Working Hours

Jin-Theng Craven recorded on 03/10/2025Infinitely curious and endlessly imaginative, Jin-Theng Craven thrives at the crossroads of art, culture, and storytelling. A former broadcast journalist, banker, and artists’ agent, she brings a rare multi-lens perspective to her work as a filmmaker and arts producer. Her projects span art exhibitions, international festivals, and documentary films — all driven by a desire to excavate hidden stories and bridge the worlds of “East” and “West.” From co-producing Singapore Uncovered with Asia House in London to creating documentaries like Being and Becoming Chua Ek Kay (2013) and Ahmad Zakii Anwar: Edge of Obedience (2017), Jin-Theng has built a body of work that celebrates bold vision and meaningful collaboration. Her latest venture, Bills and Beats, is a 360° initiative blending film, community, and financial literacy to empower young creatives. Whether leading ambitious projects or amplifying the visions of others, Jin-Theng brings precision, imagination, and a globally informed eye to every collaboration.Check out Bills and Beats:https://billsandbeats.com/https://www.instagram.com/billsandbeats/Buy tickets for Bills and Beats: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bills-and-beats-how-money-goals-work-for-musicians-and-makers-tickets-1554914524199?aff=oddtdtcreatorFollow Jin Theng:https://www.instagram.com/jin_theng/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jin-theng-c-creative/

Recorded on 27/06/2025Laura Stubbs runs social media agency, Coucou Social Media, helping small businesses and charities in Leeds get their message out to a wider audience online. She has worked in marketing for 15 years and is also a Trustee of Made with Music, a charity which bring accessible music events to families in Yorkshire. Laura formed her social media agency in 2023 to enable her to support her autistic son. Her family flexi-schools (part home educates) and are passionate advocates for SEND reform. https://www.instagram.com/coucousocialhttps://www.coucousocial.co.uk/ https://www.designmyfuture.eu/ Listen to the Ahead Partnership episode here: https://the-working-hours-podca.captivate.fm/episode/Olivia%20Collins

Recorded on 05/08/2025Emlyn Hagan was born in Liverpool and has lived in Leeds for nearly 28 years. Leaving school at 16 Emlyn completed an apprenticeship with Ford Motor Company in Liverpool, following which he worked as an Electrician – Control Specialist. In 1994 he took voluntary redundancy and moved to Ware in Hertfordshire to work as an Electrical Technician in a pharmaceutical factory. A brief spell as a Technical Support Manager in Newcastle followed before he moved to Leeds to complete a 4 years BSc in Business Information Systems. In year 3 of his degree Emlyn found a placement with a corporate insolvency data software company which led to a permanent position as a Data & Development Manager. Emlyn left this position due to a period of poor mental health following years of managing depression, anxiety, social phobia and body dysmorphia. He took a year or so off work and during this time decided that he no longer wanted to work in the private sector or full time. He found employment with Mencap Pathway, first as a Job Coach, moving up to being a Senior Education & Employment Coordinator by the time he left. Emlyn’s next step came as a result of seeing an advert for an Employment Specialist for Community Links/Leeds Mind. Emlyn has worked for Leeds Mind for around 16.5 years in a variety of roles – Employment Specialist, Job Retention Specialist, Employment Peer Support Coordinator and since 2022 has been the Lived Experience & Peer Support Team Leader. His current roles involve managing a variety of lived experiences projects within the charity, this gives him an environment where he can make a difference and be his authentic self. Emlyn’s had a variety of part time jobs or additional jobs over the years including running market stalls, driving a delivery van for a flower shops, managing a charity shop and helping to run a CIC. Alongside working for Leeds Mind Emlyn manages his own business, Emlyn Hagan Coaching & Change, which offers therapeutic coaching with a focus on sessions in nature for people wanting to make changes in their life. He lives in his partner Chris and their cat Rita.Follow Leeds Mind:https://www.instagram.com/leedsmind/https://www.facebook.com/LeedsMindJoin the Befriending Service: https://www.leedsmind.org.uk/services/befriending-leeds/Follow Emlyn's Coaching Business:https://www.facebook.com/emlynhagancoachinghttps://www.instagram.com/emlyn_hagan/Follow Emlyn's Bike Powered Events:https://www.facebook.com/Grassrootseventshttps://bike-power.co.uk/

Recorded on 22/06/2025In this engaging episode, join Kirsty Elton as she shares her unique journey from aspiring teacher to Viking-inspired business coach. Kirsty opens up about her early dreams, her experiences in healthcare recruitment, and the pivotal moments that led her to where she is today. She dives into the challenges of her MS diagnosis, her perspectives on social media, and her passion for making a lasting impact through her work and her recently published book. Discover the wisdom behind her leadership style, her thoughts on work-life balance, and what drives her to keep pushing forward.You can find Everwyk Consulting at: https://www.everwyk-consulting.co.uk/Or follow her on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstyelton/Kirsty's book: https://amzn.eu/d/f5JMaX6Listen to Alan Thompson's episode: https://the-working-hours-podca.captivate.fm/episode/work-is

Recorded on 19/06/2025In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Dr Stewart Manning recounts his lifelong passion for medicine, shaped by childhood experiences and a genuine desire to care for others. From memorable stories about medical school pranks and meeting famous personalities while serving as the Leeds United doctor, to the impactful charity work he now pursues in retirement, this episode takes you through the highs and lows of a storied career. Learn how personal tragedies and professional challenges shaped Dr Manning’s approach to patient care and advocacy, and gain a greater understanding of the human side of medicine. Discover how he's continuing to make a difference through various charitable endeavours and the lessons he's learned along the way.Mentioned in the episodehttps://www.leedsunited.com/enThe Manning's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2SCaBSIENmpIWwtcuGgA7q?si=c3b87e5930c1433dhttps://www.yorkshirecancercommunity.co.uk/https://www.macmillan.org.uk/https://canceralliance.wyhpartnership.co.uk/https://www.therobertsinclairdavidsonfoundation.org/https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/https://www.st-gemma.co.uk/support-us/donate/https://www.cancer52.org.uk/https://elladawsonfoundation.org.uk/https://www.anthonynolan.org/https://canceralliance.wyhpartnership.co.uk/latest-news/t-shirt-competition-helps-spread-cancer-messages-far-and-widehttps://cancersupportuk.org/https://beryl.cc/scheme/leedshttps://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/beryl-burton-cyclist https://www.mndassociation.org/https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/roundhay-park-dream-wedding-for-leeds-woman-with-motor-neurone-disease-480794https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/council-speech-on-plan-to-move-leeds-war-hero-arthur-louis-aaron-vc-statue-587951a...

Recorded on 07/04/2025Olivia Collins is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Ahead Partnership, a purpose-led business which drives inclusive growth and social impact through bespoke skills and careers engagement programmes that support young people.Olivia is a Philosophy graduate from the University of Leeds, specialising in ethics and aesthetics. Olivia started her marketing career in the recruitment industry before gaining experience agency-side and moving to Ahead Partnership. In her current role, she develops and implements marketing and communications strategies for social impact programmes across the UK.Olivia's favourite programmes to work on include initiatives that help to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes for young women before they enter the world of work. These include Ahead Partnership’s flagship Girl Tech programme which connects young women aged 12-14 with role models in digital and technical roles aiming to address gender diversity and bias in the digital and tech sectors. More information about Girl Tech can be found here: https://www.aheadpartnership.org.uk/girl-techhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/girls-and-tech/You can find Olivia on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-c-m-collins/

Recorded on 12/06/2025Michael Guy is a digital strategist with a background spanning leadership business analysis and accessibility. He spends his time making sense of messy systems. Over the years, he’s worked with charities, membership organisations, and SMEs—often at that difficult, slightly tangled stage where everyone knows something needs to change, but no one’s quite sure where to start.His role is often about helping teams focus, prioritise, and move forward with confidence rather than deploying technology for the sake of it. A firm advocate for value and impact Michael translated his approach into his business Kingsbury Consulting. Michael says, “I get a real buzz from bringing clarity to complex challenges”.Right now, he’s building a small, focused team that helps organisations plan and deliver digital change. He spent the last few years defining and refining a proprietary strategic framework. He’s running workshops and getting under the skin of how things work (and don’t), and shaping practical roadmaps that will actually get used.Kingsbury Consulting’s mission is to help charities, public sector teams and small businesses make smart decisions, bring the right people along for the ride, and avoid wasting time or budget on the wrong things. He and his company are committed to making high quality Big Thinking accessible to everyone and he’s built a business on the principle of Leadership of Authority through Creative Collaboration.You can find Michael at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelguyhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/kingsburyconsulting/

Recorded on 14/04/2025Britta Ofori-Kuragu is a Purposeful Parenting Practitioner, Young Entrepreneurship Specialist and a Digital Safety Monitoring Analyst. She is also the Founder of Better Being by Britta Ltd and Purposed Potential CIC — the latter being a non-profit community interest company set up to equip and empower young people with entrepreneurial, financial literacy and future-ready skillsBritta is a passionate advocate for children, families, and purposeful living. After a 14-year career in Adult Social Care, where she was honoured as Colleague of the Year 2013, she made a bold shift in 2022 toward work more deeply aligned with her values: empowering the next generation.Having lived in Ghana, Denmark, Australia and now the UK, Britta brings a rich, multicultural perspective to her work. She is a strong proponent of ‘Imperfect & Purposeful Parenting’ and young entrepreneurship, drawing from her personal experiences of childhood adversity and a deep belief in the potential of young people. Alongside her children, she has co-created and helped turn their interests into real-world physical and digital products. Most recently, she’s helped Verity to write and publish her very first book, which is a milestone that reflects Britta’s dedication to nurturing creativity and confidence in young minds.Through her social enterprise, Purposed Potential CIC, she hopes to extend this work to equipping and empowering even more children to develop their potential and pursue their passions, while supporting parents to intentionally nurture their children in a way that makes them feel seen, safe and secure.Britta currently supports parents through her membership: The Purposeful Parenting Club, which equips parents to build an empowering relationship with their children. Britta also works part time as a Digital Safety Monitoring Analyst, which involves keeping children and young people safe online.At the heart of Britta’s mission is the unwavering belief that every child has a future worth nurturing. With each initiative, she helps parents become allies and children to become changemakers in their own right. She believes that when parents are purposeful and nurturing, they plant seeds of hope and possibility in their children’s hearts and empower them to thrive.THE PURPOSEFUL PARENTING CLUB:https://www.betterbeingbybritta.com/ThePPCVERITY’S BOOK - Verity the Visionary: A Little Girl’s Story of Her Entrepreneurial Journeyhttps://amzn.eu/d/0JdtHtU

Recorded on 22/04/2025Richard Michie has been in marketing since before the internet, cutting his teeth in old school Direct Marketing. Then the internet came and made his job 1,000,000 times faster and a lot more fun!Throughout his career he has worked client side in translation (twice), holidays, nursery furniture, big book mail order (ask your mum), and renewable energy and worked for digital agencies in Yorkshire too.Richard launched The Marketing Optimist in 2016 vowing to do marketing in a different more agile way to the traditional marketing agency set up.He’s great at taking complex marketing problems and cutting right through to the core of the issue. Not one to hang around, he likes to begin creating and testing strategic marketing plans quickly so that he can begin to generate return on investment quickly.If you'd like to work with the Marketing Optimist you can find them at:https://www.marketingoptimist.co.uk/Business LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marketing-optimist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmichiemarketingoptimist/

Recorded on 19/02/2025Candice Waldie is the Owner of Recovering my Balance. She’s an experienced Mental Health and Wellbeing Professional with over 6 years of extensive experience in mental health training. Candice has lived experience of c-ptsd, anxiety and depressive disorder and was recently diagnosed with Autism. She is adept at delivering high-quality training courses and fostering a positive learning environment. She’s also currently studying to be a Therapeutic Coach and she’s volunteering as a Region of Learning Ambassador for West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Website: https://recoveringmybalance.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveringmybalance1/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@recoveringmybalance-tm7zd

Recorded on 19/03/2025Jack Hurley is an artist who started later in life and is mainly known for the Rubbish Seaside series of parody travel posters. Originally from the South, he’s lived in Leeds for well over two decades and was a mental health worker in the city for much of that time.https://loudribs.com/https://www.instagram.com/loudribs/https://www.facebook.com/

Recorded on 18/02/2025This is the third consecutive episode where the guest has allowed me to use their video for YouTube. If you'd like to be on the show and you're up for being on YouTube Get in touch. There's only 18 free places left for the podcast - yeah, I do need to change the intro monologue again but, I don't have time. Emma Longbottom is a Wellbeing Coach, Energy Healer and Yoga Teacher based in Leeds, UK. She is the founder of Wellbeing with EmmaEmma is passionate about empowering people to reclaim their energy and find their joy. She works with people who want to find a path to wellbeing but are overwhelmed, feel like they’re missing out on a better life and are struggling to find moments of joy and gratitude in their life. Emma does this by offering a range of holistic wellbeing practices both online and face-to-face. She combines coaching with energy work, movement and meditation.Prior to founding Wellbeing with Emma, Emma worked for over 20 years in a corporate environment, developing and implementing many very successful programmes and initiatives. However, for many of these years she was sucked into a toxic productivity mind-set and ended up with chronic pain, recurring laryngitis (at its height she had 11 weeks in one year where she couldn’t speak), she was stressed, felt unhealthy, sluggish and was always tired.So she started to question if there was a healthier way to live?This was when yoga and mindfulness entered her life and her healing journey began. Holistic practices such as yoga, meditation and energy healing completely changed Emma's life, supporting her to reduce stress levels, reduce pain and live more in tune with herself. It had such an impact on her that she decided to re-train and start her own business so that she could support other people to make positive changes.Emma's business contacts:Website - www.wellbeingwithemma.com instagram - www.instagram.com/wellbeing.with.emma LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-longbottom-251487114?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app And check out her YouTube - www.youtube.com/@Wellbeing-with-EmmaDon't forget to donate to this show too. Thanks!

Recorded on 24/04/2025Micky P Kerr is a dedicated teacher and aspiring footballer who transitioned into a professional comedian and author. Micky discusses his early dreams of becoming a football player, the reality check during teenage years, a newfound passion for music, and the eventual turn towards teaching and comedy. His journey continues through teaching experiences, comedy gigs, and the challenges faced along the way, including our usual suspects COVID-19 and Brexit, social media strategies, business risks, and the struggle between teaching and pursuing artistic passions. As if he doesn't have enough to do he's also got a book to promote, it's called 'Football, the People's Shame.'https://www.waterstones.com/book/football-the-peoples-shame/micky-kerr/9781915672551https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Football-the-Peoples-Shame-Audiobook/B0DR9DJ1JQ?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdphttps://reallyfunnycomedy.co.uk/https://mickypkerr.co.uk/bio https://www.facebook.com/mickypkerr

Recorded on 18/02/2025Claire Kenny is a company founder, writer and content creator. She’s has 25+ years of experience as a commercial copywriter and communications professional, with recent projects including editing a factual book on the history of Motown for an internationally-known performer and copywriting for a major beauty brand. As a 40 plus influencer, Claire was a 2 x finalist in the Yorkshire Blog Awards and has been published in Woman and Home, the Yorkshire Post, and Yorkshire Life. She is also a columnist in the Yorkshire Times and Yorkshire Businesswoman magazine. In her efforts to destigmatise loneliness and aloneness, Claire hosted a #SoloSaturday Instagram live for two years and has also hosted her own radio show. When she isn’t working, Claire is a very proud mum, rescue greyhound owner and (reluctant) gym-goer.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-kenny-85ab4ba/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/my40pluslife.me/ 

Recorded on 03/03/2025Dean Smith's current job role, is as a Warehouse Operative for AW Hainsworths in Leeds.Dealing with the curing, sizing and packing of cloth to be sent to fashion houses. They also supply the Military all across the world and the Royal Family - just to name drop.Recovery Runners is a voluntary organisation. It was set up in 2021 by Dean Smith and Jamie Heselden as a community group for people dealing with addiction, mental health problems, illness and more. Dean and Jamie have won multiple community awards for their efforts.They meet weekly and go for runs and walks of various distances at whatever pace suits the individuals. Running can help bust stress, aid emotional processing and improve sleep – all of which are linked to better mental health.https://recoveryinleeds.org.uk/recovery-runners-community/https://www.awhainsworth.co.uk/ https://skidrowmarathon.com/.

Recorded on 13/02/2025Paul and Rebecca Bolster are the owners of Tasty Kitchen and Coffee, a beloved family-friendly café in Oakwood, Leeds. They’ve built Tasty Kitchen & Coffee to where it is today with a lot of hard work and by understanding their internal and external customers - what they want and need. This is supported by our thriving outside catering business, where we have catered for several large scale events including backstage catering at Leeds Festival for artist for 6 years, as well as regular corporate and party catering throughout the Leeds area.Paul has recently opened a new pizza restaurant (Ottimo Pizza) with a business partner, also in Oakwood and they’ve been getting some great reviews and are starting to see it really take off after a tricky few months at the end of 2024. The couple shares their insights on managing social media, handling customer service, and the impact of local events like the Oakwood Farmers Market. They also reveal their aspirations for expanding their service model. We also hear how Paul is looking to use his 28 years of knowledge and experience in hospitality to help other small businesses grow in these challenging economic times. Help newer business focus on all things customer service, operations, marketing, financials but most importantly their people.Photo used by kind permission of Tasty Leeds. Copyright Tasty Leeds 2025You can find Tasty in Oakwood and online at: https://www.tastyleeds.com/https://www.instagram.com/tastyleeds/https://www.facebook.com/tastyleedsCheck out https://ottimo.pizza/ for their menu and socials.Also, as we mentioned them and they did one of the cakes, if you're in Harrogate also have a look at https://www.bakeribaltzersen.co.uk/WHP Episodes mentioned. Work is Hot to Trot with Jo Myers https://player.captivate.fm/episode/129f84ce-bffa-4fe8-ab08-e1a57483aeeb/Work is Tasty Goodness with Amy Bennett https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a5db6cee-45e3-4126-a92e-b26e010966ff/

Recorded on 25/02/2025Kim Heslip is the founder of Nest and Flourish Interiors, a Yorkshire-based interior design studio dedicated to creating inclusive, accessible spaces that enhance wellbeing, dignity, and independence. Following a 20-year career in nursing, including 15 years as a community nurse, Kim witnessed first-hand how thoughtfully the designed environment can transform health and quality of life. Inspired by this impact, she retrained in interior design at the National Design Academy and now specialises in creating beautiful, supportive spaces for family homes, workplaces, and community settings.Kim’s unique healthcare background shapes her approach to design, ensuring each project supports the specific needs of individuals of all ages and abilities. She believes that inclusive and accessible design goes beyond just meeting mobility needs—it’s about creating spaces that are intuitive, adaptable, and empowering. Whether it’s designing homes that evolve with life’s changes, workplaces that accommodate diverse needs, or community spaces that welcome everyone, Kim ensures that her designs promote ease of use, comfort, and independence without compromising on style.You can find and follow Nest and Flourish at:Instagram: www.instagram.com/nest_and_flourishLinked In: www.linkedin.com/in/kim-heslipWebsite: www.nestandflourish.co.uk

Recorded on 13/03/2025Neil Wilson is the Managing Partner at Chadwick Lawrence, a leading West Yorkshire based law firm recognised for its progressive approach and commitment to employee wellbeing.Neil's journey into law began after completing his law degree (LLB) in 1996 and qualifying as a solicitor in 1998. Unlike many solicitors, Neil did not go straight down the legal route after school, opting instead to move to Germany to learn the language and study European Business Studies. He then moved to a government managerial position for 14 years, before changing careers to law aged 33 having studied for his law degree and postgraduate diploma part-time on evenings and weekends.Since becoming Managing Partner in 2014, Neil has been overseeing 210 employees from eight offices across West Yorkshire, with an anticipated turnover of £16.2 million in 2024/25. Specialising in sports and employment law, he has established himself as a trusted advisor to many of the region's top organisations and sports clubs, including Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Town Football Club.If you'd like to work with Neil or Chadwick Lawrence you can find out more at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sportsandemploymentadvisor/https://www.linkedin.com/company/chadwick-lawrence-llp/https://www.chadwicklawrence.co.uk/Other stuff mentioned in the show:https://www.jamiepeacock.co.uk/https://www.menspieclub.co.uk/join-leeds

Recorded on 13/02/2025Kirsty Scott is the co-owner and joint managing director of Leeds-based construction marketing agency, Harris Creative. Kirsty took over the business along with her business partner Neil Craven in 2020 in a management buy-out, having previously been PR director at the company. Kirsty has worked in PR and marketing for her entire 18-year career, and – apart from a brief stint in a graduate role with HBOS – has always worked with small agencies, starting out promoting toys and baby products, and gradually moving further and further into the world of B2B marketing.Get in touch with Kirsty and Harris Creative https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstyscott0/https://www.linkedin.com/company/james-harris-associates/https://www.instagram.com/harris.creative/https://harris-creative.co.uk/

Jaydon Rowbottom Recorded on 20/03/2025Jaydon Rowbottom has a lifelong passion for art and creativity from his early aspirations to becoming a versatile and successful illustrator, artist, and maker professionally. In this episode Jaydon delves into his experiences with school, the influence of family, and the challenges and joys of turning a creative hobby into a profession. He talks about his current projects, including his part-time work with an all-female-led event set design company called Bazaar, and his aspirations to work on larger scale projects and collaborate with more people. Jaydon also touches on the impact of the pandemic, the benefits and drawbacks of social media, and his eco-conscious approach to art. Listen as Jaydon reflects on his dreams, processes, and the ever-evolving landscape of being an artist in today’s world.You can find Jaydon at:https://www.instagram.com/jaydonrowbottom/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaydon-rowbottom-30634a177/