Ng Digital Podcast Network

Welcome to NG Meets... episode 31, this week we speak to Damon Mitchell, director at Ludorati Cafe Bar, a boardgame cafe on Maid Marion Way. Listen to this episode, recorded at the venue, as we chat about the venue, the rising popularity of board games, the work the cafe does with local education, hospitals and other organisations, plus Damon tells us about the first board game he remembers playing, based around Tufty the Road Safety Squirrel and we put him on the spot by asking him to pick out three ideal starter games - one for families, one for couples and one for groups. This episode was recorded before the current Corvid-19 lockdown when the cafe was fully open and functional, as with other venues Ludorati is currently closed until further notice but they are still active on their Facebook page where you can find links to various free gaming resources, information on online events they are running and more.

Welcome to NG Meets... and we're celebrating the big 3-0, that's right it's episode 30, and yes it's a bit late but then all the days are starting to blend into one now anyways so I think we can be excused that mistake! We hope everyone is staying safe and following all the latest guidelines, and that everybody is doing all they can to look after themselves, physically and mentally, during this trying time, here is to hoping better things are not too far down the line. To help you pass the time we have a cracking episode this week as we are joined by members of Nottingham Lions Football Club, an LGBT+ friendly football club that play their games in Nottingham and were set up to offer a welcoming home to players no matter what their sexuality. In this episode we chat about the club, its history, the current success, some of the great trips and tours they have been on and the plans going forward. We also talk about the changing attitudes in football and how we have moved on, for the most part, from a time whe

NG Meets... is back and how things have changed in just a few weeks since the last episode. With the UK (and indeed much of the world) on lockdown amidst the Corvid-19 pandemic we are back to hopefully bring you some entertainment during this anxious and confusing time. In this latest episode guest host Geri headed to West Bridgford to visit swingers club Purple Mamba to meet owners Chris and Amanda. She talks to them about setting up the venue, why they chose West Bridgford, why the club is about a lot more than just sex and kink and changing the stigma around swingers club. This episode was recorded before the recent exacerbation of Corvid-19 situation and, like many venues, Purple Mamba is now closed so all events mentioned in the podcast are on hold, however they are holding virtual events which you can find out about by visiting the official website.

In episode 28 of NG Meets... we meet with Megan and Louisa two of the organisers behind the upcoming Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, which takes place from 12-19 February at venues across Notts. We chat about the festival and some of the fantastic events that you can check out over the week, the importance of science and engaging young people in STEM, the inequalities within the science world, why tacking them is important and how that is happening plus more. So tune in and find out much more about what you can expect from this years Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity and then head over to the website to check out the full event line up. The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity takes place from 12 - 19 February 2020 at various venues across Nottinghamshire.

It's episode 27 and this week we are chatting with Tiffany and Theo from Nottingham community interest company Rene House. Rene House provide sheltered accommodation for vulnerable adults in Nottinghamshire and I went down to their head office to find out how and why they got started, the path that has led them to where they are now and the importance of what they are doing. We also spoke about attitudes towards the homeless and changing the stigma attached to it as well how homelessness has the chance to hit many of us for so many reasons. Find out more about this excellent project and the two hugely passionate people behind it by checking out this weeks episode. For more on Rene House, and to donate to help fund their work, head to their official website You can also follow them on Instagram here

In episode 26 of NG Meets... we are privileged to chat to the wonderful Panya Banjoko. Panya is a multi-award winning writer, storyteller and performance poet and founder of the Nottingham Black Archive who's appearances include a performance at the 2012 Olympics. Panya joined us to talk about her life and career, she talks about the work she is doing looking at history in the 70's and 80's and how that compares to modern day activism - and why it's just as important as ever to hit the streets. Tune in for a fascinating and insightful chat. You can find out more about Panya's work, including her available works, via the official website here

It's a new year and NG Meets... is back and what an episode we have to kick start 2020. This weeks guest is the hugely inspiring Keiren Thompson, founder of the fantastic community group Helping Kids Achieve. Helping Kids Achieve, based in Bulwell, offer young people the chance to take part in all sorts of activities such as basketball, dodgeball, drumming, fashion events and acting helping to grow their esteem and confidence and giving them ambition and focus. Keiren's fantastic work was recognised this year when he was named at the Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero at the country's biggest sporting awards event. We sat down with Keiren to talk about what inspired him to go down this path, how important early intervention is and about his passion for Bulwell, the town he grew up, and still lives in and how he wants to change the stigma attached to the area. Plus much more. This was a fascinating chat with an inspiring and passionate chap who is making a real difference and is well worth checking o

In our final episode of 2019 we speak to Erin McDaid from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust about the campaign to raise a £1 million in order for the trust to buy the land on which Attenborough Nature Reserve sites.  We chat about the campaign, the history of the reserve, the great volunteers who have helped make it what it is and how owning the land will be key to the future of the reserve. Also hear a fascinating anecdote about how site supporter and namesake Sir David Attenborough discovered the existence of the village of Attenborough while on his way to a school trip to Nottingham Castle. The Attenborough Lifeline campaign is looking to raise £1 million by the end of January 2020 and, following the award of a grant for a quarter of a million, is sitting at £880,000 - but you can still donate to help take the campaign over the line. Donations can be made here. Thank you to all who have listened to the show over this year, we will be back in 2020 with more great shows, in the meantime have a fantastic Chri

In the week of the 2019 General Election we bring you a special episode with former Evolve Politics editor, and political commentator, Matt Turner. Matt, who studied at Nottingham University, joins us to chat about the upcoming election, the state of modern politics and the political media, and how he went from writing for a small left-leaning news website to the press lobby at Westminster. We also discuss the referendum and the shadow Brexit casts over the entire political spectrum, and what might happen next, plus Matt, who was one of the few people to predict a hung parliament in 2017 gives us his 2019 prediction (with the caveat that it could well change). So check out Episode 23 of NG Meets... as we delve into the world of modern politics, and make sure you vote on Thursday 12 December. You can follow Matt on Twitter here

Episode 22 of NG Meets... is here and this weeks guest is award winning novelist Nicola Monaghan. Nicola joins us to talk about the success of her debut novel The Killing Jar, are thrilling, dark look at life on a Nottinghamshire estate, plus we also chat about her latest release, crime thriller Dead Flowers. Plus we chat about the books and authors that inspired Nicola, grabbing a look at the screenplay for This is England and the possibilities of a The Killing Jar TV series. Dead Flowers will be launched with an event at Five Leaves Bookshop on Monday 9 December - for more information and to book tickets check out the Five Leaves website. Visit Nicola's official website

In the latest episode of NG Meets... we sit down with author Mike Brooks. Mike joins us to talk about the path to getting his first book published, writing for Games Workshop after years of playing their games, and how his new series - set to be released by publishing giants Orbit, was born from the angers of the Brexit vote. Plus we talk about how a small group of angry men's fury helped attracted new readers to his debut Games Workshop novel, Rites of Passage.  You can find out more about Mike on his official website 'Rites of Passage', a Warhammer 40,000 novel, is available now from Games Workshop

NG Meets... is TWENTY, yes we have reached Episode 20 and what an episode we have for you, we have an Olympic GOLD MEDAL WINNER on the show this week. That's right Etienne Stott, who won gold in London 2012, is our guest this week and as well as chatting about that historic moment we also talk about his involvement in Extinction Rebellion. We chat about the recent Uprising in London and the press around that as well as the explosive impact the group have had despite being just over a year old (in fact this episode was recorded on the first anniversary of XR's launch). Etienne also gives us an insight into what a Citizen's Assembly is - one of the things Extinction Rebellion are calling on the government to set up in a bit to tackle the issue of our lifetimes. This was a great chat and an excellent follow up to Episode 16 where we spoke to Extinction Rebellion Nottingham's Sam Harris.

In Episode 19 of NG Meets... we meet Matt Turner of Nottingham cycling campaign group Pedals. We chat about how Nottingham's impressive public transport system played a part in Matt and his partners decision to move to Nottingham, the huge differences in cycling infrastructure in different areas of Nottinghamshire and the importance of groups like Pedals to ensure cycling is not overlooked. For more on Pedals check their website out here

Episode 18 of NG Meets... is here and it's a cracker of a show this week as we sit down with Jethro, the man behind the excellent Notts RockCast podcast - Nottingham's Alternative scene podcast. As the show celebrates it's first birthday we find out how and why it got started and the work that goes into it, dive into the world of podcasts and social media, and why we both think anybody who has an idea for a podcast should give it a go. We also chat about the upcoming 50th episode of the Notts RockCast which will see a very special show recorded in front of a live studio audience at The Sal on Sunday 1 December - event information here. You can check out episodes of the Notts RockCast on iTunes and your usual podcast app, or at the official website here - and keep up to date on when new episodes drop by liking their Facebook page.

In episode 17 of NG Meets... I headed along to The City Ground to grab a chat with Nottingham Forest director Jonny Owen. In a brief chat we discuss his early years in Welsh sports TV, acting and how a documentary for local channel Notts TV led to an acclaimed movie and a role as a director at Forest. Jonny fills us in on the goings on behind the scenes at the club including the fantastic work from their Football in the Community team and we even discuss the hassles of cycling to Chilwell and Toton. For all the latest news and goings on at Nottingham Forest visit the clubs official website here

NG Meets.... is BACK. After an extended break we are pleased to return and with an episode that could not be more timely.  You are no doubt fully aware of the huge protests taking place in London, as well as around the UK and, indeed, the world. Led by the activist group Extinction Rebellion, the protesters, who come from all walks of life, are calling on governments around the world to take climate change seriously before it is too late.  In order to find out more about why these protests matter and what Extinction Rebellion stands for we met up with Sam Harris, from Extinction Rebellion Nottingham, for a chat at Cafe Sobar. Join Sam in episode 16 of NG Meets... to find out who Extinction Rebellion are, what they want, how Sam became involved and why climate change is THE most important issue of our times. For more on Extinction Rebellion check out their Facebook page

It's episode 15 of NG Meets... and in this episode we are chatting with best-selling author C.J Tudor. Born in Salisbury, C.J. grew up in Nottingham, before a recent move down south, and in 2018 saw her debut novel The Chalk Man become a big hit winning a tonne of praise including a tweet from her writing hero Stephen King. Now, with her second novel The Taking of Annie Thorne, which is set in Nottinghamshire, hitting the shelves we spoke to C.J. about her love or all things King and horror, the hard work and perseverance that eventually led to The Chalk Man, the pressures of the second book and some of her favourite places to write in Nottingham. Check out this great chat and, if you haven't yet, be sure to give The Chalk Man a read, and then check out The Taking of Annie Thorne. You can follow C.J. Tudor on Twitter here

Welcome to a special edition of NG Meets featuring a special live recording of the Heritage Lottery Players from Cafe Sobar.  Created in association with Double Impact and the Heritage Lottery Fund, Access to Heritage is focused on helping people in recovery from substance abuse and addiction to learn more about local heritage. Over the course of 11 weeks of workshops the participants visited local heritage sites learning about criminality, poverty and justice and the social consequences and social reforms of these and learned more about popular local outlaws of literature and pop culture. Hosted by local author, and host of NG Digital's Hood Free History series, Adam Nightingale, this event, which took place at Cafe Sobar, was the culmination of their work and features a number of performance pieces produced by the participants. For more on Double Impact check out their website here

WE'RE BACK... Season 2 of NG Meets... is finally here and what a guest to kick the series off. In Episode 1 of the new season we're chatting to Sandeep Mahal, director of Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature. Sandeep joins us to tell us all about what being a UNESCO City of Literature means for Nottingham - and the responsibilities that come with such a title. The importance of taking reading opportuinities into areas that are not, currently, receiving them and shares with us her background from growing up in a place with no reading culture to finding libraries and from there are lifetime working in literacy. Plus Sandeep posits the idea of a Book Club Podcast - a fantastic idea if you ask us. You can find out more on Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature here

Welcome to NG Meets... Episode 11, this week our guest is actor Daniel Hoffman-Gill. Probably best known for his appearance as Bors in Doctor Who, Daniel has also appeared in Sherlock, Alice Through the Looking Glass and has just wrapped up filming for The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle which sees him appear alongside movie superstar Robert Downey Jr.  Daniel joins us to chat about growing up in Nottingham and getting started in acting, moving down to London and how life compares in the capital to his hometown. Plus we chat about social media and how Daniel holds the record for most posts on the old LeftLion forum. IMDB Twitter