S6: Ep5 Cocktails, paper bottles and biodiversity with Avallen
Release Date: 12/22/2022
S8: Ep5 Why Local Food Matters with Ed Johnstone from The Sussex Peasant
Sustainable Squad
What would our food system look like if it was built around people, place and seasonality rather than distance and scale? In this episode, I’m joined by Ed Johnstone, founder of , to talk about how a single wooden horsebox grew into a network of mobile farm shops connecting Sussex communities directly with local growers. We explore Ed’s journey into food, the relationships behind the produce, and why transparency, fair pricing and simplicity sit at the heart of everything they do. This conversation goes beyond food shopping. We talk about seasonal eating, soil health, loneliness and...
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S8: Ep4 Christmas in 1950s Yorkshire – a conversation with my Dad
Sustainable Squad
This special Christmas episode captures a moment in time – a warm and reflective conversation with my dad, Gary, recorded with his loyal sidekick Hobbs the dog, who makes his presence known but settles down after about 5 minutes. With Christmas approaching, I wanted to step back and explore what the festive season felt like in the 1950s – when Dad was growing up in a terraced house in Leeds, the National Health Service was brand new, and festivities were shaped far more by family and imagination than by spending. Across the episode, Dad paints a vivid picture of Christmas Eve plays staged...
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S8: Ep3 Cooking with trees and meals for one, a kinder Christmas with Julia Georgallis
Sustainable Squad
This episode opens with a question you probably haven’t asked yourself: what exactly can you do with a Christmas tree… besides decorate it? It turns out, quite a lot. I’m joined by food writer and baker Julia Georgallis for a conversation about the bits of Christmas we rarely talk about. It may look glittery, but for many people it’s a season of waste piling up, stretched budgets and surprising moments of loneliness. Julia brings refreshing honesty, humour and plenty of practical ideas. We talk about the ten–year journey behind her book How to Eat Your Christmas Tree, the quiet...
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S8: Ep2 Crafting for the brain with Laura and Jenny from ReCraft Arts
Sustainable Squad
I'll admit I'm one of those people who have a cupboard full of 'one day I'll use this' items. Laura and Jenny have built a creative life around exactly that instinct, proving those odds and ends still have real value. In this episode it's late in November and I’m at a Christmas wreath-making workshop using only scrap materials. Laura and Jenny were an absolute delight to get to know. They talk openly about how their brains work together – Jenny’s quick-fire ADHD thinking alongside Laura’s slower processing, shaped by a brain injury, epilepsy and MS. The balance has become...
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S8: Ep 1 Growing Community and Biodiversity in Sussex with Lis Long from Apron.
Sustainable Squad
In this episode I sit down with Lis Long, founder of Apron, to explore how a forgotten patch of land in Buckingham Park became a thriving community garden – and how that small beginning has grown into an ambitious plan for a regenerative community farm in Lancing. Lis shares the story behind Apron, from the early pop-up craft sessions to building a garden from reclaimed materials during lockdown. We talk about food growing, heritage fruit trees, nature school, biodiversity, and the surprising power of small green spaces to rebuild confidence, connection and community. We also discuss...
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S7: Ep 4 How to power up and get making stuff with Salvage Sister
Sustainable Squad
Today I’m talking to Charis Williams, AKA Salvage Sister, and she gets creative and makes stuff out of old metal and wood and teaches people how to do the same Over 60% of our landfill waste comes from construction, demolition and excavation - so what Charis does is mega important for all this waste we produce. And there’s loads of material to choose from, you just need the energy to do it - and she does. Me and my sister in law did one of her workshops where we used some hard core power tools, so we chat about all that fun stuff - she has some great advice on what to do with what. Charis...
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S7: Ep 3 Why we should be buying local cut flowers with Betty Blooming
Sustainable Squad
86% of all UK bought flowers have been imported, so just like food and drink, buying local flowers helps us support our businesses on our front door and reduces our impact on the planet. For this episode, I'm sat with the lovely Liz from Betty Blooming talking about seasonal flower growing and allotment life. I wish I'd spoken ti Liz before I got married, I would have 100% commissed her to grow a colourful and wild bunch of beautiful flowers for the big day. You can follow her gorgeous account on Instagram and DM her if you'd like to know more.
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S7: Ep2 Sustainable hen party planning with Hens with Heart
Sustainable Squad
A large group of women at a hen party can be carnage, but also presents an opportunity to make a real difference and do some good without skipping the fun parts. Amy Sillince had an idea at a hen party. She paid attention to how much people were spending, how much time they had spare, what food was wasted and what items were bought for single use. The idea? Hens with Heart. Amy came to visit me in Brighton, one of the top cities for hen parties in the UK, and completed opened my mind to the concept of finding a moment to give back when you're with your besties. This is not about beach cleans...
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S7: Ep 1 Paddle boarding, swimming and dogs on the beach with The Sea Safety Project
Sustainable Squad
My home town of Brighton and Hove is a magnet for beach lovers, even with the pebbles. It's extra busy during May to September, but knowing what to do if you get in trouble in the sea applies all year round. Becky Knights from The Sea Safety Project gives us a flavour of what she teaches kids in schools, what dangers and signs to watch out for when visiting the beach, what to do if our dogs get in trouble and how she has become a better swimmer. Since recording this podcast we both completed the Arundel Triathlon on Sunday 21st May. It was a lot of fun and the Sprint distance is a great way to...
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S6: Ep 7 Why we should be obsessed with beans with Bold Bean Co
Sustainable Squad
Beans have come a long way since being drenched in tomato sauce and poured on toast. Amelia Christie-Miller, founder of Bold Bean Co, joins me for this weeks episode to share their start up story, all the delicious things you can do with beans and why they're so good for our health, food poverty and our soil. We should all be absolutely obsessed with beans. Their brand and content is fun and useful and I'd urge you to take a look and have a try. The best thing is, they want people to start eating beans whether it's their jars or not! However, I can hand on my heart say the 3 varieties I've...
info_outlineDescribed as an accidental Calvados, Avallen, in it's beautiful paper bottle, is flying off the shelves at the moment and I wanted to find out more.
This week, I'm joined by founders Tim Etherington Judge and Steph Jordan Balmforth who have spent their whole careers in the drinks and hospitality industry and are really passionate about having a positive impact on the planet.
They share the incredible benefits of using apples to make their spirit (a type of french brandy), all the delicious ways to drink it and their start up story.
One thing we didn't have time to discuss is that they're proud supporters of 1% for the Planet. Every bottle of Avallen sold contributes to a series of charities around the world that are championing the protection of bees, the restoration of their habitats, and the ban of harmful neonicotinoids.
You can buy Avallen from places like My Green Pod, Harvey Nichols and Fortnum and Mason. To find more stockists and find out more about the brand visit https://avallenspirits.com.