Join Alison as she chats with Katie Oates, Community Nurse with the Children in Care team at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.

Katie shares how attending a Tommy Whitelaw session in 2024 inspired her to start asking one simple but powerful question in her health check conversations with children and young people in care: “What matters to you?”

One year on, Katie reflects on what she’s learned and shares some of the heartfelt and honest things young people told her really matter to them. Together, Alison and Katie explore why asking this question - and truly listening to the answer - can make such a difference.

This is an insightful and thoughtful conversation, with lessons we can all take away.

DISCOVER MORE

To find out more about Katie's work, visit Listening to what matters to children in care

To download Katie's report about this work, visit Asking "What matters to you?" with Children in Care

Living with pain doesn’t have to mean living alone. In this episode, we explore the power of Pain Cafés, a compassionate, community-based approach that is helping people manage chronic pain in practical, holistic ways.

Alison is joined by Emma Farrington, Wellbeing Team Lead, First Coastal Primary Care Network (PCN), Anna Chapman, Personalised Care Lead at K2 PCN, and Lauren Boon, Health and Wellbeing Coach, Thrive Tribe, K2 PCN.

Together, they share how Pain Cafés support people to live well with pain, reduce reliance on medication, and build confidence through peer support, pacing, mindfulness, and other self-management skills.

You’ll hear real insights from the first groups of Pain Café users, learn why collaboration across communities matters, and discover how small, low-cost ideas can make a big difference to people’s lives.

Listen now to hear how Pain Cafés are changing the way we support people living with pain across Lincolnshire and consider what you could do in your area.

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 Social Prescriber Link Workers, Community Connectors, 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?

In this episode we explore neurodiversity through the lens of lived experience. Hosts Ela and Ed spoke with parents Dan and Ela about their journey raising their son Dexter, who has a diagnosis of autism. Together they share an honest and powerful conversation about family life, the realities of navigating education and support systems, and the joys and challenges of parenting a neurodivergent child.

Through their story, you’ll gain insight into resilience, advocacy, and the importance of understanding and embracing individual differences in children and families.

In the closing section of the episode, Ela reflects on how Dan and Ela’s experiences align with the Our Shared Agreement Five Foundations, highlighting the importance of being prepared to do things differently, understanding what matters to individuals, and working together to support wellbeing. Ela emphasises how professionals can learn from families’ lived experiences, ensuring support is built with people, not just for them.

Have a listen to our conversation with Gina, Paul, and Lola, who helped create engaging, practical resources designed to build dementia prevention knowledge and awareness, not only for health and care professionals, but also people, from young children to students to those in midlife.

Their message is clear: what’s good for your heart is good for your brain - at every age.

Discover practical steps you can take to reduce your risk, and hear how the team worked closely together, taking time, care and feedback, to shape resources that truly meet people’s needs and make a real difference.

Gina Thompson is Dementia Transformation Programme Lead at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Paul Johnson is a Public Health Officer at Lincolnshire County Council

Lola Peel is an Occupational Therapist at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust

In this heartfelt podcast episode, Caty sits down with floral artist Rachel Petheram and Historic Environment Officer Sarah Grundy to explore the powerful impact of culture and nature on carers’ wellbeing.

Together, they share the story of a project co-produced with carers, for carers - and how it became transformational not only for those who took part, but for Rachel herself.

You’ll hear how something as simple, and as profound, as having time, space, and permission to reconnect with nature and creativity helped carers rediscover their sense of self. With the right support in place, participants experienced meaningful and lasting improvements in their emotional and mental wellbeing.

The Culture and Nature for Health and Wellbeing project was a true collaboration. It brought together:

• Co-production workshops led by Every-One
• Practical respite care provided by Age UK Lincolnshire
• Independent evaluation by Dr Rob Dean from the University of Lincoln
• Beautiful settings in the buildings and gardens of Doddington Hall

Caty, Rachel and Sarah also reflect honestly on the challenges of short-term funding, and what it will take to grow this deeply personalised approach so that more carers across Lincolnshire can benefit.

If you’re interested in wellbeing, creativity, community collaboration, or the lived experience of carers, this episode offers insight, inspiration, and a hopeful vision for what’s possible.