Spare a Thought

Supporting Those Living With Long Covid

Content warning: This episode features personal experiences of living with long Covid. While some listeners may find aspects of this discussion difficult and triggering, we believe these stories are important to share. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, Tom is joined by breathing coaches Vikki Jones and Jackie Baxter to explore what it means to live with Long Covid, how breathwork can support recovery, and the broader support needed for the Long Covid community.
Vikki was a personal trainer living in Arizona when the pandemic hit. She moved her teaching outdoors to keep clients active - but in the summer of 2020, she contracted Covid and has been living with Long Covid ever since. Her life was turned up-side down, but she has found a new path in becoming a breathing coach. 
Jackie caught Covid just a week before the UK went into lockdown. A music instructor with an active lifestyle, she initially recovered but later developed Long Covid. It took her three years to fully recover.
After Vikki appeared as a guest on Jackie’s podcast, the two decided to collaborate. Though they've never met in person, they co-founded Breathing for Long Covid & ME/CFS - a coaching service that uses breathwork to support the physical and mental health of others living with Long Covid and ME/CFS, grounded in their own lived experience.
You can follow Vikki and Jackie on Breathing for Long Covid & ME/CFS: https://www.instagram.com/longcovid_breathing/
Their classes are starting May, which you join here: https://payhip.com/b/zhNV4
You can also join the Breathing for Long Covid & ME/CFS Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271297139041871/
They have a YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@longcovidbreathing
And a free 30 min workshop: https://youtu.be/KKDlECcMb9c
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Living with Long Covid

Content warning: This episode features personal experiences of living with long Covid. While some listeners may find aspects of this discussion difficult and triggering, we believe these stories are important to share. Listener discretion is advised.
Five years after the pandemic started, we live parallel lives. There are those who have returned to the ‘old normal’, they have retained their routines, their social lives, the jobs they had before Covid-19. And there are those who have been left behind, suffering from long Covid. 
In this episode Tom brings together the voices and stories of 12 ‘long haulers’ impacted by long Covid.
You can follow Vikki and Jackie on Breathing for Long Covid & ME/CFS: https://www.instagram.com/longcovid_breathing/ visting their website: www.LongCovidBreathing.com In May they have classes starting: https://payhip.com/b/zhNV4You can also join the Breathing for Long Covid & ME/CFS Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271297139041871/ And visit their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@longcovidbreathingThe free 30 min workshop they gave in Feb: https://youtu.be/KKDlECcMb9c 
Long Covid Support: https://www.longcovid.org/
You can follow Amy Butterworth here.
You can subscribe to Tom's substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/
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Spare a Thought for Feminism

Recent surveys seem to indicate that many in society, particularly young men, believe equality has gone too far, that women’s rights are infringing on their ability to succeed.
In this conversation, recorded in February 2024, Tom speaks to Dr Iain McKenzie about feminism, the role men can play in the feminist debate and, why reading feminism is like wearing a new pair of glasses that helps us understand the inequalities that exist in our society.
Dr Iain McKenzie is a Reader at the University of Kent, teaching on a broad range of topics including liberalism, resistance and feminism.
Iain has compiled a list of recommended reading for anyone interested in finding out more about feminism. You can find his reading list here
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Spare a Thought for Welsh Women's Football

To celebrate international women’s day, Tom speaks to Professor Laura McAllister CBE and Lowri Roberts about Welsh Women’s football. 
Together Tom, Laura and Lowri discuss the development of the women’s game in Wales, Cymru’s journey to the 2025 Women’s Euros and the opportunities that will open up.
Professor Laura McAllister is Vice President at UEFA, she is a former Wales Women’s football international and captain, and a professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at the Wales Governance Centre in the School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University.
Lowri Roberts is a sports consultant who was formerly the Head of Women’s and Girls Football at the Football Association Wales. Before working for the FAW she worked for the Football Association, and has held various roles in the game.
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Spare a Thought for Wales

Gwern Gwynfil is the acting Director of New Wales, a new Welsh cross-party think tank, and is the former CEO of Yes Cymru, Wales’ independence campaign group. 
In this episode Tom speaks to Gwern about the Welsh language, surprising facts about Wales, the successes and shortcomings of devolution, and the future of Wales.
You can find out more about New Wales by heading to their website: https://new.wales/ 
Join the New Wales team at their launch event taking place in the Senedd on 2nd April at 6pm. You can book a free ticket here.
If you are ever visiting Wales, or even live in Wales and haven’t used Welsh much before, here are some handy phrases to know:
Bore da: Good morning, pronounced "boh-reh dah"Pnawn da: Good afternoon, pronounced "pnaoon dah"Noswaith dda: Good evening, pronounced "nos-wye-th tha"Diolch: Thank you, pronounced "dee-olch"Hwyl fawr: Goodbye, pronounced "hoo-yl vah-ur"Croeso: Welcome, pronounced "croy-so”
You can subscribe to Tom's substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/ Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Spare a Thought for Creativity

Briony Goffin is a writer, tutor, and mentor. She teaches creative writing at Cardiff University and is a specialist in facilitating creative writing experiences in community and healthcare settings.
In this episode, I spoke to Briony about where ideas come from, being creative, getting back into writing and facilitating workshops.
You can find out more about Briony and the sessions she runs by visiting the Cardiff Writer’s Studio website: https://www.cardiffwritersstudio.co.uk/
Watch Briony’s TedX video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YChjblFMw20&t=903s
And sign-up to Briony’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dKa342
Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Spare a Thought for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

Stephen Wheatley is a volunteer crew member for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in London. In this episode Stephen speaks to host Tom Spare about the RNLI’s mission, its history and his experience of volunteering for the 200 year old charity. 
So, sit back and spare a thought for the RNLI. 
Stephen’s Just Giving Page raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat 200th anniversary: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephen-wheatley-1721734766708
You can find out more about the RNLI by visiting: https://rnli.org/
Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Spare a Thought for Dima Hamdan

Content warning: This episode includes reference to genocide, sexual assault, coercion, torture and other topics listeners might find distressing. Listener discretion is advised.
Dima Hamdan is a Palestinian filmmaker and former journalist. In this episode Dima Hamdan talks about why she became a filmmaker, her experience of being a member of the Palestinian diaspora and why she made the Iris Prize winning film Blood Like Water. 
Her film Blood Like Water tells the story of a Palestinian gay man who is blackmailed to become an informant in occupied Palestine. 
This conversation with Dima is honest, open, challenging and thought provoking. Near the end of the episode Dima provides recommended reading, listening and watching which can be found below. It’s time to Spare a Thought for Dima Hamdan.
Books about Palestine 
The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
Palestinian Walks by Raja Shehadeh
Films  
Palestine Film Institute
Podcast 
Makdisi Street
Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Spare a Thought for International Students - Part 3

This fifth episode of Spare a Thought completes a miniseries focused on international students studying in UK universities. 
In this episode Tom interviews Tanya Thomas, a partner at Spencer West solicitors, who specialises in Higher Education disputes and dispute resolution. During their conversation Tom and Tanya discuss the issues that students raise when their experience at university goes awry, the challenging situations international students face, and what steps students can take to resolve their complaints. 
Tanya Thomas, Spencer West Solicitors: https://www.spencer-west.com/team/tanya-thomas/
Spencer West LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spencer-west/?originalSubdomain=uk 
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Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Spare a Thought for International Students - Part 2

This fourth episode of Spare a Thought continues a mini series focused on international students studying in the UK.
In this episode, Tom interviews four former international students and one current, all from Cardiff University - Sidd, Lily, Sumani, Zuzanna and Nathan. He finds out why they chose to study in the UK, the barriers to living here and how their experiences differ from living in their home countries. 
Later in the episode, Tom speaks to Nathan, a former campaign officer at Cardiff Students’ Union, about working together to introduce a full-time sabbatical officer for international students at Cardiff University. In their conversation, they also speak about the unique challenges international students face and the importance of representing their views to the Students’ Union and the University.
Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/