Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Toweyfrom HD8 Life host Beyond the Postcode, a podcast from HD8 Life and Under the Mast, exploring people who live or work in HD8.

This episode features Matt Glennon, a professional footballer turned hairdresser who owns and works at salon G27 in Emley, and also works as a pundit and grassroots goalkeeping coach.

Matt describes moving through clubs and locations including Scotland, Carlisle, Hull and Huddersfield Town, then settling in Shelley for its schools, green spaces, nearby pubs and quick access to the stadium. He recounts opening the bar at Emley’s Media Stadium in 2007 and later converting a 300-year-old post office into his salon, discussing community ties built through clients, friendships, and the emotional support side of hairdressing.

Matt explains his transition from football after injuries and surgeries, taking a fast-track barbering course in Nottingham, cutting teammates’ hair in boot rooms and before matches, and adjusting to self-employment after football’s controlled environment. He talks about the mental side of goalkeeping, crowd abuse, and how cutting a first paying client felt more nerve-racking than playing at Celtic Park. He outlines juggling salon work, BBC Radio Leeds match work, and his local goalkeeping academy

The episode closes by previewing the next guest, Chris Hobson of Clayton West, who holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to complete an ice marathon.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode + Meet Matt Glennon

00:36 From Stockport to Huddersfield: Finding a Home in Shelley (and the school hunt)

02:24 Discovering Emley: The stadium, the mast, and setting down roots

03:19 Turning a 300-Year-Old Post Office into a Salon (and winning the village over)

04:06 Salon Life = Community Hub: Regulars, friendships, and the ‘counselling’ side

06:25 The Big Pivot: Why a Pro Footballer Became a Barber/Hairdresser

08:02 Cutting Hair in the Boot Room: Clippers, teammates, and matchday trims

10:28 Training, mistakes & mindset: From hairdressing ‘maths’ to handling abuse

13:09 Most terrifying moment: The first paying client vs playing in front of 60,000

15:00 What football really teaches (and the bubble players live in)

15:11 Ready to Retire: Work Ethic and the Transition Out of Football

16:03 A Day in the Salon: Long Shifts, Regulars, and Staying Busy

16:26 Life After the Final Whistle: Money, Identity, and Starting Over

17:31 Football’s Controlled Lifestyle: Time Off, Weigh-Ins, and No Real Autonomy

18:46 Family Sacrifices: Moving Clubs, Relationships, and Raising Kids

19:47 Working With His Daughter: Trust, Responsibility, and a New ‘Boss’

21:10 Wearing Many Hats: Salon, Goalkeeping Academy, and BBC Radio

23:20 Goalkeeping Academy: Building Confidence, Resilience, and Joy in the Game

25:32 Life Skills & Knockbacks: From On-Pitch Mistakes to Business Setbacks

26:30 HD8 Top Tips: Rooftop Garden at The Dunkirk + Quiet Gym Time

28:13 Three Songs for the Drive: Heroes, Tipsy, and Getting Away With It

29:46 Wrap-Up and Next Episode Teaser: Guinness Record Ice Marathoner

Beyond the Postcode: Liz Wood, The Watering Can Florist and HD8’s Florist to the Stars

Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life host Beyond the Postcode, a podcast about people who live or work in HD8. In this episode they interview Liz Wood of The Watering Can Florist in Emley, discussing her move to HD8 after making a fresh start with Mark, first living in Bird’s Edge, then Three Acres during the “Beast from the East,” and later settling in Emley, where they quickly bought their current home. Liz explains how The Watering Can began at a small unit (“the shaky shed”) at Yummy Yorkshire, then pivoted during COVID when the unit was taken back, shifting to doorstep deliveries of compost and plants and continuing flower work once supply returned. She shares how she got into floristry through her mother’s flower club, trained at Kirklees College, gained experience at The Posy Bowl in Huddersfield, worked at Gertz Florist in Lepton, and eventually bought the business. Liz also describes running her florist as a wine bar in the evenings using recycled and borrowed furnishings, offering live music and popular drinks including rhubarb and ginger liqueur with Prosecco, and notes customers often bought flowers after a pint. She recounts notable clients including a delivery of 100 white roses from Sir Elton John to Penistone's Paramount Theatre for a Billy Elliot opening, and work connected to Armitage Bridge recording studios, including getting a signed card from David Jason. Liz outlines her current work with weddings, farewell flowers and launching a monthly flower club The episode closes by teasing the next guest, Emley’s Matt Glennon, about his journey from professional footballer to hairdresser.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode + Meet Liz Wood (Watering Can Florist)

00:35 A Fresh Start: Moving to HD8 and Finding Home

01:50 Birds Edge to Emley: The House Hunt That Felt Like Fate

04:45 How The Watering Can Florist Began (Yummy Yorkshire ‘Shaky Shed’)

06:06 COVID Hits: Pivoting to Plants, Doorstep Deliveries & Surviving Lockdown

09:09 Why Flowers? Family Roots, Training, and Buying Her First Shop

13:23 Next-Level Pivot: Turning a Florist into a Nighttime Wine Bar

15:01 Recycled furniture & building the hidden bar behind the florist

16:20 Beer pumps by day, flowers on the side: the hybrid shop idea

17:09 Live music & the rhubarb-and-ginger Prosecco craze

17:38 Big-name orders: Sir Elton John’s 100 white roses

19:29 TV studio connections & David Jason’s ‘Lovely Jubbly’ note

21:16 Where she’s at now: weddings, farewell flowers & launching the Flower Club

23:29 HD8 Top Tip: finding your style at Cocoa (and Dare Boutique)

25:48 Springtime playlist picks + podcast wrap and next-episode teaser

In this episode of Beyond the Postcode, hosts Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life, interview Jem Green, the creative force behind Dipped in Gild. Jem shares her story of moving from Liverpool to Huddersfield, overcoming personal loss, and transitioning through various career paths. Jem's journey takes her from corporate life to founding her own business in Fenay Bridge, where she transforms everyday objects into luxury items. The episode touches on her creative processes, the influence of her family, her 'year of yes,' and the value of happiness and creative fulfillment. Tune in to hear about Jem’s inspiring journey and her top tips for living in HD8.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Postcode

00:20 Meet Jem Green: The Talent Behind Dipped in Gild

00:36 Journey from Liverpool to Huddersfield

01:09 Pursuing a Creative Career

01:25 The Impact of Family and Loss

02:01 Finding Home in Huddersfield

02:25 Career Challenges and Changes

03:26 Birth of Dipped in Gild

06:33 Navigating Redundancy and New Opportunities

08:12 Embracing Change and Creativity

13:07 The Gorilla in the Room

15:05 The Golden Norman

17:09 The Year of Yes

23:02 HD8 Top Tips

24:37 Musical Inspirations

26:05 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

In this episode of 'Beyond the Postcode,' hosts Caroline Verdon of Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life interview Juliet Thomas, a mentor, life-after-cancer coach, writer, and founder of From Seed to Sky. Juliet shares her journey from a corporate career to a life intertwined with nature, driven by a move to Birdsedge and her passion for outdoor walks and community engagement. She discusses the challenges and inspirations stemming from her Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis during the pandemic, highlighting how nature and creativity played crucial roles in her recovery and personal growth. Juliet also recounts her unique upbringing in a nature-loving family, her ventures into creative writing and coaching, and her involvement in the local community through initiatives like creative writing sessions and accountability groups.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Postcode

00:22 Meet Juliette Thomas: Mentor and Nature Enthusiast

00:36 Settling in Birdsedge

01:34 The Love for Nature and Community

02:45 From Corporate Life to Creative Ventures

06:02 The Impact of Cancer and COVID-19

07:37 Nature as Therapy

12:15 Growing Up with a Love for Animals

15:42 HD8 Top Tips and Playlist

17:46 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Meet Denby Dale’s Liam Daly

This week on Beyond the Postcode, from HD8 Life and Under The Mast, Erin Towey and Caroline Verdon head to Denby Dale to meet Liam Daly – Tang Soo Do world champion

Liam chats about starting out from humble beginnings, the road to world championships, and why the HD8 area will always be home. He reflects on the grandparents, teachers and peers who pushed him forward, and how those early influences shaped both his martial arts journey and his outlook on life.

There’s talk of teaching Tang Soo Do, the discipline and tradition behind it, and why community sits at the heart of everything he does. From getting involved in quirky local events to lessons in perseverance that carry far beyond the dojang, it’s an inspiring, grounded conversation about hard work, heritage and staying rooted where it all began.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Postcode

00:20 Meet Liam Daley: From Local Halls to World Championships

00:35 A Love Story and a New Home

03:40 Discovering Tang Soo Do

03:55 The Journey to Mastery

05:42 The Importance of Tradition in Martial Arts

06:28 Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success

09:15 The Role of Family and Mentors

10:57 A Temporary Break and a Triumphant Return

12:49 World Championships and Disney Adventures

14:05 From Competitor to Mentor

15:24 Post-COVID Beginnings and Early Challenges

16:02 Building a Community of Dedicated Students

17:18 Giving Back to the Federation and Community

18:57 Unexpected Opportunities and Memorable Experiences

23:07 HD8 Top Tips and Community Events

26:14 Music Playlist and Final Thoughts

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You can find out more about Denby Dale Tang Soo Do on their website and also on their Facebook page

Oliver Roberts and the Rise of Norman’s Kitchen, Kirkburton

This week on Beyond the Postcode, Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life head to Kirkburton to catch up with Oliver Roberts – the man behind much-loved, award-winning hotspot Norman’s Kitchen. Oliver chats about swapping Halifax for village life, finding his feet in a tight-knit community, and the surprisingly tricky job of naming the place in the first place.

He looks back on the early days of Norman’s, the team that helped shape it, and those proper pinch-me moments – including cooking for the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Graham. There’s also talk of Michelin Guide nods, AA rosettes, and what it really takes to build a destination restaurant in a small Yorkshire village.

Add in a few behind-the-scenes stories and Oliver’s top tip for anyone heading to the area, and you’ve got a warm, local chat that’s all about graft, good food, and community spirit.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode

00:22 Meet Oliver Roberts of Norman's Kitchen

00:35 The Journey to Finding the Perfect Location

02:17 Naming the Restaurant: A Funny Story

04:00 Settling into the Community

04:29 Opening Night and Community Support

09:39 From Humble Beginnings to a Thriving Business

12:16 Accolades and Recognition

15:36 Balancing Michelin Guide and AA Rosettes

16:12 Creative Culinary Experiments

17:51 Unexpected Celebrity Guests

18:45 Bruce Springsteen and Stephen Graham's Visit

28:32 HD8 Top Tips and Playlist

30:57 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

Introducing Beyond the Postcode: Meet Caroline and Erin

Welcome to Beyond the Postcode 👋 In this opening episode, hosts Erin Towey of HD8 Life and Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast sit down to introduce themselves and explain how this brand-new podcast came to life.

They chat about their winding journeys so far – from careers and curveballs to the moments that pulled them back to the HD8 area – and why this corner of Kirklees means so much to them. Erin talks about the heart of HD8 Life and its mission to champion local people, stories and businesses, while Caroline shares her love of digging deeper and giving voices in the community a proper platform.

There are also a few local tips, some music picks, and a clear sense of what’s to come: honest conversations, familiar faces, and the stories that make this place what it is. A warm, friendly launchpad for a podcast that’s all about the people beyond the postcode.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode

00:07 Meet the Hosts: Caroline and Erin

00:35 The Journey to HD8

03:11 Life in HD8: Community and Connections

05:17 Erin's Global Adventures

09:22 Caroline's Career Path

12:53 The Birth of HD8LIfe

15:14 Supporting Local Businesses

17:10 Music and Memories

23:45 HD8 Top Tips

26:31 Upcoming Episodes

Beyond the Postcode is HD8 Life’s brand new podcast – a cosy, curious, and (hopefully!) chuckle-out-loud listen that dives deeper into the lives of the brilliant people who call HD8 home.

We’ve always loved championing local, but now we’re taking it one step further… beyond the postcode.

Each episode features a special guest from the HD8 area with stories worth sharing – from everyday legends to unsung heroes – and maybe even their own soundtrack. It’s a celebration of community, character, and the quirks that make HD8 one-of-a-kind.

If you’re nosy about your neighbours (in the best possible way), this one’s for you.