Podcasts about stansted airport

Welcome to episode 210 with Rosie Viva, who is a model, presenter, author and an ambassador for Bipolar UK. Rosie has experienced various mental health challenges from a young age and was originally misdiagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Despite this she built a successful career as a model which took her all over the globe, working with some of the world's biggest brands but in the background her mental health was often moving through cycles of manic highs and extreme lows. In 2018, Rosie was arrested after she caused Stansted Airport to evacuate all its waiting passengers during a psychotic episode.  She spent the next 3 months under section and was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In this episode I chat to Rosie about her early experiences with mental illness and what was happening in her life in the build up to being hospitalised. We chat about shutting down Stanstead Airport and going to hospital and we chat about how she went about rebuilding her life after she was discharged. We also chat about the shame and stigma around being under section, accepting the diagnosis of bipolar, adapting to the lifestyle changes that come with staying well, relearning how to socialise and the sadness that comes with being diagnosed at a young age and missing out on some of the usual experiences that young people have. Rosie has written about her experiences in her new book ‘Completely Normal and Totally Fine: My Life with Bipolar Disorder' which is due out next week.  I was lucky enough to get an early read and it's an incredibly brave and important book that will resonate with anyone who has been affected by mental illness. Connect with Rosie on social media @rosieviva Learn more about her book here: Completely Normal and Totally Fine: My Life with Bipolar Disorder: Rosie Viva: Bloomsbury Tonic You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com. You can support the show and help me to keep it independent and ad free by buying a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/propermental Another great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from. If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk Thanks for listening!

Send us a textSimon and Lee talk about things they love.Things covered: back in Blighty, the nature of home, putting down roots, having multiple passports (Jason Bourne), freedivers, things we love, what Lee is wearing (again), being self-conscious (or not) about the things we wear, being policed and judged, tortilla covered sourdough, Lee loves perfume and smelling good, layering perfumes, clothes or scent, Dubai chocolate, cookie mix floor tiles, negronis, spending time with friends outside, being social, Simon loves stillness, Stansted Airport, a bus trip to Coventry, TikTok, three hours swiping, the absence of boredom and over-stimulation, Simon's yin phase, two different looks in two different countries, Coventry after dark. Get in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

In 2018, model Rosie Viva was arrested after she caused Stansted Airport to evacuate all its waiting passengers following a psychotic episode. The aftermath saw her hospitalised, sectioned, and diagnosed with bipolar disorder - a dramatic moment that would alter the course of her life. Rosie joins Em to share her story and shed light on what it's really like to live with bipolar disorder, a complex and often misunderstood mental health condition. Whether you or someone you know lives with bipolar disorder or if you're simply curious to learn more - we hope you find this conversation helpful! Rosie's book, Completely Normal and Totally Fine, is out on May 8th. You can get your copy here!Follow @rosieviva on Instagram Read Rosie's Women's Health piece: 'The hypomanic state can be really beautiful': What life is really like when you have bipolar disorder' hereIf you'd like to get in touch, you can email us on shouldideletethatpod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram:@shouldideletethat@em_clarkson@alexlight_ldnShould I Delete That is produced by Faye LawrenceStudio Manager: Dex RoyVideo Editor: Celia GomezSocial Media Manager: Emma-Kirsty FraserMusic: Alex Andrew Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Storm Bert wreaks havoc across the railway with heavy flooding and high winds causing major disruption for trains. Richard visits Northampton station, which experienced major flooding when the River Nene burst its banks. Here's just a snapshot of some of the problems: Great Western Railway was running very limited services at the start of the week and advising people not to travel. Greater Anglia stopped running from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport and Cambridge, along with other routes. The River Nene burst its banks at Northampton, causing severe disruption to London Northwestern and Avanti West Coast. Transport for Wales had widespread disruption across their network. Northern Rail services were cancelled on some routes because of heavy flooding. West Midlands Railway ran fewer trains. And ScotRail had to put some travel restrictions in place too. A new Network Rail and South Western Railway initiative is tackling leaf fall and wheel slip on the network. Plus… the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition opens for entries. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:45) Storm Bert rail disruption (12:04) Network Rail and South Western Railway leaf fall initiative (27:43) Railway Benefit Fund (38:00) Thanks to Super Thanks and Members (39:42) Railway News Round Up (39:44) Bridge strike statistics (42:06) Northern trains strike 97 objects in a year (43:37) Most used stations in Britain (47:22) Jacobite steam train - West Coast Railways customer service (49:43) Young Railway Photographer of the Year (58:57) The Quiz (01:01:36) Colne Valley Viaduct wins an award Membership: If you want to see even more from Green Signals, including exclusive content, become a member and support the channel further too. YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GreenSignals/join⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/GreenSignals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Green Signals: Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.greensignals.org/#mailing-list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow: X (Twitter) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-signals-productions-ltd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/greensignallers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credits: Presenters - Nigel Harris (@railnigel on X) & Richard Bowker CBE (@SRichardBowker). General Manager: Stef Foster (@stefatrail)

//The Wire//2000Z June 20, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: LONDON STANSTED AIRPORT ATTACKED BY CLIMATE ACTIVISTS. PUTIN CONTINUES TOUR OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-United Kingdom: The perimeter of Stansted Airport in London was breached yesterday afternoon by climate activists who cut through fencing to vandalize several aircraft with paint.Far East: Russia's state visit to North Korea concludes as both parties conduct various diplomatic commitments towards increasing relations. Of note, North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense pact, with each guaranteeing the other of mutual support in the event one party is attacked.-HomeFront-California: Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao's residence was reportedly raided by the FBI (and allegedly other various agencies) this morning. AC: The reasons for the raid are not clear, however it may be pertinent to note that Mayor Thao is currently facing a recall election as her constituents have raised enough support to clear the threshold for a recall vote to be made in November.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Though the practicality of Russia's defense pact with North Korea is likely more of a gesture than a true military pact, this does signal the increasing relations that North Korea has with Russia, along with highlighting the tepid relations North Korea has with China. Putin's next state visit is to Vietnam, where his warm reception was met with ire from the United States.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

And that was Just Stop Oil's, Fiona Atkinson speaking to Kieran on The Hard Shoulder last night as two people have been arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters used orange powder paint on England's Stonehenge monument. At 5am this morning the activists went a step further when they targeted “multiple private jets” with bright orange spray paint at London's Stansted Airport just hours after Taylor Swift's plane landed. So, has climate activism gone too far? We asked Ian O'Doherty, Columnist with The Irish Independent.

And that was Just Stop Oil's, Fiona Atkinson speaking to Kieran on The Hard Shoulder last night as two people have been arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters used orange powder paint on England's Stonehenge monument. At 5am this morning the activists went a step further when they targeted “multiple private jets” with bright orange spray paint at London's Stansted Airport just hours after Taylor Swift's plane landed. So, has climate activism gone too far? We asked Ian O'Doherty, Columnist with The Irish Independent.

In today's eipsode, Kathy Morrissey, the Director of Planning and Insights at Stansted Airport, discusses the importance of attracting more women to science and engineering fields. Kathy shares her insights on creating a supportive organizational culture to empower women in these industries. She emphasizes the need for measuring diversity, providing mentoring and coaching tailored to women's needs, and taking chances on potential. Kathy also highlights the significance of showcasing successful women as role models and building peer support networks.  KEY TAKEAWAYS The importance of measuring and understanding gender diversity within organizations to promote equity and inclusion. Highlighting the significance of tailored mentoring and coaching programs to support women in overcoming confidence barriers and showcasing their abilities. Encouraging organizations to take chances on individuals based on their potential rather than just their current skills, fostering growth and diversity. Emphasizing the value of peer-to-peer support and showcasing successful women as role models to inspire and empower others. Suggesting the value of providing opportunities for secondments and diverse experiences to enhance skill development and career progression. BEST MOMENTS "I think having mentoring and coaching is really important in programmes. And also having those programmes and how they can be tailored more towards where women perhaps are less confident in their abilities." "I think the other thing is, you know, really taking a chance on women the same that we would do with men. If somebody has the potential but not the skills, why don't you give them a shot?" "Use your talents, and use your women's networks, your male networks and take the support." "To create a six month secondment into another department or another role that you may not have actually done, or you might have been supporting externally, can you justify providing that experience?" VALUABLE RESOURCES Privilege Survey  https://intelligentlinking261447.typeform.com/to/SNkQvD0v Website: https://belongingpioneers.com/privilege-research-and-podcast Email: equitychampions@belongingpioneers.com Useful links: https://linktr.ee/BelongingPioneers ABOUT THE HOSTS Ishreen Bradley, a Strategic Pioneer, excels in guiding Professional Leaders through complex challenges with clarity, confidence, and courage. She focuses on cultivating inclusive cultures and authentic leadership, offering senior leaders advice, consultancy, training, and coaching. Kami Nuttall, a workplace culture expert with over 20 years of experience, delves into governance, risk management, and the human experience in organizations. Trained by the Anti-Discrimination Foundation and a qualified hypnotherapist, she's passionate about fostering psychologically safe, inclusive workplace cultures. Kami champions accountability, believing organizations should prioritize both employees and customers, creating environments grounded in inclusivity and trust. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaminuttall-cultureguru-cultureauditor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishreenbradley/Privilege, Eruption, Culture, Diversity, inclusion, Equity, diverse, cultural, impact, power: https://privilege-eruption.com

In this episode, Ishreen and Kami continue their conversation with Kathy Morrissey, the Director of Planning and Insights at Stansted Airport. Today's discussion delves into the challenges and opportunities surrounding gender balance in the field of engineering, particularly focusing on attracting and retaining women in science and engineering careers. Kathy shares initiatives she has implemented to promote gender diversity in the workplace.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Privilege is a conundrum that dilutes the culture of fairness at work, and leaders need to recognize the need for more inclusivity. Encouraging more girls to pursue careers in science and engineering requires creating a supportive organizational culture and addressing systemic barriers. Providing role models and early exposure to STEM fields can inspire young girls to consider careers in science and engineering. Organizations can support gender balance by establishing women's networks, offering professional development opportunities, and addressing the gender pay gap. Structural and systemic issues in the engineering field, such as lack of credibility for women and limited access to affordable childcare, need to be addressed to create a more inclusive environment. BEST MOMENTS "Women shouldn't have to adjust their behaviors and adjust the way they act to suit the environment. The environment needs to change." "I think there's a number of different levels of ways in which we could make the engineering world more inviting to women." "I think there's the kind of cultural piece as well around how the environment that you work in is conducive to succeeding." "I think it's so important to have role models and to amplify women who have done well in the science arena." VALUABLE RESOURCES Privilege Survey  https://intelligentlinking261447.typeform.com/to/SNkQvD0v Website: https://belongingpioneers.com/privilege-research-and-podcast Email: equitychampions@belongingpioneers.com Useful links: https://linktr.ee/BelongingPioneers ABOUT THE HOSTS Ishreen Bradley, a Strategic Pioneer, excels in guiding Professional Leaders through complex challenges with clarity, confidence, and courage. She focuses on cultivating inclusive cultures and authentic leadership, offering senior leaders advice, consultancy, training, and coaching. Kami Nuttall, a workplace culture expert with over 20 years of experience, delves into governance, risk management, and the human experience in organizations. Trained by the Anti-Discrimination Foundation and a qualified hypnotherapist, she's passionate about fostering psychologically safe, inclusive workplace cultures. Kami champions accountability, believing organizations should prioritize both employees and customers, creating environments grounded in inclusivity and trust. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaminuttall-cultureguru-cultureauditor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishreenbradley/Privilege, Eruption, Culture, Diversity, inclusion, Equity, diverse, cultural, impact, power: https://privilege-eruption.com

In this episode, Kathy Morrissey, the Director of Planning and Insights at Stansted Airport, shares her inspiring journey from the oil sector to environmental management and eventually landing in her current role at the airport. As one of the most senior female engineering directors in the country, Kathy discusses the challenges and successes she has encountered in balancing the scales of gender in science and engineering. The episode delves into Kathy's advocacy for women in engineering, her experiences in male-dominated environments, and the importance of planning ahead in the airport industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS Kathy Morrissey, a senior female engineering director at Stansted Airport, has made significant progress in balancing gender in engineering, showcasing the benefits of diversity in financial and social aspects. Kathy's journey from the oil sector to environmental management and eventually to her current role at Stansted Airport highlights the importance of purpose-driven career transitions. Stansted Airport is working towards a more planned focus, aiming to be proactive in their operations rather than reactive, which can lead to a less stressful environment for both staff and passengers. Kathy's advocacy for women in engineering stems from her experiences as the only female in male-dominated environments, emphasizing the need for more women in the field to bring diverse skills and perspectives. BEST MOMENTS "We need more women in science and engineering." "I was often the only woman out there, generally the only technical woman they did have for the bigger rigs." "I quite liked being the only woman because you were treated with a lot more respect and you were more special."  "I was really fortunate to get a position of director to kind of move up into the director of engineering and facilities role."   VALUABLE RESOURCES Privilege Survey  https://intelligentlinking261447.typeform.com/to/SNkQvD0v Website: https://belongingpioneers.com/privilege-research-and-podcast Email: equitychampions@belongingpioneers.com Useful links: https://linktr.ee/BelongingPioneers ABOUT THE HOSTS Ishreen Bradley, a Strategic Pioneer, excels in guiding Professional Leaders through complex challenges with clarity, confidence, and courage. She focuses on cultivating inclusive cultures and authentic leadership, offering senior leaders advice, consultancy, training, and coaching. Kami Nuttall, a workplace culture expert with over 20 years of experience, delves into governance, risk management, and the human experience in organizations. Trained by the Anti-Discrimination Foundation and a qualified hypnotherapist, she's passionate about fostering psychologically safe, inclusive workplace cultures. Kami champions accountability, believing organizations should prioritize both employees and customers, creating environments grounded in inclusivity and trust. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaminuttall-cultureguru-cultureauditor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishreenbradley/Privilege, Eruption, Culture, Diversity, inclusion, Equity, diverse, cultural, impact, power: https://privilege-eruption.com

We are delighted to introduce Kathy Morrisey, planning and insights director at Stansted Airport. Kathy's inspiration in life is her father who didn't think there was a barrier to what girls could do. He believed in the power of learning and Kathy said he knew his daughters could conquer the world. She said that her father gave her the gift of blind expectation, that you could do anything that boys could do. As it happens Kathy absolutely loved maths and went on to be an engineer. She offers some great advice to always be curious. We spoke to Kathy a lot about STEM and her roles in historically male dominated work forces. She recalls times when she took a male team member to a meeting and if she asked a question the response would be offered to her male colleague, while she was ignored. She says it can still happen now and to combat this she is a lead in raising awareness of microaggressions. Kathy makes a very valid point that it is the job of both male and females to champion women in the workplace. All the evidence shows that having a diverse team leads to better decision making and better outcomes. Kathy has climbed Kilimanjaro, worked on oil rigs and has some interesting insight into women's workwear. She says her dream dinner guest would be the Pankhurts as well as Billie Jean King. We all reflect on how women's achievements in the past have not been recognised, citing Marie Curie as an example. We hope you enjoyed this episode as much as we did. You can follow Kathy on LIinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kathy-morrissey-meng-mba-4718307.If you would like to follow our podcast on Twitter we are @4loveofweather or Instagram @Fortheloveofweather.Thanks so much for listening and supporting the podcast and we hope you leave this episode loving the weather that little bit more.

In this engaging episode of 'London Asked and Answered,' host Sascha dives into a treasure trove of listener-submitted questions, uncovering the many facets of London's charm. From the festive allure of Christmas in the city to practical travel tips for navigating from Stansted Airport to Kensington, this episode is packed with insights and advice tailored for both first-time visitors and seasoned London enthusiasts. Discover whether a £22 breakfast is reasonable in London's culinary scene, explore the safety and ambiance of the Chiswick area, and venture beyond the typical tourist trails to uncover hidden gems and lesser-known spots in the city. Sascha also addresses the unique experience of dining on the Bustronome and offers a comprehensive look at the accessibility of backpacks in iconic locations like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral. This episode is a celebration of our listeners' curiosity, showcasing the diverse and ever-evolving tapestry of London life. Tune in for a journey through the streets of London, where each question opens a new door to exploration and discovery.

Michael and Mark react to the Week 6 matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans in the best way they can - in a taxi from Tottenham to Stansted Airport!We are presented by 888Sport, the official betting partner of the NFL in Ireland and the UK - 18+, Please Be Gamble Aware.

Michael and Conall react to the Week 5 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars in the best way they can - in a taxi from Tottenham to Stansted Airport!We are presented by 888Sport, the official betting partner of the NFL in Ireland and the UK - 18+, Please Be Gamble Aware.

President Joe Biden's touched down in the UK to meet prime minister Rishi Sunak - and it's only been three months since his last visit.Biden arrived in Air Force One at Stansted Airport on Sunday night and he met Sunak in Downing Street on Monday before taking tea with King Charles at Windsor Castle to discuss climate change.Biden and Sunak will have Ukraine's progress against Russia's invasion high on their agenda, plus President Volodymyr Zelensky's hope to join Nato.The leaders will also likely discuss the highly controversial issue of Washington's plan to arm Kyiv with cluster bombs, which are so devastating to civilians.For the latest analysis on President Biden's visit, the Leader podcast's joined by Evening Standard political editor Nicholas Cecil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Mental Health Awareness Week. Nikki and Emma take a deep-dive into the topic of anxiety and find out when feeling anxious can be positive and when it turns detrimental. Faris Khalifa talks about his experience and Stephen Buckley from Mind gives some suggestions on how to find your calm. Model Rosie Viva talks about the year she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after "hallucinating her way around London" and causing Stansted Airport to be evacuated. PRESENTERS: Nikki Fox, Emma Tracey RECORDED AND MIXED BY: Dave O'Neill PRODUCERS: Keiligh Baker, Emma Tracey, Damon Rose ASSISTANT EDITOR: Beth Rose EDITOR: Damon Rose Email the podcast accessall@bbc.co.uk and don't forget you can listen to us on BBC Sounds on Alexa and a transcript is also available.

Simon Willett worked in agriculture before joining Essex Police. He loyally served without fear or favour for 30 years. His formative years in the Police were spent at Colchester in uniform until he joined CID where he found himself attached to a number of major investigations including Operation Apache. Apache was centred on corrupt practices by 2 serving Essex Police officers who were running an informant called Darren Nicholls. Nicholls was the man who drove Michael Steal and Jack Whomes to Rettendon where they murdered Tate, Tucker and Rolf.Having served on CID Simon was promoted to Brentwood where he met a number of famous people including Frank Bruno. He then applied for the detective Sergeant post on the Child Abuse Investigation Team. It was on this team that simon dealt with child abusers and attended the deaths of a number of young people. Simon was successful in his application to special branch and was posted to Stansted Airport where he concluded his service. He is a family man who undertakes country pursuits and enjoys his countryside conservation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

- UK manufacturers expect output to fall 3.2% in 2023 - All flights suspended at Stansted Airport due to weather - Rail strikes: RMT boss calls for meeting with Sunak 3 of 5 business stories featured in today's 90 second podcast

Join us for an episode of virtual time travel to visit Hatfield Forest, Essex and explore over 2,000 years of rich history. As we journey through this outdoor museum, we chat to Tom Reed, a Woodland Trust ancient tree expert, and Ian Pease, a National Trust ranger, who explain why the wildlife and cultural value of these trees makes them irreplaceable. Discover why ancient trees are so important, what makes a tree ancient, how people have lived and worked with them through the centuries and the urgent need to better protect them. Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust, presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive. Adam: Well, today I am off to Hatfield Forest, which is the best-preserved medieval hunting forest in Europe, which has a very rich history stretching back, well, a very long time, some 2,000 years or so. Now, the forest itself is actually managed by the National Trust, but the Woodland Trust works very closely with them. In particular, the reason I'm going there is to look at and talk about ancient trees, their importance to people and landscape, and of course, how old you have to be to be ancient. Ian: My name is Ian Pease, and I'm one of the rangers here for the National Trust at Hatfield Forest. Adam: And so how long has your association been with this forest then? Ian: Well, it's getting on for 30 years. Adam: You're looking good on it. Ian: Thank you. Thank you. [Laughter] Adam: That's very cool. Now look I have met you by this extraordinary, well, is it a tree or is it two trees? Inaudible just describe where we are standing. Ian: So, we are standing just to the left of the entrance road as you come into the forest and this is a magnificent hornbeam, er and although, like you say Adam, it looks like it's two trees it is actually one. Adam: How do you, how do you know? Ian: Well, it's done what's called compartmentalise. So, what happens when trees get to this age –and this tree is without a doubt probably around 700 years old – is the heartwood falls away and you're left… Adam: The heartwood's in the middle? Ian: The heartwood, the heartwood in the centre falls away, and what you're left with is the living part of the tree, which is the sapwood and what you can see there is that what trees do, trees are very good at adapting when they get older. And they are generally very good at adapting throughout their lives. So, what has happened here is this tree has stabilised itself by compartmentalising, so sealed off these two halves to stabilise itself and you can also see what we call aerial roots starting to come down from the canopy which gives the tree the rigidity and strength. Adam: So, where is that? I can't see, let's have a look, what do you mean? Ian: Yeah, so let's have a closer look. Adam: I've never heard of aerial roots. Ian: You can see these structures… Adam: Yes, I see. Ian: …these structures are what we call aerial roots. Adam: Yeah, they do look like… but they're not in the ground, they're in the air. So where are they...? What function are they serving? Ian: Well, they're basically supporting the tree and what's happened here, this is an old pollard, so originally, they'd have been what we call bowling in the top there, and the roots would have gone down into that sort of composted material that was captured in the bowling, and as that's gradually fallen away that's what you're left with at the top there. Adam: So, these roots are supporting the tree as opposed to bringing it nutrients or anything? Ian: Well, they are supplying nutrients for it from this compost material… Adam: Oh, I see, which is still there. Ian: You can still see some of it there. What's happened obviously is as the trees aged, it's fallen through. Um and you can see the compartmentalisation on the edges there. A sort of almost callous effect. Adam: Well, amazing, well look I gotta get a photo of you by this which I will put on my Twitter account. Do you have a Twitter account? Ian: I haven't, but I've got Instagram and Facebook. Adam: I'm sure we'll put it on all of those things so you can see what Ian is talking about. Fantastic, well look, this is just the beginning. And you said it was the ancient way, the ancient tree way? The road? Ian: Er no this isn't the ancient way. This is, this is the vehicle accessway into the forest. But having said that Adam, there is stagecoaches who used to travel from the east heading to Bishop… sorry, heading down to London, would cut through Hatfield Forest to cut out Bishop Stortford. Adam: [laughter] Okay right. An ancient cut-through. There we are. Ian: That's it. Adam: There we are. Not quite up-to-date traffic news, [laughter] but if you're a time traveller, that's a bit of traffic news for you. Look, my first visit here, we've come on an amazing day, I'm very, very lucky. What would you suggest I look out for here? Ian: Well certainly if you go for a walk through… what I, what I sort of advise people to do is to go for a walk around the lake area to start with because that way as you go down to the lake area you go through the medieval landscape. And what's nice about the lake area is you've got the 1740s landscape, so that's the Capability Brown heart to the forest. He was employed here in the 1740s before the National Trust had the forest. It was owned by the Houblon family, and he developed, formed the lake down there and built a shell house next to the lake. So, you could almost go on a bit of a time travel, you know virtual time travel, by walking through this wood pasture where we are now amongst these stunning ancient trees. Take yourself into the 1740s and walk around the lake and then and then go from there. Adam: Brilliant. I'm heading off to the 1740s, what a fantastic bit of map reading that will be. Thank you very much, Ian. Really, really nice to see you. Ian: You're welcome, you're welcome. [Walking noise] Adam: Well, I'm just walking out actually, into a bit of open field here. Ooh look wild mushrooms… must avoid that. Don't want to trample on those. And beneath one of these trees is Tom from the Woodland Trust, and he is going to be my guide to the rest of this amazing forest. [Walking noise] Adam: So, Tom, I assume? Hi! What an amazing place, amazing place isn't it? Tom: An amazing place Adam, hi, nice to meet you. Adam: First of all, this is an unusual forest in terms of the Woodland Trust because it's actually the National Trust, but you sort of… this is a joint project or, explain the relationship? Why this is different? Tom: So, the National Trust and the Woodland Trust are both really passionate about seeing the protection of ancient and veteran trees, are interested in studying them and knowing where they are. So, when… we're here today because the National Trust and the Woodland Trust have been working together, well, for quite a few years actually, we've been working together to map ancient and veteran trees to our Ancient Tree Inventory. And also, in the past year and a half, we've also been working with the National Trust on a project called the Green Recovery Project, which was a Challenge Fund that we, both organisations, were working on. This was actually one of the sites, in fact, I was here just six months ago where I got to see first-hand some of the restoration work that was being done to some of these trees, some of the historic pollarded hornbeams for example. We got to see how they are now being managed and cared for here by the Trusts. Adam: And it is an amazing place. I mean we're lucky to be here on a great day. Oh! You can hear… we're near Stansted, so you might hear an airplane in the background there. Oh, but we've come out of this lovely, sort of, bit of woodland into this amazing open area here and it's, it does feel a very mixed sort of landscape doesn't it? Tom: Absolutely, I think if, if you're walking here with your dog or just on a fun day out, you might just think to yourself ‘ah this is a field or some nice trees here'. But actually, when you stop and look around you can see these living links to the past, and what we, walking through here is a medieval landscape where you've got a mixture of ancient trees, we can see some decaying oaks in the background over there. We've actually just walked past some large hornbeam pollards. So, these are trees that were working trees, hundreds of years ago that were managed as part of this landscape to provide timber for those who manage them, worked and lived in the area. So, to be able to walk past trees like that and, you know, to touch them – these living monuments – is just a real privilege. Well, we've got a mix here, we've got a mix of young trees, mature trees, ancient trees, and this area that we're stood on now is called, referred to as wood pasture because it was historically a wood landscape, where you had both a mix of livestock agriculture and also tree management as well. Adam: Well look, it's amazing just to our left there's two lovely trees, and I… I don't know what they are… but they're so lovely two people have stopped to take photos of them and I mean just a measure of how beautiful some of these, this landscape is. What… just a quick test… do you happen to know what that tree is? Tom: Yeah. So, we've got two, sort of, mature hawthorns there, so erm elsewhere in the forest there are actually some much older hawthorns… we have some ancient hawthorns here that would be several hundred years old. These are probably mature, probably over 100–150 years old… Adam: And they got lovely sort of red, red splattering over them. It just looks like someone's painted that, it's quite, quite an amazing sight. So, you talk about ancient trees. So what? What classifies a tree as ancient then? Because if [laugh] these were young and they're like 100 or something. So, what's ancient exactly? Tom: So, it's a great question. So ancient trees are those that are in their third and final life stage essentially. So, the sort of, the age at which we call different species ancient is different because different species have different life expectancies, and they have different growth rates. So, for example, if we look at yew trees, we make all those ancient from around about 400 to 500 years plus. If we look at hawthorn, for example, we would say they're probably ancient from around about 200 years of age. So, it does vary depending on which species you are referring to, but essentially the ancient phases, the third and final life stage… and very few trees actually live old enough to become ancient. It's only sites like this where the trees have been retained where, you know, these trees not been disturbed, they've not been felled, there's been no development here. So, these trees have survived in the landscape and been allowed to survive and that's why we can enjoy them today. So yeah, that's what an ancient tree is. Adam: And I mean, obviously there's almost a sentimental reason you, you don't want to destroy something which is 700 years old. But from an environmental perspective, do ancient trees offer the environment, do they offer animals something more than a younger tree does? Tom: Absolutely. I mean, I like to think of ancient trees as being like a living oasis for wildlife essentially. So, these are areas where you've got a huge variety of habitats both, you know, within like the tree structure, in the roots, in the canopy, even within like the heartwood and the hollows. So, ancient trees offer huge benefits for wildlife. Adam: But sorry, you're saying that's more… a 700-year-old tree would offer more environmental benefits than a 100-year-old tree. Is that what you're saying? Tom: Yeah, if you are comparing trees of the same species. Adam: So why is that? What is happening in that period that offers that benefit then? Tom: So, the reason really is owed to the decaying wood habitat. So as a tree ages, you get natural decay that's often caused by special heart rot fungi that can decay the tree. So, as it's standing it's decaying slowly over time, and by – that decaying wood – it kind of creates a load of microhabitats, so you get huge benefits for invertebrates. In fact, the site we're on today is one of the top ten sites in the UK for rare invertebrates because of the decaying wood habitats that are here. If you imagine a decaying tree with hollows and cavities and water pockets… imagine if you're an invertebrate, you know, you're such a small organism and you've got this huge ancient tree with all this variety of habitats. I mean you've essentially got… your whole world is in this tree, it's a whole universe of habitats. So, that's why they're important. Adam: So, it's quite poetic, isn't it? In its decay… the very fact it's decaying offers new life. Tom: Absolutely, exactly. So, they become, you know, just… they just transform into these oases for wildlife and it's owing to the decaying habitats that they have. Adam: And what's the oldest trees that you've got around here then? Tom: Yeah. Well, so some of these trees may well be in excess of 700 to 800 years of age. Adam: And are they yew? Because yew trees tend to last the longest don't they? Tom: Yeah. So, a lot of the oldest trees on this site will be pollards. So pollarding is where you cut the branches of a tree above head height. This was a historic, sort of, tree management practice – essentially the people who used to live and work here wanted to farm their livestock, and in order to make sure that they didn't, sort of, graze on the trees that they also used to harvest timber from, they were able to cut the tree above head height, typically above two metres in height. And what that does is quite two things. For the people managing these trees, it means that they can easily harvest the timber because in absence of power tools… imagine they were using hand tools and as the tree gets cut back it regrows into sort of finer, smaller stems that can be more easily harvested. Adam: And that's the sign of pollarding, isn't it? If you're a tree detective and you see these, sort of, small stems all coming up it's a sign it's been a pollarded tree. Tom: Absolutely, typically it will have, like, a fluted form cut around about two metres at head height and you'll see like a typical pollard knuckle, which is where you see all of these stems converging on the same point. But pollarding does actually bring some benefits to the tree as well and that's why some of the oldest trees here will be pollards because it has the effect of almost stabilising the tree. It means that the tree doesn't get too top-heavy and then collapses and dies. Instead, it keeps the trees more typically smaller and if they're regularly cut that keeps the tree in that stable form. So even the sort of the trees here which are, you know, extremely hollow, they look like, you know, how are they even still standing, because, like, what's supporting them? Because they're being managed as pollards. And then, you know, there are some sites where pollarding has stopped, you know, for example at Burnham Beeches is a site where you can see a lot of the pollards have not been pollarded for a long time and they've started to become top-heavy now, so and that presents a risk that you get greater wind loading and then they fall. So going back to what we were talking about the Green Recovery project that we are working on with the National Trust. And like I said, I was here six months ago, and we got to see some of the tree management here and we got to see some pollarding essentially. So, they were sort of cutting back the… some branches in the canopy to basically continue the pollarding management to try and replicate what was being done hundreds of years ago to make sure that these trees can survive for many years to come. Adam: Amazing that. Ian. Ian promised me some time travel. He pointed me towards the Capability Brown landscape. Do you know which way that is? Tom: Yeah, that would be straight back down the track. Adam: I was going to say, it's going the other way. Okay, but do you think we should head this way first? Tom: Yeah. Well, I mean, we can. We can go. Adam: I'm going with you. I'm going with you and will… I'm definitely going to see the Capability Brown later, but you lead me on. Tom: We can certainly make our way back there. Adam: So, tell me about where we're heading. Tom: So now we're just, we're walking through a sort of former medieval landscape. So, we've got a variety of trees here, we've got some oaks, we've got hawthorns, we've got field maples, we've got hornbeams. And if we're walking here, we can just see the sheer variety of trees in the landscape. So, when I'm walking through this landscape and I can't help but think about, you know, the people who were working here and living here and the way that this, the site, was managed. We can hear overhead planes are leaving Stansted Airport and I can only imagine what those people would have thought about that [laugh]. And it just, it just makes you think about the changes that this landscape has seen. And erm obviously the reason that we have ancient trees here is because this part of the landscape has remained unchanged. So, whilst there's been a lot of change around this site, this area has survived and that's ultimately enabled these trees to survive as well. Adam: Now you look after a lot of woodland. What separates this from lots of the other things that you've got an association with? Tom: So, I suppose what's really interesting about this site is that it's a former forest and then when we think about forests, people typically think about trees and they probably picture woodland, but actually… Adam: That's fair enough, isn't it? Tom: It's fair enough, but forest actually has a very different meaning in terms of the medieval sense. So, a forest was essentially an area of land that was subject to special hunting laws and these new areas were preserved really for the royals and, well, the royals and their sort of associates to hunt deer and enjoy riding through the landscape and they liked this kind of open landscape where the trees were kind of scattered. So, when you think of forests, like people typically think of dense woodland, but actually, it's more like this. It's big trees in a sort of sparse landscape where deer are allowed to run around, and the royals could be… were there on horseback sort of chasing them and hunting them. It was sort of a sport for them. And in a lot of sense, the commoners, if you like, were kept away from sites like this. An erm, but then the kind of, the legacy has been preserved. Adam: And it's interesting, isn't it, that because we think of these as natural places, they are natural places, that's what's important about them. But they're not unmanaged. It's not like the hand of man has not had a role in shaping this has very much been a man-made, a man-shaped environment. Is that fair? Tom: That's absolutely fair, yes. If I was… what's interesting when we look at ancient tree distribution more generally, there is a clear link between humans and where ancient trees are. So, for example, you might find ancient yew trees often in a churchyard setting, coz often…, well, ancient yews were respected by sort of earlier civilizations, the early Christians, even before that, the Druids respected ancient yews, which is why they've kind of been retained and associated with places of religious worship, you know, so there's always those kind of links between where humans have been and where ancient trees are now. And it just shows that really throughout history we've respected our trees, you know, other civilizations and cultures have respected these trees and you know, now we need to respect them too and continue their legacy. Adam: And I suppose one of the things that's striking for me is that although we are near Stansted, although it hasn't taken me long to drive from London, as far as you can see, you can't see anything. It's sort of trees for as far as you can see. It's a remarkable oasis in a rather heavily developed part of the UK. Tom: Absolutely. You know, to be able to come to this site only like an hour away from London is quite remarkable really, that places like this have survived. It's like a living outdoor museum almost. You know, you can go up to some of these trees, put your hand on them and these were the same trees that were being worked on over 500 years ago. You know… how many elements of nature can you say that about? You know, it's a remarkable privilege to be able to go and visit trees like that. That were managed hundreds of years ago. Adam: OK, now there is a suitable bench almost shaped fallen branch, so maybe we can head over there for a sit down and a chat. Tom: Sounds good. Hey, got some good sort of… at the top of the tree there, you've got something called retrenchment which is basically where the tree is dying back essentially. Adam: Right. Tom: So, over time like the canopy sort of reorganises itself. And then the tree kind of grows downward eventually. So, trees don't grow infinitely up and up and up, they tend to get… they die down and they get broader over time. Adam: So that's the sign of a change in its lifestyle… life stage sorry? Tom: Absolutely. Adam: So, we can see some sort of dead branches at the top that means it's coming into another stage, it's probably going to thicken out a bit. Tom: Exactly. Yeah. So, what I mean… what's happening essentially as the tree reaches a sort of theoretical maximum size… eventually, the tree can't transport that water from the roots. That kind of hydraulic action becomes limited. It can't pump water to the very top of the tree and so it, kind of, stops investing in those branches. It's grown to a good height, it doesn't need to compete with other trees around it, so it starts to reorganise itself. And those branches at the top start to die back and instead the tree invests in some of those like low… what were lower branches and they become more dominant, and the tree becomes broader in profile. The trunk becomes much wider as well. So, it's a typical sign of an ancient tree that they will typically have a large girth for their species. Like the trunk will have a large circumference for its species. That's like a key sign. Adam: Alright, look, this isn't… I can't quite sit on this one, but this is a very very pleasant place to stop. So, one of the big projects from the Woodland Trust is this Ancient Tree Inventory and I think you're sort of… you're in charge of that. So, what is that? Why is it important? Tom: So, the Ancient Tree Inventory is a citizen science project. So it's something that anyone can take part in and essentially what it seeks to do is to map ancient, veteran and notable trees across the UK to an online interactive map that everyone can, sort of, see, use, and enjoy. It started as a project called the Ancient Tree Hunt and essentially it was just to get ancient trees on the radar really, to get people inspired by them, to get people out there recording them. And in that project alone they mapped over 100,000 trees. But since then, it continued under the name of the Ancient Tree Inventory, and we're continuing to map trees on a daily basis. So, we have a network of volunteers around the UK who are more expert volunteers who are called verifiers, and what they are doing is going out and checking trees that members of the public have added. So, if people have been on a walk and have seen a big tree or a tree that looks like it's old – might be ancient, might be veteran – they add it to the map, that gets recorded as an unverified tree and then one of our volunteer verifiers comes along, they'll visit the tree and they'll assess whether they think it's an ancient tree or a veteran or a notable. They'll also maybe take some extra measurements of the tree, they'll check that it's been recorded in the right place and that the species has been identified correctly, things like that. Essentially what we're trying to do with the Ancient Tree Inventory, as well as raising awareness about ancient and veteran trees, is also, erm, our role in terms of research and understanding their current distribution. But also, from their protection point of view, the Ancient Tree Inventory is actually a really useful resource for the likes of people doing environmental impact assessments. So, we get a lot of requests for data from ecological consultants, from arboriculture consultants, even the local authorities that want to know where are the most significant ancient and veteran trees in their county or on a particular site, so that that can then be used to help inform, you know, planning decisions and, you know, we'd like to think that that is going to grow more that when, for example, there's a development or, you know, some sort of proposed change to an area that people will consult the Ancient Tree Inventory and they'll consider, sort of, changing plans if ancient or veteran trees are going to be harmed. We really just want to make sure that there is no loss… further loss of ancient and veteran trees essentially. Adam: And what sort of protection do ancient trees have? Do they have… like a listed building you get listed protection so you can't mess around with it. You can't knock it down, can't alter it. Does a 700-year-old tree get the same protection as a 700-year-old piece of brick? Tom: Well, I'm afraid to say the answer to that is no. So, none of the ancient trees, don't have any legal protection in the UK. As you say, some of our most treasured monuments and buildings benefit from scheduled monument status, but for ancient trees which may be of, at least the same age if not older, they don't have any protection. In fact, I remember on a recent visit to a churchyard where we went to see a really remarkable ancient yew tree, I think someone jokingly said at the time that the wood in the beams of that church are probably more protected than the wood in the trunk of that ancient yew tree. And that, kind of, really opened my mind to that whole debate on making that comparison between built heritage monuments and ancient trees. And we really want to see ancient trees be more considered as features of our cultural heritage, archaeological heritage, you know, they really are these living monuments and we need to look after them. Adam: Do you get a sense that public opinion is swinging in that direction to support ancient trees? Tom: Yeah, I think it is. I mean, you know, based on my role of working on the Ancient Tree Inventory, I've the fortune of speaking to members of the public about their ancient trees. And we do get lots of concern expressed to the Woodland Trust about, you know, what's happening to ancient and veteran trees in their area. But there is actually something that we're doing at the moment at the Trust which is our Living Legends campaign that launched earlier this year. So, we're actually making an attempt to gain stronger protection for ancient and veteran trees. We have a petition that's live at the moment and the campaign has a lot of different activities happening at the moment, but one of the headline things anyone can do is sign our petition where we're calling for stronger legal protection, for that to be reflected in policy so that there is basically legal protection to stop any harm to the trees. Adam: Okay. So, if someone's interested in being a volunteer and, sort of, adding to that inventory, how do they go about it? Tom: Yeah, so anyone can take part in the Ancient Tree Inventory. All they need to do is go to the Ancient Tree Inventory website where they'll be able to register, and they'll be able to create a free account. Essentially that means that when you sign into your account, you can just record the trees. The main things that you'll need to record are things like, you know, where the tree is so you take like a grid reference. Erm, if you can record the girth of the tree – so, this is the circumference of the tree – of the trunk itself… Adam: So, you need a long tape measure? Tom: Yeah, we typically suggest having a tape measure around about 10 metres where you can often get like a surveyor's tape from your local hardware store for example. And you can measure the trunk, normally about one and a half metres from ground level for consistency. You're really looking for the narrowest girth of this trunk. So, if the tree has like a big, sort of, burr, or if there's like a low hanging branch, then just record underneath it to try and get the narrowest measurement. So that… and that's essentially the most technical elements. If you can just record as well the species of the tree, whether it's on public or private land, do make sure to record some photos as well. The key things that we're really interested in looking at with a tree when we're assessing whether it's ancient or veteran is our veteran features or decay features. So, these are the kind of decaying wood habitats, for example, if the tree is hollowing, if the tree has decaying branches… so the tree behind me here has some deadwood in the top of the crown – this is what we call retrenchment. And any other kind of deadwood cavities, water pockets, holes, that sort of thing is all great to capture, both in the record itself, but also in the images too. Obviously, the more that people can tell us about trees, the more we know. And then it makes it a much more valuable resource. So, we always encourage people to submit as much information as they can. Adam: And if I mean like me, I'm very bad at spotting tree types. If you don't, if you see an old tree and you think I wanna record that, but I don't know what sort of tree it is, is that a problem or can you just go look, here's a photo, you'll probably know better than I do? Tom: Yeah. So, it is possible to record the species as unsure. It might be that you know that it's an oak, but you're not sure if it's pedunculate or sessile, so you can just record it as oak. We have a network of volunteer verifiers who are sort of ancient tree experts who will check… Adam: Check your homework for you. Tom: Yeah, exactly. Adam: And if you can't spot the tree type, there is actually a Woodland Trust app, isn't there? Tom: Yeah, that's right Adam, we have a… the Woodland Trust has a species identification app that you can use as well. The good thing is that for our ancient trees, most of the time they are actually native. So, the common native species are typically going to be, you know, oaks, beech, ash, hornbeam, yew trees. So, you know, these are species that most people are quite familiar with cause they tend to be native. Adam: We should do a podcast on that, sort of, how to spot the top five native UK trees. An idea for another podcast… you may be dragged back into this. Fantastic. Tom: Sounds good. [Pause] Adam: So, we've been walking through a beautiful sort of woodland glade, a very covered area. And what is typical of this particular site is that you do come out into so many different landscapes and so we've come out into this very open area, all of a sudden with this extraordinarily large lake. I think there's something suspiciously like a tearoom next door which might attract my attention in a moment… and a couple of seats finally to sit down. So, Tom, now… It's a beautiful place. I mean we're, we're... The weeds rustling in the wind, framing the lake in front of us… There's some ducks and some rowing boats and this is a wonderful place. But I… the feature here is ancient woodland, so is there a way of sort of measuring the value of a particular tree? Do you… is it very just sort of thumb in the air, sort of thing, in the wind… or is there a more scientific approach you can take? Tom: Yeah, I think there are lots of ways in which different people value their ancient trees and so one acronym we tend to use to capture, sort of, the main themes of why we value our ancient trees, can be thought of as ABC. So that stands for aesthetic value, biological value and cultural value. There is also historical value, which I'll talk about in a moment, but think about, sort of, aesthetic value and why our ancient trees are important, you know, can you imagine, sort of, walking through the landscape that we're walking today without the ancient trees? They do provide, like the character of this site, you know, walking and seeing these big hollowing living monuments – they're almost like sculptures. And, you know, not just on these sorts of sites, but if you think of what would our churchyards look like without our ancient yews? Or what would our hedgerows look like without those old hawthorn trees? Or what would our, sort of, the Highlands of Scotland look like without those, kind of remarkable lone standing-proud alders, and rowans and hollies that are like really typical of that landscape? So, because ancient trees form, like, a really important part of the overall character of our landscape that's one way in which we value them. The other way, of course, is biologically, so they provide immense habitat variety for wildlife and a single tree can support thousands of species and that's owing to the decaying wood habitats that they have. So as a tree ages it naturally hollows, starts to break down, you get hollowing in the branches, in the trunk, you get hollowing around the base of the tree – what we call buttressing. All of these create pockets and habitats and even microhabitats for wildlife, so it can be used by a range of organisms from birds to reptiles, to mammals like squirrels, badgers. For example, with birds, as well, owls will use them, they will actually use the cavities found in the canopies of ancient trees, they make their nests. Same for woodpeckers, which will use decaying wood to make their nests and bore for invertebrates. And of course, the invertebrates themselves – the opportunities provided to invertebrates by ancient trees is remarkable. There's a special term to describe invertebrates that depend on decaying wood, and that word is saproxylic. So, saproxylic invertebrates are those which depend on this decaying wood for a part of their life cycle. And then there is also the cultural value that we place on our ancient trees. Adam: So, that's the C. Tom: That's the C in our ABC. Adam: So, tell me about the cultural values. Now actually… that must be a hard thing to measure? Tom: Absolutely so, it's not always clear, in fact, that some trees you may walk past and not know that that tree has been, or you know what it's seen in its life and how other people in the past have interacted with it. For example, ancient trees in the churchyards, so it is often that you find ancient yew trees linked with former sites of religious worship because the… our early ancestors, the druids, and the sort of, early Christians had a… they saw, essentially, ancient yew trees as a deity, they worshipped them, they respected them. And as a result, those ancient yews persisted in that landscape. Adam: The cultural aspect, there's a cultural aspect, but there is also, it doesn't run from the alphabet [inaudible] ABC H, there's an H isn't there? A historical reference here, because these trees have been around for 700 years, 1000 years – kings and queens will have wandered under these trees, important decisions would have been made. Historic really, really historic decisions would be made. And under the boughs of these trees. Tom: Absolutely. And so, there are some trees around UK which we refer to as heritage trees that have… that we know have bared witness to some important historical moments. Or that well-known historical figures that visited those trees. For example, we have the Queen Elizabeth Oak or we have the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Tree which is thought to bear witness to the start of the trade union movement in the 1800s, and we have the Ankerwycke Yew that bared witness to the signing of the Magna Carta by King John, under that very tree. And it's still there today, a tree that is over 2,000 years old has, you know, such important historical values – irreplaceable in fact. That is probably the one word that we would like people to associate with trees – is the word irreplaceable. Because if that tree was to be lost, you would lose all of that historical reference. Adam: Fantastic. You know this site well, I mean you've come a long way to see me today, so I'm super pleased and very grateful for the guide. But I know you love this place, don't you? Tom: Absolutely. I need no excuse to come here. I think it just feels like walking back in history essentially. And there's just an amazing variety of trees. Yeah, I could just spend the whole week here. Adam: I think my family might miss me in a week, but who knows? They might not… they might not notice. But they're certainly not going to notice for the rest of day, so I'm going to take the rest of the day here. Thank you very much. Well, my thanks to Ian from the National Trust and Tom from the Woodland Trust but most of all, I suppose, thanks to you for listening. Now do remember if you want to find a wood near you, well, the Woodland Trust has a website to help. Just go to woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood. Now you can find a wood near you. Well, until next time, happy wandering. Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Join us next month when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners, and volunteers and don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes, or wherever you're listening to us, and do give us a review and a rating. And why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast? Keep it to a maximum of five minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walks special. Or send an email with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to podcast@woodlandtrust.org.uk and we look forward to hearing from you.

Kevin Gay was only 20 when he joined Essex Police. He was posted to Southend and to move back towards the location where his future wife lived he transferred to Stansted Airport, where he became an authorised firearms officer.Kevin then sought a specialist role and moved to the elite Force Support Unit where he became an integral part of the team. His role on the FSU was varied and he undertook surveillance, method of entry, public order deployments and many other interesting roles.Kevin was promoted and returned to West Essex. He was deployed to the G8 conference at Gleneagles and was a public order commander in Northern Ireland during the volatile period when "Orangemen" marched. This was a very political deployment and Kevin had a team of officers including firearms support due to the aggressive nature of the event. Kevin witnessed first hand the deployment of water cannons.Even was promoted to Inspector and concluded his service as a traffic inspector where he would oversea the investigations of fatal road collisions.Kevin has an autistic son (Callum) and Following his retirement Kevin became the Head of Pact For Autism. Pact is located in Harlow but supports families who has an autistic member.If you need advice or support you can contact Kevin and the team on the links belowhttps://www.facebook.com/PACTHarlowForAutism/https://www.instagram.com/pactforautism/https://twitter.com/pactforautismhttps://www.pactforautism.org.uk/pact-videos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 140 of the Simple Flying podcast, your hosts Jo and Tom discuss, Lufthansa's new cabin concept Air New Zealand's wind problem Stansted Airport could be eying Airbus A380 services Lift's expansion plans in South Africa Ryanair cuts its Berlin schedule over price row

Join Carlos, Nev and Matt for this week's Show. In this week's show Ryanair sets a new record, one passenger takes a wizz after seeing there phone bill & another passenger eats a VERY expensive McMuffin.    And in the Military this week the US Special Operations Command chooses a new armed overwatch platform and a large portion of the world's fighter fleet is grounded. Don't forget you can get in touch with us all at : WhatsApp +44 757 22 491 66 Email podcast@planetalkinguk.com or comment in our chatroom on YouTube. Here are the links to the stories we featured this week : COMMERCIAL Southampton Airport runway expansion will go ahead https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-62381000 Ryanair sets new passenger record https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2022/08/03/ryanair-sets-new-passenger-record-after-almost-17-million-flew-with-airline-in-july/ British Airways is about to pause sales of long-haul flights to destinations such as New York as the airline battles disruption at Heathrow. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/03/british-airways-cant-rule-ban-long-haul-ticket-sales-heathrow/  What Happens When an Airline Tug Jack-knifes With a Jet in Tow https://www.thedrive.com/news/watch-what-happens-when-an-airline-tug-jackknifes-with-a-jet-in-tow Emirates returns to Stansted Airport with daily long-haul service to Dubai https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk/business/emirates-dubai-service-returns-to-stansted-airport-as-deman-9267203/ Passenger Fined Over $1,800 Over a Couple of McMuffins in His Luggage https://www.foodandwine.com/news/australian-airline-mcmuffin-fineAirline Finland set to test mobile app that will let passengers travel paper-free https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/08/03/digital-passports-finland-set-to-test-mobile-app-that-will-let-passengers-travel-paper-fre Three taken to hospital after light aircraft crashes at Cotswold Airport https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-08-04/plane-crashes-after-overshooting-the-runway-at-cotswold-airport London City Airport to reach 3 million passenger mark as numbers soar https://www.cityam.com/london-city-airport-to-reach-3-million-passenger-mark-as-numbers-soar/ Wizz Air passengers get '£80 phone bill' after calling £1.45 a minute helpline to try and get a refund https://www.mylondon.news/lifestyle/travel/gatwick-wizz-air-passengers-80-24652154 MILITARY US Special Operations Command chooses L3Harris' Sky Warden for Armed Overwatch effort https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/08/01/us-special-operations-command-chooses-l3harris-sky-warden-for-armed-overwatch-effort/ Rescuers on the Rio Grande: Coast Guard team saves lives at the border https://www.dvidshub.net/news/426256/rescuers-rio-grande-coast-guard-team-saves-lives-border?fbclid=IwAR1JDl5hXMe59GbC8bkEcfWlaUat9YCFcileuxDpgpioADeL64H7Lomu9fM&fs=e&s=cl The Air Force is grounding the majority of its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet today, due to a faulty component inside its ejection seat that could prevent the pilot from being able to safely egress from the aircraft during an emergency, Breaking Defense has learned. https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/air-force-grounds-almost-300-training-planes-as-ejection-seat-safety-concerns-spread/article_8d2f85d8-bcae-5a65-b0e5-6089460ba56b.html https://breakingdefense.com/2022/07/air-force-grounding-f-35s-over-ejection-seat-concerns/

South African authorities are investigating reports that South Africans living in  London have been required to complete a general knowledge test in Afrikaans  when flying on an Irish airline – presumably to prove their nationality.  South Africans flying to and from the UK on Ryanair have reported being asked to  complete a general knowledge test in Afrikaans or be denied entry to their flight. One South African said she had travelled to Dublin and had been asked to complete the test during check-in at London's Stansted Airport before she could be  issued a boarding pass.  She claimed she was told the form would prove she was South African because  there had been an increase in fraudulent South African passports See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy hearing from Sasha Herman, serviced accommodation expert and director of Jesswood Properties in Luton, and Plaxy Budzinska, mentor and founder of Ravens House Assets, with short term rentals located in Bishop's Stortford, close to Stansted Airport. Sasha is also a TV presenter, property & travel Expert and luxury brand ambassador - but how did she get involved in the word of serviced accommodation?  Sasha shares a fascinating snippet of her story here, the full account being in Hospitable Hosts! Plaxy talks about how she got into short term rentals, with her experience travelling around the world.  Now she's grateful to have turned her passions for hosting, entertaining, cooking, travelling, refurbishing and renovating properties into a successful business - in fact her short-term rental business changed her life. You'll be inspired to hear more, as well as gaining advice on getting started and running your business. Hospitable Hosts is co-authored by 40 professional hosts from around the globe, a collection of industry megastars like no other!!  All share essential tips, education and what it means to be a hospitable host in this amazing book, which is available to buy now: https://amzn.to/3Mlfr1U - in Kindle edition, paperback or hardback. You can get in touch with Sasha and Plaxy here: www.flowcode.com/page/sashaherman www.linktr.ee/PlaxyBudzinska For show notes and resources in my podcast, go to my website www.servicedaccommodationsecrets.com and Facebook page: http://bit.ly/SASecretsPage See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join, Carlos, Matt, Nev and Armando for this week's programme. In this week's show one low cost airline gets its sizes wrong, Delta gets classy in first class & one passenger gets to sit on the flight deck "In flight" In the military we have a couple emergency landings in the USAF, we watch an RAF Chinook deliver a large radar on top of Gibraltar, and we think the SU-57 may have been deployed on its first combat deployment in Ukraine. Here are the links to the stories we featured this week : COMMERCIAL Flybe 2.0 starts cabin crew recruitment ahead of possible May launch https://ukaviation.news/flybe-2-0-starts-cabin-crew-recruitment-ahead-of-possible-may-launch/ https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=RJHCReQoDESEAK0E81gCvb5248MyoaRJmDT8P3051eZUNFdRMlBNMlU3SDBCSkNVOVIxUkszVU1WOSQlQCN0PWcu https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?f_C=23151%2C2730623&geoId=92000000&keywords=flybe&location=Worldwide&position=1&pageNum=0 Ryanair International Women's Day posts slammed as campaigners point out 68% gender pay gap https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/travel/ryanair-international-women-s-day-posts-slammed-as-campaigners-point-out-68-gender-pay-gap/ar-AAULW9B?li=AAJsPCA https://twitter.com/PayGapApp/status/1500891839355838485?s=20&t=W6emO1y18bskMe5MSlQvcg https://gender-pay-gap.service.gov.uk/Employer/rrAcOspy/2020 https://investor.ryanair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Ryanair-Gender-Pay-Gap-Report-2020.pdf Stansted Airport to open 'Instagrammable' cafe in huge £12 million Departure Lounge makeover https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/jet2-tui-easyjet-ryanair-ba-6769798 Airline offers up to $187K in bonuses over five years for pilots as it opens new crew base https://www.pennlive.com/life/2022/03/airline-offers-up-to-187k-in-bonuses-over-five-years-for-pilots-as-it-opens-new-crew-base.html Police recruiting fixed-wing pilots for air support roles https://ukaviation.news/police-recruiting-fixed-wing-pilots-for-air-support-roles/ https://westyorkshirepolice.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-3/brand-3/xf-4227bdba33a0/candidate/so/pm/6/pl/1/opp/3272-XP220-Line-Pilot-Fixed-Wing-External/en-GB Easyjet criticised for using incorrect bag sizers in French airports https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Easyjet-criticised-for-using-incorrect-bag-sizers-in-French-airports Delta's snazzy new first-class recliners that are raising the bar https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-air-lines-new-first-class-seat-tour/?fbclid=IwAR2nGlelfId-P9dApsSzQwCKyDS5lLUvka9WXHDcNnG-JH7yF0re7NO2T24 SkyWest battles pilot shortage by shifting dozens of nonstop flights into 1-stop https://thepointsguy.com/news/skywest-eas-consolidation/#:~:text=TPG%20App-,SkyWest%20battles%20pilot%20shortage%20by%20shifting,nonstop%20flights%20into%201%2Dstops&text=The%20nation's%20largest%20operator%20of,because%20of%20the%20pilot%20shortage UK Starts impounding Russian aircraft https://ukaviation.news/uk-starts-impounding-russian-aircraft/ https://www.airguide.info/boeing-suspends-russian-titanium-from-russia-as-airbus-keeps-buying/ Report: Pilot fought to save helicopter before deadly crash https://apnews.com/article/transportation-national-transportation-safety-board-31da6055111fb3256a3448b3e5ba58ab Woman Gets To Sit In Cockpit With Pilots After Finding Out She's The Only Passenger On The Flight https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/jugaad/only-passenger-in-flight-gets-to-sit-in-cockpit-564062.html MILITARY Two F-15 jets from RAF Lakenheath make emergency landings https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-60646877 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=691740461852658 RAF Chinook Helicopter Airlifts Massive New Radar Onto The Top Of Gibraltar Rock https://theaviationist.com/2022/03/07/raf-chinook-load-lift/ 1st Combat Deployment! Russian Su-57 Stealth Fighter Jets Spotted Over Northern Ukraine Before Crucial Peace Talks https://eurasiantimes.com/1st-combat-deployment-russian-su-57-stealth-fighter-jets-spotted-over-northern-ukraine-before-crucial-peace-talks/ RAF F-35B Lightnings Have Started Patrolling NATO Airspace Over Poland and Romania https://theaviationist.com/2022/03/06/raf-f-35b-lightnings-nato-patrols/

- Johnson plans to end England's Covid rules a month early - Wage and energy bills push firms to raise prices - Stansted Airport mounts recruitment drive ahead of 'bumper' summer 3 / 5 stories included in today's “5 Things” Vox Markets Podcast

On December 22, 1999 A Korean Air Cargo 747 is on its way from London's Stansted Airport to Milano-Malpensa Airport, in Italy when it crashes right after taking off. What caused this flight to plummet from the sky? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hard-landings-podcast/support

A teaser on the upcoming interview and conversation with Huat Lim, Managing Director of ZLG Design on the topic of "Can Malaysian Architecture Schools be like the AA School?" We will unpack a lot of stuff on the learning experience as Huat graduated from the AA school in the early 80s.Huat Lim contributed as a part-time tutor in my 3rd-year design studio back in 2000 and 2001. I was conscious that I needed a strong theoretical and critical approach to assist with the studio learning back then and found out that Huat had been an external tutor in the AA school in the mid-80s. Now zoom into the last few years and we found Huat teaching as a part-time tutor in three private universities and colleges and has been consistently contributing with his lectures on a variety of intriguing topics. His experience as a design practitioner is prolific, with working on the Stansted Airport and Nimes Art Museum with Fosters and Associates, the Singapore Library with Ken Yeang, and producing works such as Boh Estate Visitors Centre and Point 92, among other notable works. © 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd YaacobPhoto (artwork) of "profile pic" of Huat Lim

In this third episode of 40 Days and 40 Nights on the Camino de Santiago, I get closer to arriving in the Pyrennes where I begin my ascent into Spain on a 500-mile trek along the French Way. Today, I wake up, jump into the cab and take a flight to Stansted Airport where I will be catching a connecting flight to Biarritz in the Basque Country later that afternoon. I talk about my time spent in Bishops Stortford, my encounter with a vicar and a bad habit that really has not served me in life. I also reveal a vulnerable moment that shocked and cheapened me which I managed to overcome in order to enjoy the long distance walk I had been excited about doing for a while. -- To pre-order a signed copy of my book (includes worldwide shipping) about this adventure visit https://ul2zhpp5wtc.typeform.com/to/waCTXArv

Former SAS Sgt Colin MacLachlan describes his time in the Regiment, his role in Operation Certain Death, dealing with terrorists at Stansted Airport and being captured in Basra, Iraq.

Aaron and Todd run through the biggest aviation stories of the week. The boys discuss their first flight in 5 months, why did Aaron get in trouble at Stansted Airport? Show notes available at aviationnationtv.com/shownotes-10

Bienvenidos a todos al episodio número 11 de Punto de fuga, mi nombre es Nuria Heras y en el programa de hoy vamos a hablar de arquitectura aeroportuaria y lo hacemos de la mano de un invitado que al igual que Sir Norman Foster es arquitecto y aviador. Su nombre es Jon Tugores y en su despacho, Jon Tugores + Architects investiga y defiende la arquitectura high-tech en el diseño y la construcción de edificios. Además de publicar varios libros y co-dirigir el documental Mallorca Klein, producido para la Biennale de Rotterdam, en 2018 publicó el libro titulado Barcelona, dónde muestra otra de sus pasiones, la fotografía. Todas las imágenes del libro son aéreas y han sido tomadas por él en diferentes vuelos. Quién mejor que él para discutir sobre diseño de Aeropuertos! Os dejo algunos links qué os pueden resultar interesantes: 1. Jon Tugores + Architects http://jontugores.com/ 2. Jon Tugores fotografías https://www.photo-jontugores.com/ 3. Castelo Sant´Angelo https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castillo_Sant%27Angelo 4. Walking Cities de Ron Herron de Archigram http://cyberneticzoo.com/walking-machines/1964-walking-city-ron-herron-british/ 5. Jony Ive Chief designer of Apple https://www.archdaily.com/871559/the-spaceship-has-landed-apples-new-campus-opens 6. Being digital de Nicolas Negroponte https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/120521/being-digital-by-nicholas-negroponte/ 7. La Alberto Estevez - arquitectura molecular http://albertotestevez.blogspot.com/2014/01/bio-digital-architecture-genetics.html 8. Efecto Bernoulli https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principio_de_Bernoulli 9. Rem Koolhaas Times Magazine 05/2020 https://time.com/5836599/rem-koolhaas-architecture-coronavirus/ 10. Los no lugares de Marc Augé https://antroporecursos.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/auge-m-1992-los-no-lugares-una-antropologia-de-la-sobremodernidad.pdf 11. Terminal TWA del Aeropuerto Internacional JFK, NY, USA – Eero Saarinen 1962 https://www.atlasofplaces.com/architecture/twa-flight-center/ 12. DFW Aeropuerto de Dallas https://www.hksinc.com/what-we-do/case-studies/dfw-international-airport-terminal-d/ 13. Stansted Airport, Sir Norman Foster https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/stansted-airport/ 14. Le Corbusier The Aircraft https://www.irenebrination.com/files/lecorbusier_aircraft.pdf 15. Barcelona by Jon Tugores https://issuu.com/actar/docs/bcn_jon_tugores Hasta aquí el episodio de hoy, espero que os haya gustado y mil gracias por estar al otro lado porque sin vosotros ésto no sería posible. Si os ha gustado el episodio agradezco vuestras valoraciones de 5 estrellas en iTunes y vuestros likes en iVoox y Spotify así cómo vuestros comentarios, recomendaciones y preguntas en cualquiera de nuestras redes sociales @punto_d_fuga y/o en mi página web http://www.nuria-heras.com/ Os espero para fugarnos juntos en el siguiente episodio…….Hasta entonces os deseo un muy buen día y mejor inicio de semana!

English lockdown sound recorded by Rob Godman. "This dawn chorus was recorded between 05.30 to 06.30hrs on 8th and 10th April 2020. As a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, I was able to listen to, and record, a chorus like never before in the village where I live.   "The location is Guilden Morden, Herts SG8 0JD - a sleepy village, around 15 miles from Cambridge. But what is remarkable about the sound is that we are around 20 miles from Stansted Airport and 20 miles from Luton (and 40 miles north of central London)." Part of the #StayHomeSounds project, documenting the sounds of the global coronavirus lockdown around the world - for more information, see http://www.citiesandmemory.com/covid19-sounds

Yes, we love travel, but how can we do this in the era of climate crisis? On this special episode, combining The Big Travel Podcast and WTM Insights podcast, Lucy Siegle, journalist and leading authority on environmental issues, examines the environmental impact of travel; the impact of tourism and aviation, what can travellers do to lessen this and what can the travel industry do to help. It’s an earnest one, but as usual with Lucy and Lisa who’ve been spent many a late night debating eco issues, travel, fashion, clown shoes and the diagnostic benefits of a wheel of brie (best ask us in person about this one!) there are a few laughs too.   On this episode we cover:   How bad is the travel industry for the planet? Aviation equivalent to the fashion industry We are in the era of climate crisis We are in the age of rapid extinction loss Aviation is increasing exponentially Why we need to decarbonise The oceans absorb 90% of heat Irrefutable evidence that the planet is warming We had the hottest oceans on record The equivalent to exploding 1000s of Hiroshima bombs British cod swimming to the Baltic States A warming world bringing higher incidences of diseases, oceans rising, ice caps melting, more widespread fires What Greta Thunberg is like in person (no jazz hands!) The spread of the Coronavirus The travel industry needed to come up with more inventive products, different ways of doing things The Guardian travel section primarily focusing on places you don’t have to fly to Easyjet carbon off setting all flights by the end of 2020 The truth, pros and cons and complexes of carbon off-setting Tree locking carbon into the ground (carbon sequestration) Aviation and shipping industry being outside of the discussions What aviation need to do now A slow win for climate is the same as a loss The issue of over tourism Travel and tourism having done a lot of good for people Communities now reliant on tourism being vulnerable Knowing people who are choosing not to fly How change can often be accompanied by a lot of fear How the travel industry need to harness that knowledge is power The climate emergency era needs to be forefront at the travel industry’s mind It’s always better to disrupt before you are disrupted Constant gains and losses in the travel industry But resorts and areas will suffer from environmental issues How travel and tourism is full of agile thinkers by its very nature Smaller resorts might have a slight advantage Soneva resort in the Maldives having pioneering ideas with plastics and water How travel industry can get involved with Investment in sustainability, food growers, desalination plants, renewable energy… to help making communities on the front line resilient Consumers of travel need to be more generous with their holidays The benefits of travel, helping to combat prejudice Cultural experiences become impoverished very quickly if they’re not protected and nurtured Venice struggled with tourism and cruise ships The ‘instead of’ travel trend – instead of Barcelona go to Valencia Is there a backlash against ‘instagram travel’ How ‘digital waste’ is becoming a big issue Lisa not eating meat, not driving, but flying… How getting the train is lovely…but costs a lot and takes time How the imperative needs to be strong enough to stop putting yourself first and putting your planet first   Global Travellers being environmentally aware now Booking.com stats say that 70% of global travellers would actively book accommodation that is environmentally friendly 37% of travellers say that an international standard for environmentally beneficial hotels needs to be created 63% of travellers believe that through travelling in a more environmentally conscious manner, they will learn more about local culture, language and pay greater respect to destinations. All inclusive buffets shown to be really bad for food waste Take an interest in the working of a hotels – what is their policy on food waste? Are they giving it to the community? Some of the big hotel chains reducing plastic toiletries Hotels need to work with providers that understand waste Stansted Airport’s scheme to support food banks (anything upopened and over 100ml that has been refused) To sum it up – we need to wake up, think consciously, act as if there is a climate emergency because there is one. It’s up to us and people who work in the industry to entice us with products and strategies that are going to help us.            

This bonus episode of The Airways Podcast welcomes Aboudy Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer at London-Stansted Airport to discuss the future of the industry's newest trend: Long-Haul/Low-Cost Carriers. Nasser, who has 20 years of airline and airport commercial expertise in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, has worked with British Airways, Etihad Airways, Oman Air and AirAsia, before joining the fastest and fourth busiest airport in the UK, London Stansted Airport, as its CCO. This discussion is part of Episode 45 of The Airways Podcast, in partnership with London-Stansted Airport.

In episode 2 Suhaiymah discusses the binary of Illegal/Legal Migrants with Helen Brewer. Helen is a member of the "Stansted 15" who were a group of non-violent human rights activists who took action to stop a deportation flight leaving from Stansted Airport, UK on 28 March 2018. The discussion looks into how "legal" and "illegal" are constructed and what happens when we think beyond that binary.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's Super Marv heading back to Stansted Airport! We waved a sad farewell to yet another Islander last night (this week has been brutal) - so to cheer us up this morning we have the wonderful AJ Odudu in the studio with Kem and Arielle!We saw some funky moves at the disco party and we also saw some funky moves in the recoupling, as one of the Islanders made a controversial choice...We also saw the boys being LADS LADS LADS in the challenge, the Hideaway finally had a couple of visitors and Chris tried (and failed) to crack on with Amber - she's a really tough easter egg to crack. We add two new members to the Morning After Crush Club. If you've got FOMO and would like us to ask out your crush here on the podcast, just email us on themorningafter@itv.com. Simple as that! Make sure you tell all your friends about us and spread the word using #LoveIslandPodcast. Oh - and subscribe if you haven't already, there's still time for us to have a summer podcast romance together.

In March 2017 a group of activists surrounded a plane at Stansted Airport in a peaceful protest, to stop what they believed was the unlawful deportation of 60 people on a charter flight to Ghana and Nigeria. Charged with ‘endangering safety at aerodromes’ - an obscure piece of anti-terror legislation brought in after the 1988 Lockerbie Bombing - the 'Stansted 15' faced maximum possible sentences of life imprisonment. After a protracted and high profile court case they were all found guilty. Sentences were handed down in February 2019 - in the end, all non-custodial. The heavy-handed prosecution of the Stansted 15 feels emblematic of our dark political times. But equally, the group's story shows the importance, and efficacy, of solidarity through direct action. This month we are joined by Lyndsay Burtonshaw and Laura Clayson, two of the Stansted 15. We talk about the government's deportation charter flights, the colonial mentality underpinning the 'hostile environment', and what led them both to take the action they did. We also hear some of the stories of the people who were on the plane bound for deportation and discuss the many ways in which people can offer solidarity and take action. --- Go to www.plutobooks.com/podcastreading for 50% off selected books relating to this month's episode. Simply apply the coupon code 'PODCAST' at the checkout.

The day is finally here - it's the day we begin our British adventure to find our square foot of land on the isle of Islay in the southern Hebrides! (Note: If you haven't listened to the preview episode, we highly recommend you do to get some context for our Great British adventure). In this episode, the other Josh finally touches down in an airport that could almost be considered near to London. On the train in to town, the entire plan for the week - including the adventure to Islay, the stops along the way and the podcast series - were explained to him. Thankfully, he's on board. Mr Marmac, a.k.a. Martin, also joins us in the studio to wish us luck on our maiden full episode. Recorded 12 August 2017 at Park Town Studios in London, All rights reserved.

In GBA 55 we get better acquainted with my Dad (again). Journey with my dad and me from Stansted Airport to my front door as we return from the trip to Germany that we were going on in : http://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-3-dad-1 In this conversation we trace the technological developments Dad's experienced in his 88 years of life, along the way we talk about his relationship to computers and the internet, seeing the moon landing, cameramen and films, Citizen Kane, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Rupert Murdoch, computer games and more! Dad doesn't really plug anything. You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at http://www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!

Unemployment, prisoners and Stansted Airport were on the agenda at today’s PMQs.The Prime Minister also took questions on cancer treatment, knife crime and higher education.