Spare a Thought

Join host Tom Spare for an episode of milestones. The 70th edition of the podcast, 2 years since Spare a Thought launched, featuring the first ever interview conducted for the show. Tom focuses on the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ film festival. The Iris Prize is the world's largest short film prize. 2026 marks the Iris Prize's 20th birthday. He gives an overview of the festival's opening night and then shares his interview with Iris Festival Director Berwyn Rowlands from October 2024.  The Iris Film Festival runs from 12th - 18th October 2026. You can find more here: https://irisprize.org/  One of the films featured on opening night centred around Cranogwen, the seafarer and scholar who broke every boundary placed before her. In March 2026, Tom and his guest co-host Emily Merry created a two-part series on Monumental Women, a project aiming to get more statues installed of notable women across Wales. You can listen to that episode exploring Cranogwen's past here.  You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://spareathought.podbean.com/. 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/ 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 autumn close to three million students will be descending on universities across the UK. Tom Spare is joined by Leo Cartman who has just started her first year at University of Portsmouth studying journalism.  Leo asks questions to Tom who draws on his own time as an undergraduate at the University of Kent, a decade working in higher education, and his return to study a master's at Cardiff University as a mature student. Tom and Leo are joined by special guest Lily Mott (Washington Lee University, University of Oxford, Cardiff University). With contributions from Eden Byrne (Open University), Allegra Cuomo (UCL) and Emily Merry (University of Bristol and Cardiff University). Together they discuss: The challenges of managing money Getting to know people and dealing with homesickness Managing conflict with flatmates Staying on top of academic work and managing your time Finding research, and when to use AI (and when not to) Finding part-time work and work experience You can listen to all previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://spareathought.podbean.com/. 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/ Spare a Thought is a Be the Change. Media Network production. The money tips and financial advice in this episode are personal opinion, not professional guidance. If money is tight, contact your university's money advice service as early as possible. 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 episode is based on a workshop Tom delivered in July 2026 for the Be the Change Media Network. Drawing on over 100 episodes of Spare a Thought and The Political Dispatch, Tom explores what makes a story worth telling and how to tell it responsibly. He gives the example of three very different episodes he's produced: Living with Long Covid, Spare a Thought for Paternity Leave, and Curly's War, a miniseries based on his late grandfather's WWII memoir. Along the way, Tom reflects on earning trust, knowing when to step back and hand a story to someone better placed to tell it, and what it means to hold someone else's legacy responsibly. You can listen to the episodes referenced in this talk, and all previous episodes, wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://spareathought.podbean.com/. 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/ 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.

With the school holidays in full swing, Tom reviews the biggest blockbuster of the summer, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.  The world has forgotten that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, including all the people he cares for most. Parker works round the clock to fight off New York's criminals. Isolated and heartbroken, Parker begins to develop worrying symptoms that force him to seek out old allies and new.  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 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.

For the first ever in-person recording of Spare a Thought, Tom sits down with Harriette Wight a Breathing Coach and Menstruality Mentor who's on a mission to change the way women understand their menstrual cycles. This episode was recorded on 16th July 2026 with an audience as part of the Be the Change Media tour. The event was organised by CEO of the Be the Change Media Network, Lily Mott, and hosted at the Cathays Community Centre, Cardiff.  Harriette explains her coaching journey, the relationship women have with their periods, and the role that breathing can play in helping women's health. You can find out more about Harriette via her website and Instagram. The Be the Change Media Tour is running from July to September. You can find the nearest event here. 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 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.

Tom started this podcast in October 2024, believing it would remain online only — but this month, that changes. On 16th July, Tom will be holding his first ever live podcast recording, as part of the Be the Change Media Academy's Digital Storytelling Workshop roadshow. He'll be joined by Lily Mott, CEO of Be the Change Media Network, to co-facilitate a workshop on media literacy and storytelling, before recording a live episode with special guest Harriette Wight, a breathing coach. Venue: Cathays Community Centre, 36-38 Cathays Terrace, Cardiff, CF24 4HX Time: Doors 6pm, starting 6:10pm sharp, finishing by 8pm Tickets: Free to attend, but capacity is limited, bookings close the night before  the event, book now to secure your spot here: https://www.bethechangemedianetwork.com/event-details/reporting-the-underreported-with-tom-spare Can't make Cardiff? There are six more tour dates around the UK, find one near you here: https://www.bethechangemedianetwork.com/workshop-sign-up Keep up-to-date with Tom's work 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 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.  

Spare a Thought is the podcast for curious minds exploring creativity, culture and stories from the margins. About the episode CONTENT WARNING: This episode makes reference to suicide and attempted suicide To celebrate Windrush Day (22nd June), Tom is joined by Leonora Cartman to explore the history, the legacy, and the deeply moving human stories of the Windrush generation. Leo details the post-war labor shortages that prompted the UK government to invite Caribbean citizens and discusses the profound impact of the 2012 "hostile environment" policies that led to the Windrush scandal. Keyari Page, creator and host of Shadow and Light, talks about the research for her episode "Borders of Belonging," reflecting on the emotional toll of the scandal and how systems can value bureaucratic paperwork over lived realities. Dr Nick Beach, a trustee for the Stuart Hall Foundation, shares his personal experiences working closely with the late Professor Stuart Hall to transcribe his memoir, Familiar Stranger: A Life Between Two Islands, and explains how the Foundation continues Hall's vital intellectual work today. Find out more about the Stuart Hall Foundation here and read Professor Hall's memoir, Familiar Stranger at Penguin Books. Professor Les Back of the University of Glasgow reflects on Stuart Hall’s incredible gift for using everyday cultural symbols, like a simple cup of tea, to map the vast histories of the British Empire, identity, and belonging. If you are in Cardiff on the 16th of July, come watch a live recording of the show featuring briefing coach Harriet White at Cathays Community Centre from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. You can book a free ticket here. The co-hosts for this episode were Leonora Cartman and Tom Spare. The content was researched by Leonaro Cartman and edited by Tom Spare. Keep up-to-date with Tom's work 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 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.

Spare a Thought is the podcast for curious minds exploring creativity, culture and stories from the margins. About this episode To celebrate Refugee week (15th - 21st June), Tom brings together voices from three previous episodes of the show. Rosa Brown of the Welsh Refugee Council reflects on Wales's Nation of Sanctuary approach and the small daily acts that make welcome real.  Dr Samantha James, an NHS doctor who volunteered with German rescue charity Sea-Watch in the Mediterranean, talks about what drives someone to act.  Professor Karen Jacobsen, Henry J. Lear Professor of Global Migration at Tufts University and author of Host Cities, explores how refugees don't just survive in the cities that receive them, they reshape them.  And the Cardiff University chaplains, Reverend Delyth Liddell, Reverend Jo Smith and Father John Patrick Thomas, revisit one of the oldest refugee stories in our lexicon.  Refugee Week events are taking place across the UK — find out what's happening near you at refugeeweek.org.uk Find out more about Sea-Watch, the Welsh Refugee Council and Professor Jacobsen's book Host Cities. This episode was edited, produced and presented by Tom Spare. Clips were selected by Leonora Cartman. Keep up-to-date with Tom's work 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 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.

Spare a Thought, the podcast for curious minds exploring creativity, culture and stories from the margins. About this episode Tom interviews Chris Brian, Rhiannon White, Bianca Ali and Taylor Edmonds about the making of Demand the Impossible, part performance, part punk gig, part sensory experience exploring police injustice and the undercover infiltration of activist networks. The play ran at Newport's Corn Exchange in October 2025 and was produced by Common/Wealth Theatre. The conversation explores the spycops scandal, in which undercover police officers infiltrated left-wing activist groups over decades, from environmental and anti-racist campaigners to construction workers blacklisted for their union activity. The guests discuss how real testimonies from people directly affected shaped the play, the challenge of making political theatre, and what it means to turn painful personal experience into powerful art and performance. They also talk about Common/Wealth's book Do It Yourself - Making Political Theatre, a practical DIY toolkit distilling fifteen years of making immersive, community-rooted work. You can find out more about Common/Wealth Theatre and their upcoming work at commonwealththeatre.co.uk More information about Demand the Impossible is available here For more on the ongoing public inquiry into undercover policing, visit the Spycops Research website or listen to the Spycops Podcast Taylor Edmonds has featured on previous episodes of Spare a Thought The Waters That Raised Us and Writing for Joy, and her website is tayloredmonds.co.uk This episode was produced, written and edited by Tom Spare. Music from Demand the Impossible was produced by Common/Wealth Theatre, directed by Rhiannon White and written by Taylor Edmonds. Music and excerpts used with permission. About the guests Chris Brian is a campaigner and researcher who was among the thousands of activists spied on by undercover police. He has spent years working as a researcher for the Undercover Research Group, supporting the ongoing public inquiry into undercover policing. Rhiannon White is co-founder and co-artistic director of Common/Wealth Theatre, a company based in Cardiff and Bradford making large-scale immersive political theatre rooted in the communities it comes from. She directed Demand the Impossible. Bianca Ali is a freelance performer and creative from Cardiff who played a character based on her own experience as a founder of Black Lives Matter Cardiff. Taylor Edmonds is a writer, poet and creative facilitator from Barry, South Wales. Demand the Impossible was her first stage play. Keep up-to-date with Tom's work 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 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.

Spare a Thought, the podcast for curious minds exploring creativity, culture and stories from the margins.  About this episode Tom interviews Steven Renderos, Executive Director of MediaJustice, a US based racial justice organisation that advances the media and technology rights of people of colour. They discuss MediaJustice's report Media Capture: Who Controls the Story Controls the Future, exploring how a small group of tech oligarchs including Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Elon Musk are consolidating control over America's media system and beyond. Steven also contributes to the latest episode of The Political Dispatch, the sister show to Spare a Thought, All the President's Men at Fifty.  The MediaJustice report Media Capture: Who Controls the Story Controls the Future is available to read here.  You can find out more about MediaJustice’s work by heading to their website https://mediajustice.org/  This episode was edited by Sam Khanikar. The title track for this show is Young Shall Grow, with thanks to Afro Cluster, Magugu and Asha Jane. About the guest Steven Renderos is the Executive Director of MediaJustice. He grew up in Los Angeles in an immigrant household and has spent over a decade leading campaigns that have lowered the cost of prison phone calls, secured net neutrality rules and got Donald Trump removed from Twitter. He is a regular commentator in the Washington Post, the LA Times and The Guardian.  Keep up-to-date with Tom’s work 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 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.