In today’s episode, Tom speaks to five members of the Friday Writers Club run by Briony Goffin at Cardiff Writers Studio. Together they discuss the radical act of writing. Writing as an act of defiance, in dark times, in dark months.

In a world where AI can generate text instantly, what does it mean to sit down and put your own words on the page? What drives us to create? And how do we keep going when that voice in our head tells us we're not good enough?

Tom has interviewed Briony Goffin previously. Check out Episode 8, Spare a Thought for Creativity: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/the-rewind-creativity/

He also interviewed the Director of the Be the Change. Media network, Lily Mott on the subject of Living a Creative Life: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/living-a-creative-life/

This is the last episode of Season 4. Spare a Thought will be back for a special 50th episode in the spring. Until then 'Rewind' episodes will be released on a regular rhymth, allowing listeners to dive into the Spare a Thought archive.

You can find out more about the Cardiff Writers Studio here: https://www.cardiffwritersstudio.co.uk/

Keep up to date with Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Get the latest news on the podcast via the Spare a Thought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts from or head to: https://spareathought.podbean.com/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production.

The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

In this rewind episode, Tom revisits a conversation about creativity with Briony Goffin, originally released on New Year's Day 2025. As we continue to navigate creative expression in 2026, this episode offers timeless wisdom on where ideas come from and how to sustain a creative practice.

Briony Goffin is a writer, tutor, and mentor who teaches creative writing at Cardiff University and specialises in facilitating creative writing experiences in community and healthcare settings. Tom has been attending Briony's classes for close to 10 years, and their conversation explores the foundations of creative work.

Together they discuss where ideas originate, the process of getting back into writing after a break, and what it means to facilitate creative workshops in diverse settings. Briony shares insights from her years of experience helping people find their creative voice, whether they're university students, community groups, or individuals in healthcare environments.

This episode perfectly tees up next week's conversation, The Radical Act of Writing, exploring how creative expression can be both personally transformative and politically meaningful.

If you're considering taking up writing or another creative pursuit in 2026, this conversation offers inspiration and practical wisdom to help you begin.

Learn more about Briony Goffin and the Cardiff Writers Studio here: https://www.cardiffwritersstudio.co.uk/

You can follow the Cardiff Writers Studio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardiff_writers_studio/

Keep up to date with Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Read Tom's LinkedIn newsletter: https://shorturl.at/ZRNAU

Get the latest news on the podcast via the Spare a Thought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts from or head to: https://spareathought.podbean.com/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production.

The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

This is the final episode of Curly's War, a mini series of the Spare a Thought podcast based on the self-published book by Tom's grandfather, Walter George Blaza.

In this concluding episode, Tom is joined by his brother Matt and cousin Alex to share their personal memories of Walter - the grandfather they knew. They discuss the war memorabilia cabinet that fascinated them as children, Grandad's resourcefulness and self-sufficiency, and the contrast between his adventurous wartime years and the quiet, sheltered life he led in the Leicestershire countryside. The conversation explores how reading Walter's own words gave them new insight into his bravery, his moral compass, and why a farm boy from Shackstone was the perfect candidate to become a commando.

In the second half, Tom and co-host Emily Merry reflect on the process of making this series - what they've learned about war, storytelling, and the importance of preserving family histories. They discuss the value of first-hand accounts versus academic histories, and why it matters to seek out and share these stories before they're lost.

Links to previous episodes of Curly’s War:

Introduction: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-introduction/

Episode 1: The Interwar Years: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-1/

Episode 2: Joining the Royal Marines: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-2/

Episode 3: From D-Day to the Winter War: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-3/

Episode 4: War’s End: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-4/

You can follow Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/ Keep up to date with Spare a Thought via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production. Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

This is Episode 4 of Curly's War, a mini series of the Spare a Thought podcast based on the self-published book by Tom’s grandfather, Walter George Blaza.

In this episode, Tom and Emily cover the final months of the conflict, from the brutal raids at Waspik through to the liberation of occupied Germany. Walter details the harrowing reality of winter warfare along the Maas, including high-stakes prisoner raids and hazardous listening patrols. The story then shifts to a period of respite in the town of Goes, where Walter and his friend Jack experience Dutch hospitality, complete with strict rules about wooden clogs, and witness the local administration of justice following the occupation.

The episode concludes with what Tom considers to be the most profound moments of the book: Walter's life in the ruins of occupied Germany. They discuss an extraordinary evening in Hanover where former enemies compare battle scars over drinks, the unexpected tailoring services provided by prisoners of war, and a poignant love story with a young woman named Anneliese that made the eventual order to return to England a moment of sorrow rather than just joy.

Note: This series has been extended! A fifth bonus episode reflecting on Walter’s post-war life and the man he became, the quiet, reserved gardener who held these incredible stories, will be released soon.

Links to previous episodes:

Curly’s War Introduction: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-introduction/

Curly’s War Episode 1: The Interwar Years: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-1/

Curly’s War Episode 2: Joining the Royal Marines: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-2/

Curly’s War Episode 3: From D-Day to the Winter War: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-3/

You can follow Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/ Keep up to date with Spare a Thought via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production. Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

In today’s episode, Tom explores how to navigate a creative life in a world that often feels structured against it. From algorithmic gatekeepers and AI interviews to the pressures of instant gratification, the path for young creatives is increasingly complex.

Tom is joined by Lily Mott, director of the Be the change. Media Network production, to discuss the transition from broadcasting to participating. They share personal stories of creative leaps: from Lily’s first voice memo during a protest to Tom’s four-part series documenting a historic trip through the USA.

Together they give examples of the persistence required for this journey, such as Amelia Dimoldenberg’s years of work on YouTube, Tom’s brother’s decade-long path to becoming an artist in a big city, and Olivia Dean’s elevation from playing to empty fields to breaking chart records. These were not overnight success stories, they were built over time.

Drawing on the wisdom of figures like George Orwell and Albert Camus, this conversation moves through the three pillars of a creative journey: finding your field, sustaining the work through winter and doubt, and making a meaningful contribution to the world.

This episode asks: if we have more agency than we realise, how do we stop waiting for a platform and start building the community we want to see?

Watch Lily Mott’s TED Talk on Political Content Moderation on Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqDO0B82ENY

Watch Lily’s speech at The Children's Media Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF3azSIuN5A

Follow the Be the Change Media podcast: https://www.instagram.com/bethechangepodcast/

Follow Lily Mott on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilymott3/

Keep up to date with Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Read Tom's LinkedIn newsletter: https://shorturl.at/ZRNAU

Get the latest news on the podcast via the Spare a Thought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts from or head to: https://spareathought.podbean.com/

This is Episode 3 of Curly's War, based on the self-published book by Tom's grandfather, Walter George Blaza.

Walter participates in secret reconnaissance missions days before D-Day. After the invasion, 41 Commando is deployed to liberate the Netherlands, where he witnesses extraordinary acts of kindness from the starving Dutch population.

Tom and Emily discuss the assault on Flushing, winter warfare along the River Maas and the moral complexities of occupation.

Links to previous episodes are provided below:

• Curly’s War an Introduction: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-introduction/
• Curly’s War Part 1: The Interwar Years: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-1/
• Curly’s War Part 2: Joining the Royal Marines: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-2/

You can follow Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Keep up to date with Spare a Thought via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production.

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

In today's Christmas special, Tom explores the often-overlooked refugee story at the heart of the nativity. After the birth of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the infant had to flee to Egypt to escape King Herod's violence, becoming refugees dependent on the kindness of strangers in a foreign land.

Tom speaks with Rosa Brown from the Welsh Refugee Council about the realities facing refugees and asylum seekers in Wales today, and the work being done to create a nation of sanctuary. He's also joined by three chaplains from Cardiff University - Reverend Delyth Liddell, Reverend Joe Smith, and Father John Patrick Thomas - who reflect on what the Christmas story teaches us about welcome, hospitality, and hope.

This episode asks: if one of our oldest and most celebrated stories is fundamentally about displacement and hospitality, what does that mean for how we respond to those seeking sanctuary today?

Support the Welsh Refugee Council's Winter Appeal: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/29468#!/DonationDetails

Find out more about the Welsh Refugee Council: https://www.wrc.wales

Keep up to date with Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

And get the latest news on the podcast via the Spare a Thought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts from or head to https://spareathought.podbean.com/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production.

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.

This is the second episode of Curly's War, based on a self-published book of the same name by Tom's grandfather, Walter George Blaza. Curly's War recounts Walter's life during World War Two as a Royal Marine and Commando, including his training, involvement in D-Day and the Liberation of the Netherlands.

In Episode Two, Tom and Emily take listeners from the autumn of 1939 through Walter's extraordinary transformation from civilian bricklayer to elite Commando. After rejecting a farmer's offer of exemption from military service, the young Walter volunteers for the Fleet Air Arm but instead finds himself posted to the Royal Marines in Plymouth. What follows is a harrowing journey through Stonehouse Barracks, dangerous patrols off Scapa Flow, near-death experiences with experimental balloon bombs, and ultimately, the brutal twelve-week Commando training at Achnacarry in Scotland, where less than half survived the course to earn the coveted Green Beret.

You can follow Tom’s work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/

Keep up to date with Spare a Thought via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

You can listen to all previous episodes of the show wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://spareathought.podbean.com/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production.

Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.