Beyondhood

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Summary

In EP16, I sat down with Brian Gorman — a speaker, author, change coach, LGBTQ+ rights advocate, and adoptive father — to explore his extraordinary journey through identity, transformation, and the many faces of change.

Brian opens up about growing up as a lonely and introverted child, learning the value of hard work early on, and stepping into leadership as a student activist at Syracuse University. His coming out in the 1980s marked another pivotal chapter — one that deepened his empathy and commitment to driving meaningful change.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation? Brian shares how photography unexpectedly led him to his son, through adoption — a moment that forever changed his life.

From corporate consulting to social advocacy, Brian’s life is proof that embracing change leads to growth — personally, professionally, and spiritually.

Highlights:

• How a lonely childhood built a foundation of resilience - Working 7 days a week for the family business
• Coming out in the 1980s and navigating identity
• Challenging stereotypes and sparking social change at Syracuse University
• How photography led him to adopt his son
• Transforming from consultant to change coach
• Using storytelling to heal and empower
• The ongoing journey of learning - You are Never Alone 

Keywords

identity, change, adoption, LGBTQ+, childhood, storytelling, leadership, transformation, self-discovery, photography, activism, resilience, parenting, growth, healing

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

Summary
In EP15, I travelled to the U.S. Georgia, to chat with John Hankins — a giver, a licensed social worker, certified financial therapist, and former IT professional — about his unique journey through life, work, and the evolving relationship we have with money.

John shares how his childhood and family traditions shaped his views on financial responsibility, generosity, and purpose. After retiring from a long career in IT, he reinvented himself in his 70s as a financial therapist, helping others — especially those NGO and those midlife and beyond — navigate the emotional side of money.

We also explore John’s deep desire to give back in his life - from putting giving back as a family value to becoming a kidney donor. It’s a conversation about purpose, reinvention, and the many ways we can live a meaningful life.

Highlights:

• How early life experiences shape money habits
• Reinventing your career after retirement
• Financial anxiety in retirement years
• Living with purpose and curiosity
• How the process of becoming a kidney donor actually saved his life (!)

Keywords
childhood, family legacy, storytelling, giving, money, finance, life after retirement,  grandparents, relationships, memories, creativity, personal growth

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

Summary
In EP14 - We are going to dive into The Forgotten Chinese Seamen of Liverpool. 

During World War II, thousands of Chinese sailors served in Britain’s merchant navy, keeping vital supply routes open. Many settled in Liverpool, starting families and becoming part of the city's fabric. But after the war, the British government saw them as expendable. In a secret policy, at least 2,300 Chinese seamen were forcibly deported between 1946 and 1949—many without warning. Their wives and children were left behind, never knowing the truth. For decades, this story remained buried. For decades, their families believed they had been abandoned. The truth? They were erased. This is the untold story of Liverpool’s forgotten Chinese seamen 

Keywords
Chinese seamen deportation Liverpool, Forgotten Chinese sailors WWII. Liverpool Chinese merchant navy, UK secret deportation Chinese seamen

Chapters
01:56 Introduction & Welcome
04:11 Why still publish when there is no interviewees in this episode? 
05:21 Historical Context
07:34 Setting the Scene
08:42 The Role of Chinese Seamen in WWII
09:59 Life in Liverpool & The Promise of a Future

11:19 The Secret Deportation         
12:24 Aftermath                                                                                                                                                              

Related video and articles: 

Video: 'I just want to know - UK woman's search for missing Chinese father

Video: The Secret Betrayal: How the UK ejected the Chinese sailors who had risked their lives

Articles: Home Office Official Report 

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

Summary
In EP13, I shared my experiences as a weekly volunteer visiting independent assisted living homes, focusing on the importance of social connections for residents. I shared 3 stories: Resident or not - Peter, Too young to be there - Michelle, Goodbye - Owen.  This short field trip episode will give you an unseen side of independent living homes and the personal story of the impact of dementia.
 
Keywords
independent assisted living, social connections, dementia, care homes, personal stories

Chapters
01:19 Introduction & Welcome
03:26 Understanding Care Homes vs. Independent Assisted Living
04:27 Loneliness= Smoking 15 Cigarette a day 
05:06 First Story: Resident or not - Peter
06:41 Second Story: Too young to be there - Michelle
08:22 Last Story: Goodbye - Owen
09:06  Summary: Celebrating Relationships at my Independent Living Care Home 

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

Summary
In EP12, I travelled to the U.S. - San Diego to chat with Angela Andrieux, an expert in photo preservation and a fine art photographer, sharing her journey from childhood to adulthood, and reflecting on her family's influence. 

She discusses the importance of preserving family history and legacy through photography and storytelling, and how her passion for photography has given her career now at Mylio - a software photo manager for a lifetime of memories.  and a new and important identity - the family legacy keeper -  how she creates new memories with her grandmother by sharing old photos and asking questions about those photos.

Our conversation highlights the connections between family legacies and the importance of leveraging tools to create long-lasting memories for the next generations before it is too late. See the pictures Angela mentioned on our Patreon page!

New Partnership
Try Mylio www.mylio.com to see how they can help you turn a lifetime of memories organised into a family legacy. Try for Free first then enter Beyondhood as promo code @ checkout to get 15% off  

Keywords
childhood, family legacy, storytelling, photography, military life, grandparents, relationships, memories, creativity, personal growth

Chapters
01:57 Introduction & Welcome
04:49 Childhood Memories and Family Influence
06:32 Relationship with grandma
09:55 Adolescence and School Experiences
12:17 Homeschooling
12:39 Favorite Pop Culture & Historical Event
13:40 Anne of Green Gables
16:54 Career Path and Photography Journey
21:11 Beyondhood x Mylio Partnership - 15% off Promocode: Beyondhood
21:47 Capturing Family History through Photography
25:43 The Role of a Family Legacy Caretaker
28:24 Connecting Generations: Military Spouses
30:48 Sharing Family Photos  to Create New Memories with Grandma
32:06 Imagining Your Own Beyondhood
33:44 What is Your Most Memorable Family Photo
34:55 Photo: My Tool to Capture and Freeze Family Legacy
35:36 Record Life Stories = Opportunity to Reflect 
36:23 What is Your One Question for Our Current Beyonder

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

Welcome back to season two of the Beyondhood podcast. After a summer break, we're ready to bring season two to share many more stories that make you appreciate older adults' wisdom and their life experiences.

Summary
In episode 11, our latest Beyonder, Paul Long shares his journey from a news reporter to a content creator to an olderpreneur, reflecting on significant life events, including the loss of his father and the lessons learned from it when he was a teenager. 

The conversation delves into the importance of curiosity and creativity during his adulthood. How he came up with his documentary: ''A Passing on the Torch'' and won the prestigious Emmy Award. Paul also shares the secret of his loving 46-year relationship with his wife - Kim.  Finally, we discussed the concept of retirement, emphasising the potential for reinvention at any age, which led to the creation of  ''NewWayFoward''.

Keywords
chronological age, biological age, childhood influences, loss, career transition, documentary, family life, aging, new perspectives, lifelong learning

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

In Ep 10, we are going on our field trip to the Alzheimer's and dementia show in London, where we hosted a booth to share how Beyondhood’s Record Your Life story service can help leave a lasting legacy for the family and older adults with Alzheimer's before it is too late. 

We asked the question: ‘’ What is your favourite memory of your parents or grandparents and how does it make you feel to talk and record these memories of them’’ to around 60 attendees and selected 20 to create this episode.  

From carers to patients, from London to Malawi, from 1920 to 2019, from 3 mins stories to 30s moments, join us in experiencing the power of stories and what is it like to record your stories with Beyondhood!

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

We are now on Patreon - Join the Beyonder family on Patreon to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and content.

Episode 9 Part II:  
We are continuing our Royal Navy Story with Mickey Ellis. At the end of EP I, Mickey was choosing between the Royal Navy's standard career path and modern pentathlon! If you haven't listened to EP1 yet, SPOIL ALERT ahead!

In Part II, we discussed what Mickey did after he left the Royal Navy, from the Soviet Union, Slovakia, to back to London, how did he apply his skills to civilians' lives?  

We dived into a significant change in his life when he was 76 - prison life - what happened?! how did his relationships, his health, and his mindset change before, during and after prison? What did he do in prison and who did he meet? What is his life like now and how does he keep himself strong physically and mentally? 

Come and dive into Part II of a Royal Navy officer story - one that is full of surprises and unexpected turns. 

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

We are now on Patreon - Join the Beyonder family on Patreon to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and content.

Episode 9 Part I:  ‘’Under the sea, Under the sea, Darling it's better.’’
This week, we have Mickey Ellis, who dedicated his career to the Royal Navy. I met Mickey while giving out flyers outside the  Royal Albert Hall at the D-Day 80th Anniversary: Remembering the Normandy Landings event. 

Mickey grew up in Hounslow and had a colourful childhood, from running wild in the neighbourhood to living in different council houses. What was Honslow and London like in the 50s? What do you play as a child in the 50s and 60s? Want to hear first-hand experience of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation without TV? 

He joined the Royal Navy at age 15 to rebel against his dad and spent 22 years in the service. From the Arctic Circle to Hong Kong, from seaman to diver, what were his experiences like in the Royal Navy? Do you know what social life was like in the Royal Navy? Come and dive into Part I of a Royal Navy's officer story. 

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected] 

Love it? Have a question or comment? Click here to send me a direct message!

EP#8 -  We are going on a field trip this week! 

I received questions from listeners about the story of Beyondhood, so I will bring you on a field trip from the beginning of how we start to our 1st exhibition at the Agenda Festival in the Hurlingham Club on May 20th!

Want to know what Beyondhood means? How did we start recording the story? How did I pull an exhibition in 6 days and my encounter with possible modern slavery? 

Come join me on our 1st Beyondhood field trip where I tell you the story of Beyondhood from the beginning!

Check out our behind the  scene pictures of the Agenda Festival on our Instagram and Linkedin

Support the show

Intrigued by the conversation? Get involve using the following ways:  

• Prefer video? Watch the full episode on YouTube
• Buy your life story recording and become a Beyonder!
• Join the Beyonder family on Patreon or Become a podcast member for as little as 3 GBP per month  to get exclusive the Now and Then Beyonders' pictures and contents. You can ask questions and nominate Beyonders to be on the show. 
• Follow us @ Beyondhood on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube
• Email me at [email protected]