Restore with Eoin Walker

In this episode, I talk with Bram Connolly. Bram is a former special forces operative with the Australian Special Forces with 20 years of experience on the frontline. Bram was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for leadership in the Australia Day awards 2012. Bram is the Managing Director and founder of Hindsight Leadership and Resilience. He is the author of "The Fighting Season" and "Off-Re...

In this episode we speak with Lloyd Evans a GP in Wales around his experiences of the second wave of the pandemic. We explore some of the fundamental issues that have led to a rise in demand and stress both within the general population and the frontline NHS staff. We explore some of the second and third order effects of the covid pandemic, together with the unintended positive aspects that it has...

In this mini-series I talk to Alec Wilding who is an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner (APP) on the frontline of the healthcare system within the UK. Alec gives me an honest and transparent perspective of life tackling the second wave of the covid pandemic and his thoughts on how it is impacting the mental and physical health of both the population and the staff. Alec gives an honest and insightful...

In this mini-series I talk to a cross section of individuals at the frontline of the healthcare system within the UK. In this episode I speak with friend and colleague Lucy Gough. Lucy is an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) within London. She gives me an honest and transparent perspective of life in the Emergency Control Room and her thoughts on the contemporary demand profile within the pandemi...

John Sullivan is a former Royal Marines Commando of nine years' experience. He has operated in some of the world's most challenging environments - Jungle, Desert and Arctic. John's passion in life is to explore with a sense of purpose. Working alone, this has taken him to some of the remotest corners of the world to research and set up factual programmes for the BBC and the National Geographic Cha...

There has never been a greater need or time to have meaningful and insightful conversations than in 2020. This year has been like no other and the circumstances have shaped and touched everyone lives. In this episode I look back on conversations that I’ve had for the restore podcast and pull out some of the key salient points that have really resonated with me and hopefully you over this period of...

In this interview I have a conversation with Laura Penhaul. Laura was the Team Leader of the coxless crew who set two world records in January 2016. They rowed unsupported across the Pacific Ocean - 9,000 miles, taking 9 months to complete and 4 years to prepare for. Laura previously was Lead Physiotherapist for the Paralympic Programme of British Athletics and worked at Vancouver, London and Rio...

In this conversation I interview Mark Fish.  Mark is the author of an innovative therapeutic community called ‘Room to Heal’ It is a community of 80 members from 30 different countries. This community share the commonalty of suffering and torture from state and non-state actors within indigenous countries of origin. Mark has found that a shared narrative, the power of stories, a community min...

In this conversation with Jerome Fontana we explore some of the fundamental aspects of humanitarian leadership and commonalities that has helped him navigate a 22 year career throughout some of the worlds most war torn areas for the international Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). Mr Jerome Fontana is the new Head of the ICRC delegation in Cairo. Since joining the ICRC in 1998, Mr Fontana has worked i...

In this episode I chat to Jason Fox about his new book ‘Life Under Fire’  for those of you that aren’t familiar with Jason, he is a former Royal Marine Commando and Special Forces Sergeant. Joining at 16 and serving for 20 years; Jason passed the grueling selection process for the Special Forces in 2001, serving with the Special Boat Service till 2012. Jason has planned and led operations inc...

In this episode we look at law, order and mental health with one of the U.K.s top QCs. Born and bred in Sheffield Gul Nawaz Hussain was the first QC to be appointed in Sheffield for over 15 years and the first ever BAME QC from South Yorkshire. Within the first 3 years of practice he was ranked as a leading barrister by the premiere legal directories The Legal 500 & Chambers Guide to the Bar....

In this wide ranging conversation with Claire McNulty European Director of the National Geographic Society, we look at current pandemic & how this has personally impacted on Claire & life/relationships around her. We also look at mental health and the outdoors and what the balance between nature and work looks like. We then explore the link between mental wellness and ecological wellness,...

In this wide ranging conversation with Will Duffin - a passionate GP, educator, adventurer, innovator and polymath we define the current problem around depression and then examine different states of depression. We also look at why people get caught in the cycle of depression and current modalities of treatment for depression (chemical intervention, groups, social prescribing, referral pathways).&...

In this episode we look at how individuals perform under high stress circumstances. Today I'm speaking with Ben Watts a critical care Paramedic who frequently has to perform under various levels of stress and difficulty. We examine how to get the best out of yourself under this stress by limiting human factors. Ben defines human factors and then gives examples of how these can infringe on our clar...

In this conversation I talk with Tim Archer. Tim is a former Group Captain, he held a number of senior appointments in the RAF during which time he gained an MA in Leadership Studies from the Centre for Leadership Studies at Exeter University, a Post Grad Certificate in Executive Coaching from Lancaster University Business School and was awarded a full-time 12-month Fellowship back at the Centre f...

This is a conversation I have been wanting to record for a while; the inextricable links between money problems and mental health. Marie Ellis is the founder of blog Broke girl in the City a blog that started in 2016 when she was made redundant on the morning of Brexit. Marie got herself into 35k worth of debt and through the process of small incremental good practices and positive habits managed...

Duncan joined the Royal Marines at 18, 1974, passing the commando training. Within 6 weeks due to a freak of incidences that will probably never be repeated he found himself on SBS selection and managed to pass the course just after his 19th birthday becoming the youngest SBS operative within the special forces. Duncan left the SBS in 1986 and spent 13 years in Los Angeles as a screenplay writer,...

In this episode I interview a senior Detective Inspector within the police who works within the Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation Unit in London. English born and raised, of African decent and operating for 14 years within the police through the hierarchy of leadership he has a unique perspective into the contemporary climate. I first met Henk as a friend about 8 years ago and have valued his...

Stephen left the military in 2012 after serving 14 years in the Royal Marines and the SBS. At the age of 27 Stephen was awarded the Military Cross (MC) by Her Majesty the Queen for his work in Afghanistan in 2008. The MC is granted in recognition of "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land" to all members of the British Armed Forces of any rank. Sin...

In this episode I interview a senior police colleague who talks about his experiences of using communication to de-escalate and non-judgementally achieve end points effectively. My guest talks about his history as a police officer and rising through the ranks tackling local, national and international organised crime for countries and global institutions such as at the United Nations. He explores...

Abi Carter is a Forensic Archaeologist and has previously investigated international human rights violations before setting up her business providing forensic and expert witness services to legal defence and civil litigation teams. She has worked on evidence from the primary & secondary mass graves associated with the genocide in Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and has been a very active board...

In this episode, Jennie Sherman, Medic and Wellbeing Coach considers the impact of 'notification culture' and how we can take back control from our technology. The pair consider a number of useful coping mechanisms for rest and recovery - from meditation to yoga and breathing exercises. Jen also considers how the pandemic will affect new and existing mental health issues such as OCD, addiction and...

‘ Just because you were brave, doesn’t mean you weren’t afraid ’. Former SAR Paramedic turned Mental Health First Aider Andy Elwood joins me to discuss the importance of recognising your own fragility in preserving and protecting your mental wellbeing. Andy takes us through some of his experiences from his 20 year career on the frontline. He compares the war-like language used against the common e...

For mental health awareness week the Restore Podcast has collaborated with World Extreme Medicine to bring you some inspiring unique individuals that have overcome some of life's mental health challenges.  Meet Jeff Allen a World-class sea kayak guide as he joins me in this episode to discuss his career and the therapy it's provided for him during some extremely difficult mental health challe...

Piers has an eclectic background. Since 1997 he has been working with businesses; coaching, facilitating and helping them have better conversations – as individuals, teams and leaders. Prior to this, he was paid by the government to throw petrol bombs at the Police – as a riot control, Public Order & self defence instructor. Piers then began expedition-leading, giving him some incredible exper...