The OoRITE! Podcast is a series in which four people have real conversations online using Zoom, discussing how they’re doing during the current outbreak.
This month The Active Wellbeing Society and C4 have collaborated on four episodes with different guests every week! C4 grew up in Birmingham, and has been creating music and art from a very young age, performing on the likes of BBC 1xtra, Radio 1 and other major radio station playlists for the past 10 years
We want to shed light on the highs and lows of lockdown experience, showcase some of the positive work taking place in Birmingham during this time and discuss ways we as a community can connect with each other and stick together going forward.
This week we welcome guests Karen, Keiren and Amarah who share their experiences and talk about what they want to do once social distancing measures ease and whether they think Birmingham will be the same after the lockdown.
Karen is the CEO of The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) and a qualified social worker with a post grad qualification in applied social policy and a Masters in public sector management. ‘I love politics and philosophy, and would consider myself a feminist and a dedicated community activist around the environment and overall equality issues, particularly in relation to race and economic equality.I am motivated by bringing positive social change to deprived communities’. She misses family, friends, and seeing people in general. ‘It has made me think more about how I hold uncertainty’.
Karen is working to ensure that TAWS continues to support the wider wellbeing of the communities they work with in Birmingham. Their focus has been split across 4 main areas; a befriending phoneline service, food distribution and delivery, virtual wellbeing sessions including physical activities and anxiety relief, and sharing positive stories to celebrate those in the communities going above and beyond to help others.
Amarah has lived in Birmingham all her life and currently works in retail with a degree in textile design, and enjoys creative work in her spare time. She is into wellbeing and tends to focus on philosophy, culture, mindfulness and life experiences that people can connect to. ‘I have always been interested in how creative work can contribute to a healthy wellbeing and the lockdown especially has inspired me to help people to achieve a balanced and healthy lifestyle’. She has also been learning new creative skills such as punch needling and digital software and using these skills to help the community by sewing garments for the NHS and creating DIY craft boxes to send out to those that are isolating.
Due to the outbreak she is no longer going to work which has had a massive impact on her. ‘I can no longer see family or friends but I think social media has made this factor a lot easier. In fact I probably speak more to my friends now than I did before’. She believes people have the time to sit and chat because we are not busy working and the overall situation makes you want to reach out to people more. ‘Sadly someone I know passed away from Coronavirus and that has also affected me, I can’t go to the funeral or even be there for anyone in person for support’.
Keiren was born and raised in Newtown facing the ups and down that the inner city presents. ‘Using all I have learnt to support and lead me to become the actor, director and writer I am today. The industry always pushes you to London but there is so much talent in Birmingham, I really want to highlight that’. He has plans to finish off a play, a film and a book during lockdown – things he wanted to write before his daughter was born. He is also passionate about philosophical discussion. Coronavirus has meant his family have not been able to see his daughter and he worries about the elder members of his family never having the opportunity to meet her. Keiren is concerned that theatres and venues will take a long time to recover from social distancing measures that will continue following lockdown. But he emphasised there are now new innovative ways to be creative virtually and that work has continued for him.
To hear more about how the lockdown has impacted our guests, and what they think the future looks like for us listen to episode 3 of the podcast here:
Next week’s fourth and final episode of the series launches on Wednesday 10th June.
Our Befriending service is available to everyone who may be feeling concerned or lonely, or simply in need of a friendly chat. If you would like to speak to someone from our team then please get in touch with us through this form or by calling us on 0121 728 7030
