Life, Lemons and the Law

Starting a family isn’t always plain sailing and adding a pandemic into the mix brought new challenges. Kristian and Grace both had difficult entries into parenthood during lockdown. Kristian and his wife began IVF treatment just as covid hit and Grace’s son spent one month in a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) after he was born with significant health complications. They talk about welcoming their new babies, Oak and Dora, into a world that was social distancing, how life doesn’t always go as expected and the value of living in the moment.

Many of us dream of living ‘The Good Life’ and for good reasons - spending time outside can fire our imagination and aid our mental health. In this episode Helen Wallwork talks about how, over lockdown, her passion for food, her husband’s love of gardening and a successful crop of lettuce led to a small vegetable patch becoming a bigger part of their life than they’d planned.

Good friends are a lifeline at the best of times, even more so when life gets stormy. Joe Campbell and Ruth Preston share how over lockdown, their professional relationship blossomed from discussing business development to supporting each other virtually through challenging and life changing periods of their lives. They talk about multiple sclerosis, the death of a parent, and the of value of opening up and sharing our vulnerabilities.

Former England rugby players Damian Hopley and Christian Day talk about the psychological and emotional impact of retiring from the game under very different circumstances. They share the challenges of giving up their identities as professional players, the lessons they are grateful for and the positives of retiring. Both are still deeply involved in rugby through their work with the Rugby Players Association. They talk about their mission to make sure players are treated as well as possible and the achievements they are most proud of.

Running has helped Kat Quinton and Philippa Hann to keep going through difficult times and find a new perspective. In this episode they talk about their love of running and how it has changed their lives, helping them deal with experiences including the death of a close friend, life-limiting medical conditions and relationship breakdown.

Beth Evans and Martin Palmer share life changing experiences related to their mental health. Beth was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) at the beginning of the pandemic. She talks about the significant impact of her intrusive thoughts and how she manages them day-to-day. Martin remembers his ‘beautiful breakdown’, how it hit him more than 20 years ago and how he moved – and continues to move - forward.