Somerset Cider Brandy is a distillation of cider, which is made from apples grown in the beautiful English county of Somerset - and they in turn originate from apple trees that were brought west centuries ago from Kazakhstan, travelling along the ancient Silk Road. The spirit has been enjoyed recently by King Charles as well as festival goers over the years at Glastonbury. Julian Temperley, founder of the Somerset Cider Brandy Company, tells MetroWild author Yang-May Ooi about the heritage of apples and cider in Somerset and also the dynasty of cider brandy that he dreams of creating.

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The Dynasty of Apples - Julian Temperley, Somerset Cider Brandy Company ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep11 ¦ MWL0111 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

If you take a dip in the sea in the UK and your friend does the same in Australia, that’s the same as being in one big swimming pool together. So says Nicola Bridge of the Ocean Conservation Trust. 71% of planet Earth is covered in sea water and that is all one single ocean. The ocean gives us food, well-being and a means of transport across vast distances. It is also crucial in regulating the health of our planet as a whole. But it is often taken for granted by us humans. Nicola is passionate about giving the ocean a voice and speaks to MetroWild author Yang-May Ooi about why we need to think ocean and talk ocean.

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#ThinkOcean - Nicola Bridge, Ocean Conservation Trust ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep10 MWL0110 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

How do you go from the fast-paced world of filming windsurfing, football and sporting events and working on the first global reality TV sensation Big Brother to becoming an advocate for slow food and a more meditative approach to living, cooking and eating? Smoking and curing expert, culinary consultant and author, Steven Lamb takes the time to hang out with MetroWild and tell us how working on the River Cottage food and cooking TV programmes with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall changed his life.

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Time as an Ingredient for Food and Life - Steven Lamb ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep09 MWL0109 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

According to the World Bank, 56% of the world’s population live in cities - that’s 4.4 billion of us. And it’s only going to get more crowded over time. More people means more cars, more roads, more housing and more loss of green space. Zuhura Plummer has lived in some of the most over-populated and polluted cities on earth, Mumbai In India and Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. Now a resident of Oxford and Campaign Director of Oxfordshire Liveable Streets, Zuhura talks to MetroWild author Yang-May Ooi about re-designing our urban landscapes to prioritise our well-being and inter-relationships. Our wide-ranging conversation also takes in how we can all work together to minimise pollution, congestion and ill-health in our cities.

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Small Changes, Big Impact - Zuhura Plummer ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep08 MWL0108 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

Can science and music really change hearts and minds? Yes, it can. This is a heart-warming story from Malaysia about how a scientist and theatre director came together to produce a genre-defying performance piece using Malaysian gamelan music to serenade the cause of seagrass. And inspired their audiences to take action for the protection of this previously overlooked marine plant. Marine ecologist Jillian Ooi and theatre director Zahim Albakri talk to Yang-May Ooi on MetroWild about Seruan Setu, The Call of the Seagrass, their genre-defying theatre piece which takes audiences on “an enchanting musical journey that spotlights Malaysia’s endangered seagrass ecosystems”.

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The Call of the Seagrass (or The Making of “Seruan Setu”) - Jillian Ooi & Zahim Albakri ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep07 MWL0107 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

A big city like London can offer many things to many diverse groups of people. Hazel Fletcher grew up in Lanark in Scotland where she felt like the only gay in the village. Moving to London gave her the chance to find her tribe and blossom into her new life. Nature also offers many things for many diverse groups. After 30 years as market researcher in the big city, Hazel has now moved back to Scotland where she is a volunteer and Trustee at Lucky Ewe, a small sheep farm in Fife offering skills training and well-being support for young people. Today she talks to MetroWild author and podcaster, Yang-May Ooi, about the cross-cultural contrasts of Scotland and London, and also City Life vs Life in rural Fife.

This episode was recorded in April, during lambing season.

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Knowing Me, Knowing Ewe - Hazel Fletcher ¦ MetroWild Podcast S01 Ep06 MWL0106 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

Chris Otley is an artist whose work encompasses beautiful natural landscapes and also images of what we might call ugly industrial complexes. His artwork includes pictures of gorgeous birds and also drawings of microbes and photos of dead jellyfish. What prompts him to spend hours and maybe days looking so closely at these extremely contrasting things? Chris Otley takes time out from his art to talk to MetroWild author Yang-May Ooi about his slow celebration of the everyday.

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Slow Celebration of the Everyday - Chris Otley ¦ MetroWild Podcast Season 01 Episode 05 MWL0105 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk

From the frenetic cities of New York and Hong Kong, an outspoken American who has spent her career in fashion and art dealing moves to the rural Suffolk countryside and finds herself seemingly marooned and bored in quiet nature. But Joanne Ooi never sits still for long. She founded first, EAFestival, an arts and culture festival in East Anglia - and then EASustain a biennial festival about Environment, Culture and Entrepreneurship. Today, she talks to MetroWild host Yang-May Ooi about leaving hectic city life and discovering her higher purpose serving the local community from her new quiet countryside home.

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Collaboration, Creativity & Sustainability - Joanne Ooi ¦ MetroWild Podcast Season 01 Episode 04 MWL0104 ¦ with Yang-May Ooi

For photos, links & credits go to MetroWild.co.uk