Living Leith Podcast

Jennie chats to Tammy Waugh, hairdresser and co-owner of X Creative Collaboration, a creative co-working space for hair and beauty professionals to work independently from next to Ocean Terminal.Tammy tells us about her life, her hairdressing career and what prompted her and her husband to open a flexible co-working space and nurture a community of hair and beauty professionals. We discuss salon culture, client personalities, creativity, entrepreneurship, and of course - the evolution of Leith.To learn more about X Creative Collaboration check out their website: xcreativecollaboration.com and follow them @xcreativecollaboration on Instagram. You can follow Tammy, too @tammy_hair_stylist. This episode was recorded in August 2023.

Jennie and Rumana sit down with Deidre Brock, who is the SNP MP for Edinburgh North & Leith.Deidre tells us about growing up in Perth, Australia, her former life as an actor (and featuring on Home and Away!), what brought her to Scotland, and what got her interested in politics.To learn more about Deidre's work you can check out her website and follow her on socials: https://dbrockmp.scot/ This episode was recorded in July 2023.

We're back for Season 3!Keith and Jennie chat to Socks who is a Youth Worker at LGBT Youth Scotland, a charity based in Leith. Socks tells us about the variety of services and programmes the organisation provides, the important issues their young people are facing, and what she loves most about her job.Learn more about LGBT Youth Scotland on their website: https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/This episode was recorded in May 2023.

Stephen is a Scottish playwright and screenwriter. In 2007 he created the award-winning stage musical ‘Sunshine on Leith’ and went on to write the screenplay for the successful film version which was released in 2013. Stephen also created the BBC’s popular long-running drama, River City, and his TV work includes Doctor Who, Marchlands, The Bill, and Around the World in 80 Days. Jennie chats to Stephen about his impressive career, how he got The Proclaimers’ permission to write a musical with their songs, and how he ended up writing Doctor Who episodes. 'Sunshine on Leith' the musical is playing at the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, from 8 - 18 June, and at Pitlochry Festival Theatre for 24 June - 1 October. You can follow Stephen on Twitter. 

For the final episode of Season 2, the Living Leith hosts, Jennie, Rumana and Keith, interview each other - chatting about what brought us to Leith, the meaning of life, Beyonce and Rihanna, what we’d like to be remembered for as individuals, and generally shooting the shit.

Jennie and Keith speak to their friend, Cherise Huth, who has lived in Leith since 2017, and worked in the area for longer. She has worked as a carer and telecare advisor, and is one of the most compassionate and hilarious people you'll ever meet. As a young person, Cherise was faced with homelessness - she shares her experience and we discuss societal perceptions around it. Cherise also shares vulnerable and wholesome life lessons, influences, inspiration and more. You canny find her online, but if you're a "sexy lesbian" interested in dating her - please email [email protected] and we'll pass on your details to her.

This week, Jennie and Keith chat to Lizzie McGhee, Yoga Teacher and Founder of Off Grid Yoga - a company that hosts tech-free retreats for overwhelmed minds. Lizzie tells us about her career (and career changes), and her journey into digital minimalism, with many wise insights along the way. Follow Lizzie on Instagram and find out more about her retreats at offgridyogaretreats.org

Jennie and Keith chat to mother-daughter business duo, Michelle and Ashley. Michelle is the Managing Director, and Ashley the Events Manager, of Mimi's Bakehouse - Edinburgh's most loved bakery. Mimi’s Bakehouse is a second-generation family business established in 2010, they've won Scotland's Cafe Bakery of the Year six years in a row and have six shops around Edinburgh - with the original cafe based on the Shore in Leith. Michelle sold the family home in order to start the business, overcoming many obstacles along the way. She and Ashley tell us about the Mimi's journey and what it's like to run a family business. Follow Mimi's on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and visit their website at mimisbakehouse.com.

This week, Jennie and Keith chat to John - ghost story collector at North Edinburgh Nightmares. We hear plenty of spooky stories from around Leith and Edinburgh, and John tells us about his own supernatural experience, and why he loves these stories so much. Find out more on the North Edinburgh Nightmares website.

Raheema Sayed is a local creative who loves the written word and how storytelling connects people. She tells us about her writing, storytelling, and her recent live performance at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. We discuss what stories mean to us, Raheema's obsession with dreams, her favourite writers and artists, funny stories about growing up in Leith, and her plans for 2022.