In our latest podcast, we are joined by John Doyle, Outreach Practitioner with Recovery near You, the substance misuse service for Wolverhampton. John joins Paul Burns and Dawn Walls from the Good Shepherd, to highlight the impact of partnership work between different charities and agencies across the city to support people going through recovery.

John also shares his own powerful Recovery story after his own journey through substance abuse, homelessness and experiences with the criminal justice system. "I do this job not for money but because this is what I am meant to do," he says. "This is where I am meant to be in life."

Ahead of Recovery Month in September, the trio discuss their work alongside others from the city in supporting people and how, whilst there have been so many improvements in this area in recent years, there is still more work to be done.

For our latest Good Shepherd podcast, we return to the subject of art, and the series of workshops which are being delivered as part of the Arts Council England funding, leading up to the exhibition to mark Recovery Month at the Newhampton Art Centre and Wolverhampton Art Gallery in September.

We are delighted to be joined by Hannah Boyd-McKee, artist, tutor and creative practitioner, who led a series of workshops focused on painting and drawing. Hannah was then joined by Matt and Henok, both of whom attended the workshops and both of whom have been key parts of the overall ACE project.

Matt, known as Matt the artist, is an art tutor himself, who shares his own powerful story of Recovery after his battle with alcoholism, whilst Henok, who was recently handed settled status to remain in this country after fleeing from war and persecution in Ethiopia.

All three of our guests speak brilliantly about their lives and challenges and the power that art can bring to Recovery.

Good Shepherd Operations Manager Lee Smith is blazing a trail – quite literally – by taking on a gruelling fundraising challenge to raise funds for the charity which supports people experiencing homeless and vulnerability across Wolverhampton.

Lee is taking on an eight-hour fitness marathon of successive sessions of the Blaze workout, a type of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) gym-based exercise which combines cardio-vascular work with strength, boxing and martial arts skills.

This will take place at the David Lloyd Club in Dudley.

Blaze Supervisor Niamh Norton from David Lloyd and club members have all been extremely supportive and are getting involved in the challenge.

In our latest podcast, Lee and Niamh chat about the challenge, the importance of exercise both for positive physical and mental health, and the work of the Good Shepherd.

In the latest Good Shepherd podcast, we stay within the sector of the creative arts, but this time we head onto the stage, with the fantastic Geese Theatre.

Geese is a Birmingham-based company which uses theatre within criminal justice & social welfare to encourage positive social change via groupwork, training, interactive performances and more.

Recently they led on a performance of 'Out of Darkness Cometh Light' in which they worked with the community of Wolverhampton, particularly volunteers from SUIT, to share experiences of the criminal justice system and recovery.

Two LEAP volunteers from the Good Shepherd - Akram and Steve - also moved well out of their comfort zones to take part in the rehearsals and production, and they absolutely loved it!

Here they both talk movingly about the difference the experience has made to their continuing recoveries, and we were delighted to also welcome practitioner Becky, from Geese Theatre, to join in the podcast.

In our latest podcast we reflect on the launch of an exciting new arts project facilitated by the Good Shepherd with thanks to a grant from Arts Council England.

The new project will see a series of different workshops staged at the Newhampton Arts Centre, all building up to a big exhibition during Recovery Month in September both at the NAC and also the Mander Centre.

With the first group of sessions now completed, the Good Shepherd's Community & Engagement Worker Kate Penman was delighted to be joined by artist and University of Wolverhampton Masters student Charlotte Webb, and a participant in the project Sally.

All three shared their own stories around mental health challenges and recovery, and looked back on five incredible weeks which illustrated - quite literally - just how positive a role art can play in people's lives.

Over 150 hardy fundraisers braved the worst conditions yet for the Molineux Sleepout by taking on the challenge to support some of the most vulnerable people across the city.

This year’s event, the fifth in total, saw participants sleeping in the Stan Cullis Stand during a bitterly cold night which included a howling wind and regular heavy downpours.

Their fantastic efforts have now seen the fundraising total break through the £50,000 barrier in sight of the overall aim of £60,000 which would be the highest amount raised so far.

All funds are shared between the Wolves Foundation and Good Shepherd (GS), supporting people experiencing homelessness and poverty across Wolverhampton.

Our latest podcast features the work of Chris Allen from our media partners Wolves Community Radio (WCR). In the podcast Chris chats to Kieron Ansell from the Wolves Foundation, Chris and Donna from the Good Shepherd, participant Summer and her dad Stephen, Tom Hayden CEO of the Good Shepherd, Wolves Foundation Chair Kevin Rogers, Council Leader Stephen Simkins and Cllr Dr Michael Hardacre, Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton. Finally, we hear from studio guest Daniel William after it was all over.

For our latest podcast, we are really grateful to one of our Housing First clients David, for sharing some of his story with us.

David has been a long-term rough sleeper, with problems around crime and addiction, but, following the loss of a close friend, has engaged with the Good Shepherd and the Housing First programme to try and make a fresh start, and be able to look forward.

In this podcast David is joined by his Key Worker Dawn, as they chat about the progress he is making and the ambitions he has for the future.

We wish him all the very best.

We are delighted to be joined by this podcast by two people who have volunteered their support for the Good Shepherd in very different ways, whilst also declaring a strong and sustained pride in their Wolverhampton roots!

John Price, well known on social media as Jack Sparra, is a long-time supporter of the Good Shepherd and several other local charities, and continues to help with many of our activities.

Jack Kirwan is an ambassador of the Good Shepherd, alongside his growing career as a comedian where he is perhaps best known for his Gary Powndland character.

The two chatted at length on our podcast about many different subjects, from their respective careers, to challenges with their mental health, Jack's forthcoming gig at the Halls in Wolverhampton, and the need for everyone to look out for each other during some difficult times.

A great listen!