Who's Flying the Plane?: Recent Episodes

Alex Wilson

Who's Flying the Plane? is a podcast for people who want to make a difference. We talk to guests about their careers in art, music, fashion, comedy, sport, design, invention, sustainability, ethical business, and how they live their lives.

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Multi-instrumentalist jazz musician Robert Stillman tells me about his new album, struggling with his American identity, and a little bit about being part of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner's project - The Smile.

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Robert's Hidden Gem

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Robert's Website

Listen to Robert's Album

Follow Robert on Instagram

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Website: http://whosflyingtheplane.co/​​​​​

Other Links: https://linktr.ee/whosflyingtheplane


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Musician, illustrator, designer, and architecture student, Kate NV tells me about Russian music school, staying joyful in your music, and having a mother's unwavering support for your creativity.

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Kate's Hidden Gem [no link, honestly - good luck finding it]

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Follow Kate on Bandcamp: https://katenv.bandcamp.com/

Follow Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katenvy/

Visit Kate's Website: https://katenv.com/


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Musician Nathan Fake talks about his production style, remixing for acts like Radiohead, and his new album - Crystal Vision.

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Nathan's Hidden Gem

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Follow Nathan on Bandcamp: https://nathanfake.bandcamp.com/

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Follow Nathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanpaulfake/


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Musician & composer Sarah Davachi tells about balancing intuition with musical academia to make music, what makes a great listening experience, and what it's like having her work played by other musicians.

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Sarah's Hidden Gem

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Visit Sarah's Website: https://www.sarahdavachi.com/


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New York-based American Realist painter Nigel Van Wieck tells us about his love for American imagery, his experiences studying art in the 1960s, and what it's like having a painting go viral online.

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Nigel's Hidden Gems: 1 & 2

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Visit Nigel's Website: https://www.nigelvanwieck.net


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Katie Ball, the lead singer of the band Just Mustard, discussed the Dundalk music scene, the formation of their band, albums that sound better at night, and their new album: Heart Under.

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Katie's Hidden Gem

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Listen to Just Mustard's new album


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Musician and member of the band Medicine discussed the LA Music scene, experimental music, keeping his music interesting later in his career, and their new album.

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Brad's Hidden Gem

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Listen to Medicine's new album


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Ali told me about his comedy career so far, how he found his way onto that path after feeling lost in his life, and I managed to convince him that there are more wheels in the world than doors.

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Ali's Hidden Gem

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Listen to All I Do is Fail

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Musician, producer, and member of the 8 person collective Vibe World Order, Reg Mason told me about his eclectic musical tastes, the dynamics of working in such a large group, and about his new EP - Speedway Deluxe.

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Reg's Hidden Gem

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Listen to Speedway Deluxe

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Comedian & writer Joe Wells told me about writing his book Touch and Go Joe on his experiences with OCD, his way into comedy, and his upcoming book about neurodivergence and it's advantages.

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Joe's Hidden Gem

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Pre-order Joe's Upcoming Book

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I spoke to filmmaker and YouTuber George Thompson about his travels in China, studying Daoism, and his first feature-length film: Journey to the East. You can watch it by clicking the link below.

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George's Hidden Gem

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Watch 'Journey to the East'

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Shiny Joe told me all about his experiences with his various musical projects, including POND, Tame Impala, and his solo work. He also shared some stories behind his new album, and how the isolation of Perth affects the recording process.

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Joe's Hidden Gem

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Buy Joe's New Album

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I spoke to actor & writer Millie Wood-Downie about the success of her debut one-woman show There Was a Little Girl, receiving arts council funding, and finding her own way into the world of acting.

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Millie's Hidden Gem

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Millie's Website

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Author, journalist and gardener Alice Vincent spoke to me about her reconnection with plants after having moved to the city, her teenage years living life through the pages of the NME, and tells us it's ok to kill the occasional houseplant.

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Alice's Hidden Gem

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I spoke to LA based musician Jack Name about being considered 'underground', what makes a music scene, and his newest album, Magic Touch. You can listen to it here.

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Jack's Hidden Gem

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I spoke to the poet Maggie Smith about being a bookworm as a kid, the unusual experience of having your poem go viral, and hearing Meryl Streep read your work.

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Maggie's Hidden Gem

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I spoke with mixed media collage artist Cydne Coleby about how people relate to the traumatic themes in her work, hear stories of the effects of hurricanes in the Bahamas, and how hard it is to make it as an artist when you live on a remote island.

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Cydne's Hidden Gem

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WFTP Links

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I spoke with comedian, actor and write Ria Lina about going to a university miles from anywhere, sidestepping from science to comedy, and a fair amount about raisins.

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Ria's Hidden Gem

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Lauren Yates of Ponytail Journal told me about her route into fashion, why Bangkok deserves to be considered as one of the worlds most fashionable cities, and the stories behind some of the pieces for her clothing label, W'Menswear.

Visit the Ponytail website

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Molly and I had a chat about her illustrations, the personal stories she's heard through her textiles repair work, and her new book: The Art of Repair.

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Molly's Hidden Gem

Buy Molly's Book

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Visual artist Jessica Brilli told me about her nostalgic paintings, working from slides bought on eBay, and hearing people's interpretations of her work at show openings.

Jessica's Hidden Gem

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Russell is a mixed media artist who's work is most likely recognised for being used as artwork on albums by artists like Brian Eno, Nine Inch Nails, Peter Gabriel and more. He told me all about his work, university experiences, and growing up on a nuclear base in Germany.

Russell's Hidden Gem


Thanks a lot to Adam Crowther of BBC Radio Bristol for his message. Get involved with BBC Upload here.

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Tom Furse, synth player in The Horrors, DJ and solo musician told me about the foundations of his band, their diverse musical influences and his new solo album.

Tom's Hidden Gem


Thanks a lot to Adam Crowther of BBC Radio Bristol for his message. Get involved with BBC Upload here.

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Sukh told me about being on Mock the Week during the pandemic, dealing with mental health issues when working in the entertainment industry, and details her upcoming book, Sunny.

Sukh's Hidden Gem

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The songwriter behind Thee Oh Sees tells me about his surprisingly busy and productive lockdown, his unique approach to naming songs and finding artwork, and answers some fan questions.

John's Hidden Gem

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Cook, writer and presenter Rachel Khoo tells me about learning her craft at Le Cordon Bleu, hustling her way to success, and her new series: Rachel Khoo's Chocolate.

Rachel's Hidden Gem

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BAFTA award-winning artist Alison Jackson spoke to me about her photography, being seen as controversial, and how she wants to change the way we see celebrities.

Alison's Hidden Gem

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Ali told me about his jacket company, Labo Mono, being influenced by the Memphis Group and London street art, and what it's like using Kickstarter for your project.

Ali's Hidden Gem

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Kyle told me about his mental health awareness project, Boys Get Sad Too, what inspired it, and how to start a business with no experience.

Kyle's Hidden Gem

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Claire told me about her cookbooks, growing up in Africa, and how lockdown inspired a book of camping recipes.

Claire's Hidden Gem

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I spoke to Peter about combining music and software, collaborating with Brian Eno & David Byrne, and taking his application, Bloom, into the third dimension.

Peter's Hidden Gem

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I spoke with Ken about his unique experience getting into comedy, online poker, and roasting every country in the world's flag.

Ken's Hidden Gem

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Ritzy, the lead singer & guitarist for The Joy Formidable, told me about celebrating 10 years of their first release, some stories of being let down by the music industry, and touring with the Foo Fighters.

Hidden Gem: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/166997.Stoner

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I had a chat with Isaias, an environmental educator from Los Angeles about his work and experiences.

Follow him on instagram: @queerbrownvegan

Environmental Racism examples: https://www.insider.com/environmental-racism-examples-united-states-2020-8

Tierratrauma Definition: https://glennaalbrecht.com/2017/12/23/tierratrauma/

Hidden Gem: https://www.instagram.com/browngirl_green/

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Founder of Loud & Quiet magazine, Stuart tells me about how he got started, interviewing seasoned musicians, and how the magazine has changed since it's first issue in 2005.

Hidden Gem: https://theroute.co

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Tom, the first ever inventor on WFTP, told me all about the project he co-founded: Lumenate. It's a psychedelic meditation app which has a strong scientific backing in to help people with psychiatric issues.

Hidden Gem: http://www.drsessa.com

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I spoke to Alex about his clothing designs, running a global business, and what it's like living in New York through the pandemic and protests.

Hidden Gem: https://carolinezhurley.com

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Dr. Fox told me about how he got into art history, his favourite paintings, and some of his BBC documentary work.

Hidden Gems: https://fryartgallery.org

https://www.townereastbourne.org.uk

https://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

https://stanleyspencer.org.uk

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Sian spoke with me about her writing, activism, and how women are uniquely affected by the Coronavirus.

Hidden Gems: https://www.safety4sisters.org

https://southallblacksisters.org.uk

http://www.lawrs.org.uk

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Deva told me about her clothing company, Phaedra, what it's like sticking to your ethics as your business grows, and being influenced by the English countryside.

Hidden Gem: https://www.instagram.com/hepcloth/

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Molly chats about her writing, growing up in Ireland, and how that shaped her debut novel, The Island Child.

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I spoke to Laurie about his band Squid, signing to Warp Records, and what makes a great live show.

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Hamish and I talk about his upbringing in a very musical home, taking a band he'd never met on tour around Europe, and working as a producer for various different musical styles.

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Dizraeli chats to me about his musical influences, varied career, and an experience learning percussion in Africa.

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Mark tells me about the foundation of his record label, LAB Records, and shares a few stories from it's 13 year history.

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Samantha chatted with me about her music, inspirations, and experience protesting for the environment.

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I speak to Tony about his experiences in the world of comedy, what it's like carving out your niche as a performer, and what to expect from one of his shows.

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Liz spoke about her album Pity Party, working with Bombay Bicycle Club's Ed Nash, and gives us some recommendations for self-isolation.

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Illustrator, Animator & Musician tells me about his multidisciplinary career.

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Former CAN singer, musician and worldwide musical collaborator, Damo tells me about how he lives his nomadic and unusually creative lifestyle.

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Owen talks about his illustrations which have been commissioned by clients like The New York Times, Penguin Random House and the V&A. We also discuss the animation company he co-owns, Uncle Ginger, and the difficult subjects they have discussed in their TedEd videos.

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Comedian, actor, writer and regular host of The Guilty Feminist podcast, Jessica Fostekew talks about her new show, her round-about route into comedy and women being hench.

She also refers to a Sara Pascoe joke which is part of this show: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004grz

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Harriet talks about her beautiful illustrations, what inspires them, and what it's like doing editorial illustrations to go with important issues.

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Listen to Saeed talk about his experiences growing up in the UK as an Iranian, his wrestling career, and his unique methods for building confidence and wellbeing in the people he trains.

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Lisa, also known as the Fuss Free Foodie, talks to me about living healthily and sustainably when you don't have the time for fuss, food festivals, and appearing on The Hairy Biker's Christmas show.

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Charlie & I talk about his varied career, starting out in acting, he appeared in Doctor Who, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, an episode of the IT Crowd and much more. Charlie is now focussing on stand-up comedy. With successful performances at the Edinburgh Festival and Channel 4's Comedy Gala, he feels he has found an occupation he truly loves.

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Hannah and I talk about her work as a mental health advocate and activist, the effects of pregnancy on mental health, and what it's like talking about mental health to a room full of prisoners.

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Toby and I chat about the company he co-founded, Illustrate. He tells me about their foundation, making a career of illustration fresh out of university, and their involvement with Temwa.

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Sophie tells me about her jewellery which she sells under the pseudonym Stolfa White, her dabbling in other mediums, and why she loves installations as a form of art.

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Jo tells the story of the charity she co-founded: Temwa. They work in Malawi to aid sustainable community development. I am cycling from Bangor to Bristol in aid of their work and I would be hugely grateful if you could sponsor me: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlexWilson42

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Huw & Becky tell me about their jacket brand, Paynter, ignoring investors and a lot about great brands.

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Jo & I talk about her project Waste Not Bristol, balancing your work life and passions, and consider sending her off to a commune!

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Andrew and I talk about his paintings, some contemporary art that gave his mum the giggles, and what it's like making a career from your artwork.

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I talk to the founders of Happynings about live art, and their plans for changing communities through involving people in their projects.

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Bethany, the lead singer of Stanlæy, tells me about her artistry, the origins of an unusual band name and studying music in Paris.

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Ed and I talk about film, true crime documentaries, and his new film project, Youth in Bed.

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Adam tells me about his show on BBC Radio Bristol, starting out as a presenter and gives us some advice on working in radio.

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Hannah tells me the story of her clothing company Tamay & Me which takes us to the mountain towns of Northern Vietnam.

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I spoke to Rosanna about her printing studio The Cato Press, working with Extinction Rebellion, and having to be a bit mad to start your own business.

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Aletia spoke to me about her social enterprise Food Without Borders, Bristol's attitude to refugees and some delicious African cuisine. 

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Jenny & Alex told me about their work at Caring in Bristol, what got them started there, and some unorthodox fundraisers.

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Phoebe told me about Project Pico, future projects and how ticking every ethical production box can be a challenge.

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I spoke with Philip about his artwork and why he chose to pursue it after studying something unrelated.

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Connor told me about his career so far in the music industry, running an independent label and why working for a massive label isn't all it's cracked up to be.

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Emma and I chat about her photography, university projects and what influences her work.

NOTE Apologies, the first minute of this episode has some audio quality issues. It's fine thereafter!

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Ollie and Lucy tell me about their handmade shoe company Ottowin, and their plans to design spaces and furniture.

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The founders of Zero Green tell me about their zero waste shop, environmental issues and their impact on the local community.

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Alice talks to me about her ceramics workshops, running a creative business and her life as a creative.

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Kate talks to me about her work as a mental health campaigner. She runs Man Up Man down, a male mental health campaign; and is on the board of directors at the Freedom of Mind mental health festival.

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Gael gives us some tips on sustainable living and talks about her latest projects.

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Emily and Ellen tell me about their radio show Tit for Tat and women in the music industry.

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I talk to Chi & Nah about their recently opened vegan restaurant in Hoi An, Vietnam.

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In this episode I talk to fashion designer Milly Melbourne about her brand Ob Wear, the fashion industry and the advantages of clothes that last you a lifetime.

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Back again this time with Farnaz Zare. We talk about her politcal illustrations, some of her past projects and the upcoming Breakthrough Art Fair.

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This week I talk to Harry Thomas about music, songwriting and play his new song "Grain".

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This time I talk to Katie Cottle about illustrations and working on children's books.

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This time I talk to Becky Boucherat about working in the events industry and her recently becoming a trustee of the Ventnor Exchange.

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I talk to Elliott Watson about his life in film and his graduate project.

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We talk about how music has affected his life, why he writes songs and play Redwood's latest single.