Episode 106: Special Guest, Keira Edwards (Autistic Journalist & BBC Sounds Audio Lab Creator)

On this month's 21andsensory Podcast episode I have the wonderful special guest Keira Edwards. Keira is an autistic journalist who is one of four BBC Sounds Audiolab Creators for 2025. BBC Sounds Audio Lab is an accelerator programme with one big ambition – to amplify next-generation storytellers and audio creatives. With a focus on under-represented UK voices and experiences, we help to transform fresh and distinctive ideas into narrative led podcasts whilst helping to grow their professional production skills.I’ll be chatting to Keira all about her podcast ‘It’s So Loud In Here!’ available to listen to now on BBC Sounds.Keira’s links:’It’s So Loud In Here’ hosted by Keira, available here on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0n03fcrKeira’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kredwards39An instagram post Keira did with BBC Sounds: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV5q81eisDM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZAKeira’s new TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livingneurodivergentMy 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠~⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠~@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this month's 21andsensory Podcast I have special guest Cath on the show. Cath is a graduate from the University of York and the University of Oxford and their background is in student voice, with 5 years of experience across two universities. Cath is also the host and founder of the HE Enabled Podcast. HE Enabled is a show dedicated to sharing the experiences of disabled, neurodivergent, and those with long-term health conditions in UK Higher Education.HE Enabled links:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2njGJehfdhxHsC4bltg703?si=0eb76147113b4157Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/he-enabled/id1812688537…and you can listen to my episode (33) on the HE Enabled Podcast now!https://linktr.ee/henabledMentioned:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/HEnabledLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heenabledLuisa’s episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0GgigL2NGsQuj6SZxojuaw?si=decc7611c7eb48f0Disabled Students UK Report: https://disabledstudents.co.uk/annual-disabled-student-survey-results-2025-published/Chill with You : Lo-Fi Story on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3548580/Chill_with_You__LoFi_Story/20-20-20 Digital eye strain article: https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/20-20-20-rule(For every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, you should try to take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away).My 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on Patreon⁠⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠

On today's episode I have special guest Lauren Melissa Ellzey also known as Autienelle.Lauren Melissa is an autistic self-advocate and author of three young adult novels, BOY AT THE WINDOW, STREAMLINE, and GIMMICKS AND GLAMOUR, which explore belonging for queer, neurodivergent youth of colour. Her advocacy work has crossed paths with New York University, Reframing Autism, Cripple Media, NeuroClastic, and the United Nations. She holds a Master of Science in Library and Information Science and resides in New York City with her cat, Tifa, and her dog, Farron.Lauren Melissa's links:Instagram: Lauren Melissa Ellzey (@autienelle) Lauren Melissa on Twitch Lifelines Grounding Stone: https://www.lifelines.com/grounding-stonesAutienelle websiteBook links:Boldstroke books: https://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/authors/lauren-melissa-ellzey-364Amazon link: Lauren Melissa Ellzey: books, biography, latest updateMy 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on Patreon⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠⁠

*Content warning* we chat about potentially triggering topics such as eating disorders, drugs and alcohol, listener discretion is advised.On today’s show I have the wonderful special guest Claire. Claire is houseplant-obsessed and has a fab YouTube channel called The Jungle Haven. She started her YouTube channel to make videos about the things she has learnt (and continues to learn) on her indoor gardening journey, and provides tips and tricks so that subscribers can keep their own house plants happy and healthy. Claire has almost 200,000 subscribers and creates all sorts of videos on her channels including dispelling houseplant myths, how to videos such as repotting house plants and propagating them and videos on plant styling and interiors .Her lovely rescue dog Joli features in her videos lots (including in the opening intro) which of course adds to their charm and both Claire and Joli potter about in chatty plant chore videos and houseplant tours where Claire tends to her collection of almost 300+ plants so I am very much looking forward to chatting to her!Claire's Links:www.instagram.com/thejunglehavenwww.youtube.com/c/TheJungleHavenwww.tiktok.com/@thejunglehavenAlan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club: www.itv.com/watch/alan-titchmarshs-gardening-club/10a5408Mentioned:Sarah Gerrard-Joneswww.theplantrescuer.comwww.instagram.com/theplantrescuerGood Growing (Emma)www.instagram.com/goodgrowinghttps://www.youtube.com/c/GoodGrowingMy 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on Patreon21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠

On today’s show I have special guest David Holmes who is the founder of Big Life Adventure. Big Life Adventure is a fun, safe, and supportive online platform designed especially for people with learning disabilities and autism. It helps you explore your interests, set goals, connect with others, and express yourself – all in one place. David made headline news a few weeks ago when he warned that the new online safety act risks inadvertently excluding people with learning disabilities. Under the Act, social media platforms are required to carry out strict age checks - using ID checks or AI face recognition -  to keep children away from harmful content. For many people with learning disabilities, these systems are unworkable and I’ll be chatting to him more about this.Links:Big Life Adventure websiteStand with Big Life Adventure: Stop Online Disability Discrimination Now: Petition linkBig Life Adventure on:InstagramTikTokLinkedinMy 21andsensory links: My 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on Patreon⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠⁠

On today’s show I have the wonderful special guest Anna Zoe Quirke. Anna is a queer and autistic author, librarian, and freelance writer from the North of England. They’ve written books, scripts, poetry (and much more). Their novel ‘Something to be Proud of’ won the Northern Writers’ Award for Debut YA Fiction in 2022, was shortlisted for the PFD Queer Fiction Prize, was published with Little Tiger in June 2024, and was nominated for a Carnegie Award in 2025. Their most recent book ‘ Sad Girl Hours’ was published in September this year.In her freelance work, Anna writes about mental health, disability, neurodivergence, and LGBTQ+ topics for various charities and organisations such as Kooth, the UK’s largest digital mental health service.They’re at their happiest writing stories about chaotic queer and disabled people finding and claiming their place in the world.Anna's Links:Anna's websiteBuy Anna's BooksInstagramTikTokMy 21andsensory links: @21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠

IT'S EPISODE 100! WOOP!Thanks for listening and subscribing to the 21andsensory podcast over the years - it really does mean a lot and I hope you have enjoyed all the guests I've had on so far...more exciting guests to come too!On today's episode I have a very special guest to celebrate the 100th episode...but you'll have to click play to find out who it is!My 21andsensory links: @21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Work with me: ⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠⁠​21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠

On this month's 21andsensory Podcast I have the wonderful special guest Lucy Powrie. Lucy is a neurodivergent author whose dream is to fill bookshelves with as many books featuring proudly autistic and ADHD characters as possible – just like her.She makes bookish videos as lucythereader on YouTube to an audience of over 40,000 subscribers, and enjoys passionately sharing her love for old books, the Brontë sisters, and the BBC miniseries adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.Lucy is the author of four books for teens and young adults: The Paper & Hearts Society series, and Real When I’m With You. In her spare time she also the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Brontë Society. When she’s not writing or reading, she can be found cuddling her corgi, Margie, and looking after her herd of very cute guinea pigs.Lucy's links: linktr.ee/lucythereader​My 21andsensory links: @21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Work with me: ⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠⁠​21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠⁠​@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠

Very excited to announce that on this months 21andsensory Podcast episode I have special guest Rachel Morgan-Trimmer Rachel is (and does) many things including being: • An International keynote and TEDx speaker• A neurodiversity consultant and trainer• An entrepreneur • …and an author!Rachel founded Sparkle Class in 2019 which has since rebranded to Firebird which is a company that delivers training on how to create an inclusive workplace and society for people living with ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism and Dyspraxia.Firebird have worked with clients such as the BBC, NHS, HP, and the British Academy to name a few. Rachel is the author of ‘How to be Autistic’ a free ebook that aims to guide autistic people through what being autistic means, how to manage challenges, and help them to find their own purpose.Also this is my favourite bit of the book description:It will help ‘empower you to live as the shiny authentic autistic you were always meant to be’ 💫 So I am very excited to chat to Rachel about everything she does!Rachels links:​Firebird Website​Rachel's Book Website: ' How to be Autistic'​Rachel's LinkedIn​Rachel's Instagram​My 21andsensory links: @21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠​@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​Work with me: ⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me⁠​21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠⁠​@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://x.com/21andsensory⁠​@21andsensory on BlueSky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social⁠

On today's episode I have special guest Hannah. Hannah is an illustrator who created SadSnailAdventures after discovering she is neurodivergent and being diagnosed with autism. Hannah wanted to build a creative space to share the highs, lows, and everything in between about living as a neurodivergent person, hoping it helps others feel less alone.Hannah loves bringing her illustrations and products to life on her Etsy store of the same name and I am excited to chat to her about all things creative!Hannah's Links:@sadsnailadventures on: Instagram | TikTok | WhatNot | EtsyMy 21andsensory links:@21andsensory on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠@21andsensory on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tiktok.com/@21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠21andsensory on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/21andsensory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me: https://21andsensory.wordpress.com/working-with-me21andsensory Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://21andsensory.wordpress.com⁠@21andsensory on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://x.com/21andsensory@21andsensory on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/21andsensory.bsky.social