Today we’re joined by Gareth Dauncey, a Welsh architect, mental health advocate, and creator of the Mood app, for a thoughtful conversation about self-awareness, mental health, and the value of keeping things simple. Gareth shares how an ambitious architecture project contributed to his own burnout, and how stepping back, getting healthier, and questioning what he really wanted helped him see a different way forward.

We explore the simple practice that changed Gareth’s perspective: recording how he felt each day and looking at the bigger picture over time. From his experiences with mindfulness groups and Frazzled Cafe to the creation of Mood and his How Do You Feel Today? podcast, Gareth reflects on the power of honest conversations, community, and making space to notice how we’re really doing.

In this episode:

• Meet Gareth Dauncey: Architect, mental health advocate, speaker, and creator of the Mood app.
• When Helping Becomes Too Much: How an ambitious church renovation project contributed to burnout and taught Gareth to question what he really wanted.
• The Power of Simplicity: Why stripping things back to their essence can help us make better decisions and understand what really matters.
• Tracking How You Feel: How a simple coloured calendar helped Gareth see that difficult feelings weren’t constant — and gave him a sense of hope.
• Feeling Less Alone: Gareth shares how communities, mindfulness groups, and Frazzled Cafe helped him open up and connect with others experiencing similar struggles.
• Creating Mood: The thinking behind an app that asks one simple question each day: “How do you feel today?”
• Self-Awareness Over Time: Why stepping back and seeing patterns can give us perspective and help us understand what affects our wellbeing.
• Starting the Conversation: Gareth’s advice for anyone struggling — talk to someone you trust and find a simple way to record how you feel over time.

The Ways to connect:

Mood - Start your 30 day free trial. Visit https://moodapp.io

beforearchitecture.com

How Do You Feel Today? - Podcast

Gareth on LinkedIn

Gareth on Instagram

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

What if fun isn’t a distraction from meaningful work, but one of the things that makes it possible? In this episode of The Gathering, we’re joined by Alice Ramsay, communications strategist, speaker, workshop facilitator, and self-described champion of fun. From her journey from international law into communications to her work helping people navigate pressure and workplace wellbeing, Alice brings a fresh perspective on what it means to feel energised, connected, and fully yourself at work.

We explore why fun doesn’t have to mean big gestures or elaborate team activities, but can be found in small moments of play, creativity, connection, and permission to be ourselves. Alice shares thoughts on boredom, screen habits, human connection, sensitivity, and the importance of presence over performance — as well as some simple ways to check in when you’re feeling stuck or out of balance.

In this episode:

• Meet Alice Ramsay: Communications strategist, speaker, facilitator, and champion of workplace wellbeing and fun.
• Fun at Work: Why fun isn’t frivolous, but can support creativity, energy, connection, and better collaboration.
• Permission to Be Yourself: How authenticity and feeling safe to show up as you are can change the way you work.
• From Law to Communications: How Alice’s legal background shaped her ability to research, translate, and make complex ideas accessible.
• The Creativity of Boredom: Why stepping away from constant stimulation can create space for ideas and imagination.
• Human Connection: What we gain from genuine, in-person relationships in an increasingly digital world.
• When You’re Feeling Stuck: Alice’s simple four-pillar check-in — sleep, food, movement, and mood.
• Presence Over Performance: Rethinking how we work, connect, and show up without always feeling the need to perform.

The Ways to connect:

ABC book store – book club in person event

alice@aliceramsay.co

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceramsay/

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by Seb Randle, founder of The Helpful Space, for a thoughtful conversation about confidence, self-belief, and the power of simply having space to think. From his own experience with counselling as a teenager to becoming Social Chain’s first in-house coach during the pandemic, Seb has built his career around listening deeply and helping people navigate uncertainty, understand themselves, and find a way forward.

In this episode, we explore vulnerability, workplace culture, coaching, and why human connection matters more than ever in an increasingly AI-powered world. Seb shares how creating safe spaces can help people build confidence, discover what drives them, and make sense of the questions and ambitions they’re carrying — without always needing to find an immediate solution.

In this episode:

· Meet Seb Randle: Founder of The Helpful Space and a coach making personal development more accessible.

· The Power of Space: Why sometimes we need someone to listen rather than another solution.

· Building Self-Belief: How confidence can grow through understanding ourselves and what drives us.

· Vulnerability at Work: Why creating safe spaces can transform workplace culture and relationships.

· Coaching for Everyone: Making coaching relevant and accessible, particularly for emerging leaders and Gen Z.

· Navigating Uncertainty: How to move forward when you don’t have all the answers.

· Human Connection in an AI World: Why listening, empathy, and genuine connection are becoming even more valuable.

· Ask Seb: How creating accessible, informal spaces for questions can help people turn ideas and aspirations into action.

The Ways to connect:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/seb-randle-2787b412/

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Harry or Charlotte with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by Luke Doherty, founder of Mindful Peak Performance, for a powerful conversation about mindfulness, resilience, and performing under pressure. From representing England Under-18s in rugby to spending years immersed in Buddhist practice, Luke’s journey has taken him from elite sport to helping athletes, business leaders, and communities unlock greater focus, wellbeing, and connection through mindfulness.

In this episode, we explore why mindfulness is about so much more than meditation, how it can be adapted to meet people where they are, and why presence is one of our greatest untapped strengths. From rugby clubs and boxing gyms to boardrooms and grassroots communities, Luke shares how mindful practices are helping people build resilience, navigate pressure, and reconnect with what really matters.

In this episode:

• Meet Luke Doherty: Founder of Mindful Peak Performance and former England Under-18 rugby player.
• Mindfulness Beyond Meditation: Why being present is about more than simply sitting still.
• Performance & Wellbeing: How mindfulness helps athletes, leaders, and teams thrive under pressure.
• Meeting People Where They Are: Adapting mindfulness for sports clubs, businesses, and young people.
• The Power of Place: Why our surroundings can shape the way we connect with ourselves and others.
• Building Resilience: Practical tools for navigating pressure with greater calm and clarity.
• Leadership Through Presence: How mindfulness creates stronger leaders, teams, and communities.
• A Practice for Everyone: Why mindfulness is accessible to all, regardless of background or experience.

The Ways to connect:

https://www.mindfulpeakperformance.com/

https://www.luke-doherty.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-doherty-mindful-peak-performance/

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by Rebecca Friel MBE, co-founder and CEO of Odd Arts, a Manchester-based organisation using theatre to reduce inequality, amplify unheard voices, and create meaningful social change. What began as a passion for storytelling while studying drama has grown into a 20-year movement, reaching tens of thousands of people through creative work in prisons, schools, care settings, and communities across the UK.

In this episode, we explore how theatre can become a powerful tool for wellbeing, justice, and connection. Rebecca shares the influences that shaped Odd Arts, the realities of leading a values-driven organisation through challenging times, and why trust, listening, and community engagement remain at the heart of lasting change. From grassroots projects to influencing decision-makers, this is a conversation about creativity with purpose and the courage to challenge the systems around us.

In this episode:

• Meet Rebecca Friel MBE: Co-founder of Odd Arts and a passionate advocate for theatre-led social change.
• Theatre as a Force for Good: How creativity can reduce inequality and improve wellbeing.
• Voices That Need to Be Heard: Using storytelling to amplify lived experiences and challenge injustice.
• From Prisons to Parliament: The impact of theatre in criminal justice, education, and community settings.
• The Theatre of the Oppressed: How Rebecca’s work with Augusto Boal helped shape Odd Arts’ approach.
• Leading with Values: Navigating funding pressures while staying true to mission and purpose.
• Building Trust Through Creativity: Why meaningful change starts with listening and genuine community engagement.
• Stories That Spark Change: How theatre can influence decision-makers, shift perspectives, and inspire action.

The Ways to connect:

rebecca@oddarts.co.uk

https://oddarts.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-friel-mbe

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by Laura Ford, Sustainability Director at Faith in Nature — the pioneering brand that became the first company in the world to give nature a seat on its board. For over 50 years, Faith in Nature has championed a different way of doing business, and now they’re pushing that thinking even further by treating nature not as a resource, but as a stakeholder with a voice and a vote.

In this episode, we explore what it really means to reconnect business with the natural world, the realities and contradictions of sustainable consumerism, and why honesty and transparency matter more than perfection. From rewriting corporate governance to making better everyday choices, Laura shares a hopeful and practical vision for how businesses — and all of us — can build a healthier relationship with nature.

In this episode:

• Meet Laura Ford: Sustainability Director at Faith in Nature and advocate for nature-led business.
• Nature on the Board: Why Faith in Nature gave nature a voice and vote in company decisions.
• Beyond Sustainability: Treating nature as a stakeholder, not just a resource.
• Disconnected from Nature: How modern life has distanced us from the natural world.
• Honesty Over Perfection: Why transparency is essential in sustainability conversations.
• The Consumer Dilemma: Exploring the tension between growth, consumption, and impact.
• Business as a Force for Change: Practical ways organisations can rebuild their relationship with nature.
• Hopeful Futures: Why meaningful change starts with better questions, better systems, and collective action.

Faith In Nature have kindly given all listeners an exclusive discount code for their next purchase. Listen to the end, grab your code and use it on your next order.

Ways to connect:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurahrford/

https://www.faithinnature.co.uk/

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by Adam Bastock, founder of Small99 and creator of People Planet Pint — a growing movement showing that real climate action starts with conversation, not complexity. Adam has spent the last few years helping small businesses take meaningful steps toward sustainability, proving that change doesn’t come from pressure or perfection, but from people coming together, often over something as simple as a pint in the pub.

In this episode, we explore why apathy is a bigger barrier than denial, how small businesses can lead the way, and why safe, open spaces for discussion matter. From People Planet Pint to tools like the Action Box card game, Adam shares a human approach to sustainability — built on community, curiosity, and the belief that a better future is already within reach.

In this episode:

• Meet Adam Bastock: Founder of Small99, helping small businesses take practical steps toward sustainability.
• People Planet Pint: How informal, community-led events are sparking climate conversations across Europe.
• Apathy vs Denial: Why inaction — not opposition — is the real challenge to overcome.
• Small Business Power: How SMEs can move faster and drive meaningful change.
• Designing for People: Why sustainability works best when it’s human, accessible, and imperfect.
• The Action Box: Turning complex climate ideas into simple, practical actions.
• Safe Spaces for Change: The importance of creating environments where people can talk, learn, and challenge ideas.
• A Better Future, Now: Why progress is already happening — and how to be part of it.

The Ways to connect:

https://small99.co.uk/

https://small99.co.uk/people-planet-pint-meetup/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adambastock/

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk

Today we’re joined by James Sills, musician, vocal leader, and author of Do Sing, for a joyful conversation about the simple but powerful act of singing together. James has spent the last decade bringing people together in festivals, schools, workplaces, pubs, and cathedrals — proving that singing isn’t about performance or perfection, but connection, participation, and shared human experience.

We explore how singing can break down loneliness, strengthen community, and boost mental wellbeing — all while reminding us that everyone can sing. From football terraces and school assemblies to choirs like The Sofa Singers, James shares why rediscovering our voices might be one of the easiest and most uplifting ways to reconnect with each other.

In this episode:

• Meet James Sills: Musician, vocal leader, and author dedicated to making singing accessible to everyone.
• Why Singing Matters: How group singing fosters belonging, connection, and mental wellbeing.
• Singing Without Pressure: Debunking the myth of being “tone-deaf” and rediscovering your voice.
• The Power of Community: From football terraces to choirs, how singing builds social bonds.
• Science of Singing: Why group singing can synchronise heartbeats and reduce loneliness.
• The Sofa Singers: How online choirs are bringing thousands of people together in song.
• Singing in Schools: Why bringing music back into education matters for confidence and community.
• An Everyday Joy: How anyone can reclaim singing at any stage of life — no experience required.

The Ways to connect:

www.james-sills.com

Doo Sing book

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Jon or Harry with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-growth-collective-uk