The Northern Guide to Happiness

Episode 54 - Mandi Cresswell

This week we talk to Mandi Cresswell who is the Chief Officer of Meadow Well Connected in North Tyneside. Mandi talks to us about her varied career path and how she now finds happiness working at Meadow Well Connected. She also talks to us about positive intelligence as well as how a building a heart of a community had to adapt it’s delivery processes during the pandemic.

Episode 53 - Kylea Little

Kylea Little, Keeper of History at Discovery Museums talks to us this week. She talks to us about what being a curator means and why it’s important to collect things for the collection now for the future. We talk about the happiness and contentment that people get from donating things to the museum collections and some of the things she's been collecting recently. We also talk about being a working parent, rediscovering old children's book favourites and how appreciating the small things in life is the key to happiness for her.

Episode 52 - Steve Lowe

This week we talk to Steve Lowe who is an ecologist, archaeologist and generally all round lover of the great outdoors. In this episode he talks about the importance of nature to wellbeing, learning to say no and the importance of connecting with others and how that impacts on our overall mental health and that sometimes those dirty dishes can wait for another day.

Episode 51 - Craig Heap

This week we talk to retired Commonwealth and Olympic athlete Craig Heap. He had some really interesting on views on happiness and how gymnastics has been such a huge part of his life since he was a young boy. Craig talks his motivation for helping others and his enthusiasm for sport and it’s positive impact on wellbeing and looking for the positivity in the face of adversity.

Episode 50 - Habib Rahman

This week we talk to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Habib Rahman who has made history by being the first Black and Minority Ethnic Lord Mayor in the civic job’s 800 year history. We talk about all sorts of things including his journey to the UK from Bangladesh and what that was like as a young boy, his passion for the North East region, what it’s like being the Lord Mayor of Newcastle and what happiness looks like for him.

Episode 49 - Anne Wilson

With the 40^th anniversary run of the Great North Run less than two weeks away we thought a running inspired episode would be appropriate as we return after our summer break. This week we have Anne Wilson who some of you might have seen on the route of the Great North Run dressed as Minnie Mouse. She is part of a very exclusive group called the All Runs Club made up of a small number of people who have run every single Great North Run since the first one in 1981. Anne shares some of her memories of the Great North Run over the years including what it felt like taking part in the very first one in June 1981.

Episode 48 - Dan Pye

This week we talk to Dan Pye who finds happiness in immersive experiences which might explain why he loves working amongst the stars at Kielder Observatory. He is also in his happy place in his recording booth using his voice to portray characters in video games, TV adverts and continuity reels as well as the importance of accents to identity.

Episode 47 - Mark Taylor-Gregg

Mark Taylor-Gregg talks to us this week. Based in North Shields he is a volunteer crew member of Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat Station. He is also an artist, he sails himself and is a dedicated family man. Mark talks to us about his love of being an artist and the connection with and legacy of his late father. He also talks about happiness in relation to his progression between careers and the courage and self knowledge needed to that. A fascinating discussion not to be missed!

Episode 46 - Nikita Kaur

This week we talk to the fabulous Nikita Kaur who works at the Angelou Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne working with children and young people as their Children and Young Person’s Domestic Violence Advocate. She talks about the importance of play and that you’re never old to try something new. Nikita talks to us about her love of aerial, the coast and watching and discussing movies with others. 

 

Episode Forty Five - Anne Iqbal

This week Anne Iqbal from the Angelou Centre shares a moving and surprising story of growth and insight. She talks to us about her life growing up in Kenya and her journey to the UK and how she came to be in Tyneside, a place she now calls home. Anne talks about the happy community environment in which she grew up in as well as how she first recognised what unhappiness felt like and how it affected her.