Live Learn Survive - Help Yourself - Help Others.

When it all goes to plan, until it doesn't. Today the tech fairies did not allow our special guest to be with us, so in true Live Learn Survive fashion we soldiered on to bring you this catch up with Leigh and Maxi. This weeks Dad jokes are dedicated to our friend Ollie in England, what a little legend you are, keep shooting for the stars.

Paul Dorin is a station commander with Fire and Rescue NSW and in 2024 received the Australian Fire Service Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for more than 30 years of service as a senior NSW firefighter. Based at Corrimal Fire Station in NSW Paul has a passion for helping others and has become a role model for his peers and local community which has seen Paul develop many safety initiatives. Firstly, the Home Care Disability Fire Safety Program in which he promoted fire safety efforts involving clients and their carers, and secondly the winter’s Smoke Alarm Action Day project, known as SAAD which takes place on June 1st every year. When not at the Fire Station, Paul is an incredible cartoonist, and we are proud to say he is the Illustrator behind all of our books which bring the stories to life in a spectacular way. Paul began drawing cartoons when he was very young at school, but before drawing l had a passion for modelling things out of plasticine. His late brother Steven was his inspiration to swap the plasticine to pen and ink and the family Louvre kitchen gallery eventually led to Paul getting his first published cartoon in The Bulletin magazine back in 1984. Today his cartoons appear in suburban & regional newspapers all around Australia and different parts of the world, and of course in our books, for which we could not be more grateful. Over the years Paul has supported the Jean 4 genes charity raising money for the Children’s Medical Research Institute by painting on the jeans of celebrities such as Mike Tyson, actors Robin Williams, Jonah Hill, Jim Belushi, Keven Kline, Frances Mc Dormand, David Hasselhoff to name but a few.

Lifeguarding skills present opportunities to work all over the world, so just imagine working in Santa Teresa Costa Rica. Enjoy the replay of this inspiring chat is with Thomas Ritchie, founder of the Santa Teresa Lifeguards and his daughter Avalon, one of the volunteer lifeguards. A service founded by need in the community and run totally by volunteers enjoy the inspirational chat about what the team are doing keep their beaches safe and the hundreds of lives they have saved over the last 9 years since they formed in 2014.

Today on the Live Learn Survive podcast, we’re joined by none other than Professional Lifeguard Harrison Reid.  

Born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, Harrison moved to Sydney to pursue his dream job of becoming a lifeguard and worked hard to earn his spot among the elite Waverley lifeguards, now working at Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches alongside Maxi and the team. 

The spotlight and Bondi Rescue followed, making sure this inspirational lifeguarding career patrolling one of the world’s most famous beaches was well documented, including many of the incredible rescues, medical incidents and countless lives that Harrison has saved keeping locals and tourists from all around the world safe in the surf.  

On a self-confessed mission to get out of his comfort zone Harrison recently swopped the beach for the jungle appearing on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here and we could not be prouder to say that Harrison chose us, Live Learn Survive as his nominated charity. 

Today we could not be happier to welcome him home and have him here with us for his first exclusive chat about life in the jungle and what the future holds for him. 

Mieszko Szymeczko is the general manager and one of the founders of Baltic Rescue, a Lifeguard Association established in 2020 on the initiative of Polish Lifeguards. The aim of the organization being to promote lifeguarding in Poland and around the world. He has been a passionate lifeguard since 2009, a diving instructor, jet ski operator, and also a swimming instructor. He has worked all over the world, Poland, the USA, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Bulgaria, and New Zealand and for him, lifesaving isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life and a mission that he carries out on beaches around the world.

Tommy Herschell, a school teacher by trade he is now a full time facilitator in mental health, or as Tommy calls it mental mechanics, he is the driving force behind Find Ya Feet, which has a vision to empower everyone with the tools and skills to engage in conversations that go well past ‘how are ya.' He lists his achievement as still being married, and the fact he no longer feels like a victim, he is a functioning adult. At 35 Tommy turned his story and struggles around to use this experience for good. These days he travels across Australia and meet young fellas when they are at their lowest, and works with them to help them stand up to their struggles and get them to get to the point where they can celebrate themselves, Tommy feels like he has the best job in the world. Tommy is a lifesaver wearing a different uniform and today it is our absolutely pleasure to welcome him to our podcast to talk about what I would say is a difficult topic for many, but that is why we are doing it.

Professor Greg Whyte OBE is a true inspiration, and we were so lucky to meet him in 2022. Awarded the OBE for services to Sport, Sport Science & Charity, he is an Olympian in modern pentathlon, and a European and World Championship medallist, Greg is the voice of authority for Exercise Physiology and Sports Exercise Performance in the UK. Especially well known for his role in Sports Relief where he has helped raise over £65 million for charity. Have a listen again to this great conversation, we hope you are as inspired as we were.

 This week we are re-sharing the awesome interview with Mr Lawrie Williams as Leigh, Maxi and Lawrie were all finally able to meet in Bondi. Lawrie joined the Waverley Council professional lifeguards in 1978 when they were known as Beach Inspectors. A lifeguard through the late 1970s, the 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s, then re-joining as a casual last year it would be safe to say Lawrie has seen so much over his 24 years in the job. Lawrie also has a love of local history, and in time for the 100 year centenary celebration back in 2013 he put together the history of the Lifeguard Service at the Waverly beaches, Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte. Now  creating an audio book telling the story of the Lifeguard Service over the years and telling local stories of Bondi through is Bondi Historian social media accounts, enjoy this chat with Lawrie.

Harrison, into the jungle you go, we dedicate this episode to you. We are back and welcome to 2025 everyone and haven’t we started at a sprint, so much to celebrate in the first few days of this New Year. Over the next 3 weeks we will be following Harrison’s journey on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here as it he goes all out to become King of Jungle, as his nominated charity we could not be prouder so let's all get behind him and vote!!!

Allan is one of Australia’s most highly decorated citizens, being one of only five Australians in the past 49 years to receive Australia’s highest bravery decoration, The Cross of Valour, awarded in 1998 for saving the life of a small boy trapped in a flooded storm water pipe in Coffs Harbour.  In 2016, for another lifesaving rescue, Allan was awarded Australia’s fourth highest bravery decoration, the Commendation for Brave Conduct for his rescue of an aboriginal man from the path of an incoming train at Redfern railway Station. In 2017 Allan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to Mental Health Support organisations and the community.  He is the recipient of the NSW Police Commissioners Valour Award (VA) and the Royal Humane Society of NSW Galleghan Award.  He is one of only 10 Australians to receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal and the Kings Coronation Medal. In September 2022, Allan was invited by St James Palace to attend the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II where he took part in the Chivalry and Gallantry Procession during the funeral proceedings. Allan is a 20 year veteran of the NSW Police force, and of recent times, a Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW.

"Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of mental health issues, including topics related to suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care while listening, and remember support is available if you need it.

If you or someone you know is struggling, consider reaching out to one of these resources:

For young people, Headspace offers online and in-person mental health support at headspace.org.au.