Alex Whiteley is joined on The Shrewsbury Biscuit Podcast today by Alice Nester who is on the show to talk about her journey through the discovery, treatment and recovery of a brain tumour.

This is a story of a girl who went through hell and back, yet here she is sharing it all in it's candid and real form. Alice doesn't hold anything back in her telling of her story in order to let the listener know exactly what she went through.

Alice is a star and this podcast episode was designed only with awareness in mind. If you need help while going through your own journey with similar health problems here are some handy links for you:

The Brain Tumour Charity: https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/

Lingen Davies: https://www.lingendavies.co.uk/

Shropshire Mental Health Support: https://www.shropshiremhs.com/

Thank you Alice for sharing your story. Hopefully this episode helps raise awareness the way you want it to. We will be back for part II.

Intro/Outro music: Talk by Ease the Artist

Today’s episode features long-time friend of the show, producer Luke Allen, who turns up with a mystery guest. Alex had no idea who was coming or where the conversation was heading.

That guest is Merryn Rae Peachey, an experienced script supervisor from the world of TV and film. Merryn joins Luke to talk openly about her decision to step away from the industry, and why meaningful change around inclusion still feels a long way off.

With movements like #MeToo bringing promised reforms around safety and fairness, the question remains: are these changes truly being implemented, or are they just industry optics? Luke and Merryn dig into the realities of working on set, the changes they’d like to see, and what true inclusivity should actually look like.

Merryn has since written a powerful parting piece titled Leaving the Dream, reflecting on her exit from the industry, which you can read on her Substack.

Big thanks to Luke for bringing a great conversation, and to Merryn — always nice to make a new friend. That’s what this podcast game is all about.

Intro/outro music: Talk by Ease the Artist

Join Alex Whiteley as he comes to you from Exotic Zoo in Telford, broadcasting from what will soon be their brand new palaeontology lab. Alex sits down with newly appointed palaeontologist Tom Moncrieffe to dive headfirst into the world of dinosaurs, mass extinctions and… trees?!

Yes, trees. Alongside big talk of extinction events, fossils and how we piece together Earth’s past, the conversation takes some wonderfully unexpected turns — including spiders the size of cars (slight Alex exaggeration) and how everything around us connects to the bones that will soon be studied in the very room this episode was recorded in.

We may not have time machines, but experts like Tom help bring the prehistoric world to life through decades of research, evidence and theory. And the best bit? When this lab opens, you’ll be able to get hands-on yourself at Exotic Zoo’s Young Palaeontologist Fossil Experience.

This ongoing creative partnership with Exotic Zoo is just getting started, and the possibilities are huge. Let us know what you’d like us to explore next.

Alex Whiteley welcomes back a good friend of the show, Hans Donner — a skydiving, base-jumping badass from Shropshire.

A lot can happen in 18 months (or however long it’s been since Hans last joined Alex), and this guy has been up to some pretty incredible adventures. Not only does Hans live an extraordinary life involving jumps out of planes and backflips off bridges dressed as Spider-Man, he also gets invited on some very cool trips.

Most recently, Hans took part in a skydiving expedition over Mount Everest, which in itself is a pretty great story to tell.

It’s always great catching up with Hans — he always has the best stories — and we’ll be doing part three in the new year, hopefully from an airfield.

Note: This episode was edited on a new laptop with a higher processing rate, so my outro music file got corrupted and I was away from the original source. No outro music… but maybe that’s a sign, eh?

Coming to you from The Shrewsbury Coffee House, Alex is speaking to videographer John Molyneux. This episode was put together in around 45 minutes, but still—it's a great conversation between two content creators chatting about what they're passionate about.

John started off filming pranks and sketches with his mates. Little did he know that this would turn into a career for him. Now, John is a videographer with years of experience working in TV, as well as creating custom content for clients from all over.

Please check out John’s website to find out more about him. And if you want to book him for work, even better. Tell him Alex sent you. John’s website is Shootonsight.co.uk

Thank you so much to both John and The Shrewsbury Coffee House for quickly coming to my aid with this episode. I was in a bit of a pickle, and you helped me get this podcast together. You guys rule.

Outro music – What I Miss by Josh Lobley

Join host Alex Whiteley as he takes a wander around the swanky new HQ of Reech Agency at Shrewsbury Business Park. The Shrewsbury Biscuit Podcast and Reech have a long history—Reech played a huge part in making Pod Aid look and run as smoothly as it did—so when director Rob Hughes invited Alex to their house-warming, it was an easy yes.

Armed with his trusty mic and surrounded by 60–70 guests, Alex chats with local business owners about what Reech’s impressive new space means for the community. You’ll hear interviews from the evening’s speeches, and words from director Rob Hughes and agency director Amelia Redge about this big step forward.

Thanks to Reech for the invite—your new home is seriously cool. Can’t wait to see what comes next.

Outro music: What I Miss by Josh Lobley.

Coming to you from a box in a gym, this week's episode finds itself trying to understand the world of CrossFit. Alex is speaking to Chris, Kate and owner of CrossFit Shropshire Graham (Gray) Carless while the mixer and mics sit on a polymetric squat jump box.

The CFS team talk about how they're helping young people through their schools programmes. What does it take to introduce fitness and healthy education to young people that are wrapped up in their own insecurities and distracted by the chicken-jockies and 6/7's of the world? (parents will know what this means)

Also, what should one expect to experience during their first introduction to CrossFit Shropshire? Gray has encouraged anyone to take a look at their website here where all the information you need to sign up for an induction course/tour around the gym and learn everything you need to know. If the link doesn't work on the app you're listening from it is www.crossfitshropshire.com give it a Google.

Thank you to the team for assembling so quickly (on a rainy day too) as this was planned within an hour. Spontaneity at it's best!!

Outro music: 'What I Miss' by Josh Lobley

This podcast was put together on the strength of an Instagram account that host Alex Whiteley found. This week we welcome Janire, a mountain leader from a company called 'Ray of Sun Adventures'

Say, you want to for a 3 day trek over the national 3 peaks, or a trip to Mont Blanc or a day out in the Shropshire Hills with a qualified mountain leader - Janire is the person you need.

This episode focusses on the real organic benefits to being out in nature, how Janire became the mountain badass we see today as well as discovering what adventures lie ahead.

Please give Janire's Instagram a follow here and follow the links to her website to learn more about what she has to offer. Thank you Janire for being such a wicked guest.

Outro music - What I miss by Josh Lobley