Our Lives, Our Stories with Carl Chinn

Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Kate Knowles, editor of the Birmingham Dispatch, a reader-funded online paper covering the stories that matter most to the West Midlands.They talk about Kate's background, how she became a journalist and what it takes to run an independent local paperContent warning: This episode contains discussion of mental health struggles and some strong language. Please do take care whilst listening.Learn more about the Birmingham Dispatch: https://birminghamdispatch.co.uk

Carl Chinn is joined by educator, speaker, community activist and inspirational founder of the Gorniak Method, Toby Gorniak MBE, who grew up in Poland one of the stigmatised Roma community before arriving in Britain as a teenager seeking safety and a new beginning.They talk about Toby’s childhood experiences of discrimination and violence, the strength of family and importance of Roma culture, arriving in England as a refugee, and discovering purpose through dance, education and community work.Toby also reflects on the transformative meeting with his wife, becoming a father himself, and how his experiences have shaped the work he now does helping young people and communities build confidence, resilience and belief in themselves.This is a conversation about identity, belonging, kindness and the power of choosing hope and positive action in the face of adversity and prejudice.

Carl Chinn is joined by author, community builder and his former student Christina Longden, who grew up in the mill town of Dukinfield, near Stalybridge, and was among the first in her family to go to university. Since then, she has spent her life uncovering the stories that others left behind.They talk about her growing up working class in the north of England; the class and accent prejudice she encountered at university; and the astonishing family discovery that her great-great-great-grandfather Robert Stanley, a Victorian grocer, magistrate and mayor of Stalybridge, converted to Islam at the age of 69 and was then quietly erased from the family memory for a hundred years.This is a conversation about identity, belonging, and what happens when ordinary people dare to think for themselves. Christina's books, her work through the Lorna Young Foundation and her community interest company Pastruisms all carry the same belief: that every life has a story worth telling, and that those stories can bring people together across every kind of difference.Links:"His Own Man" by Christina Longden — https://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Own-Man-Victorian-Reschid/dp/0992879248"Imagining Robert" by Christina Longden — https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imagining-Robert-Reschid-Stanley-1828-1911/dp/0992879256Past Truisms CIC — https://www.facebook.com/pasttruismsLorna Young Foundation — https://www.lyf.org.uk/Dark Woods Coffee - https://darkwoodscoffee.co.uk/

Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Roifield Brown, entrepreneur, podcaster, publican and proud Brummie. The son of Windrush generation parents, his Jamaican roots deeply affect him and he tells the remarkable story of his influential great-grandmother, known across her village simply as "Teacher."Roifield also shares his own journey from Birmingham to London, Canada, and California, and why he came back home to be with family. Powerful senses of identity, belonging and inclusiveness inspire his new role at Temper & Brown, his bar in the Jewellery Quarter, where every Sunday means old school reggae, jerk chicken,rice and peas, and a room full of Brummies of every background.https://temperandbrown.com

Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Byline Times journalist and broadcaster, Adrian Goldberg, to talk identity, football and belonging.Adrian – the proud son of two migrants to Birmingham – tells the story of his father, a Jewish refugee from Germany who came to England via the Kindertransport during the Second World War, moved to Birmingham, where he met his Irish Catholic mother. They discuss what it means to be a Brummie, fandom, and how Adrian's passion for football and punk music has shaped his career.Find out more about Adrian's book: 'Where's The Money Gone? The Battle for the Soul of English Football'.

Carl Chinn is joined by fellow historian Dr Kiran Sahota, revealing her research into the vital roles of South Asian men and women in two world wars and how that heritage empowers today’s communities and young people.Growing up as a young Sikh Brummie in Handsworth, she was influenced by her grandparents and Kiran speaks about how her own family history - spanning the Partition of India, migration and foundry work - has shaped her career today, shining a light on hidden stories.Make sure to keep an eye out for Kiran’s upcoming project: ‘Forgotten India at 80: The Stories You Don’t Know’.Find out more about Kiran’s work here: https://www.bimcic.com/ 

In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with businessman and former Bullring trader, John White. They talk about growing up around Birmingham’s historic markets, the world of the barrow boys, and a life shaped by hard work, resilience, and community.John shares stories of his early life, leaving school at 13 to work alongside his father, and the characters who defined the old Bullring. He reflects on the changing face of the markets, memorable moments from his journey, and how he went on to build a successful career in business.

In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with musician and UB40 co-founder, Robin Campbell. They talk about growing up in Birmingham, discovering reggae, and the journey from local gigs to global success with UB40.Robin shares stories of his early life, the people who shaped him, and the moments that defined the band, alongside reflections on community and music.

Carl Chinn is joined by author Sophie Martin-Canning to explore the personal history behind her novel, Kissed By The Angels, as well as the impact her father had on boxing. Sophie talks about growing up in a Brummie-Irish family and how her own childhood found its way onto the page. They speak about her father Paddy Martin and his legacy, as a man who influenced young boxers across Birmingham and beyond.