Surrey Voices: The Disability Podcast

Volunteering with The Patchwork Garden Project

In this Months Episode we put on our woolly hats and wrap up warm to go out visit the Patchwork Garden Project, Run entirely by volunteers they offer gardening, crafting and the opportunity to learn new skills in a safe and friendly space.
Dan, David, Andrew and our newest presenter Lewis some of their own experiences volunteering. 
 
https://patchworkinggardenproject.co.uk/
 
Join us Next Month as we celebrate Disability History Month.

Festival Fever with DeafZone and Festability

As the Skies turn grey and the leaves turn brown, we reflect on Summer 2025 and some of the amazing festivals people attend all over the UK. 
 
We interview Caroline from DeafZone a long-running initiative that provides British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for music, theatre, poetry, and other performances to make festivals accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees.
 
We also chat to Debs Aspland from Festability, an open air, live music festival accessible to all regardless of ability or impairment. For many people, live music festivals are just a dream, but Festability is making it happen. 
 
https://festability.co.uk/
 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/107037079346897/?locale=en_GB   - Deaf Zone
 

My Time Reigate

Join us for this special episode where we visit My Time in Reigate a service for adults aged 18 and over who are living with a learning disability and have additional needs such as epilepsy, complex physical / social difficulties, or sensory impairment.
https://www.sabp.nhs.uk/our-services/learning-disabilities/day-opportunities/mytime-reigate/myTimeReigate

We are all going on an Accessible Holiday

Join us for our accessible summer holiday podcast as we chat with Gordon from RTC Travel and hear all about Emily Lodge Surrey Choices new Short Breaks service. 
 
https://www.rtctraveluk.com/specialist-holidays-for-disabled-people/
https://www.surreychoices.com/about-your-service/building-relocations/emilylodge/
 

Happy Pride Month with Regard

This Month we are waving our rainbow flag as we celebrate pride month. We explore the history of LGBTQI+ rights and the Stigmas people face and we are also lucky to be joined by DR Ju Gosling from Regard; The National organisation of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, intersex and queer people (LGBTQI+) who self-identify as disabled. Also tune in to our safe travel guide for some tips on how to explore the world safely. 
Please see links below for websites mentioned in this months podcast and remember to be kind, we are all learning so if you think there is something we could do better or perhaps haven't got some of our terminologies right please do let us know so we can do better in the future. 
https://regard.org.uk/
https://www.equaldex.com/
https://ilga.org/
 Happy Pride Month 
Loud, Proud and More Inclusive than ever! 
 
 
 
 

Anaphylaxis UK and Asthma and Lung Uk on Asthma and Allergies

Join us this Month as we explore the world of Asthma and Allergies. 
Welcome Back! This month we are joined by Anaphylaxis UK and Asthma and Lung UK as we discuss Allergies and Asthma this Allergy season. 
We interview Tracey Dunn Education and Allergy Wise Manager from Anaphylaxis UK, and Debby Waddell Respiratory Specialist Nurse along side our very own Dexter James who shares his Asthma experience. 
https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/
https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/
 
 

Save Our Planet; Little Swaps BIG difference

Join us as we explore the ways we can make a difference to our planet. We interview our very own Andrew Beales from Surrey Choices who has chosen to be share his experience of a plant based diet and how this benefits not just the planet but our own health too. 
We talk about some of the swaps we can all make in our day to day and which company's are actually going green and who's just green washing us. 

Autistica and Neurodiversity Celebration Week

This Month we celebrate Neurodiversity. In March it was Neurodiversity celebration week. It's when people are encouraged to think about and celebrate neurodiversity, and challenge stereotypes people might have.
Neurodiversity is a word used to describe the different thinking styles that influence how people communicate with the world around them.
We interview Georgia from Autistica and Chat about the most recent disability news and share some of our own lived experiences. 
If you would like to ger involved please get in touch!!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly43png991o
https://www.itv.com/news/2025-03-03/disabled-man-left-to-eat-from-bin-itv-news-exposes-appalling-neglect
https://www.autistica.org.uk/
If you have been affected by the issues raised, please find help and support at:
Access Social Care - provides free legal advice and information for people with social care needs and helps them to achieve a better quality of life.  
Samaritans - on 116 123, with further information available at samaritans.org

Advocacy and representation with visABLE people

Join us this month as we discuss Advocacy and how you can advocate for yourself and advocate for others. We interview Talent booker Meg from visABLE people the world's first agency to supply disabled artists to the mainstream advertising, television and film industries. visablepeople.com.
https://visablepeople.com/
https://www.instagram.com/visablepeople/?hl=en-gb
 
 

Dry January with Alcohol Change UK

Join us this month as we start of our new year learning all about Dry January. We are joined by Andrew Misell from Alcohol Change UK who tells about how Dry January started and how to get involved. Join in on our Pub Quiz where we test our knowledge on Alcohol and we also speak with Samantha who shares her story with us. 
Read Samantha's story 
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/samanthas-story-i-felt-like-i-was-leading-a-double-life
Get involved 
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/