Spare a Thought – Details, episodes & analysis

Briony Goffin is a writer, tutor, and mentor. She teaches creative writing at Cardiff University and is a specialist in facilitating creative writing experiences in community and healthcare settings.

In this episode, I spoke to Briony about where ideas come from, being creative, getting back into writing and facilitating workshops.

You can find out more about Briony and the sessions she runs by visiting the Cardiff Writer’s Studio website: https://www.cardiffwritersstudio.co.uk/

Watch Briony’s TedX video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YChjblFMw20&t=903s

And sign-up to Briony’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dKa342

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Stephen Wheatley is a volunteer crew member for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in London. In this episode Stephen speaks to host Tom Spare about the RNLI’s mission, its history and his experience of volunteering for the 200 year old charity. 

So, sit back and spare a thought for the RNLI. 

Stephen’s Just Giving Page raising money for the Royal National Lifeboat 200th anniversary: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephen-wheatley-1721734766708

You can find out more about the RNLI by visiting: https://rnli.org/

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Content warning: This episode includes reference to genocide, sexual assault, coercion, torture and other topics listeners might find distressing. Listener discretion is advised.

Dima Hamdan is a Palestinian filmmaker and former journalist. In this episode Dima Hamdan talks about why she became a filmmaker, her experience of being a member of the Palestinian diaspora and why she made the Iris Prize winning film Blood Like Water. 

Her film Blood Like Water tells the story of a Palestinian gay man who is blackmailed to become an informant in occupied Palestine. 

This conversation with Dima is honest, open, challenging and thought provoking. Near the end of the episode Dima provides recommended reading, listening and watching which can be found below. It’s time to Spare a Thought for Dima Hamdan.

Books about Palestine 

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

Palestinian Walks by Raja Shehadeh

Films  

Palestine Film Institute

Podcast 

Makdisi Street

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

This fifth episode of Spare a Thought completes a miniseries focused on international students studying in UK universities. 

In this episode Tom interviews Tanya Thomas, a partner at Spencer West solicitors, who specialises in Higher Education disputes and dispute resolution. During their conversation Tom and Tanya discuss the issues that students raise when their experience at university goes awry, the challenging situations international students face, and what steps students can take to resolve their complaints. 

Tanya Thomas, Spencer West Solicitors: https://www.spencer-west.com/team/tanya-thomas/

Spencer West LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spencer-west/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Subscribe to the Spare a Thought Substack for free: https://tomspare.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-spare-a-thought-newsletter?r=4ks8qu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

This fourth episode of Spare a Thought continues a mini series focused on international students studying in the UK.

In this episode, Tom interviews four former international students and one current, all from Cardiff University - Sidd, Lily, Sumani, Zuzanna and Nathan. He finds out why they chose to study in the UK, the barriers to living here and how their experiences differ from living in their home countries. 

Later in the episode, Tom speaks to Nathan, a former campaign officer at Cardiff Students’ Union, about working together to introduce a full-time sabbatical officer for international students at Cardiff University. In their conversation, they also speak about the unique challenges international students face and the importance of representing their views to the Students’ Union and the University.

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

This third episode of Spare a Thought starts a mini series focused on international students studying in the UK. In episode three, Tom chats with Julie Campbell, International Student Advisory Manager at Ulster University about international students and the Higher Education sector. 

International students provide a net contribution to the UK economy of £37.4 billion, but their contribution goes way beyond numbers and figures. There are lots of challenges that international students are faced with, but even when an international student has their place confirmed, their journey is far from over.

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

In the second episode of Spare a Thought, Tom chats with Dr Samantha James, an NHS doctor who volunteered for the German charity Sea Watch collecting refugees in distress in the Mediterranean in 2022. 

Together, Sam and Tom discuss why Sam became a doctor, how she found out about Sea Watch and explore her experience in the Mediterranean. 

To donate to Sea Watch: https://sea-watch.org/en/ 

To follow Sea Watch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seawatchcrew/ 

Sea Watch testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frx_ZlIY4HI 

Human Rights Watch - The Mediterranean explainer: https://shorturl.at/jT1W1

Libya militias take EU funds for migrants: https://shorturl.at/Dm5kZ

Libya: number of detained refugees soars: https://shorturl.at/Va2zE

Other NGOs you can follow on this matter include: Borderline Europe, Captain Support Network, Compass Collection and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

In this inaugural episode of Spare a Thought, Tom chats with Berwyn Rowlands, Director of the Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ short film prize. Together, Berwyn and Tom discuss first cinema memories, delve into the origins of Iris, consider the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, and reveal what’s in store for the upcoming Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival takes place between 8th - 13th October 2024.

To buy tickets to the festival, head to: https://irisprize.org/ 

Follow Iris Film Festival on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irisprize/

Watch trailers and films via their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@irisprize

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

Gwern Gwynfil is the acting Director of New Wales, a new Welsh cross-party think tank, and is the former CEO of Yes Cymru, Wales’ independence campaign group. 

In this episode Tom speaks to Gwern about the Welsh language, surprising facts about Wales, the successes and shortcomings of devolution, and the future of Wales.

You can find out more about New Wales by heading to their website: https://new.wales/ 

Join the New Wales team at their launch event taking place in the Senedd on 2nd April at 6pm. You can book a free ticket here.

If you are ever visiting Wales, or even live in Wales and haven’t used Welsh much before, here are some handy phrases to know:

Bore da: Good morning, pronounced "boh-reh dah" Pnawn da: Good afternoon, pronounced "pnaoon dah" Noswaith dda: Good evening, pronounced "nos-wye-th tha" Diolch: Thank you, pronounced "dee-olch" Hwyl fawr: Goodbye, pronounced "hoo-yl vah-ur" Croeso: Welcome, pronounced "croy-so”

You can subscribe to Tom's substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/  Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/

To celebrate international women’s day, Tom speaks to Professor Laura McAllister CBE and Lowri Roberts about Welsh Women’s football. 

Together Tom, Laura and Lowri discuss the development of the women’s game in Wales, Cymru’s journey to the 2025 Women’s Euros and the opportunities that will open up.

Professor Laura McAllister is Vice President at UEFA, she is a former Wales Women’s football international and captain, and a professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at the Wales Governance Centre in the School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University.

Lowri Roberts is a sports consultant who was formerly the Head of Women’s and Girls Football at the Football Association Wales. Before working for the FAW she worked for the Football Association, and has held various roles in the game.

You can subscribe to Tom's substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Also, feel free to follow Tom via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparetom/