Alison sits down with Simon Nicoll and Lois Delong to talk about the new Ermine Exchange coffee shop and wellbeing hub.

This is a really lively conversation that will have you laughing and possibly crying (see if you can notice our host Alison lose it for the first time in her podcast history).

Both Simon and Lois speak passionately about people, partnerships, co-production, value, and impact.

The Ermine Exchange is a great example of Our Shared Agreement in action, where relationships are at the heart of this wonderful space that is making a real difference to local people.

Give the podcast a listen and we challenge you to not want to be part of something similar. Get in touch if you want to give it a try - lhnt.itsallaboutpeople@nhs.net ​

About the Ermine Exchange

The Ermine Exchange is a safe space serving coffee and cake whilst also giving access to essential support services. Come for the brew, stay for the community. Hosted by Alive Church working with local partners such as City of Lincoln Council, Lincoln Bishop University, NHS Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust (LPFT). A haven at the heart of the Community.

In this episode, Alison is joined by Helen Ashwell, People Promise Manager, and Wendy Cundy, Head of Primary Care Workforce Transformation, both working in Primary Care (which includes GP surgeries, opticians, community pharmacy, and dentistry). Together they explore the powerful work happening to support and strengthen the workforce.

Wendy explains how they responded to staff survey feedback that people didn’t feel heard or valued, and the changes that followed. Helen shares how she and her colleague Ruth run reflective practice sessions with GP practices and Primary Care Networks, focusing on staff wellbeing and building healthier teams.

They also discuss the impact their work is having, not only on the workforce but also on the patients, and how people now feel “we are a team”.

The People Promise aligns so closely with Our Shared Agreement and highlights the value of investing in our workforce, so Alison (our Workforce Development Lead) was thrilled!

If you want to know more about the People Promise work, please don’t hesitate to contact Helen or Wendy. And if you have been involved in any of this work and want to talk to us more about what you have been up to, please contact us at lhnt.itsallaboutpeople@nhs.net ​

In this third episode of the 'Everybody, Every Story' Cancer Awareness Podcast, hosts Kavya and Charlotte are joined by Dr Lucy Rushworth, GP and the Cancer Lead for South Lincolnshire Rural Primary Care Network, and Nick Reed, Programme Manager for Lung Cancer Screening in Lincolnshire. Together, they explore lung cancer screening and why it matters here in Lincolnshire.

They break down common myths, explain who is eligible for screening, what screening actually involves, and how it can help catch lung cancer early, when treatment is most effective.

It’s an open, honest conversation designed to make lung screening feel less scary and more approachable. Whether you’re eligible for screening or supporting someone who is, this episode offers clear, friendly guidance to help you feel informed and empowered.

This podcast series is brought to you by our colleagues at South Lincolnshire Rural Primary Care Network.

Alison is joined by Kat and Judy for an honest and eye-opening conversation about hoarding disorder.

Kat is Director for Hoarding Disorders UK (East) Community Interest Company (CIC) and founder of The Hummingbird Effect, a social purpose business that specialises in professional decluttering and organisational strategies.

Judy is an expert by experience, and shares her own story and how she now uses her lived experience to support others through a peer group in Stamford.

Kat talks about the powerful ripple effect of Judy’s openness - how it’s encouraged others to share their own stories, build trust, and form strong connections within the group.

Together, they explore the stigma and shame often linked to hoarding, highlighting the importance of understanding what lies beneath these behaviours. They also discuss the value of kindness, non-judgement, and a few practical tools that can help.

This podcast is not a short listen, but it’s a deeply human one, offering real insight into hoarding and the courage it takes to talk about it.

To celebrate Occupational Therapy Week 2025 (3–9 November), Alison is joined by Occupational Therapists Zoe and Laura, and Denis, an expert by experience.

Together, they share Denis’s incredible journey through rehabilitation - a story powered by his determination and by Zoe and Laura’s willingness to do things differently.

Denis talks about how he went from spending 15 months lying in a hospital bed to being able to sit up in his chair, walk into his kitchen and back again, and how those steps transformed his life.

He also speaks movingly about the relationship he built with Zoe and Laura, and how their trust and teamwork made all the difference to his recovery.

This uplifting conversation is a reminder of what’s possible when people work together, and will inspire anyone listening to make the most of what’s available and keep reaching for their goals.

As we head through Autumn and into Winter, many of us feel the impact of the shorter days, lack of sunlight, and bad weather, not just in our routines, but in our moods and energy.

In this first episode of this Mental Health series, our colleagues from South Lincolnshire Rural Primary Care Network, Kavya, Melissa, and Leah, shine a light on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

What is SAD, why does it happen, and how we can support ourselves and each other through the darker months.

The trio explore the power of community support and self-care strategies that make a real difference, drawing on the evidence-based Five Ways to Wellbeing:

• Connect - Reaching out to friends, family, or local groups to feel less alone.
• Be active - Keeping your body moving to lift your mood, even if it’s simply getting off the sofa and going up and down the stairs.
• Take notice - Finding moments of calm and awareness in nature, art, or your everyday surroundings.
• Keep learning - Trying something new to spark curiosity and confidence.
• Give - Small acts of kindness or volunteering that help others and boost your own wellbeing too.

And for the Our Shared Agreement supporters out there, a key theme throughout the podcast is 'making the most of what we have available to us' (Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 5).

Whether you live with SAD or just struggle through winter’s gloom, this episode offers warmth, practical ideas, and gentle encouragement.

And remember, you’re not alone - and there’s more support around you than you might think. Let’s get through this, together!

Joining Alison as she sits down with Alice Carter and Phillip Watson from Lincoln City Foundation. Together they explore the Foundation's great work supporting individuals and communities to improve their physical, social, and mental wellbeing - and why what they do ‘isn’t just football’.

Stick with us to the end to hear about how proud Alice and Phill are about the impact their services are having on people - just don’t mention the dog and the naked photo shoot!

What does it really mean to work in a strengths-based way - and why should it matter to everyone in health and social care?

In this episode, Alison sits down with Hayley Eccles, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care at Lincolnshire County Council, to explore how a strengths-based mindset transforms the way we think about care and support.

Hayley shares her own journey from Support Worker to Deputy Director, and why those early working experiences still shape her belief that people’s strengths, relationships, and communities are at the heart of meaningful care.

Together, Hayley and Alison unpack what it takes to move from “fixing problems” to building on what people can do, creating independence and connection rather than dependence.

From culture change to community partnerships, Hayley makes a powerful case for being brave enough to do things differently - putting people, not systems, at the centre of everything we do.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about co-production, compassion, and the golden thread of strengths-based practice running through care in Lincolnshire.