Rest and Recreation

Eloise Skinner is an entrepreneur, author and existential therapist. She is the founder of two businesses: One Typical Day (an ed-tech start-up), and The Purpose Workshop (a social impact consultancy).

In this episode, of Rest and Recreation Eloise explains the psychological importance of rest.

Eloise and host Michael Millward discuss how rest is not always doing nothing. Rest can involve doing something that is more about fulfilling a passion. Yet many people are only passionate about meeting a work deadline.

Real rest often requires us to detach ourselves from our work personality so that we can focus on who we really. To achieve this Eloise advocates for defining personal values and using these to define how we will live, and what we want to be passionate about.

Michael and Eloise also discuss her new book, But Are You Alive?

Buy books by Eloise Skinner at these retailers

Eloise is based in London, an expensive place to visit, which is why we use the Ultimate travel club, because ultimate travel club members buy at trade prices on flights and hotels, package deals and all sorts of other travel essentials.

Use our offer code ABEC79 to receive a discount on club membership fees.

The Independent Minds is Made on Zencastr, the all-in-one podcasting platform, on which you can create your podcast in one place and then distribute it to every platform. Zencastr really does make making content so easy.

If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

Thank you to the team at Matchmaker.fm for introducing me to Eloise. If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if like Eloise, you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where matches of great hosts and great guests are made. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

Visit Abeceder for more information about both Michael Millward, and Eloise Skinner.

Tech Problems?

If you are using your smartphone to listen to The Independent Minds and experienced connection problems, you would probably like to know that Three has the UK’s fastest 5G network with unlimited data, so listening on Three means that you can wave goodbye to buffering.

Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Being a Guest

If you would like to be a guest on The Independent Minds, please contact Abeceder.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

If you have liked this episode of The Independent Minds, please give it a like and download it so that you can listen any time anywhere.

To make sure you do not miss future editions please subscribe.

Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abeceder is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think!

Until the next time, thank you to you for listening.

With increasing automation at work and more opportunities for flexible working the 21st Century is delivering more leisure time than ever before. This is great, but the challenge is ensuring that we derive value from that leisure time and avoid spending it doing chores or watching TV.

Leisure activities do not provider the same sort of structure for social interactions as we experience at work. Instead, we must create that structure if we are to stop being the stranger in the room and start enjoying the activity.

In this episode of Rest and Recreation Michael Millward and Liam Cole discuss the art of starting a conversation and building a relationship.

Liam Cole is a director of Poppins. Agency a London based marketing agency. He has built his career from commission-based sales person to company director by forging constructive relationships with complete strangers.

Liam shares his experience with Michael and provides valuable lessons to anyone who wants to get out more and get involved.

The Independent Minds is Made on Zencastr, the all-in-one podcasting platform, on which you can create your podcast in one place and then distribute it to every platform. Zencastr really does make making content so easy.

If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

Thank you to the team at Matchmaker.fm for introducing me to Liam. If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if like Keith, you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where matches of great hosts and great guests are made. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

Travel to London

Members of The Ultimate Travel Club can book travel to London or anywhere else in the world at trade prices. Use our offer code ABEC79 to receive a discount on club membership fees.

Visit Abeceder for more information about both Michael Millward, and Liam Cole.

Tech Problems?

If you are using your smartphone to listen to The Independent Minds and experienced connection problems, you would probably like to know that Three has the UK’s fastest 5G network with unlimited data, so listening on Three means that you can wave goodbye to buffering.

Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote our referral code WPFNUQHU.

Being a Guest

If you would like to be a guest on The Independent Minds, please contact Abeceder.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

If you have liked this episode of The Independent Minds, please give it a like and download it so that you can listen any time anywhere.

To make sure you do not miss future editions please subscribe.

Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abeceder is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think!

Until the next time, thank you to you for listening.

Ahead of the 2024 local government elections Anna Jacobs the Green Party candidate for the Wetherby Ward of Leeds City Council joins Michael Millward of Abeceder for this episode of Rest and Recreation.

Anna explains the reasons why she decided to become and candidate this year, the challenges she believes she will encounter if successful in her election bide, and just how much fun she is having canvassing the people of Wetherby Ward.

Michael and Anna discuss:

• Why Anna moved to Wetherby
• Anna’s volunteering activities
• What motivated Anna to become the Green Party candidate.
• Anna’s action plan, should she be successful in her election bid

The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr.

Zencastr is the all-in-one podcasting platform, on which you can create your podcast in one place and then distribute it to the major platforms like Spotify, Apple, and Google. It really does make creating content so easy.

If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

Travel to Leeds

If you would like to visit Wetherby Ward and the wider region including Leeds, York and Harrogate, a good place to plan your travel is The Ultimate Travel Club. It is where you will get trade prices on travel including flights, and hotels.

Access the Ultimate Travel Club and use our offer code to receive a discount on your membership fee.

• ABEC79

You can find out more about both Michael Millward, and Anna Jacobs at Abeceder.

Being a Guest

If you would like to be a guest on The Independent Minds, please contact Abeceder.

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

If you have liked this episode of The Independent Minds, please give it a like and download it so that you can listen any time anywhere.

To make sure you do not miss future editions please subscribe.

Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abeceder is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think!

Until the next time, thank you to you for listening.

Ahead of the 2024 local government elections Alan Lamb the Conservative candidate for the Wetherby Ward of Leeds City Council joins Michael Millward of Abeceder for this episode of Rest and Recreation.

Alan discusses the experience of representing the town he was born in for 17 years. How the Wetherby Ward has changed over those years and the vision Alan has for the future.

Michael and Alan discuss a wide range of topics:

· Growing up in Wetherby

· Running a business and being an employer

· Balancing running a business and being a Councillor.

· What it is like to live a poor life in an area that is widely perceived to be affluent,

· How Alan has successfully fought for investment in education and leisure facilities for the Ward.

The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr.

Zencastr is the all-in-one podcasting platform, on which you can create your podcast in one place and then distribute it to the major platforms like Spotify, Apple, and Google. It really does make creating content so easy.

If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

Travel to Leeds

If you would like to visit Wetherby Ward and the wider region including Leeds, York and Harrogate, a good place to plan your travel is The Ultimate Travel Club. It is where you will get trade prices on travel including flights, and hotels.

Access the Ultimate Travel Club and use our offer code to receive a discount on your membership fee.

• ABEC79

You can find out more about both Michael Millward, and Alan Lamb at http://www.abeceder.co.uk.

The website for Alan’s business is

· https://thefoxandhoundswalton.com/

· https://thebayhorsekirkdeighton.com/our-chefs/  

His website as a Leeds City Councillor is

· https://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1363

· https://westyorkshire.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1626

Being a Guest

If you would like to be a guest on The Independent Minds, please contact Abeceder. 

We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

If you have liked this episode of The Independent Minds, please give it a like and download it so that you can listen any time anywhere.

To make sure you do not miss future editions please subscribe.

Remember, the aim of all the podcasts produced by Abeceder is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think!

Until the next time, thank you to you for listening.

After the Second World War the victorious allies have agreed how they will divide Germany amongst them. But the Soviet regime wants more.

Half of Berlin, the capital city is controlled by the Soviets. It is here that Stalin the Soviet dictator starts his campaign to seize control of more of Germany by blockading the city. The only way in and out of the city is by air. Everything that the population needs must be transported by Great Britain, France, the United States of America to the city through three air corridors, in what became known as the Berline airlift.

Within a city that is already chaotic as it struggles to adjust to defeat, we find a woman who is as desperate to find her child as she is to survive.

In this captivating conversation author Kate Furnivall explains to Abeceder managing director Michael Millward the story behind the historical novel Child of the Ruins.

Buy the Book

Travel to Berlin

If you fancy a trip to Berlin and seeing the real sites that feature in Child of the Ruins and the modern-day capital of Germany, the best way to plan your travel is with The Ultimate Travel Club. Follow this link and use the Rest and Recreation membership code ABEC79 to access the discounted travel prices.

Made on Zencastr

We make podcasting sound easy by using Zencastr.

With Zencastr's all-in-one podcasting platform, you can create your podcast all in one place and distribute it to Spotify, Apple, and

other major destinations.

Zencastr also has a great, easy to talk to support team.

If you would like to create podcasts using Zencastr visit their website and use our offer code RANDR.

Remember the aim with all the podcasts produced by Abeceder is not to tell you what to think, but we do hope to make you think.

In this episode of Rest and Recreation Greg Mosse introduces Michael Millward, the managing director of Abeceder and host of Rest and Recreation to Maisie Cooper a woman who becomes an amateur detective to find out why her brother died.

We meet Maisie as she returns to Church Lodge in the village of her childhood, little does Maisie know that she will uncover Murder at Church Lodge!

Greg Mosse explains to Michael the inspiration for Maisie Cooper and how she came to be the star of the series of cosy crime novels he has created.

If you would like to podcasting a try using Zencastr visit their website, and use my offer code RANDR.

If you fancy visiting the Sussex where Murder at Church lodge is set the best way to plan your travel is with The Ultimate Travel Club. 

Use the offer code ABEC79 for a discount on membership of The Ultimate Travel Club.

Michael Millward meets Greg Mosse to talk about his new novel The Coming Darkness.

Set in the near future The Coming Darkness is a thriller in which Alex, a French secret service agent has to balance the needs of an assignment with the pressures of family life.

With Alex. Mosse has created a very human hero who retains the James Bond style qualities that every successful secret agent needs. 

Michael Millward meets Jody Medland and learns about his new play Dead Parents Club, which is part of the Criterion Theatre, London, Showcase of new works 2022.

You will hear Jody explain the process of developing a new play and the role that audiences at showcases play in that process.

To be on the guest list for the showcase on 25th November 2022 in London  please visit this website http://www.penworksmedia.co.uk/contact-us

For more ideas about how you can do more with your rest and recreation time please visit https://www.restandrecreation.co..uk

Alan Reynolds discusses his first novel, Flying with Kites with Rest and Recreation host Michael Millward.

Flying with Kites is an extensively researched novel about the experience of two mothers who are forced to flee their homeland in Kosova during the Balkan war of the late 1990s.

In Flying with Kites Alan describes how news reports of the conflict inspired him to find out more about life in a war zone and the experience of both being a refugee and a member of the community that hosts the refugee.

The accuracy of that research has resulted in Alan being welcomed by the refugee community at several major Kosovan community events in the United Kingdom.

Michael Millward discusses the Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys with the author,  film maker Jack Jewers.

Samuel Pepys wrote a diary that documented life in restoration London, including the return of Charles II, the plague and the great fire of London. Then he stops without explanation. The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys is Jack Jewers fictional account of what might have happened to Pepys. 

As well as discussing this historical murder mystery Michael and Jack discuss the challenges of changing careers and moving from the very social career of film making to the solidary career of writer.

Along the way they discuss the challenges of working from home, and living with someone who is successful at the activity that you are trying for the first time.

They also examine the role that a dog adds to solving problems and putting the world to rights.