3Spoonies

3Spoonies: On Conspiracy Theories Episode Number: 67, 29 October 2026   It's Halloween, so we're diving into some of the strangest, most controversial and most harmful conspiracy theories we've encountered. In this special episode we explore conspiracy theories ranging from anti-vaccine misinformation and cancer cure myths to eugenics, disability benefits, mobility scooters and even claims about what's really in our food. Along the way we explore where some of these theories came from, why people believe them, and the real-world consequences they can have for disabled people and society as a whole. This episode mixes humour, history, lived experience and evidence-based discussion to examine some of the stories that refuse to disappear. Whether you're fascinated by conspiracy theories, interested in disability rights, or simply enjoy a good Halloween discussion, this episode is packed with thought-provoking conversation. Let us know in the comments: What's the strangest conspiracy theory you've ever heard? Subscribe for more conversations about disability, chronic illness, accessibility, neurodiversity and inclusive living.   Feel free to come and join us on any of our socials  Website - www.3spoonies.co.uk Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3Spoonies Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3spooniespodcast/  Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/3spoonies.bsky.social  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3spoonies    If you’d like to find out more about our hosts; Jo O’Neil Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness    Claire Napper  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper Website: www.strangelittleobsessions.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/Strangelittleobsessions   Karen Duncan Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses    Sponsors A HUGE thank to our Main Sponsor for this Season: Disability Is My Strength with Vicki Admin Fairy  Vicki Wilson is an author, business owner and disability advocate who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Her memoir, Disability Is My Strength: A Life Built Without Limits, Labels or Permission, is an honest, funny and powerful account of a life spent challenging assumptions, building her independence and refusing to let disability or other people’s expectations define what she could achieve. Vicki is also the founder of Vicki Admin Fairy®, where she helps self-employed people bring order to their admin chaos and gain greater confidence in their businesses. Disability Is My Strength is published on 5 November and will be available from Amazon or through Vicki’s website: https://vickiadminfairy.co.uk/disability-is-my-strength-vicki-wilson/ https://www.facebook.com/Disabilityismystrength  https://www.instagram.com/disabilityismystrength/   And to our Feature Sponsors!  The Smart Bear Suzi Brown is the founder and owner of The Smart Bear which  was launched in 2013 as a website design and development company for small businesses - offering a range of website and SEO services to suit different budgets. And since 2021, the business is now prioritising being more ethical and responsible by offering eco and accessibility options for websites, as well as adhering to The Ethical Move’s pledge.  https://thesmartbear.co.uk  http://thewebsiteclub.co.uk    Cockleshell Creative Coaching   Cockleshell Creative Coaching is run by Mary Duggan, a productivity coach based in Wakefield. Mary spent years managing other people's projects, but when she started working for herself she found that traditional productivity approaches just didn't work for her mindset or the demands on her time. So she built something that did: a way of working that flexes around the day you actually have — small steps, a proper break after each one, and nothing lost when you get interrupted. She coaches women who are running a business alongside everything else. If you'd like to try her approach before booking anything, start with her free tool, Untangle the Knot, at cockleshellcreative.com.  https://www.facebook.com/CockleshellCreative/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-duggan-creative-coach/    Their support allows us to keep showing up every week, having these conversations, and making the podcast what it is — so if you can, please do go and check them out and support them in return.   Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies

3Spoonies: On Long Covid: Community Questions Episode Number: 66.5, 22 October 2026   What’s the difference between Long COVID and ME/CFS? Can getting sick again make Long COVID worse? How do you avoid infections when germs are everywhere? And how on earth do you explain chronic fatigue to someone else? In this Community Questions episode we are joined once again by Amy Butterworth and Emma Brackenbury to answer questions from the community about living with Long COVID.   Feel free to come and join us on any of our socials  Website - www.3spoonies.co.uk Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3Spoonies Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3spooniespodcast/  Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/3spoonies.bsky.social  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3spoonies    If you’d like to find out more about our hosts; Jo O’Neil Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness    Claire Napper  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper Website: www.strangelittleobsessions.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/Strangelittleobsessions   Karen Duncan Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses    Guests Amy Butterworth Amy had a career in comedy, theatre and music before turning to youth work, focusing on young people who were systemically under-served. She designed award-winning inclusive youth programmes for the Scouts, before getting long covid in 2021. Since then she has become a disability activist, and accessibility consultant, using intersectional, universal design principles, ensuring the workplace is inclusive for all.  You can find her work at @LongCovidRockstar (Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn), and you can sign her petition to Make Disability Leave the Law at https://the.organise.network/campaigns/network-make-disability-leave-a-statutory-right-for-every-worker-in-the-uk-6fb0dfca8bf17b65.   Emma Brackenbury I am a Costume maker and tutor, I Have worked in Film and Tv and taught at universities as well as my own events – the corsetry retreat. I have long covid and juggle a busy life style with minimal energy.  Since getting long covid life has changed and I now split my working time between 2 businesses, Emma Brackenbury Costume, and The Corsetry Retreat. Emma Brackenbury costume is my freelance costume work I do from home around my energy, and The Corsetry Retreat is a wonderful but intense teaching event that I really have to plan my energy around.   Emma Brackenbury Costume Links: https://www.instagram.com/emmabrackenbury.costume/  https://www.facebook.com/emmabrackenburycostumeandjewellery/  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6433353/    The Corsetry Retreat Links: https://thecorsetryretreat.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/705744647745192 https://www.instagram.com/thecorsetryretreat/    Sponsors Hi, I’m Angie, and welcome to Heart-and-craftz! 💖 Heart-and-craftz is my little creative business where I love turning ideas into fun, personalised and practical gifts for all ages. From mugs, notebooks and notepads, to glass chopping boards, calendars, planners, pet gifts, Christmas goodies and so much more — there’s always something new being created! I love making products that are a little bit different, whether you’re treating yourself, looking for a special gift, or just want something personalised. Everything is created with lots of love, creativity and a little bit of me behind it. So if you love unique gifts, affordable prices and supporting a small business, come and join me at Heart-and-craftz. Let’s get crafting! 💕✨ https://heart-and-craftz.ueniweb.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/768690121232996 https://www.tiktok.com/@heartandcraftz?_r=1&_t=ZN-99BRTigngGs   Their support allows us to keep showing up every week, having these conversations, and making the podcast what it is — so if you can, please do go and check them out and support them in return.   Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies

3Spoonies: On Long Covid Episode Number: 66, 15 October 2026    In this episode we are joined by Amy Butterworth and Emma Brackenbury for an open and honest conversation about living with Long COVID and the enormous impact it can have on your health, work, identity and everyday life. Long COVID doesn't look the same for everyone. Symptoms can change, fluctuate and appear unexpectedly, while things that would once have been completely ordinary can suddenly require careful planning and days of recovery. And being able to do something once doesn't mean they'll be able to do it again tomorrow. This is a conversation about Long COVID, but it's also about living with chronic illness, learning to listen to your body and building a life that works with the energy you actually have. If you live with Long COVID, we'd love to hear about your experience in the comments. What do you wish more people understood?   Feel free to come and join us on any of our socials  Website - www.3spoonies.co.uk Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3Spoonies Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3spooniespodcast/  Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/3spoonies.bsky.social  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3spoonies    If you’d like to find out more about our hosts; Jo O’Neil Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness    Claire Napper  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper Website: www.strangelittleobsessions.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/Strangelittleobsessions   Karen Duncan Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses    Guests Amy Butterworth Amy had a career in comedy, theatre and music before turning to youth work, focusing on young people who were systemically under-served. She designed award-winning inclusive youth programmes for the Scouts, before getting long covid in 2021. Since then she has become a disability activist, and accessibility consultant, using intersectional, universal design principles, ensuring the workplace is inclusive for all.  You can find her work at @LongCovidRockstar (Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn), and you can sign her petition to Make Disability Leave the Law at https://the.organise.network/campaigns/network-make-disability-leave-a-statutory-right-for-every-worker-in-the-uk-6fb0dfca8bf17b65.   Emma Brackenbury I am a Costume maker and tutor, I Have worked in Film and Tv and taught at universities as well as my own events – the corsetry retreat. I have long covid and juggle a busy life style with minimal energy.  Since getting long covid life has changed and I now split my working time between 2 businesses, Emma Brackenbury Costume, and The Corsetry Retreat. Emma Brackenbury costume is my freelance costume work I do from home around my energy, and The Corsetry Retreat is a wonderful but intense teaching event that I really have to plan my energy around.   Emma Brackenbury Costume Links: https://www.instagram.com/emmabrackenbury.costume/  https://www.facebook.com/emmabrackenburycostumeandjewellery/  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6433353/    The Corsetry Retreat Links: https://thecorsetryretreat.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/705744647745192 https://www.instagram.com/thecorsetryretreat/    Sponsors A HUGE thank to our Main Sponsor for this Season: Disability Is My Strength with Vicki Admin Fairy  Vicki Wilson is an author, business owner and disability advocate who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Her memoir, Disability Is My Strength: A Life Built Without Limits, Labels or Permission, is an honest, funny and powerful account of a life spent challenging assumptions, building her independence and refusing to let disability or other people’s expectations define what she could achieve. Vicki is also the founder of Vicki Admin Fairy®, where she helps self-employed people bring order to their admin chaos and gain greater confidence in their businesses. Disability Is My Strength is published on 5 November and will be available from Amazon or through Vicki’s website: https://vickiadminfairy.co.uk/disability-is-my-strength-vicki-wilson/ https://www.facebook.com/Disabilityismystrength  https://www.instagram.com/disabilityismystrength/   And to our Feature Sponsors!  The Smart Bear Suzi Brown is the founder and owner of The Smart Bear which  was launched in 2013 as a website design and development company for small businesses - offering a range of website and SEO services to suit different budgets. And since 2021, the business is now prioritising being more ethical and responsible by offering eco and accessibility options for websites, as well as adhering to The Ethical Move’s pledge.  https://thesmartbear.co.uk  http://thewebsiteclub.co.uk    Cockleshell Creative Coaching   Cockleshell Creative Coaching is run by Mary Duggan, a productivity coach based in Wakefield. Mary spent years managing other people's projects, but when she started working for herself she found that traditional productivity approaches just didn't work for her mindset or the demands on her time. So she built something that did: a way of working that flexes around the day you actually have — small steps, a proper break after each one, and nothing lost when you get interrupted. She coaches women who are running a business alongside everything else. If you'd like to try her approach before booking anything, start with her free tool, Untangle the Knot, at cockleshellcreative.com.  https://www.facebook.com/CockleshellCreative/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-duggan-creative-coach/    Their support allows us to keep showing up every week, having these conversations, and making the podcast what it is — so if you can, please do go and check them out and support them in return.   Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies

3Spoonies: On Camping when Disabled: Community Questions Episode Number: 65.5, 8 October 2026     How do you keep medication refrigerated while camping? What's the easiest way to transport all your gear when you're disabled? And how do you keep phones, medical devices and other essential gadgets charged when you're living in a tent? In this 3Spoonies Community Questions episode, we answer your practical questions about making camping more accessible, from contacting campsites about refrigerated medication storage and choosing bags that work with your mobility to rucksacks, trolleys, vans and some surprisingly inventive festival transport solutions. We also talk power banks, charging facilities, solar panels, battery-saving tricks and why you should test your chargers and cables before disappearing into a field. Whether you're planning an accessible festival, a weekend campsite stay or your first camping trip with a disability or chronic illness, the biggest lesson is that there's no single correct setup — plan around your body, your equipment and what makes camping manageable for you.   Feel free to come and join us on any of our socials  Website - www.3spoonies.co.uk Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3Spoonies Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3spooniespodcast/  Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/3spoonies.bsky.social  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3spoonies    If you’d like to find out more about our hosts; Jo O’Neil Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness    Claire Napper  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper Website: www.strangelittleobsessions.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/Strangelittleobsessions   Karen Duncan Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses    Sponsors Hi, I’m Angie, and welcome to Heart-and-craftz! 💖 Heart-and-craftz is my little creative business where I love turning ideas into fun, personalised and practical gifts for all ages. From mugs, notebooks and notepads, to glass chopping boards, calendars, planners, pet gifts, Christmas goodies and so much more — there’s always something new being created! I love making products that are a little bit different, whether you’re treating yourself, looking for a special gift, or just want something personalised. Everything is created with lots of love, creativity and a little bit of me behind it. So if you love unique gifts, affordable prices and supporting a small business, come and join me at Heart-and-craftz. Let’s get crafting! 💕✨ https://heart-and-craftz.ueniweb.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/768690121232996 https://www.tiktok.com/@heartandcraftz?_r=1&_t=ZN-99BRTigngGs   Their support allows us to keep showing up every week, having these conversations, and making the podcast what it is — so if you can, please do go and check them out and support them in return.   Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies

3Spoonies: On Camping when Disabled Episode Number: 65, 1 October 2026   Can you still go camping when you're disabled or chronically ill — and what can make it actually manageable? In this episode of 3Spoonies, we share our experiences of camping at different stages of disability, from Scouts and LARP events to Claire's recent experience of accessible camping at Download Festival. We talk about choosing a tent you can actually get in and out of, why extra space matters, accessible campsites, managing walking and fatigue, getting a decent night's sleep, staying warm, toilets, mobility aids and why sometimes taking more stuff is exactly what accessibility requires. We also share the practical camping adaptations we've learned along the way, including keeping medication and essentials accessible, camp beds and sleeping mats, comfortable chairs, lighting, power banks and charging medical equipment. Most importantly, we talk about giving yourself permission to camp differently: if you need a bigger tent, an air mattress, a walking stick, accessible viewing areas or a bag full of things that help you get through the day, take them. Camping when disabled doesn't have to look like anybody else's version of camping.   Feel free to come and join us on any of our socials  Website - www.3spoonies.co.uk Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/3Spoonies Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3spooniespodcast/  Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/3spoonies.bsky.social  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3spoonies    If you’d like to find out more about our hosts; Jo O’Neil Website: https://bright-cat.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-oneil/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrightCatBusiness    Claire Napper  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-napper Website: www.strangelittleobsessions.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/Strangelittleobsessions   Karen Duncan Website: http://www.ponyponypony.co.uk  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/PonyPonyPony  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PonyPonyPonyCourses    Sponsors A HUGE thank to our Main Sponsor for this Season: Disability Is My Strength with Vicki Admin Fairy  Vicki Wilson is an author, business owner and disability advocate who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Her memoir, Disability Is My Strength: A Life Built Without Limits, Labels or Permission, is an honest, funny and powerful account of a life spent challenging assumptions, building her independence and refusing to let disability or other people’s expectations define what she could achieve. Vicki is also the founder of Vicki Admin Fairy®, where she helps self-employed people bring order to their admin chaos and gain greater confidence in their businesses. Disability Is My Strength is published on 5 November and will be available from Amazon or through Vicki’s website: https://vickiadminfairy.co.uk/disability-is-my-strength-vicki-wilson/ https://www.facebook.com/Disabilityismystrength  https://www.instagram.com/disabilityismystrength/   And to our Feature Sponsors!  The Smart Bear Suzi Brown is the founder and owner of The Smart Bear which  was launched in 2013 as a website design and development company for small businesses - offering a range of website and SEO services to suit different budgets. And since 2021, the business is now prioritising being more ethical and responsible by offering eco and accessibility options for websites, as well as adhering to The Ethical Move’s pledge.  https://thesmartbear.co.uk  http://thewebsiteclub.co.uk    Cockleshell Creative Coaching Cockleshell Creative Coaching is run by Mary Duggan, a productivity coach based in Wakefield. Mary spent years managing other people's projects, but when she started working for herself she found that traditional productivity approaches just didn't work for her mindset or the demands on her time. So she built something that did: a way of working that flexes around the day you actually have — small steps, a proper break after each one, and nothing lost when you get interrupted. She coaches women who are running a business alongside everything else. If you'd like to try her approach before booking anything, start with her free tool, Untangle the Knot, at cockleshellcreative.com.  https://www.facebook.com/CockleshellCreative/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-duggan-creative-coach/    Their support allows us to keep showing up every week, having these conversations, and making the podcast what it is — so if you can, please do go and check them out and support them in return.   Would you like to buy us a coffee? Check our Ko-Fi at Ko-fi.com/3spoonies