The Good Shepherd Wolverhampton Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The Good Shepherd podcast. Telling the stories of the people of Wolverhampton and 'Doing Things Differently' with thanks to the Heart of England Community Foundation.
In our latest podcast, we are joined by John Doyle, Outreach Practitioner with Recovery near You, the substance misuse service for Wolverhampton. John joins Paul Burns and Dawn Walls from the Good Shepherd, to highlight the impact of partnership work between different charities and agencies across the city to support people going through recovery.
John also shares his own powerful Recovery story after his own journey through substance abuse, homelessness and experiences with the criminal justice system. "I do this job not for money but because this is what I am meant to do," he says. "This is where I am meant to be in life."
Ahead of Recovery Month in September, the trio discuss their work alongside others from the city in supporting people and how, whilst there have been so many improvements in this area in recent years, there is still more work to be done.
For our latest Good Shepherd podcast, we return to the subject of art, and the series of workshops which are being delivered as part of the Arts Council England funding, leading up to the exhibition to mark Recovery Month at the Newhampton Art Centre and Wolverhampton Art Gallery in September.
We are delighted to be joined by Hannah Boyd-McKee, artist, tutor and creative practitioner, who led a series of workshops focused on painting and drawing. Hannah was then joined by Matt and Henok, both of whom attended the workshops and both of whom have been key parts of the overall ACE project.
Matt, known as Matt the artist, is an art tutor himself, who shares his own powerful story of Recovery after his battle with alcoholism, whilst Henok, who was recently handed settled status to remain in this country after fleeing from war and persecution in Ethiopia.
All three of our guests speak brilliantly about their lives and challenges and the power that art can bring to Recovery.
Good Shepherd Operations Manager Lee Smith is blazing a trail – quite literally – by taking on a gruelling fundraising challenge to raise funds for the charity which supports people experiencing homeless and vulnerability across Wolverhampton.
Lee is taking on an eight-hour fitness marathon of successive sessions of the Blaze workout, a type of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) gym-based exercise which combines cardio-vascular work with strength, boxing and martial arts skills.
This will take place at the David Lloyd Club in Dudley.
Blaze Supervisor Niamh Norton from David Lloyd and club members have all been extremely supportive and are getting involved in the challenge.
In our latest podcast, Lee and Niamh chat about the challenge, the importance of exercise both for positive physical and mental health, and the work of the Good Shepherd.
In the latest Good Shepherd podcast, we stay within the sector of the creative arts, but this time we head onto the stage, with the fantastic Geese Theatre.
Geese is a Birmingham-based company which uses theatre within criminal justice & social welfare to encourage positive social change via groupwork, training, interactive performances and more.
Recently they led on a performance of 'Out of Darkness Cometh Light' in which they worked with the community of Wolverhampton, particularly volunteers from SUIT, to share experiences of the criminal justice system and recovery.
Two LEAP volunteers from the Good Shepherd - Akram and Steve - also moved well out of their comfort zones to take part in the rehearsals and production, and they absolutely loved it!
Here they both talk movingly about the difference the experience has made to their continuing recoveries, and we were delighted to also welcome practitioner Becky, from Geese Theatre, to join in the podcast.
In our latest podcast we reflect on the launch of an exciting new arts project facilitated by the Good Shepherd with thanks to a grant from Arts Council England.
The new project will see a series of different workshops staged at the Newhampton Arts Centre, all building up to a big exhibition during Recovery Month in September both at the NAC and also the Mander Centre.
With the first group of sessions now completed, the Good Shepherd's Community & Engagement Worker Kate Penman was delighted to be joined by artist and University of Wolverhampton Masters student Charlotte Webb, and a participant in the project Sally.
All three shared their own stories around mental health challenges and recovery, and looked back on five incredible weeks which illustrated - quite literally - just how positive a role art can play in people's lives.
Over 150 hardy fundraisers braved the worst conditions yet for the Molineux Sleepout by taking on the challenge to support some of the most vulnerable people across the city.
This year’s event, the fifth in total, saw participants sleeping in the Stan Cullis Stand during a bitterly cold night which included a howling wind and regular heavy downpours.
Their fantastic efforts have now seen the fundraising total break through the £50,000 barrier in sight of the overall aim of £60,000 which would be the highest amount raised so far.
All funds are shared between the Wolves Foundation and Good Shepherd (GS), supporting people experiencing homelessness and poverty across Wolverhampton.
Our latest podcast features the work of Chris Allen from our media partners Wolves Community Radio (WCR). In the podcast Chris chats to Kieron Ansell from the Wolves Foundation, Chris and Donna from the Good Shepherd, participant Summer and her dad Stephen, Tom Hayden CEO of the Good Shepherd, Wolves Foundation Chair Kevin Rogers, Council Leader Stephen Simkins and Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre, Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton. Finally, we hear from studio guest Daniel William after it was all over.
For our latest podcast, we are really grateful to one of our Housing First clients David, for sharing some of his story with us.
David has been a long-term rough sleeper, with problems around crime and addiction, but, following the loss of a close friend, has engaged with the Good Shepherd and the Housing First programme to try and make a fresh start, and be able to look forward.
In this podcast David is joined by his Key Worker Dawn, as they chat about the progress he is making and the ambitions he has for the future.
We wish him all the very best.
We are delighted to be joined by this podcast by two people who have volunteered their support for the Good Shepherd in very different ways, whilst also declaring a strong and sustained pride in their Wolverhampton roots!
John Price, well known on social media as Jack Sparra, is a long-time supporter of the Good Shepherd and several other local charities, and continues to help with many of our activities.
Jack Kirwan is an ambassador of the Good Shepherd, alongside his growing career as a comedian where he is perhaps best known for his Gary Powndland character.
The two chatted at length on our podcast about many different subjects, from their respective careers, to challenges with their mental health, Jack's forthcoming gig at the Halls in Wolverhampton, and the need for everyone to look out for each other during some difficult times.
A great listen!
When the Good Shepherd provide help and support to our service users, we also conscious that there are family members who have worries and concerns over their loved ones.
In our latest podcast, we speak to Dave, the father of one of the clients on our Housing First programme which offers people with experience of homelessness and other complex issues tailored one-to-one support in their own accommodation.
Dave talks through the support the Good Shepherd has given to his son, and is joined by one of our Housing Support Key Workers Dawn.
In our latest podcast we are celebrating our 50th anniversary by reminiscing on The Good Shepherd’s history with three people that have been involved in all areas of the charity for many years.
We are joined by Sister Marie Therese from the Carmelite nuns who has worked closely with us since the early days of The Good Shepherd; our chair of trustees Nigel Tinsley who has stories to tell going back to when he joined us in the 1980’s; and Helen Holloway who has been with us for over a decade and talks us through her journey from volunteer to becoming Business and Finance manager.
The podcast delves deep into the journey of the Good Shepherd. Our guests look back on an array of memories, from the Brothers first starting their mission in Wolverhampton 50 years ago, through the journey of location changes and building upgrades, and the way’s people’s lives are positively impacted every day through the work of the Good Shepherd. Their stories are ones of faith and seeing the best in humanity with a common ground of service, love and care.
For many, the Good Shepherd is a safe place and a home. In this podcast we explore the family foundations within our organisation which makes us more than just a charity.
In our latest podcast we welcome back Michael from our art group for an update on his work over the last few months. He also wants to issue a challenge for people across the country to submit their art and share the creativity which is such a huge part of the group at the Good Shepherd.
In our latest podcast we are joined by Good Shepherd CEO Tom Hayden and Housing First worker Paul Burns, who are taking on a fundraising challenge to mark the charity's 50th anniversary.
Tom and Paul are 'going for gold' with a 50-mile walking challenge in May, heading from Wrexham to Snowdonia before rounding things off - by climbing Snowdon!
It's all to raise vital funds for the Good Shepherd's Community Food Pantry which supports families in need across Wolverhampton.
In the podcast Tom and Paul chat about their motivations for the challenge, their own experiences of family life growing up and why the work of the Good Shepherd is so important.
Click here if you would like to make a donation to the challenge.
In Episode 16 of the Good Shepherd podcast, we were delighted to be joined by Anne, who is on the Housing First project. Anne has had issues in her life after being the victim of a violent relationship which saw her turn to drugs and suffer with other complex issues. Thanks to the support from the Good Shepherd and Housing First, Anne feels she has got a second chance at life. She is joined for the podcast by her Key Worker Ram and the Good Shepherd's Housing First team leader Surinder.
This shorter podcast is a bit different to our normal interviews. Michael, a service user who attends our art and photography class, has a wonderfully powerful voice so we asked him if he wanted to record some jingles for our podcast and the exhibition connected with our role as ambassadors for the British Art Show. Instead, when he sat in front of the microphone, he chatted about his own journey through art, Wolverhampton as a whole, and the Good Shepherd. We have put the clips together for Michael's own version of 'Radio Good Shepherd'.
Andrew has been a long-term rough sleeper who struggled with addiction and being able to settle in accommodation. After being referred onto the Housing First programme, he has now been in his property for over a year and has also received support to address other complex issues. This is thanks to partnership working across the city with the Good Shepherd linking with other agencies including Wolverhampton Homes, P3 and Recovery Near You.
In the latest edition of our podcast, Andrew tells his story and why he is so grateful for the support, looks back on a "wonderful" day at the Black Country Museum, and explains why he can now feel optimistic for the future.
He is joined by his Support Worker from the Good Shepherd, Dan Turner, and the Housing First Team Leader, Surinder Kapur.
The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Greg Brackenridge, took office last May and will, before he steps down in three months time, have presided over a time of different phases of the pandemic but also hopefully some optimism for the future.
In joining us for an episode of the Good Shepherd podcast, funded by the Heart of England Community Foundation, the Mayor talks about how much communities have pulled together to help each other out during the pandemic.
He also looks back on some fantastic work with Olympic medalist Ben Whittaker, and what it was like to take him on in the ring, what life entails as a Mayor and Councillor, and his career in the Fire Service. There is also a notable prediction about what will happen at Wolves in the near future!
The Mayor is joined on the podcast by two Good Shepherd Key Workers, Dan Turner - who works on the Housing First programme - and Neil Booth, who heads up the New Start Project focused on supporting ex-offenders. Dan and Neil explain their roles and discuss with the Mayor how important it is to provide this support.
Councillor Lynne Moran has been involved in local politics for over 40 years. Currently serving as one of three councillors representing St Peter's Ward, which covers the area of the Good Shepherd, she also became a trustee of the charity last year. In our latest podcasts she explains the day-to-day role of a councillor, why she so enjoys getting involved in charity work, and her thoughts for the future of Wolverhampton.
Superintendent Simon Inglis is the man with overall responsibility for the policing of Wolverhampton. We are delighted he joined our Chief Executive Tom Hayden for this podcast which covers a range of issues relating to Simon's background and motivation for joining the Police, what policing has been like during Covid, a changed approach to offending to try and offer people the potential of a better future, and much more. The pair also talk about the importance of positive relationships with charities like the Good Shepherd and others across the City.
Arron Owen is the national lead for criminal justice working with Cranstoun, an organisation offering a wide range of services across England. Arron is heavily involved in working closely with West Midlands Police on initiatives to reduce drug use and drug-related crime, including finding other methods of education to try and prevent people who have committed minor offences from needing to be processed through the Criminal Justice System, instead offering a different path. Arron explains more in this podcast, for which he is joined by Good Shepherd Senior Key Worker Leon Barrett, previously employed as a Drug Worker at Cranstoun.
For our next podcast we are joined by two people who are very well-known across Wolverhampton and are now both, in different ways, supporting the community.
Paul Burns is a long-time worker at the Good Shepherd who was formerly a volunteer but now supports service users on the Housing First programme. John Price, better known on social media as Jack Sparra, is someone who needed the support of the Good Shepherd in the past but now volunteers to help many different local charities.
In this wide-ranging discussion the pair touch on their respective backgrounds, how they deal with poor mental health, the determination they have to helping people and why it is so important to keep looking forward.
Podcast 9 is John and Paul! But unfortunately there isn't any singing. Or fortunately.
WARNING: Several cases of explicit language.
In our next podcast we welcome long-serving local MP Pat McFadden on to tell his story about how and why he got into politics, becoming an adopted Wulfrunian, his thoughts on the Good Shepherd and hopes for the future of Wolverhampton.
Pat is joined by Chris, a former Good Shepherd service user who is now a volunteer, who shares his own experiences of homelessness and Paul, a Housing First support worker who is part of the team providing help and support across the city.
In the second of our 'Art takeover' episodes looking at the importance of the art classes run by the Good Shepherd, we are joined by professional artist Chris Manley, who has been one of the main drivers behind the project.
Chris joins fellow art supremos Leanne and Steve in talking about why art can be so important, the 'Discarded' photography project and the forthcoming exhibition at the Light House Media Centre.
ADVISORY: One use of explicit language.
Darren and Leanne have received various support from the Good Shepherd charity over recent years and are now giving back with their contributions to the art and photography class.
In the first of two 'art takeover' podcasts, they are joined by Good Shepherd key worker Kate Penman, who has organised the 'Recovery is for Everyone' exhibition which opens at the Light House in Wolverhampton this week.
Darren tells his story in conversation with Leanne and Kate about how art has helped his recovery.
Back in March of last year, at the start of the pandemic, Matthew Waterhouse was a long-term heroin and crack cocaine addict, was begging on the streets of the city centre, suffering severe mental health problems and describes his mere existence as a ‘horror show’.
Having been part of the 'Everyone In' initiative where he was put up at Redwings Hotel, Matt was taken onto the Housing First project working with Raminder Dhir from the Good Shepherd.
The transformation, as he explains in this podcast, has been nothing short of remarkable.
For our latest podcast, in association with the Heart of England Community Fund, we were joined by local MP Stuart Anderson, who tells his fascinating and often difficult story around his journey into politics. Stuart is also joined by Good Shepherd staff member Kate, and former service user but now volunteer Leanne, both of whom are heavily involved in our art and photography group. All three bravely talk about the mental health struggles they have experienced during their lives, and why it is so important not to suffer in silence.
Paul Huggett was a top golfer who went to America on a scholarship. Then he fell into addiction and was later diagnosed with Hepatitis C, a virus which infects the liver and can be life threatening if untreated. Now though, a simple test and treatment process can cure the infection and Paul works as a peer mentor for the Hepatitis C Trust. This is his incredible story.
In the second episode of the Good Shepherd podcast, we were delighted to be joined by Tom Hayden and Sunny Dhadley. Tom is the Head of Operations at the Good Shepherd, who recently marked three years leading the charity. Sunny, whom for many years had a leadership role with SUIT in Wolverhampton, is now a leading voice in the world of social leadership, a renowned public speaker and consultant, and senior advisor to the NHS around health and justice. In a very wide-ranging podcast the two discuss their own life experiences, thoughts on how best to help people during recovery and why everyone should always be given the chance to achieve.
For the first ever Good Shepherd podcast, Paul Berry speaks to Steve Dixon, the pioneering CEO of Changes UK charity supporting people through recovery, and Steve Hughes, a member of staff at the Good Shepherd. 'The Two Steves' deliver a no-holds-barred and emotional account of their respective journeys through addiction, and how they are now using their experiences to help others. With thanks to support from the Heart of England Community Foundation's 'Doing Things Differently' fund.
ADVISORY: Rare use of explicit language.