On the Irregular with Java Bere

In this episode I am talking to gardener and allotmenteer, Heidi-Lee Gregory.

In 2020, having experienced a sequence of losses and readjustments in her life, Heidi turned her back on twenty years in the corporate world and decided to start from scratch and completely change direction with her path.

We talk about Heidi’s move from her native South Africa to the UK, losing her father at a young age, then the process of losing her beloved grandparents, the realisation that she did not want to have children, despite always expecting to be a mother, and how her work in helping people design their dream garden fulfills her creative desires.

Welcome to my conversation with the extremely lovely Heidi.

You can find Heidi on instagram @heidilee.gregory and online at heidileegregory.co.uk.

If you are interested in reading more on the subjects we touched upon, Heidi reccommends the following:

1. Ruby Warrington - Champion for women without kids. She is on instagram and has a book and a podcast on the subject.

https://www.instagram.com/rubywarrington/

Book: https://www.rubywarrington.com/books/women-without-kids/

2. Selina Barker - Coach for career change, designing a life you love and champion of rest and not burning out! She is on Instagram for both her coaching and club you (her membership program and hello goodbye journals)

https://selinabarker.com

https://www.instagram.com/selinathecoach/

https://www.instagram.com/projectyouprojectyou/

Post production and jungle composition: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I talk with Susanna Amato, who describes herself as: actress, theatre maker, writer, clown and humanitarian.

Susanna also has a podcast where she invites guests to bring a paper based memory to talk through and shred, based on her theatre piece Landfill of Memories.

We discuss Susanna’s identity, how this forms a huge part of her creative process, she tells me about losing her father and sister, holding onto the memory of loved ones through objects and how much she loves both therapy and mortadella in equal measures. 

Welcome to my conversation with Susanna Amato, an episode where I rarely stop cackling.

A gentle warning, This episode contains swearing and mentions of death and sex.

You can find Susanna on instagram @landfillofmems or via her website, www.susannaamato.com.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by hoarding or clutter in the home and would like some support, please go to hoardinguk.org

If you are in need of support and someone to talk to please contact The Samaritans.



Post Production and Jingle Composition: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I am talking with author, art historian and lecturer Joanna Wolfarth.

Joanna was the first person I interviewed for this season. I was feeling nervous and out of practice, but Joanna’s gentle warmth and grace shone through my headphones and I immediately knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be. Sat, listening to her story.

In our chat, we discussed Jo’s shifting approaches to writing throughout her life, we talk about her book ‘Milk: An intimate History of humanity’s first food’, how motherhood and losing a close relative to suicide have impacted her life and work, about the ‘destruction and the construction’ of the self as a consequence and allowing herself to be more vulnerable.

Welcome to my conversation with the extremely lovely a Jo.

A gentle warning, This episode contains swearing and mentions of suicide and baby loss.

You can find Joanna on Instagram and on X @joannawolfarth. ‘Milk, an intimate history of humanity's first food’, is available from all good bookshops. You can also find the links in the show notes.

If you or someone you know has been affected by or is having thoughts of suicide, help is available. The number for the samaritans is 116 123. You can also get in touch with  CALM (camapign against living miserably) www.thecalmzone.net and Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide www.uksobs.org 

Post Production and jingle composition: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I talk with my dear friend and neighbour, the author, Rozie Kelly.

On a sunny autumn morning, Rozie and I headed out for a walk through the fields. We talked about about losing her dad in lockdown and how this time of enforced solitude helped her embrace her grief, and also, how Buffy the Vampire Slayer featured heavily in this process.

We talked about her soon to be published debut novel Kingfisher.

We talked about how the loss of her dad has impacted how she thinks about stories.

And she told me the best piece of writing advice she has ever received.

Welcome to my conversation with the wonderfully eloquent, Rozie Kelly

A gentle warning, this episode contains swearing.

You can find Rosie on instagram @rozeamee and her debut novel Kingfisher will be released by Saraband books in 2025

Post production and jingle composition: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to season 4 of ‘On the Irregular’ with me Java Bere.

In previous seasons I have chatted to women from all walks of life about their unique, creative journeys. How they got here, and how their story has shaped their creative process.

For this season, I wanted to specifically explore the way in which grief informs the creative process, how transformative it can be and how it weaves it’s way through our lives, in the many tangled ways. How it manifests in our work and how we navigate the endless twists and turns.

I cannot wait for you to hear these conversations. Each one moved me in a profound way, and often made me laugh and cry simultaneously.

Thank you so much for being here, welcome to On the Irregular, season 4, on Creativity and Grief.

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I chat to artist and community organiser Sapna Agarwal.

Sapna is one of my oldest friends, having met in Manchester twenty years ago when we were both running around the city pretending to be the stars of a Jean Luc Goddard film.

This was a soft, gentle talk, fitting for a rainy day across Yorkshire and Glasgow. 

Sapna tells me about dropping out of architecture school, how having children helped her understand her purpose and as she describes it 'the golden thread that runs through her creative practice', and the power of community.

With a light peppering of reminiscing about our youth.

Welcome to my conversation with the coolest girl I still know, Sapna Agarwal.

Sapna is far too cool to be on Instagram but if you're local to Glasgow do say hello and pop along to one of Sapna's events.

Thank you to Moon Water Treasures for sponsoring this episode. You can find them online moonwatertreasures.uk, on Etsy and on instagram @moonwatertreasures

And thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to rate review and subscribe, as it helps other liste ers find us.

Jingle and final edit: Jon Tipler, Loaded for Bear Audio

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I chat to Poet, Writer, Performer and Educator Fionna Inward Allen.

I first met Fee around six years ago at a mutual friend’s picnic. As soon as she flashed her stellar smile, I knew I wanted to talk to her. And talk we did, all afternoon. We have since kept in touch via social media and on the 10th of September we finally met again when Fee performed a few of her beautiful poems at the podcast live event. Her words moved the audience between both tears and laughter.

In our chat for the podcast we covered Fee’s life growing up feeling torn between writing and performing, her vast inner world as a child, creativity as a means of escape, especially when you are bound to one physical place, her time working at the BBC and her self imposed fifteen year writing apprenticeship in the caravan she bought for this sole purpose, rebuilding herself after having her son and then subsequently becoming a single parent.

And of course, so much more.

Welcome to my chat with the delightfully gorgeous Fionna Inward Allen.

Warning, this episode contains swearing and mentions of eating disorders and child abuse.

You can find Fee online at fionnainwardallen.com and on instagram @fionna_inward_allen

Thank you to Right Hand House for sponsoring this episode. You can find Right And House online righthandhouse.co.uk and on instagram @right_hand_house

Thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us.

Final edit and jingle: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I chat to Life Coach, Speaker, Writer Syreeta Challinger.

It’s an emotional one, Syreeta shares her unique story of love, creativity and transformation.

We discuss growing up with a high level of academic expectations, her experience studying a degree in textiles in Manchester, the impact she believes the contraceptive pill had on her decision making in her twenties, her time in Hong Kong where she refound herself and met her husband Rob. 

And then we talk about Rob’s brain anyeurism and how this shifted their life irrevocably and how she challenged her grief through her brand MOSS.

And we talk about love.

Welcome to my conversation with the fiercely honest, utterly gorgeous Syreeta Challinger.

You can find Syreeta online at thisisleaven.com and on instagram @thisisleaven and @momentsofsenseandstyle

And you can find Syreeta’s podcast Leaven, wherever you find your podcasts.

Thank you to Hazel copy for sponsoring this episode. You can find Haze Copy online here and on instagram @hazelcopy

And thank you for listening to this episode of On the Irregular, please remember to subscribe, rate and review as it helps other listeners find us.

Jingle and final edit: Jon Tipler

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I chat to writer, artist and creator of the Moon Journal, Jo Cauldrick.

With her Moon Journal website, instagram, book and patreon, Jo has created a space full of resources and wisdom about working with the moon cycles and how these can help us find balance, rhythm and focus. Beautifully illustrated and full of inspiring writing, they are not only informative but also a delight to behold.

Jo and I chat about her years of travelling around, searching for their dream home and how this led them to moving in 2020 to live off grid in Portugal, on a piece of land they hadn’t even visited before.

We talked about the time she was living in a caravan with her young family and how her decision to learn to crochet and sell fruit hats on etsy grew her confidence and blossomed into Jo pursuing the creative path she is on now. 

And of course we talk about the moon and the transformative effect it has had on both of our lives. 

Welcome to my conversation with the beautifully warm and inspiring Jo Cauldrick, I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did talking to her.

You can find Jo online at themoonjournal.com, on instagram @themoon_journal and on patreon. Jo’s book ‘Muse with the Moon’ is available on Amazon.

Thank you to Jana Puisa for sponsoring this episode. You can find Jana online at janapuisa.com and @janapuisa

Thank you for listening to On the Irregular, please remember to review and subscribe as it helps others find us.

Support the show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.