For this week’s Summer ReRun, we’re heading back to a very personal episode of The School Run, and this time Liv is taking over.

Instead of Jane asking the questions, Liv turns the tables on her mum to find out more about the woman behind Little Voices and the journey that brought her to where she is today.

And what a journey it has been.

Jane talks about discovering her love of singing as a little girl, training as an opera singer, performing on stage and eventually studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

But, as is so often the case with the stories we share on The School Run, life didn’t follow the plan.

There’s the London Marathon, an experience Jane credits with teaching her some of her biggest lessons about resilience and determination. There’s the devastating aftermath of what should have been a straightforward operation, which led to numerous surgeries and the possibility that she could lose part of her leg.

Then there’s the realisation that the career she had spent years preparing for might not actually be the life she wanted.

What followed was teaching, motherhood and, eventually, a conversation around a coffee shop table in Blackburn that would lead to the creation of Little Voices.

What began with a couple of classes in 2007 grew into something far bigger than Jane could ever have imagined, helping children across the country find confidence, friendships and, most importantly, their own voice.

It’s a wonderfully honest conversation between mum and daughter about dreams changing, overcoming difficult chapters, following opportunities and recognising that the destination you originally had in mind isn’t always where you’re supposed to end up.

And there’s another reason we wanted to bring this one back...

If you’ve ever wondered what Jane actually sounds like after all those years training as an opera singer, make sure you stay until the end.

There’s a rather special performance waiting for you.

A lovely trip back into The School Run archives, and an episode that captures perfectly something we’ve believed since the very beginning:

You really don’t have to have it all figured out at school.

Podcasts for us are all about learning, sharing stories and starting conversations. They are, of course, completely free to listen to.

If you enjoy The School Run and would like to buy us a virtual cup of tea (or Liv’s favourite, a chocolate fudge brownie frappe with soya milk, coffee and cream!) while we’re planning future episodes, you can support us here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theschoolrun

Get in touch:

We always love hearing from our listeners. You can find us on Instagram @theschoolrun_official and @mrsjanejames, search for Jane James on Facebook, or email us at mrsjanejames@icloud.com.

For information about Jane’s company, Little Voices, visit:

http://www.littlevoices.org.uk

Podcast Production:

The School Run Podcast is edited and produced by Mike Roberts at Making Digital Real.

makingdigitalreal.co.uk

Disclaimer:

All views expressed in this podcast are shared as respectfully as possible and are those of the individual participants. The information, opinions and recommendations presented are for general information only. We are simply a mum and daughter sharing our thoughts, personal experiences and conversations with guests we respect. Please seek appropriate professional advice where needed.