A Rooftop Casual

EP11: The Hygiene Bank

I speak to Lizzy Hall, Founder the of Hygiene Bank, one of the UK's fastest growing banks of hygiene products. For many Low income families, especially those relying on food banks hygiene is a luxury they can't afford and long before people visit a food bank do they stop purchasing hygiene products. Unfortunately, this level of poverty affects many in the UK and has far reaching effects on families, peoples mental health, sense of pride and prospects. Lizzy speaks about the Hygiene Banks beginnings, Hygiene poverty, Period poverty and how to donate and get involved in this community powered organisation www.thehygienebank.com/

EP10: Steady Waves EOL

I Speak to Emily Cross, musician and founder of @steady_waves_eol Emily is a death doula who serves to uphold the wishes of the dying. 'As long as people have been dying people have been death doulas' We talk about this fascinating profession, Emily's living funeral ceremonies and work/life balances. www.steadywaveseol.com

EP9: Dr Farnon Ellwood

I had the most amazing conversation with my next guest, Dr Farnon Ellwood, Associate Professor of Conservation Science at the university of West England, Bristol who's research explores the consequences of palm oil expansion. At an installation @edenprojectcornwall our guest can be quoted stating 'While we cannot prevent oil palm expansion, we can encourage development that considers the importance of biodiversity and well being of local people. It's time to move away from extreme positions on oil palm and focus on identifying ways to ensure production is sustainable' Ellwood and his team are exploring the implementation of birds nest ferns onto palm oil plantations, the impact of which could create a general ecosystem model for a more sustainable approach to palm oil production. Farnon takes what is a very complex issue and puts it into words even I can understand! A charming man who research is about to sky rocket into sustainable action. Not a show to be missed!! www.ellwoodlab.com

EP8: Spare Capacity

This week joining me from Melbourne, Australia we have Nikolina Mabic, award winning documentary, film maker and founder of Spare Capacity. A social enterprise and series of workshops designed to educate young women in self care to combat mental illness. This show will urge you to ask yourself the question 'What spare capacity do you have to cope with the unforeseen and unexpected?' As through Nikolina's own journey she says; 'Living with a mental illness made me realise that everyday before I stepped out the door I had to evaluate my 'spare capacity' to tackle the day . So the workshops were designed to give you the tools to combat mental illness and enable you with the knowledge to have a stock of spare capacity.' A show not to be missed! @spare capacity @arooftopcasual

EP7: Capsula Mundi

Raoul Bretzel, Ecological pioneer and one of the founders of Capsula Mundi joins me in the studio. Capsula Mundi has the potential to redefine our collective relationship with Life and Death, through a return to nature. At Capsula Mundi they say 'Life never stops'. The biological cycle and its transformations are the same for every living being and its time for humans to realize our integrated part in nature. Through a different approach to the way we think about death an emphasis arises the we are a part of natures cycle of transformation. Through turning what comprises our bodies when we pass away into new life, a tree, we could see a time when we walk not through graveyards or cemeteries but through memory forests to remember our dead.