Carl shares his journey from alcohol addiction to becoming a volunteer, driven by a deep desire to repay the health and care system that supported him. In his own words, “A leopard can change its spots!”

Along the way, Carl reflects on the people who made a difference in his life, including Clare and Karen, Assistant Managers at De Wint Court, an Extra Care housing scheme in Lincoln, where he now lives. Both Clare and Karen join the conversation to share their perspectives.

We also hear from Mary Nel, Lead Practitioner at Lincolnshire County Council, who highlights the real impact of Carl sharing his story, and how it can inspire meaningful change for others.

Recorded at De Wint Court, this podcast captures his honest, powerful reflections on where he has been, how he has transformed his life, and what he hopes to do next.

Join Alison as she chats to Tricia Nicoll and Bryony Shannon about all things Gloriously Ordinary Language.

They discuss why Tricia felt the need to create ‘Test 2’ of Gloriously Ordinary Lives, the words and phrases that make Bryony go ‘Hmmm’, and how the two of them came together to explore the powerful impact that language has on people, practice, and purpose.

Tricia and Bryony then make the mistake of asking Alison about the work happening in Lincolnshire to spread the learning from the Gloriously Ordinary Language session she attended, and about the ripples this is creating. Alison completely takes over the podcast, but no-one seems to mind as they all agree that we need to ‘be more curious, be more kind, and be more human!’

How Community Connectors, Social Prescriber Link Workers, and primary care are working together with village and church halls in rural areas around Grantham.

To celebrate Village Halls Week (16 - 22 March) and Social Prescribing Day (26 March), Jo Taylor (Community Connector), Anna Chapman (Community Coordinator), and Stephen Frankland (Social Prescriber Link Worker) talk to Caty about the importance of listening to people and working together to help shape preventative healthcare.

By working with people, village halls, and other community partners, they've developed a thriving network of easily accessible wellbeing groups, particularly in rural areas.

Their story is an example of the power of collaboration at neighbourhood and village level, enabling each partner to do what they’re good at to achieve health outcomes that no-one could do alone.

It’s also Our Shared Agreement in action - a demonstration of what can happen when we ‘work together for the wellbeing of everyone’ and ‘make the most of what’s available to us’!

As Jo says, “Without the village halls and church halls, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do!”.

Listen to our other podcasts exploring Social Prescribing:

Ep 9. Social Prescribing and Care Coordination

Ep 77. Apex PCN - What difference does social prescribing really make?