Kind

CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains adult themesVex Ashley does the sort of work that not every parent would support. So when her mum turned up to watch her give a talk, it showed that not only did she have her mum's love, but that she might be on the way to having her understanding too…Vex is an erotic performer, director and filmmaker, and in this episode she shares the people who surrounded her in kindness during grief and the people who helped create her very first film.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show.Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcastKind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

After a very tough start to the pandemic, ex-marine Paul Harris decided he wasn't just going to sit around. In fact, he set out to do the complete opposite…Now known as The Warrior Walker, Paul has walked the UK coastline twice and received so much kindness along the way. Paul met a nameless old lady who gave time and money, wanting nothing in return; encountered a man on the internet who crafted a very unique gift; and was deeply inspired by his grandma - the very best cheerleader.This episode shows how, when your thoughts get dark, talking about what's on your mind can help not only you, but so many others. You can read and listen to Paul's book The Warrior Walker now.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show. Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcast Follow us on TikTok @kindpodcast Kind is created and hosted by Holly Newson It was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

When Steph Yeboah found herself unexpectedly starting primary school in a different country with a dodgy stomach, things were looking bad… that was until a new friend stepped up.Writer and content creator Steph Yeboah hasn't always been as outgoing as she is now, but that's only made the acts of kindness she's received stand out even more.In this episode, a music teacher took the time to listen and give Steph a safe space; an awful first day at school turned into a new friendship; and when a hacker tried to leak Steph's photos, someone on the other side of the world stayed up into the night to keep her private images safe.You can read and listen to Steph's book Doing it for the Plot now.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show.Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcastKind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

When Jess's mum, Tessa Jowell, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, the whole family made sure that one big occasion would happen before Tessa died.Author, musician and charity founder Jess Mills, has written about the year she became a mother - which was also the year her mum got brain cancer… Two such huge life moments at once led to many acts of kindness. Not least a friend giving Jess a gift that helped her process the birth of her second child, and friends and family creating a wedding they would never forget.Jess also speaks with heart and warmth about the female friendships that have shaped who she is today. You can read and listen to Jess's book We Are Each Other now.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show. Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcast Follow us on TikTok @kindpodcast Kind is created and hosted by Holly Newson It was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

When Simukai felt like he was drowning at a new school, a role model gave him a pep talk that changed everything.Professor of African politics, Simukai Chigudu, grew up in Zimbabwe as the first generation after the end of colonial rule. This meant growing up against a backdrop of a lot of emotional and political baggage that his parents and his country were trying to process. Something he's still making sense of to this day…In this episode, Simukai shares the stories of the boy he judged wrongly, who turned out to be a true friend; a university friend of his parent's who helped him understand his place in the world; and a role model from childhood who made an overwhelming school feel like a place he could belong.Simukai's book Chasing Freedom is available now.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show.Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcastKind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

When Jennie was returning to work after time away with her kids, she had two friends who weren't afraid to hold her to account. Jennifer Breheny Wallace has studied how and why we need to feel valued and to know that we matter, and in this conversation she shares the kind moments that have made her feel just that… A woman called Robin swoops in after a devasting phone call, a forever friend shares a tough truth, and her readers send messages that let her know she's on the right track. Jennie's book Mattering is available now. Thanks so much for being here! Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show. Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcast Kind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

On a humanitarian mission to Gaza, Shehan's driver gave him a thank you that he would never forget.Leading trauma surgeon, Shehan Hettiaratchy, thinks a lot about kindness in healthcare, not least when he was admitted to his own A&E with kidney stones! In this episode, he also shares what it was like to have someone step in just in time to save his daughter and how, whilst on a surgical mission to Ukraine, he received a gift that will stay with him.If you like the episode, or are interested in Shehan and his work, do go and read or listen to his memoir The Careful Surgeon which is out now. It's a beautiful book.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show.Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcastKind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell 

When Naz was at primary school her family couldn't afford to go on holiday. Somehow, a dinner lady knew just what she needed…Naz Shah MP has had a rollercoaster life. She lived in poverty after her dad ran off with their sixteen-year-old neighbour; Naz then left school at the age of twelve to be sent to Pakistan where she was pushed into an arranged marriage; and her mum was sent to prison after killing an abusive man.Naz has used her experiences to campaign for others in need, but it was a very small "thank you" from a woman Naz had never met before that has stayed with her. Also in this episode: how her local Bishop Toby provided comfort at her hospital bed and how Mrs Brassley gave her the holiday she could never have imagined.Share this episode far and wide and let's find Mrs Brassley!Naz Shah's memoir Honoured is out now to read and listen to.Thanks so much for being here!Go to kindpodcast.com to find out more about the show.Follow us on Instagram @kind_podcastFollow us on TikTok @kindpodcastKind is created and hosted by Holly NewsonIt was audio mixed by Nigel Powell