Martin Ballard

I recently chatted with my mate Duncan Casburn who is also known online as PDA Dad UK. He is a prominent UK-based YouTuber, SEND advocate, and campaigner focusing on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile of autism. He shares personal experiences raising a teenage daughter with PDA, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder to promote neurodiversity understanding. He talked with me about becoming a dad and what he has learnt about people with a disability. website: https://pdadaduk.wixsite.com/pdadaduk

I sat down for a wonderful podcast chat with wonderful BBC Disability Correspondent Nikki Fox. She is currently being an amazing reporter on TV shows like BBC Watchdog, The One Show and BBC Morning Live. We chatted about our work careers, disability and representation in media and we talked about our own lived experience as people who both have a disability & how it has helped to shape our lives. https://www.instagram.com/nikkifox?igsh=MWZ0bGNiNnMwb2owNA==

I sat down for a lovely interview with Maria who is Founder & the CEO of the wonderful charity Music of Life who are a national charity. We talked about their brilliant work and their vision and mission and aims, we chatted about disability and awareness and chatted about how people in the public can also get involved with the charityWeb : https://musicoflife.org.uk/https://www.instagram.com/musicoflifeuk/

I recently interviewed a lady called Alexia who is currently helping to cast people for the new series of the fab TV show The Great British Sewing Bee. She is currently a freelancer working with Love Productions. You can apply now to go on the new series!https://www.loveproductions.co.uk/

Recently I sat down for a chat with a lovely lady called Claire Francis who is a therapist counsellor. She told me about what counselling is, and how people can get support from her as a counsellor. We talked about our own individual lived experiences and also talked about the services that she provides as a counsellor & asked her what disability training she has had in her career as a counsellor.https://www.counsellingwithcancer.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/counsellingwithcancer

I chatted with disability Advocate Simon Airey. we talked about our lived experience and about disability awareness and more!https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-airey-5a477540/

This week I sat down for a really enjoyable podcast interview chat with Alexia Barrett from the casting company Love Productions. They make TV shows like The Great British Bake Off and The Great British Sewing Bee. She asked me how they could make the applications process accessible for people with a disability so they can apply for the new series of Sewing Bee.I talked to her about my learning disability and shared my story with her I chatted to her about what reasonable adjustments they would make for people with a disability on the show. People can apply to go on the show now. closing date is in 3 weeks time! https://www.loveproductions.co.uk/

I chatted with the Podcaster Martin Ballard about his work career and about the 2 podcasts that he currently runs online. We also talked about neurodiversity & disability & people with a learning disability. We also talked about pantomimes and theatre shows and we talked about meeting well known celebrities and more!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballardmartin/youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDCa2I2i3DwuTNWhPguYLFw

I chatted to my friend Nicola Musgrove who is a mum and she told me about her work career and now she is a mum to her wonderful children who have a disability. We talked about attitudes, stigma, discrimination and much more!https://www.instagram.com/nicmusgrove18?igsh=a2VodjRpMGlqdjQ0

I recently sat down for a podcast chat with Gavin Neate who won a All 4 Inclusion Award in 2024. He also told me about the work that he does around disability and training & customer service. We also chatted about disability awareness, discrimination and we also had a fun quickfire chat about holidays, film, TV and lots more. Gavin's instagram account:https://www.instagram.com/neategavin/