivery partner. Prior to joining RG group Nick led the development, investment and asset management of the Unite portfolio as their Property Director, a portfolio, home for 70,000 students in the UK.You can join in the discussion using our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9054319/Please keep your questions and voicenotes coming. It is best to contact me on LinkedIn.Our conversations covers:1. Seize Opportunities Early: Don't wait for complete readiness before pursuing career advancement. Embrace challenges and new roles to grow and evolve professionally.2. Cultivate Strong Relationships: Building trust and strong relationships with the right people and organizations is crucial for mutual benefit and long-term success in business.3. Prioritize Personal Satisfaction: Find work that energizes and interests you. Happiness and fulfillment in your career significantly impact performance and overall life satisfaction.4. Embrace Agility in Business: Consider the potential for growth and innovation in smaller, agile businesses versus larger corporations. Smaller companies can capitalize on opportunities and adapt more swiftly in certain sectors.5. Real Estate Sector Opportunities: Despite challenges in the real estate sector, particularly for large corporations, there is potential for tremendous growth, especially in smaller, more adaptable companies. The future might involve significant changes and M&A activities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Vanessa explores the fascinating world of biophilic design and its potential impact on sustainable and ethical practices. We delve into the use of clay, earth materials, and mushroom mycelium as tactile and eco-friendly alternatives. The episode also touches upon the challenges of promoting green alternatives in mainstream industries and the potential positive effects of biophilic design on employee ethics and productivity.Lastly, Vanessa highlights the growing popularity of biophilic design and its numerous benefits, from improved air quality to increased real estate value.Tune in for an intriguing discussion on incorporating nature into indoor spaces for a more sustainable and enjoyable environment.Episode linksJournal for Biophilic design - https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/Bjorn Bayer Cob - https://www.bearnaturalbuilding.com/Sera of london - https://www.seraoflondon.com/RCZM Architects - http://www.rczm.co.uk/Greengauge environmental - https://www.greengage-env.com/Outside In project example - https://www.outsidein.net.nz/case-study-mcZoom Regenerative - https://fairsnape.com/zoom-regen/Daniel Bell vertical gardens - https://daniel-bell-vertical-garden.format.com/Khoo Teck Hospital - https://living-future.org/case-studies/award-winner-khoo-teck-puat-hospital/NHS forest - https://nhsforest.org/Right to Roam - https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/Nick Hayes (right to roam) podcast - https://www.buildingsustainabilitypodcast.com/trespass-crossing-the-lines-that-divide-us-nick-hayes/Myawaki forests - https://www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forestsSupport this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainabilityConnect with me:IG - @jeffreythenaturalbuilderTwitter - @JNaturalBuilderFacebook - JeffreythenaturalbuilderLinkedIn - JeffreythenaturalbuilderSupport this podcast - https://www.patreon.com/buildingsustainability Support the show and get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time we join Nick Hayes. He's one of the most prominent voices of the campaign for the Right to Roam in England and author of The Book of Trespass. He's also an illustrator and musician who thinks that our broken relationship with nature is bound up with the loss of our cultural heritage. Join Nick on a stroll through the countryside from his boat on a quiet part of the Thames up to some sheltered hilltop woods, crossing two very differently managed estates and at least one forbidden fence line, as he explains how he's going to get arrested this summer, and what success for the Right to Roam campaign would look like. A Life More Wild is an 18Sixty production, brought to you by Canopy & Stars. The producers for this episode were Gareth Evans and Clarissa Maycock. Our theme music is by Billie Marten.

A Life More Wild is back with a whole new group of fascinating people taking you out into nature. We'll be joining Charlotte Church at her new wellness retreat in a lush Welsh Valley, reclaiming our right to roam with author and campaigner, Nick Hayes in some forbidden parts of a Berkshire estate and heading out eagle spotting with wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin. Join us for series three and explore from the Western Isles to the Cornish Coast in the company of inspiring people connected to those places.

Warnie catches up with Nick Hayes who finished fourth overall last season and is currently 24th after five rounds. The VFL player for Werribee tells Warnie about his footy journey which included playing Fantasy footy while on the Lions' list and watching Tom Rockliff and Pearce Hanley rack up 180 points each. He shares his secrets to success and provides tips on how to climbs the overall rankings in AFL Fantasy Classic. Head to afl.com.au/fantasy for more content from The Traders. Like AFL Fantasy on Facebook. Follow @AFLFantasy on Instagram. Follow @AFLFantasy on Twitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boys meet with the AV Club and try to make sense of Nick Hayes' key card. Follow Us on Social Media: Instagram: @talesfromthegroup Twitter: @tftgpod Cory's Twitch: @sirvalentinian on Twitch Podcast Art by Hayley Foster (@doodlesbyred on Instagram)

Building the backend data infrastructure to track both business metrics and clinical outcomes is costly and time-intensive. Even for a medium-sized organization, this can cost upwards of $500,000 per year, so the last thing anyone wants to do is build it wrong or get off on the wrong foot. Dr. Nick Hayes, Chief Science Officer at Cumberland Heights, walks us through their best-in-class data science department. He and his team built out what I consider to be the best setup in the field. Nick shares how they built it, what that setup looks like, the outcomes they've gotten, and how it's helped Cumberland improve as an organization overall and deliver even better outcomes for patients.

Matthew Parris travels along the Thames to meet Nick Hayes - illustrator and author of The Book of Trespass - to discuss the life of Roger Deakin. They also enjoy a naked swim. Joining them, in his pants, is Patrick Barkham. His new biography of Roger Deakin is published this year. The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde.

It's the final show of 2022. The two Sams round up the GARBAGE CANDIDATES OF THE YEAR. And we discuss the new Means TV film we're in: Yell, Stomp, Hiss. We join up with Bryan Quinby of Street Fight Radio, Tom Sexton of The Trillbillies, and Nick Hayes of Means TV to talk about our tour of the South. Music by Adam Fligsten www.adamfligsten.com To listen to future episodes, subscribe at Patreon.com/DistrictSentinel

In today's episode I'm chatting with Daze Aghaji, a climate justice, regeneration & well-being activist. I met her for the first time last year in Glasgow, when she was working as a Creative Director for Earthrise Studio. She's now the artist in residence at Phytology, a cultural institute based at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve in East London - and works with Extinction Rebellion's strategy team.We spoke about the importance and beauty of reconnecting with the land, about the Right to Roam campaign, and respecting the boundaries of the Earth. Daze is also a historian so she told me all about the Enclosures, which she believes was the starting point for the ecological emergency we find ourselves in now. She also shared her experience living on a boat in Central London - which she said really helps her feel more connected with nature but also serves as a reminder of how we're impacting nature, as she sometimes spots very random things floating on the river - the most random one being a duvet.Want to dive deeper?Watch Daze's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwPJSP-Ukgw&ab_channel=TEDxTalksLearn about the past to better understand what's happening in the presentLearn about your ancestors and how they were connected with the landThe Right to Roam campaign: https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/Find how you want to connect with the land. Maybe learn how to forage, or learn more about the trees in your local parkDaze's book recommendationsThe Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/nick-hayes/book-of-trespass/9781526604729Slutever by Karley Sciortino https://www.bookdepository.com/Slutever-Karley-Sciortino/9781478944768From What Is to What If by Rob Hopkins https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/rob-hopkins/from-what-is-to-what-if/9781645020295Little linksDaze on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dazeaghaji/Why We Care on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whywecarepodcast/Tiphaine on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tiphainemarie_/If you enjoyed the episode and want to help the podcast, I would be super grateful if you could leave a little review or share it with a friend who might like it.Thank you for caring and sending you lots of love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses global capitalism's "perfect storm" (inflation + rising interest rates + reduced production = "stagflation"); 1000 SFO food workers strike and win; FedEx reinforces "stagflation" predictions, and hurricane Ian confirms system's failures to plan for predictable disasters to lessen their costs and impacts. In the second half of the show, Wolff interviews Nick Hayes of Means TV on how it has grown as an "anti-capitalist" Netflix.    

In this show we're getting to grips with graphic novels. What's the history of this kind of storytelling? What narrative possibilities does the form open up? We first explored this theme with the artist Nick Hayes all the way back in 2014 before this show was even a podcast, and we're returning to it now because our guest this month is the writer and artist Lizzy Stewart, whose debut graphic novel Alison was published this year. Alison is a subtle and beautiful story of a young woman who leaves her marriage and her rural life in Dorset for a much older, more sophisticated and famous painter in 1970s London. There she learns to find her own artistic voice, and reflects on a life lived in art. Listen in for a discussion of the graphic novels we love, the joys of the form, and all the usual reading recommendations. Recommendations on the theme, Graphic Novels: Octavia: The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel Carrie: Sabrina by Nick Drnaso General recommendations: Octavia: The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall Lizzy: Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan Carrie: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy Find a list of all recommended books at: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/october-2022-graphic-novels-with-lizzy-stewart Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/litfriction Email us: litfriction@gmail.com Tweet us & find us on Instagram: @litfriction This episode is sponsored by Picador: https://www.panmacmillan.com/picador

The war between Russia and Ukraine is in its seventh month, and still has major ramifications worldwide. Hosts Jim Maher and Gayle Knutson speak to:Khrystyna Synytska of Odessa, Ukraine who talks about the experience of leaving her home country for Paris, and helping others flee the war; andProf. Nick Hayes, St. John's University and an expert on Eastern Europe, with an overview of the current state of the war and what to expect from here.Matt Quast is technical directorLINKSThis Week's GuestsKhrystyna Synytska, Ukraine nativeNick Hayes, Chair in Critical Thinking, St. John's Universityhttps://nickhayessju.wordpress.comGovernment Links:City of Marine on St. Croix https://www.marineonstcroix.orgCity of Scandia https://www.cityofscandia.comMay Township:https://www.townofmay.orgWashington County https://www.co.washington.mn.us/Fundraising Links for Ukraine (mentioned by Khrystyna):https://instagram.com/kyivangels?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=https://instagram.com/tydnyuk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=https://instagram.com/anastasenok?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Business/Organization Links:Marine Community Libraryhttps://marinecommunitylibrary.orgMarine Village Schoolhttps://www.marinevillageschool.orgMarine Mills Folk Schoolhttps://marinemillsfolkschool.orgChrist Lutheran Church, Marinehttps://www.clcmarine.org

On a hot August day, scores of walkers in weird, wacky and wonderful costumes inspired by old English traditions, accompanied by morris dancers and musicians, set off to stage a peaceful and joyful mass trespass.  Led by Herne the Hunter (Book of Trespass author Nick Hayes) and singer Sam Lee, they targeted the Englefield Estate near Reading, thousands of acres owned by Lord Benyon, the government minister for rural affairs. In this episode, we hear them dance into the estate, explain why they demand the right to roam and share their ceremony celebrating nature under the shade of a mighty oak. --- Delve deeper into the Folk on Foot world and keep us on the road by becoming a Patron—sign up at patreon.com/folkonfoot. You can choose your level and get great rewards, ranging from a stylish Folk on Foot badge to access to our amazing and ever expanding Folk on Foot on Film video archive of more than 150 unique performances filmed on our travels. Sign up for our newsletter at www.folkonfoot.com Follow us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @folkonfoot --- Find out more about Nick Hayes and the Right to Roam movement at righttoroam.org.uk.

Hello! This week we're talking about the accessibility of public land and the Right to Roam campaign. Only 8% of land in England is accessible to the general public and one-third of land is still owned by the aristocracy. We talk to Nick Hayes about the history of this archaic system and the Right to Roam Campaign; Nadia Shaikh about barriers to accessing nature and the countryside for people of colour; and Jon Moses about how we get to a future where more of our land is accessible to all. Plus: Ed and Geoff bring kleptomaniac seagulls and fugitive flamingos to justice and why the aubergine revolution is now in motion Right to Roam Campaign: https://www.righttoroam.org.uk/Kinder in Colour: https://kinderincolour.land/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The land commons are the shared material resources that nobody in particular might own, and everyone might have, though they are routinely taken from us. Land and forests, water and minerals.The spiritual commons are the being of life itself that nobody owns and everyone has. And arguably, they are being taken from us even more carelessly and callously....For more on Idler Drinks see - https://www.idler.co.ukFor more on Nick Hayes see - https://www.foghornhayes.comFor more on Mark Vernon see - https://www.markvernon.com

Keep Out. Two little words that carry such unquestioned authority. But why are we so well behaved when what we're kept out of is often the thing we're all lacking - green space, the beguiling attraction of the natural world, things that aren't manicured and sanitised? How did England's green and pleasant lands come to be so hostile to most of us plebs? We quiz author and illustrator Nick Hayes, who has literally written the book on trespass. Two in fact - the latest, The Trespasser's Companion, being the follow up to his mind-expanding 2020 effort The Book of Trespass. Head to https://www.trespasserscompanion.org/ for more, including the opportunity to contribute to the Trespass Tripadvisor by uploading pictures and notes from your own transgressions. And join the Right to Roam campaign, demanding far better access to the countryside for everyone in England. Sustainababble is your friendly environment podcast, out weekly. Theme music by the legendary Dicky Moore – @dickymoo. Sustainababble logo by the splendid Arthur Stovell at Design by Mondial. Ecoguff read out by Arabella. Love the babble? Bung us a few pennies at www.patreon.com/sustainababble. MERCH: sustainababble.teemill.com Available on iTunes, Spotify, Acast & all those types of things, or at sustainababble.fish. Visit us at @thebabblewagon and at Facebook.com/sustainababble. Email us at hello@sustainababble.fish.

Co-host Jim Maher talks with Prof. Nick Hayes of St. John's University about the tragic developments in Eastern Europe (5:30) and co-host Gayle Knutson explores the world of poetry with two of the St. Croix Big Read program's Poets of Place, Heidi Barr of Lindstrom and Rosie Peters of Marine on St. Croix (34:00). Also included is Gayle's news update (28:00). Matt Quast is technical director.This Week's GuestsNick Hayes, Chair in Critical Thinking, St. John's Universityhttps://www.csbsju.edu/critical-thinkingHeidi Barr and Rosie Peters, “Poets of Place”https://artreachstcroix.org/bigread/Government Links:City of Marine on St. Croix https://www.marineonstcroix.orgCity of Scandia https://www.cityofscandia.comMay Township:https://www.townofmay.orgWashington County https://www.co.washington.mn.us/Event LinksThe Big Readhttps://www.stcroixsplash.org/categories/bigreadscv/Business/Organization Links:Marine Community Libraryhttps://marinecommunitylibrary.orgChrist Lutheran Church, Marinehttps://www.clcmarine.orgElim Lutheran Church, Scandiahttps://www.elimscandia.org

In England today there exist nearly 120,000 miles of public footpath - half what it was 100 years ago and amounting to just 8% of the land in the country. Of England's 42,000 miles of rivers, we have access to just 3%. The enclosure of common land, and the exclusion of the people who lived upon it, was a violent process that began almost a thousand years ago, and reached its zenith in the 18th and 19th centuries. This ‘accumulation by dispossession', as David Harvey has put it, was frequently met with rebellion, but nonetheless continues to shape the landscape around us today. The story of the loss of the commons and the emergence of private property is not just of historical interest. Today a third of Britain is still owned by the aristocracy, and the rights of the land owner to do what they please with their land are paramount. Property remains inextricably linked to power. We're joined on the show this month by Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines that Divide Us (2020), and a co-founder of the Right to Roam campaign. We discuss the history of the commons and enclosure, and delve into the power of trespassing as a form of direct action. --- Find out more about the campaign: righttoroam.org.uk

Nick Hayes is an illustrator by trade and the author of ‘The Book of Trespass' which details how we, the public, have been excluded from nature throughout history. Living on a canal boat Nick is passionate about public access to the countryside and our right to roam, actively encouraging people to trespass in a responsible manner. In this episode Nick explains what his rebellion involves, how he wants all of us to be able to better connect with nature and how it is the power of the people which will change government policy. An ardent believer in his cause - Nick is punchy, articulate and opens up the debate around our right to roam. Listen for debate, protest and challenge the status quoSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.