Headtorch Wellbeing Hour

300 Knocks & Standing Strong driving opportunities for all with Enoch Adeyemi

Listen to the first Wellbeing Hour of the year with Enoch Adeyemi, Finance Consultant at Aldermore Bank, Co-Founder at Black Professionals UK & Black Scottish Awards. Enoch is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a consultant specialising in the financial services industry. A passionate advocate for positive change, he is the founder of several organisations, including Black Professionals United Kingdom (BPUK) – one of the UK’s fastest-growing networks supporting professionals, students, and corporate partners. Through his work in leadership, finance, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and entrepreneurship, Enoch is shaping more equitable workplaces and opening doors for the next generation. He also lends his expertise to multiple advisory boards, where he champions opportunity and representation. Listen to a powerful episode as Enoch shares his story of resilience and vision, exploring how wellbeing, leadership, and inclusion can come together to drive opportunities for all.

Leadership: Collaboration is Key with Dr. Sarah Jackson, Chief Medical Officer at EDF, UK

Listen to Wellbeing Hour with Dr Sarah Jackson, Chief Medical Officer at EDF UK, for a conversation on leadership, collaboration, and wellbeing in high-performance workplaces. Dr Sarah Jackson is a Consultant in Occupational Medicine with a distinguished background in workplace health, leadership, and resilience. After joining the British Army while studying medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Sarah trained as a GP before specialising in Occupational Medicine in 2010.During her military career, she served in Canada, Bosnia, Iraq, and Cyprus, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On this podcast episode with the Chief Medical Officer at EDF UK, Sarah leads on health and wellbeing strategy across one of the UK’s largest utility industries. She also chairs the Nuclear Industry and Ionising Radiation Occupational Physicians Forum (NIIROPS) and the Health and Technical Committee for the Energy Institute. Listen to Dr. Sarah Jackson for an insightful hour discussion and walk away with fresh ideas for building healthier, more connected workplaces.

Cancer & Work - When Your Only Choice is to Move Onward with Tara Ferguson

Tara Ferguson is our March guest on the Headtorch ‘Wellbeing Hour’ podcast. With over 20 years in HR, coaching, and employee wellbeing, Tara Ferguson has worked with leading organisations like Unilever, PepsiCo, and Exscientia. After a cancer diagnosis in 2024, subsequent intensive treatments, and the opportunity to take redundancy from Exscientia, Tara left in December 2024 to set up Onward With You, a business coaching and wellbeing consultancy focused on leadership development and workplace mental health. This business combines all the things Tara loves to do, and is great at doing – executive coaching, leadership development, employee wellbeing, and a special interest in mental health issues and cancer issues at work. A passionate advocate for employee wellbeing, Tara has also volunteered with SHOUT, supporting mental health initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys cold water swimming, reading, and family time. Join us with Tara Ferguson for what promises to be an open and honest hour

Your Career, Your Mental Health... is your Workplace Making the Connection? - Wellbeing Hour Panel

Join us for a special Wellbeing Hour panel event this February, where industry experts will explore the vital link between career development and mental health in the workplace. Meet the Panelists Our panel features leaders from career-focused industries, each with unique insights on maintaining mental well-being while navigating professional growth. Don’t miss this engaging discussion—your career and mental health matter! Jane Barrett – Career Farm Jane Barrett is a career coach and former recruitment leader with 20 years of experience running career development workshops at top European business schools. A career changer herself, she founded The Career Farm, training managers in career coaching and developing courses used by Amazon, Prudential, and Nissan. Her Maximiser program supports MBA and Masters students worldwide. Co-author of Taking Charge of Your Career (Bloomsbury), Jane is passionate about job satisfaction’s impact on mental well-being. Susan Gee – Yorkshire Water Susan Gee is a highly experienced occupational health professional with over 40 years in public and private sectors. Currently Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing at Yorkshire Water, she previously led Bradford Council’s Occupational Health & Safety team for 16 years. A respected speaker, researcher, and former lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, she advocates a holistic approach to workplace health. Susan also runs a private practice and enjoys cooking, reading, and walking with her dog, Dolly. Mark Lawrence – Data Driven HR Mark Lawrence is an HR and Learning Analytics leader with 25 years of experience across industries, including roles at PwC, IBM, GSK, and Diageo. Since September 2024, he has led data, reporting, and analytics strategy for Deloitte’s Central Business Services while managing his advisory firm, Data Driven HR. A published author and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Mark advocates for evidence-based management to improve workforce decisions. Based in Yorkshire, he is married with four children.

The Merthyr Mermaid Mentality with Cath Pendleton

Listen to Cath Pendleton as the first guest speaker of 2025 on the ‘Wellbeing Hour’ podcast. Cath Pendleton, known as “The Merthyr Mermaid,” is an accomplished open water and ice swimmer from Wales. She holds a Guinness World Record for the Most Southerly Ice Swim (female), achieved by becoming the first person to swim an ice mile inside the Antarctic Polar circle in February 2020. Her remarkable journey was documented in a BBC film titled “The Merthyr Mermaid,” which showcases ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary feats. Cath discovered her passion for winter and ice swimming in September 2015 and has since embraced it as a means to manage her mental health. She refers to swimming as her “Reset Button” and often says, “To make Cath happy, just add cold water!” Her impressive achievements include completing the English Channel swim (both as part of a 4-person relay and solo), becoming the first Welsh woman to swim an official Ice Mile in January 2016, and representing Team GB at the 2019 World Ice Swimming Championships in Russia, where she won bronze in her age category for the 1000m event. With 10 official Ice Miles under her belt, Cath continues to pursue new challenges and passions. She has qualified as an “SSI Ocean Mermaid” and enjoys freediving and ocean mermaiding. Cath also has aspirations to row the Atlantic in a team of four before her 60th birthday. Her adventurous spirit and dedication to inspiring others make her an excellent motivational speaker, encouraging people to try new experiences and push their boundaries. You can watch the full documentary – The Merthyr Mermaid on BBC iPlayer. Join us with Cath Pendleton for what promises to be a free, open and honest hour