All Things Autism – Lisha Rooney from Flute Theatre.mp3
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Speaker 10
00:00 – 00:09
Hello, this is Anna Kennedy. We’re talking all things autism. We’re live, we’re in Covent Garden, and it’s a chilly, chilly afternoon. I’m just back from the North East.

Speaker 10
00:09 – 00:35
Angelo and I went to visit family, but while I was there, one of my ambassadors, Mattie Street, was at Teesside Karting. So I’ve spoken about Matty before where he has a diagnosis of autism, he has dyspraxia, he has dyslexia and he has set up a business called Team Karting. Well he actually took over a business called Team Karting amazing young man. He’s only 22 years old and he employs something like 50 people.

Speaker 10
00:36 – 00:50
So he went along to Teesside Karting where they were racing. So there were six of them, three of them on the autistic spectrum. So I met Sandra there, I met Will Young and a few of the other I absolutely loved it. It was freezing, but I loved it.

Speaker 10
00:50 – 01:01
And Angelo, first time watching Cartin, and I was thinking, oh, how is he going to cope with that? Because it’s quite noisy. But he coped really, really well. So something new for Angelo, a new experience.

Speaker 10
01:01 – 01:16
And that’s what we’re all about as parents of children and adults on the autism spectrum. We’re trying to see what it is that our children and adults might like to do. So you never know, next time they might be able to sit him on a twin seater. And off he’ll go, speeding around.

Speaker 10
01:16 – 01:39
So my guest today is Leisha Rooney. She’s an artist, a writer, a mother to two extraordinary sons. And she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and her Master of Fine Arts from Central Saint Martins. She’s a governor of Queen’s Mill School in Hammersmith, a school for autistic children Rated Outstanding for All Aspects by Ofsted.

Speaker 10
01:40 – 01:41
Hello.

Speaker 7
01:41 – 01:41
Good morning.

Speaker 10
01:42 – 01:49
How are you? I’m fine. Thank you very much indeed. So before we go into everything that you do, you’re obviously a busy bee.

Speaker 10
01:49 – 01:54
Tell me a little bit about who is Leisha? Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

Speaker 7
01:54 – 02:03
Well, I’ve just calculated. I’ve been in this country. I’m a UK citizen now, but I’ve been in this country for 16 years. Wow.

Speaker 7
02:03 – 02:14
So I came here with my husband, both having jobs, and we’ve not left. I’ve left him, but we’ve not left. So where were you from? Which country?

Speaker 7
02:14 – 02:18
California. Oh, OK. Yeah, from America, from Los Angeles. So a big change then.

Speaker 7
02:18 – 02:30
A huge change, yeah. And initially I was very homesick because the weather here is quite different. I was just going to say, how are you coping with the weather? But now I have such an appreciation for seasons because now you think it’s ridiculous.

Speaker 7
02:30 – 02:42
You see people in Los Angeles wearing scarves and gloves and you just think, really? It’s never weather for that. So I appreciate seasons and I’m absolutely loving being here. I don’t think we’ll ever leave.

Speaker 7
02:44 – 02:52
Politics aside, trying not to delve into who the current president is. I think it’s better for us to grow up here in Europe.

Speaker 10
02:52 – 03:08
OK, so you’re good friends, shall we say, with Kelly Hunter, MBE? I met Kelly just before Christmas, if I remember correctly. And she does some fantastic work with Flute Theatre. So how did you meet Kelly?

Speaker 7
03:08 – 03:32
I met her through Queens Mill. We have an incredible, incredible drama coordinator called Elise, who coordinated classes, or sessions really, at Bush Theater, where Flute Theater conducts these sessions, and invited a bunch of Queens Mill students along. And we agreed to come along, and were basically smitten from the first session. And it’s quite strange.

Speaker 7
03:32 – 03:50
When you walk in, it’s a bit surreal, because everyone’s doing this funny sort of heartbeat. Hello. And my older son who came along, who at the time was maybe 10, the first session whispered in my ears, it’s a cult. And I said, let’s see.

Speaker 7
03:51 – 04:07
And we got to know Kelly and the actors as the session went along. And she’s incredible. With the autistic children there, with the families, they’re absolutely incredible. They start out with this Hunter heartbeat, which is a sort of iambic pentameter rhythm.

Speaker 7
04:08 – 04:31
And they introduce Shakespeare plays. We’ve done Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, most recently Pericles. And it just introduces games, a lot of sort of rhythmic movement, sensory games, very inclusive. You sit around and they do a sort of skit, the actors, and then involve all the children.

Speaker 7
04:31 – 04:45
And they’re not obligated to participate if they don’t want to. If they want to sit around and observe, that’s absolutely fine. And towards the end of the session, everybody’s dancing, everybody’s moving. The families are, the siblings are, they encourage siblings to do.

Speaker 10
04:45 – 04:51
Yeah, it’s amazing. So let’s rewind a little bit. So do you have a son on the autism spectrum? Is that why you’re a governor?

Speaker 7
04:51 – 04:55
Yes. Yes. Yes. Do you mind if we talk a little bit about what’s your son called?

Speaker 7
04:55 – 05:14
He’s called Lumen and he was diagnosed about two and a half years old and it was not a very easy road. Tried to have him diagnosed earlier, was told come back, which I think a lot of parents can relate to in this country. Yeah. And fought for it, fought very hard for it.

Speaker 7
05:14 – 05:23
And ended up getting a developmental check rather than an autism spectrum check. Okay, so was that in this country? That was in this country. So is that Hammersmith?

Speaker 7
05:23 – 05:24
No, we’re Westminster.

Speaker 10
05:24 – 05:39
Okay, so what’s it like for diagnosis? I’m always intrigued on how long… Different boroughs and councils. Yeah, and how long people have to wait because obviously, you know, as a charity we have done a survey about how long it takes for diagnosis and I’m always reading about it.

Speaker 10
05:39 – 05:46
I’ve spoken to many parents where some have waited six months, some have waited two years, five years, seven years, ten years. So how long did you have to wait?

Speaker 7
05:46 – 06:06
Approximately a year. Okay. And it wasn’t a very good experience in that during this developmental check, which wasn’t supposed to be a developmental check, The particular pediatrician was asking my son to do tasks that we already knew he couldn’t do, and it just seemed a bit demeaning to both of us, my son and myself, and was asking him to stack blocks.

Speaker 7
06:06 – 06:28
And I said, he’s not stacking blocks, and asking why is he hiding under the table, giving him a pencil to write with. He wasn’t writing anything. And towards the end of this developmental check, you know, he shows you the list of things and says, OK, he’s basically operating at six months old here, 10 months old here. He said, do you regret having him?

Speaker 10
06:28 – 06:29
Oh, my word.

Speaker 7
06:29 – 06:57
Yeah, I was completely distraught, walked out of there in tears. I’m not surprised. Yeah, decided to file a complaint against him and he since has been fired, he’s not working there, but did find out that a lot of other parents experienced a similar thing. And we ended up, coincidentally, maybe getting an appointment for the actual diagnosis, the assessment the next week.

Speaker 10
06:57 – 06:59
So had you heard of autism before?

Speaker 7
06:59 – 07:33
I’d heard of it and my experience of it was very limited in that I had watched documentaries about it and I had seen certain children in markets and had heard whispers, must be autistic, based on the behaviour and so I was actually scared. But having an older child and being able to compare the developmental differences, I knew there was something different. And I just thought, let’s sort out what this is and let’s address it and get on with life. And that’s basically been our approach.

Speaker 7
07:34 – 07:38
So how old is your son now? He’s seven. And how’s he getting on? He’s nonverbal.

Speaker 7
07:39 – 07:47
He will say words out of nowhere, sometimes in context. Yeah, I know. I know that feeling. It’s frustrating because you think, I want more.

Speaker 7
07:48 – 07:57
But when they do, it’s such a celebration. You think, oh, it’s beautiful. It’s such a beautiful sound. Does a lot of echolalia, likes to repeat a lot of Peppa Pig.

Speaker 7
07:57 – 08:11
Is that his thing then, Peppa Pig? Peppa Pig, Ben and Holly, some Elmo from America, Sesame Street. And he does wear ear defenders most of the time. Does a lot of flapping, does a lot of spinning.

Speaker 7
08:11 – 08:26
We have a trampoline at home, we have a therapy swing at home. He’s getting on quite well. Since he started Queen’s Mill, we fought to get him in there. Probably similar to yourself, looked at a million schools up and down the country, looked at schools internationally.

Speaker 7
08:26 – 08:35
I wasn’t really feeling any of them and I make no secret of my anti-ABA stance. So to find a school that wasn’t…

Speaker 10
08:35 – 08:37
So you’re looking for an eclectic approach.

Speaker 7
08:37 – 08:38
Exactly.

Speaker 10
08:38 – 08:46
That’s what Hillington Manor that we set up was an eclectic approach because I think all the children are so different from each other and it’s not one size fits all.

Speaker 7
08:46 – 09:07
It’s a spectrum and every single child is different and every individual. I think Queensborough has an incredible respect for each child and doesn’t apologize for their behavior and does have a sense of celebrating any sort of accomplishment, whatever that might be. You touched a carrot today, brilliant, you’ve done really well. And that was the school for us.

Speaker 10
09:08 – 09:11
And was it difficult then to get your son into the school?

Speaker 7
09:11 – 09:30
It was tricky, yeah. The waiting lists are quite long. I had written, I used to write a blog, and I had written a piece about my own adventure as the parent of an autistic child, and the head teacher, Freddie, had read this and invited us in to chat, saying, there’s not necessarily gonna be a place for you here, but let’s just have a chat.

Speaker 7
09:30 – 09:36
And my son is also anaphylactic, so he’s allergic to 45 foods. Wow, 45?

Speaker 10
09:36 – 09:43
45. Oh, my word. He’s had five anaphylactic reactions, yeah. So what sort of things does he eat?

Speaker 10
09:43 – 09:45
Is he gluten-free or anything like that?

Speaker 7
09:45 – 09:49
He only eats five foods. He’s only eaten five foods for the last six years. Oh, is he? Yeah.

Speaker 7
09:50 – 09:59
So he has ARFID, the eating disorder. Right. So basically, Freddie’s concern wasn’t autism. It was his allergies.

Speaker 7
10:00 – 10:07
And so we had this chat. I ended up in tears. and said, what can we do? Is there any way we can get her?

Speaker 7
10:07 – 10:13
And he said, you know what, we’re going to give it a go. I need you to come in. I need you to do some training sessions with staff about the allergies.

Speaker 10
10:13 – 10:28
And then that’s what I like. People who are flexible, people who think out the box. It’s like today the alarm went off at our house and we don’t use the alarm since we’ve moved there because we have a dog and if the dog moves around him. So the chap that I was ringing said, oh, I’m sorry, I can’t do anything.

Speaker 10
10:29 – 10:41
I’ve got an autistic son. He’s about to have a meltdown. Please can you just give me the code? And he, oh, I’m really sorry, we can’t, you haven’t got, and I just said, then he could hear Angela in the background and then he gave me the code and I hopped.

Speaker 10
10:41 – 10:52
Hallelujah. Thank you so much. That’s what I like people thinking out the box and you know, it’s you know, you just got to take each day as it comes different challenges and you just get through them. Yeah.

Speaker 10
10:52 – 11:20
So again, we’re going to be talking to Leisha in the next quarter. But if you’d like to be one of my speakers, On women’s radio station All Things Autism, supporting women’s well-being, please contact me on the charity website. It’s www.annakennedyonline.com or you can contact me via social media at Anna Kennedy One on Twitter, Anna Kennedy Online on Facebook. and at Anna Kennedy OBE on Instagram.

Speaker 10
11:20 – 11:42
If you’re interested in finding out a little bit more about Flute Theatre, the company, the website address is www.flutetheatre.co.uk. I’ll just say that again, www.flutetheatre.co.uk. You can find them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, again, at flutetheatre.co.uk. theatre.

Speaker 10
11:42 – 11:54
So it’s honestly the work that they do. I’ve just seen some of the videos as well from India that Kelly’s doing with some of the autistic children. They’re really, really amazing. Another person like myself thinking out of the box.

Speaker 10
11:55 – 11:59
So again, if you want to be one of my speakers, I am booked up till May, but speak to you soon.

Speaker 12
12:03 – 12:05
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Speaker 6
12:05 – 12:11
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Speaker 10
12:11 – 12:22
Hello and welcome to Judy May Is Listening. Hi, this is Anna Kennedy and we’re at women’s radio station supporting women’s well-being and we’re talking all things autism.

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12:22 – 12:26
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12:54 – 12:59
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Speaker 10
14:59 – 15:19
Hello, this is Anna Kennedy. We’re talking all things autism. We’re supporting women’s well-being and we’re live and we’re in Covent Garden. Just to remind you, Sienna Castellon, one of my charity ambassadors, is arranging the Neurodiversity Youth Summit with Jeanette Arland, who’s the chair of the London Assembly.

Speaker 10
15:20 – 15:35
This is going to be in City Hall on March the 16th. And that’s between 4 and 6.30 p.m. I’m going to be one of the speakers and six of our performers of Autism’s Got Talent are going to be showcasing their talent in City Hall. How exciting is that?

Speaker 10
15:35 – 15:51
So just to remind you a little bit about Sienna. So Sienna has autism and she’s a neurodiversity advocate. And despite her young age of 17, has already founded Quantum Leap Mentoring. Lots of resources on there if you’re interested in checking that out.

Speaker 10
15:51 – 16:25
So as a young autistic dyslexic and dyspraxic student, Sienna felt there was not enough information to support her and others as most of the resources were aimed at parents. So just aged 13 years old, she created her own child-friendly website to support and mentor children and young people with learning differences and autism. She’s now just written a book called the Spectrum Girl Survival Guide, which will be out very soon, How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic, and she is a maths genius as well. Very proud of of Sienna.

Speaker 10
16:25 – 16:45
My guest today, just to remind you, is Leisha Rooney, who is an artist, a writer, and a mother of two extraordinary sons. I met Kelly Hunter, the founder of Flute Theatre, and we’re going to be talking about the fantastic work. So thank you again, Leisha, for coming along. So just tell me about why did Kelly set up Flute Theatre?

Speaker 10
16:45 – 16:47
What was the reasoning behind it?

Speaker 7
16:47 – 17:23
Well, I think she’s an actor by trade, and I think she reached a point where she thought she wanted to make a difference. She didn’t want it to just be about her own career. She wanted to help particularly families who felt marginalized, whether that be autistic or any other neurodiverse condition. and we met her through Queens Mill School and I think she has engaged loads of the students there and her actors have gone, I think she’s now in India, they’ve gone to Poland, they’ve gone to Romania just to help spread the word about what she does, about what

Speaker 7
17:23 – 17:41
flute theatre does and to engage people through Shakespeare. So we’re humongous fans ever since we’ve gone. She’s given us a space, she’s given autistic individuals of space, but even more importantly, their families, because that’s their support system. She lets them be.

Speaker 7
17:41 – 17:54
She provides a venue and you go in there and you just are. It’s immersive. It’s full of rhythm. And most importantly to us, there are no judgments, no judgments whatsoever.

Speaker 7
17:54 – 17:59
You walk in and you just feel welcomed. And this is what happens in every session.

Speaker 10
17:59 – 18:12
So she’s going to be doing some summer workshops. So if people are interested, they can check out Flute Theatre website. Just to remind people, it’s www.flutetheatre.co.uk. So did you attend one of the summer projects last year?

Speaker 7
18:12 – 18:12
We did.

Speaker 10
18:12 – 18:16
We went to Bush Theatre last year with some of the actors.

Speaker 7
18:17 – 18:49
And it’s a very emotional experience because I’m a governor at Queen’s Mill and these were primarily Queen’s Mill students. I see these students all the time walking around school and several of them are nonverbal, several of them are highly anxious, and seeing them for the first time, my first time, it may not be their first time speaking, but seeing them for the first time speak, seeing them smile, seeing them engage is a very, just very emotional experience. And how she manages to do it, how these actors do it with every single student is beyond me.

Speaker 7
18:50 – 18:53
It’s magic, it really is magic.

Speaker 10
18:53 – 19:10
So can you talk to, so if people are listening and thinking I might like to try something like that for my child or for my adult, can you talk to me through the experience? So how does it start? So basically you contact Kelly and then she’ll let you know if there’s a place available and then what happens once you get there and you walk through the door?

Speaker 7
19:10 – 19:37
Yeah, they’re sitting in a circle usually and they’re doing a heartbeat. They’re basically pounding their chest to make a heartbeat sound and they’re singing hello and then they’ll start singing each child’s name and oftentimes the child will recognize their name and you don’t have to have any eye contact. There are absolutely no requests of you. The usual therapies that would occur where they want you to be still, they want you to not flap, they want you to have eye contact, none of that whatsoever.

Speaker 7
19:37 – 19:55
So you’re just being yourself? You’re just being yourself. and she’s celebrating the differences in each of the children. Some of them will flap and then the actors will start flapping and the child is happy because they see, you know, there are other people like me in this world who aren’t judging but are actually enjoying what I’m doing.

Speaker 7
19:55 – 20:15
And we’ve had several emotional experiences. I can share one with you when we were doing a sort of rocking. She incorporates games that do what autistic children would do naturally. So a bit of rocking, some jumping, very exaggerated facial expressions, like you would as a Shakespearean actor anyway.

Speaker 7
20:15 – 20:35
and lots of rhythms, lots of exaggerated movements, and the children love it. Their faces are beaming every single time we’ve gone. We were doing this rocking exercise. There was one actor in front of my son, Lumen, who was sort of catching him in the front, and Lumen loved it so much, he wanted to rock all the way back.

Speaker 7
20:36 – 21:02
I was behind him, legs spread, he was sitting in between me. and we were just rocking, and because he wanted to go so far back, and I don’t have the stomach muscles to support this, Kelly recognized this instantly, got behind me, was holding me, supporting me, and it was just so emotional, really emotional. She recognized it, they’re very improvisational, they know, they almost have a sixth sense of what the parent needs, what the child needs, and they do it.

Speaker 10
21:02 – 21:06
So how long do the sessions last for? They’re about an hour. OK. Yeah.

Speaker 10
21:06 – 21:11
But if the child or the adult can’t cope for an hour, they don’t have to. No, not at all. You leave when you want.

Speaker 7
21:12 – 21:25
You can walk outside, come back in, open door. Oftentimes, one of the actors will even go with you if you suggest that you need some time outside, they’ll offer. Do you want me to come out with you? Do you want me to escort you back in?

Speaker 7
21:25 – 21:26
What do you want?

Speaker 10
21:26 – 21:35
That’s lovely. So just moving away from flute theatre for the moment, so what is the relationship like between, did you say you have a son? Yes. Two sons?

Speaker 10
21:35 – 21:36
Yes.

Speaker 7
21:36 – 21:44
And what’s the age difference? My older son Enlai is 12 years old, Lumen is 7, so 5 years between them. Okay, and how are they together? They’re brilliant.

Speaker 7
21:44 – 21:55
You know, they’ve never fought once. Oh, wow. Yeah. Initially, it was quite tricky because when Lumen was being diagnosed, I think Enmai noticed there was something different about him.

Speaker 7
21:55 – 22:12
Why isn’t he playing? Why isn’t he engaging in conversation? Why isn’t he doing superheroes like I need him to be doing with me? But I think Enmai is a very old soul and he quickly recognized that this is actually something different, and why not explore the difference?

Speaker 7
22:13 – 22:32
So he has written blog posts about what it’s like to be the sibling. And he’s actually, on his own, asked if he could create a presentation. He created a PowerPoint presentation for his classmates about what autism is. And it’s funny to see how he does it in his own terms.

Speaker 7
22:32 – 22:49
He put in pictures of trampolines and swings. So the blog, is that open for everyone, if somebody wants to read it or is it just personal to him? It was, I posted it, I had a blog, I had a site that had blog posts but it’s now, I’ve shut it down. Okay.

Speaker 7
22:49 – 23:25
But those are still available if anyone wants them, they can contact me and I’m happy to send them out to you. We’ve also participated in this research project, Let’s Change the Face of Autism Research Together. It was funded by King’s College, by Maudsley, and it was run by this absolutely brilliant woman, Kinga, who decided to have autistic individuals and neurotypical individuals together, families, just have open discussions about what it’s like to be, to live in a world together. And Enlai had probably the most touching interview of all, of everyone.

Speaker 7
23:25 – 23:41
Yeah, they asked him what it’s like to have an autistic brother. And he said, I’m really happy, I feel really lucky. And at the very end, everyone breaking down in tears as he was having this interview. John Adams, who’s an autistic, yeah, he’s an advocate.

Speaker 7
23:41 – 23:50
asked and like, would you change Lumen if you could make him neurotypical so you could have the conversations you wanted to have, would you change him? And he said, definitely not, not in a second. Oh, that’s lovely.

Speaker 10
23:51 – 24:07
That’s really, really lovely. Thank you for sharing that with us. So again, in what way would you say that flute theatre changes the world for people with autism and their families? Do you believe that there’s more groups that should be doing what Kelly’s doing?

Speaker 7
24:07 – 24:21
Definitely. I think absolutely, 100%. As an artist, I take my boys to art shows all the time, and I have a very special relationship with creativity and art. I think it’s a fantastic coping mechanism.

Speaker 7
24:21 – 24:40
And when I take my boys, they’re very engaged, but it’s static. Visual art is quite static, whereas Kelly’s, there’s movement and there’s inclusion. There’s a conversation. And even though my son is autistic, he does crave some social activity, but on his terms.

Speaker 7
24:40 – 24:51
And that’s what Shakespeare and that’s what Kelly’s Flute Theatre does. It’s on his terms. You tell us how you want to communicate. You tell us how you want to move and we’ll engage you in that manner as opposed to how they want you to do it.

Speaker 7
24:52 – 25:17
And I think because it’s such a space where there’s absolutely nothing required of you but to be yourself, I don’t think autistic individuals have this sort of space. I don’t think it exists in the real world. I think everybody can be quite judgmental and restrictive. And to have this space where you can be whoever you want to be is something that we need more of.

Speaker 7
25:17 – 25:32
So I’m trying to visualize Shakespeare and working with, say, nonverbal young people. So how does that work? A lot of it is, like I said, exaggerated facial expressions, and there’s loads of gesture. They’re moving around.

Speaker 7
25:32 – 25:40
So give me an example. So talk to me about a Shakespeare play that might have been used, or is it just certain sections of the play? How is it? Certain sections of the play.

Speaker 7
25:40 – 26:10
She breaks it down to ones that would be relevant to the individuals. They’re doing Pericles now, and this was a couple weeks ago, where there’s this miracle that happens, and forgive me because I don’t know my Shakespeare up and down, but there’s a miracle that happens. Thaisa, I think her father, something happens, and Lumen was doing this sort of rocking exercise to this song that they were singing of Thaisa within Pericles.

Speaker 10
26:11 – 26:18
They make it work for each individual, no matter where they are on the spectrum. So where do they get their actors from? Do they advertise?

Speaker 7
26:18 – 26:27
How do they do it? I’m not sure how she gets all of them from. I think some of them have been with her for years and I think she works with Orange Tree Theatre a lot.

Speaker 10
26:28 – 26:48
That’s one of the theatres my husband and I go to. We don’t go out much but now and again we go to the Orange Tree Theatre and my husband likes it because you’re on the same level as the actors and it’s such a lovely warm theatre. I think it’s about 160 or 180 people it’s made for. That’s the only place that Molesville and I go to every few months.

Speaker 10
26:48 – 26:56
We haven’t been for a little while, but I do like it myself. It’s such a lovely theater, quite near the tube, easy to get to. Yeah. So, OK, then.

Speaker 7
26:56 – 27:08
So I think she gets most of the actors from there. I mean, I think they also it’s a learning lesson for them because they’ve not worked with autistic children their whole life. They’ve worked with fellow actors. So when they walk out of there, they’re enlightened, aren’t they?

Speaker 7
27:08 – 27:13
I mean, they’ve learned something. In fact, I think they’ve probably learned more than the children have learned.

Speaker 10
27:14 – 27:40
So again, just to remind people, if you’re interested in the Flute Theatre Company, you can check out their website, which is www.flutetheatre.co.uk, at Flute Theatre on Twitter, and Instagram and Facebook and apparently they have a newsletter is that right? They do yep you can go on to the site and sign up for it. Okay and what sort of information is it just about events that are happening?

Speaker 7
27:40 – 27:42
Yeah if you want to come to any of the sessions.

Speaker 10
27:42 – 27:59
Yeah so I believe there’s a possibility of a summer project that’s happening at the Orange Tree but the funding hasn’t been cleared yet so keep a lookout. I’m hoping that it’s going to happen then and I can take Angelo and have a little experience of what it’s like for him. So again, just to remind you, it’s Flute Theatre Company.

Speaker 12
28:02 – 28:29
Welcome to the women’s radio station supporting women’s well-being. Women’s Radio Station is all about diversity, from opinions, career, ethnicity, education, and most importantly, women’s well-being. We aim to celebrate the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and the platform for your voice. Visit our website, womensradiostation.com, for more information.

Speaker 3
28:31 – 28:51
Hi, everyone, and welcome to The Femaling Show. I am your host, Nicole Goodman, and I am a woman’s identity expert and coach. As women, we fall into different phases of identity through our adult life, and during these, our challenges can look pretty similar. Here at WRS, I will be talking to you about the real issues we all face, and even the ones we can silently struggle with.

Speaker 3
28:52 – 29:00
Through honest, heartfelt conversation here at Femaling, you will learn how to accept yourself, understand yourself, and be yourself.

Speaker 4
29:01 – 29:16
Hi, I’m Carolyn Van Beers. Please join me for a brand new show here on Women’s Radio Station. It’s Mother’s Hour. If, like me, you’re a mum juggling far too many balls and dropping most of them, this is definitely the show for you.

Speaker 4
29:16 – 29:30
We’ll examine the highs and lows of motherhood and make sure you laugh out loud as we take on this challenging role together. With spoonfuls of advice, incredible stories, it will be a refreshing, honest and funny look at being a mum.

Speaker 11
29:30 – 29:41
I’m Tamina Zaman, founder of Empower & Enrich. When it comes to money, do you clam up or get confused? Do you wish you could save more money, or are you hoping you have enough for retirement? You are not alone.

Speaker 11
29:42 – 30:00
Many women want to be smarter with their cash, but just don’t know where to start. At EmpowerAndEnrich.org, you will find a host of options to help you take charge of your finances and learn how to put your money to work for you in an easy, affordable way. Get in touch with me at EmpowerAndEnrich.org, and let’s change your future together.

Speaker 5
30:02 – 30:16
Are you struggling with money? Turn to Us is a national charity helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track.

Speaker 5
30:17 – 30:30
Whether you’re thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turntous.org.uk

Speaker 12
30:33 – 30:54
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Speaker 12
30:54 – 30:57
Women’s Radio Station, supporting women’s wellbeing.

Speaker 10
31:00 – 31:06
Hello, this is Anna Kennedy. We’re talking all things autism. We’re live. We’re in Covent Garden and we’re supporting women’s well-being.

Speaker 10
31:07 – 31:43
I’m going to have a very busy weekend, a full on week, really. So on Friday, I’m off to Glasgow and I’m going to be speaking at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow, where there’s about 200 people that are going to be coming along, going to be talking about living with autism and talking about autism’s got talent. and then I’m back on Saturday and then off to Essex to Clacton to the Westcliff Theatre where we will be having our, well not our, I’m one of the ambassadors for the Autism Anglia but I’m going to be comparing the autism variety show with Aston who again is one of my ambassadors.

Speaker 10
31:43 – 32:01
So it’s going to be an evening of singing, dancing and a variety of other special talents. So just to remind you, it’s the 1st of March 2020 at Westcliffe Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea. Still tickets available and it’s from 6 until 10pm. £10 for adults, £5 for a child.

Speaker 10
32:01 – 32:16
and £25 for a family ticket. So that’s two adults and two children. Please come along and support these amazing young people. And Evolution, the college, the Performing Arts College is going to be supporting us.

Speaker 10
32:16 – 32:26
So there’ll be lots of fantastic dancing going on there. And some of them are going to be supporting some of the young autistic people that are going to be singing. So there’ll be their backing dancers. I can’t wait.

Speaker 10
32:26 – 32:36
It’s going to be exciting. And I think I’m going to be very tired too. So Leisha, thank you again for coming along to come and see me. You walked from all the way from Marylebone, I believe.

Speaker 7
32:36 – 32:39
So you like walking? A journey, yes, yes. We love walking.

Speaker 10
32:41 – 32:44
I’m a bit of a walker as well with Angela. It’s a good stress buster. It is.

Speaker 7
32:44 – 32:52
No, it definitely is. We used to have to get up at 7am and walk for about three hours every morning and now it’s a bit better. Three hours. Three hours.

Speaker 7
32:52 – 33:03
Yeah, we’re quite lucky because we’re near Regent’s Park, so we’d be able to do the entire park. But you do realize, actually, this is good exercise. I don’t need the gym. And actually, it’s a lot of fresh air, which is good for everybody.

Speaker 10
33:03 – 33:17
Yeah, it’s really, really good. So you were talking about the John Lyons and their support flute theater. And obviously, you’re looking for funding all the time. So if anyone’s listening in, do you want to talk a little bit about how people can support this unique work?

Speaker 7
33:18 – 33:36
Yep, so they’ve received a grant from John Lyons, but they receive no core funding, Flute Theatre. And because of the work that they do, because it’s so amazing, they’re always asking if anybody wants to support them, please do. You can go on their site. They also have a JustGiving site.

Speaker 7
33:36 – 33:49
It’s justgiving.com forward slash Flute Theatre. And also on their Facebook page, there’s a donate button. And it doesn’t take a lot, does it? I mean, if every individual that believes in it gives five pounds, there you have it.

Speaker 7
33:49 – 34:01
So how long has it been going now? I’m not positive, flute theater itself. I know these particular sessions that we’ve participated in with Queens Mill School, we’ve been going for about two or three years. Wow, yeah.

Speaker 10
34:01 – 34:07
Okay then, so you’re going to be launching WhatDo soon, so what is WhatDo?

Speaker 7
34:09 – 34:33
So WhatDo is a family-owned, autism-friendly, and by autism-friendly I mean it was initiated with autistic individuals first and foremost in mind, not autism-friendly as in, oh come along, we’re inviting a few autistic people, not that. Okay. It’s a social clothing brand. So we were out one Christmas.

Speaker 7
34:33 – 34:47
This was last Christmas. Lumen, my son and I, and my ex-husband, Keith and I. And Lumen doesn’t like to wear shoes. So Christmas Day, winter, barefoot.

Speaker 7
34:47 – 35:02
And in the park, we also saw another boy who had ear defenders on and was barefoot. And I said, we have to do something. We have to create some sort of shoe or sock that he’ll want to keep on so he doesn’t catch cold. And there it began.

Speaker 7
35:02 – 35:23
He said, we need to create a whole clothing line for autistic children. And we decided we may not be able to create an entire clothing line initially, but we can create shirts to start out with. So we all have sensory issues. We’re all very not allergic, but we don’t like our wool, we don’t like our hemp, we itch.

Speaker 7
35:24 – 35:48
And so we’ve sourced some bamboo fabric and we’ve made no seams. The seams are on the outside and we’ve done no tags. And after lots of trial and error with our chief tester, Lumen, we’ve managed to create these t-shirts. And the most important thing to us is that they’re celebrating neurodiversity as opposed to apologizing for anything.

Speaker 7
35:48 – 36:03
And the first shirt says Neurodiversity Rocks on the front of it. And the name What Do comes from Lumen. So because he’s nonverbal, he will say something every now and then. And he does say, what do, what do?

Speaker 7
36:03 – 36:12
And we think that he’s saying, what are we doing? What are we gonna do? Or what are you doing? And we always tell him, respond to him when he asks that.

Speaker 7
36:12 – 36:19
And he always smiles. And so we think he understands what we’re saying. So when he says that, It means a lot to us.

Speaker 10
36:19 – 36:25
So he’s actually named it. Oh, brilliant. So if people are interested in checking out your website, is it up and running now?

Speaker 7
36:25 – 36:41
It’s not up and running yet, but they can definitely go on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter. They’re all the same hold. It’s what do w h a t d o h q. We’re just starting out with t-shirts.

Speaker 10
36:41 – 36:43
So what’s bamboo fabric? I’ve never heard of that before.

Speaker 7
36:43 – 36:56
It’s amazing. It’s so soft. It’s softer than the softest combed cotton that you can wear. In fact, we’ve been wearing it to bed just to test it out to make sure and it just feels like you’re nude.

Speaker 7
36:56 – 37:04
You can’t really feel it on your skin. You can source it from anywhere. We’ve sourced it from Turkey. I think some people source it from China.

Speaker 7
37:05 – 37:10
It’s amazing. And the fact that it’s soft is one issue, but it’s very eco-friendly, so it’s sustainable.

Speaker 10
37:12 – 37:43
As people know, I’m ambassador to Born Anxious. Again, a mom that was looking for something for her son, and he’s also got cerebral palsy, so she wanted something that was suitable. So now she’s got lots of different logos on it, and Angelo and I are brand ambassador. so again if you’re looking for something for t-shirts or for hats or for track suits or whatever it is that you might be looking for check out Born Anxious 2 and that’s got some fantastic stuff there as well again label free, scene free, all those sort of things

Speaker 10
37:43 – 38:24
which our children find difficult because I always remember when Angela was young because he was always looking for scissors to cut the labels out and then you’d see big holes or where he’s ripped it off or he’s tried to and he’s got like a big rip he’s come back home so yeah so it’s um it’s it’s great stuff so again um if you’re looking for somewhere where there’s lots of information come along to our expo which is at Brunel University it’s going to be happening at the end of March it’s come around so quickly So basically we have there, we have speakers, we have stands where there’s a lot of families that might have had to give up their jobs to look after their children. So they’ve set up a business.

Speaker 10
38:24 – 38:46
So they might be selling chocolate like non-chocolate or they might be selling oils or they might be selling resources or sensory products. So come along. There’s lots of information there. There’s clinics as well where you can get free advice or you might like advice on occupational therapy or behaviour management or free legal advice where my husband will be there to be giving out advice.

Speaker 10
38:46 – 39:07
So it’s only £10 for the day. It’s 9.30, I believe is the start time and finishes about five o’clock. So you can either listen to speakers or sit at Costa Coffee and have a sit down, sorry, not Costa Coffee, Starbucks and sit down, have a chat with some parents there or anybody that, you know, just have a little bit of networking going on. There’s always great to share strategies.

Speaker 10
39:07 – 39:38
And that’s what I like about Facebook as well, because so many parents share celebrations of things that might have been happening that’s really positive at school or at home. Might not seem a lot to other parents listening to it, but to our families, it’s huge. And Twitter’s great for networking, I think. I know it can have a bit of a negative effect, but I just think the thing is if there’s some negativity going on there, they just move along and just find somebody who’s positive and to share information.

Speaker 10
39:38 – 39:46
And Instagram is, again, quite positive. What are you like on social media? What do you think of it? It’s a necessary evil sometimes, isn’t it?

Speaker 7
39:46 – 39:59
No, I think it’s fantastic. Like you said, it’s fantastic for sharing amongst parents tips. And I follow Autism Inclusivity on Facebook, which is amazing. I mean, you can just pose any sort of question.

Speaker 7
40:00 – 40:14
And the fabulous thing is that it’s all autistic individuals. It’s run by autistic individuals. So you get firsthand information. I mean, this is part of how I found out about ABA and the negative aspects and how several of them have suffered from PTSD.

Speaker 7
40:14 – 40:15
And I just thought, yeah,

Speaker 8
40:15 – 40:17
We don’t really want that for our children, do we?

Speaker 7
40:17 – 40:27
But you can ask anything from potty training to which is the best sensory toy. If they’re biting everything, chewing everything, sleep deprivation, any any tip.

Speaker 10
40:27 – 41:11
That’s what’s the great thing about Facebook is that a lot of people say. tend to think that I know everything about everything that’s going on but I don’t you know and what I do is if say for example someone might be asking me or do you know of an out-of-school club that might be in Liverpool that’s autism friendly so I say okay so I open it up onto Facebook and I go hello Facebook friends or hello Twitter followers do you know of anywhere in this area and you know what everyone just jumps in and if people do know they will share the information and that’s what’s fantastic about the autism community it’s about sharing information and making life easier because this world is difficult enough as it is to navigate without having to try and find because there’s not a lot of out of school clubs that are autism friendly.

Speaker 10
41:11 – 41:19
We are getting better but there’s still a long way to go. What does your son do for out of school anything in particular? Yeah, we do.

Speaker 7
41:19 – 41:31
We go to a lot of sensory mornings or relaxed mornings that they have at National History Museum, Science Museum, that sort of thing. Yeah. Where you’re with other autistic families. Okay.

Speaker 7
41:31 – 41:33
Trampolining is always a good one, isn’t it? Yeah.

Speaker 10
41:33 – 41:50
We need more trampoline sessions that are awesome friendly. I remember Angelo’s broken so many trampolines in the garden. And it’s just like, I need Tonka proof ones. It was quite funny as well, the bad weather that we had, so many trampolines flying around and stuck on someone’s roof that I saw, which I thought was quite funny.

Speaker 10
41:51 – 42:00
But we’re going to be talking again in the last quarter. Thank you so much again for coming along to talk about flute theatre. And we’re going to be talking about what you do to relax.

Speaker 12
42:03 – 42:05
Welcome to Women’s Radio Station.

Speaker 6
42:05 – 42:11
Hello and welcome to Future Classic Women Awards with me, Stefania Passamonte on Women’s Radio Station.

Speaker 12
42:11 – 42:15
Hello and welcome to Judy May Is Listening.

Speaker 10
42:15 – 42:22
Hi, this is Anna Kennedy and we’re at women’s radio station supporting women’s well-being and we’re talking all things autism.

Speaker 12
42:22 – 42:26
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Speaker 4
42:31 – 42:38
Hi, I’m Meg Matthews. And I’m Carolyn Vambeers. Join us for a brand new show on Women’s Radio Station. It’s the Meg’s Menopause Show.

Speaker 4
42:38 – 42:54
Yes, for the first time on radio, there’s an entire show dedicated to the menopause. A fresh new approach where we inform you of all the choices and treatments that are out there. Supportive and empowering, this is your show. So join us every week with a host of celebrity guests.

Speaker 4
42:55 – 42:59
Our very own resident doctor. Where we talk about everything menopause.

Speaker 9
43:00 – 43:27
Hi, I’m Lauren Mishkon. I’m a birth doula and mum of three, and I’m passionate about supporting women to have empowering and positive birth experiences. Please join me for my brand new show, From Tummy to Mummy, here on Women’s Radio Station. Every week, I’ll be here with an expert guest talking about women’s reproductive health, everything fertility, pregnancy, birth and baby related, right through to the menopause and beyond.

Speaker 9
43:27 – 43:30
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Speaker 2
43:30 – 43:55
My name is Ingrid Marsh and I host the radical well-being show supporting women’s well-being. On my show I bring you ordinary women like me and you who are sharing their unique stories. Women who have refused to be defined by their pains, to be silenced by stigma or crushed by stereotypes and who are taking back their power. And together our mission is a simple one and that’s to inspire you to kick away the roadblocks too.

Speaker 2
43:55 – 44:00
To don your wings and be the person that you were born to be.

Speaker 8
44:01 – 44:22
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Speaker 8
44:22 – 44:30
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Speaker 12
44:33 – 44:56
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Speaker 10
45:00 – 45:07
Hello, this is Anna Kennedy. We’re talking all things autism. We’re live. We’re in Covent Garden and we’re in the last quarter of the program.

Speaker 10
45:07 – 45:21
Time always flies. Just to remind you of some of our events that are happening within the charity. So we’ve got our workshop with Paul Isaac, who’s autistic, and one of our consultants. And he is going to be talking about autism and mindfulness on the 29th of April.

Speaker 10
45:21 – 45:56
between 10.30 and 2.30 and it’s basic concept of being mindful it’s only £15 and you get lunch too and just to remind you about our Autism Hero Awards the closing date is the 1st of September so if you know someone that goes the extra mile like Flute Theatre that you might like to nominate. So it could be a parent, it could be a carer, it could be a business, it could be a reporter that writes particularly well. Someone you feel that goes the extra mile to change people’s lives who are on the autism spectrum, whether they’re children, whether they are adults, please nominate them.

Speaker 10
45:56 – 46:19
We had such fantastic nominations last year and it was really difficult for our seven judges to choose three finalists for each category. There’s 12 categories. Then I have what’s called the Special Recognition Award which is the one that I choose. So I choose somebody and last year I chose Leo who was a mum who fought to get her son out of hospital, Stephen.

Speaker 10
46:19 – 46:49
And then I choose one of our volunteers that I’ve been working really hard for our charity and I chose my mother-in-law who’s 88 years old and she follows us everywhere. She makes tea and coffee for everyone and she’s just such a popular person within the events that we go to. The last event that I’ll talk to you about is I Am Ambassador For Chaps, which is in Cheshire. And Jo Garner, the managing director, is celebrating 10 years with her team.

Speaker 10
46:49 – 47:07
So we are going to be doing Autism’s Got Talent, the road show at the Brindley in Runcorn. And the closing date for auditions to send in your YouTube links is at the end of this week. So 28th on 2020. It’s going to be CHAPS.

Speaker 10
47:07 – 47:35
So if you check out CHAPS, which is Cheshire Autism Practical Support on Google, you will see the Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow and send in your auditions before the 28th. And then we have the headache of choosing the performers that are going to be showcasing their talent at the Brindley in Runcorn. My most favourite times of the year when we’re doing Autism’s Got Talent and when we’re doing the roadshows. So thank you again.

Speaker 10
47:35 – 47:47
We’re on the last quarter. Can you believe it? So talk to me a little bit more about relaxed sessions, because we were chatting about sometimes the silly times that they put these things on that you can’t get there.

Speaker 7
47:47 – 47:57
Yeah, no, it’s unfortunate because some of them, yeah, 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. in the morning before the general public arrives. It’s very gracious of them to do it and we always appreciate it and we always go along.

Speaker 7
47:58 – 48:16
Like I said before, the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, this last weekend we went to Shakespeare’s Globe, which was brilliant. Okay, so what was happening there then? They did everything correctly. I mean, because you go to so many of these, you can start comparing and contrasting what works and what doesn’t work, but they had the lights low, there was no sound.

Speaker 7
48:16 – 48:26
and it was just sort of do what you wanna do. They had costumes that you could try on. They had props. My son was running around with a big lamb chop that he liked.

Speaker 7
48:26 – 48:44
And then you could also walk outside and go inside the Globe and just have a wander, but you didn’t have to follow a tour. There was no one dictating exactly what you had to do. So it was just time, you just took time, what you wanted to see and there was no pressure type of thing. And the staff were absolutely amazing.

Speaker 7
48:44 – 48:56
Very sweet. Asked if you needed anything and then basically stood back and said, if you do, we’re here. Come to us if you need to. I know the London Transport Museum here also in Covent Garden offers something like that.

Speaker 7
48:57 – 49:13
And there are a few within the community. It’s not just Hammersmith and Fulham, but I think within the autism community that have taken it upon themselves to sort of plan events. We’ve been to a Hamleys event early in the morning on a Sunday. So it was 10 o’clock as opposed to 8 a.m.

Speaker 7
49:13 – 49:18
because they don’t open until noon. And I think the Apple Store does some things.

Speaker 10
49:18 – 49:34
Yeah, we, was it last year or the year before, Jo, one of my charity champions, she said to me, why don’t you come to the Hamley parade? It was the worst thing I’d ever been to. Absolutely packed. It wasn’t anything to do with autumn, but I thought some parents might have liked to go along to see the parade.

Speaker 10
49:35 – 49:44
I couldn’t get out there quick enough. It was horrendous. It was just like, I don’t know if I’ve got sensory issues, but I just couldn’t get out there quick enough. She was laughing at me.

Speaker 10
49:44 – 49:53
But I have taken Angelo to a couple of friendly sessions. So we went to the Lion King. He didn’t stay there for very long. But you know what?

Speaker 10
49:53 – 50:04
You just celebrate every single performance that you go to, however far he gets. So obviously we went by Tube, so that’s a big thing as well. Walking across London. We went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Speaker 10
50:04 – 50:16
And as soon as the Oompa Loompas came out, that was it. He was like, no, get me out of here. So he found that quite stressful. But even I thought because it was quite loud and it was dark and like lots of.

Speaker 10
50:17 – 50:29
Yeah, it was just like he just couldn’t cope with that at all. So we went out, we sat down on the set for a little while and then we just went to get something that he liked to eat and then he calmed down. But I said, do you want to go back in Angelo? But no, he didn’t.

Speaker 10
50:29 – 50:43
It was just like, OK, we’ll go back home. That’s fine. We’ve done things like sponsored walks, which you did really, really well. We did a fundraiser for CLASP charity, which is for suicide prevention and also funding for our charity.

Speaker 10
50:43 – 51:07
So there was about six or seven of us and it was a 10 mile walk and you had a break after five miles. So I had a little haversack on my back with like monster munch. cake, a Sprite, whatever it was that we had to just keep motivating him. But he did it, you know, we did 10 miles, and then at the end of it, there was a welcome donut that was provided for us, and we raised about 1,600 pounds.

Speaker 10
51:08 – 51:16
So that was fantastic. We did that for about three years. So yeah, no, it’s good to try these different experiences. I’m always looking for different things, Frangelo.

Speaker 10
51:16 – 51:23
As I said, we went to the karting, so I’d be really, grateful for him to try an experience of going round. I think he’d enjoy it.

Speaker 7
51:24 – 51:30
Yeah, I mean that’s a brilliant thing because I can’t imagine my son, even with ear defenders, being able to cope.

Speaker 10
51:30 – 51:53
But that’s the thing, some certain sounds you would think that would affect Angelo, it doesn’t bother him at all. And then other things, I remember when we used to go into the town when he was a child, if a motorbike sort of came by, he would just sit down, hands over his ears and he wouldn’t budge. So there’s just certain sounds that really affect Angelo. And then sometimes when you think something’s going to affect him, it doesn’t bother him at all.

Speaker 10
51:53 – 52:03
So, yeah, he has. Does your son, what’s your son’s sleeping pattern like? Because Angelo has to have the fan on at night and so does my eldest son, Patrick. And I think that obviously that masks out the white noise.

Speaker 10
52:03 – 52:04
What about your son?

Speaker 7
52:04 – 52:22
Funnily enough, my older son, who’s neurotypical, had issues when he was a child with sleeping. We had to have one of those little teddies that had the monitor inside of it, where you could have airplane noise. There was a heartbeat. There were a few different settings that you could put on.

Speaker 7
52:22 – 52:48
Lumen hasn’t been a good sleeper historically, but now we’ve finally gotten into a pattern, and I can’t tell you why. If there’s no rhyme or reason to it, it could just be age, it could just be a developmental period, I’m not sure. But before, we used to have to take very long walks before bed, very long baths, and that would be the only way that he would stay asleep until about 2 a.m. The magic party hour used to be between 1 and 4 a.m.

Speaker 10
52:49 – 52:58
I think it’s common with a lot of parents. Where can you see your son in a few years’ time? How long can he stay at school? Queen’s Mill until he’s in his 20s.

Speaker 10
52:58 – 52:59
Oh, that’s all right then.

Speaker 7
53:00 – 53:16
He’s still got quite a bit to go. Yeah, but I do empathise with parents now who are in this situation of trying to figure out what to do because I’m hoping they pave the way because it’s a very difficult time to navigate, isn’t it? I mean, that’s what you’re navigating.

Speaker 10
53:16 – 53:49
Yeah, adults, there just seems to be, you get past one challenge and then another challenge appears. So it’s just going through them, navigating them the best you can, giving them as much support as you possibly can, trying to help them with strategies that work for them. So my son Patrick, he’s going off to Edinburgh. for four days with his friends so this is the first time that he’s been away for four days on his own he has been away for like one night but not four nights so he’s going with his mates because he’s celebrated his 30th year so they’re all going

Speaker 10
53:49 – 54:14
off together on the bus eight hours so they’ve booked a seat where they can have a sleep you know so the journey but yeah so that will work for him so he’s really looking forward to it so they’re off in the middle of March and it doesn’t matter how old your son or daughter is you always worry about them so I always say to Just text me when you get there. Text me when you’re getting on the bus or the train coming back. So it’s just peace of mind.

Speaker 10
54:14 – 54:29
Because we’re living in a bit of a funny world at the moment, aren’t we? And it’s quite stressful. So what do you do to relax? Because obviously we are busy moms and we’re always worrying and thinking about what we’re doing for our sons or daughters.

Speaker 10
54:29 – 54:37
Obviously you’re a governor and you’re setting up this clothing company. So you’re juggling lots of different hats. So what do you do to relax to help you chill?

Speaker 7
54:37 – 54:56
I haven’t known what to do for a while, but believe it or not, Kelly has helped me. Flute theater has helped me relax because of these breathing exercises that she does in the beginning. I didn’t anticipate that it would help me. And in fact, I think initially it was helping me more than my son, Newman.

Speaker 7
54:56 – 55:13
And now, when we’ve gone home, sort of the heartbeat thing that she’s done, he has done it on his own. He’s lied down at night, and he’s started putting his hand to his heart as a way to put himself to sleep. And I’m convinced this is all from flute theater. And he’s also done some other things.

Speaker 7
55:13 – 55:25
They have this tune, they sing, ay, ay, ay, ay, and he’ll sing it when he’s stressed to calm himself. And I’m thinking, I need to incorporate this. And I do. I’ll just start doing the heartbeat.

Speaker 10
55:25 – 55:29
because you might have a parent listening now thinking, what is that? I need to know what it is because I want to try it out.

Speaker 7
55:29 – 55:34
Yeah, they just do this chant in the very, very beginning and forgive me, I have a monotone voice.

Speaker 10
55:34 – 55:36
I’m not very… We don’t care.

Speaker 7
55:36 – 55:47
We just want to know what to do to relax. She just puts her hand to her heart and then sings, hello, hello, to the rhythm of the heartbeat. Oh, OK. And I just find it very relaxing.

Speaker 8
55:47 – 55:49
So how long do you do it for? I’ve just done it for about a minute.

Speaker 7
55:49 – 56:00
And I think it affects your breathing subconsciously. And you just sort of, it’s almost like transcendental meditation. You just do the same thing over and over until you can feel your heart rate drop.

Speaker 10
56:01 – 56:04
I’ve tried things where you sit down and people say, right now, try and think of nothing.

Speaker 7
56:05 – 56:06
I can’t do it.

Speaker 10
56:06 – 56:13
It’s just like, I can’t do it. I just can’t do it. I’ve tried yoga. I just know it doesn’t do anything for me whatsoever.

Speaker 10
56:13 – 56:47
I just think my brain’s just ticking over fast all the time So I have started going to an osteopath and they said I’ve got very lot of stress in my shoulders and the back of my neck but I’m gonna keep going because I’m gonna try and see if it helps me and Relax, I’m gonna persevere because I think now as you get older, it’s something so we’ve come to the end already I just want to say thank you so much for coming along and talking me about flute talking to me about your sons And I wish you all the luck in the world you and I hope to see you at one of the sessions Yeah with Angelo and then I meet him and I can meet your son.

Speaker 7
56:47 – 56:48
That would be brilliant

Speaker 10
56:48 – 57:00
So just to remind people, it’s Flute Theatre, www.flutetheatre.co.uk. Thank you so much to Leisha, and have a good week, everyone.

Speaker 12
57:03 – 57:30
Welcome to the Women’s Radio Station, supporting women’s wellbeing. Women’s Radio Station is all about diversity, from opinions, career, ethnicity, education, and most importantly, women’s well-being. We aim to celebrate the individuality of every woman everywhere, providing opportunities and the platform for your voice. Visit our website, womensradiostation.com, for more information.

Speaker 3
57:31 – 57:52
Hi, everyone, and welcome to The Femaling Show. I am your host, Nicole Goodman, and I am a woman’s identity expert and coach. As women, we fall into different phases of identity throughout adult life, and during these, our challenges can look pretty similar. Here at WRS, I will be talking to you about the real issues we all face, and even the ones we can silently struggle with.

Speaker 3
57:52 – 58:00
Through honest, heartfelt conversation here at Femaling, you will learn how to accept yourself, understand yourself, and be yourself.

Speaker 4
58:01 – 58:17
Hi, I’m Carolyn Van Biers. Please join me for a brand new show here on Women’s Radio Station. It’s Mother’s Hour. If, like me, you’re a mum juggling far too many balls and dropping most of them, this is definitely the show for you.

Speaker 4
58:17 – 58:31
We’ll examine the highs and lows of motherhood and make sure you laugh out loud as we take on this challenging role together. With spoonfuls of advice, incredible stories, it will be a refreshing, honest and funny look at being a mum.

Speaker 11
58:31 – 58:42
I’m Tamina Zaman, founder of Empower & Enrich. When it comes to money, do you clam up or get confused? Do you wish you could save more money, or are you hoping you have enough for retirement? You are not alone.

Speaker 11
58:43 – 59:00
Many women want to be smarter with their cash, but just don’t know where to start. At EmpowerAndEnrich.org, you will find a host of options to help you take charge of your finances and learn how to put your money to work for you in an easy, affordable way. Get in touch with me at EmpowerAndEnrich.org, and let’s change your future together.

Speaker 5
59:03 – 59:17
Are you struggling with money? Turn to Us is a national charity helping people struggling to make ends meet. Job loss, illness or bereavement can cause a real financial crisis. We give practical help to get people back on track.

Speaker 5
59:18 – 59:30
Whether you’re thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turntous.org.uk

Speaker 12
59:33 – 59:54
Welcome to the Women’s Radio Station, supporting women’s wellbeing. Women’s Radio Station can give voice to your brand with a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, including individual programmes. We can tailor your experience for you. For more information on how you can sponsor a show, go to womensradiostation.com.

Speaker 12
59:55 – 59:58
Women’s Radio Station, supporting women’s wellbeing.