Debra and Peter are doing a Podcast

Why does everything have to be about picking a side? This week, Debra and Peter start with the long-awaited arrival of a new minister for civil society and ask what the appointment says about the government's relationship with the charity sector. From previous ministers who genuinely engaged with charities to the Civil Society Covenant, procurement and public service contracts, they explore wh...

Episode 80! Let’s talk about sector, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Or, according to Debra’s AI transcript, perhaps we’d better not. Yes, artificial intelligence has been hard at work at DSC, where the Third Sector Awards have somehow become the rather more intriguing “Third Sex Awards”. But once Debra and Peter have recovered from that, they turn to a much bigger question: do we really believ...

Episode 79! The Ebbsfleet United cliffhanger continues, Somerset have finally proved they can win without Craig Overton, and Peter commits what may be his greatest sporting faux pas yet by congratulating a new father without actually asking the baby's name. From there, Debra and Peter turn to politics and welfare, looking at Reform UK's proposals and the wider debate about benefits, employ...

Episode 78! Peter is marking 40 years since his first day in the Civil Service, Debra is celebrating 25 years at DSC, and Ebbsfleet United are facing a very uncertain future. The conversation then turns to the death of Jason Arday and the intense scrutiny he faced. Debra and Peter discuss racism, media responsibility, public shaming and what happens when the person at the centre of a story gets lo...

Episode 77! Spain are World Cup champions, and the conspiracy theories have managed more attempts than Argentina did. Debra and Peter begin by reflecting on what football can teach us about winning, losing and leadership. From there, the conversation turns to why people cling to explanations even when the evidence points elsewhere, and how easily the madness of crowds can take hold. They also expl...

Episode 76! England's World Cup dream may have ended in the final minutes, but Debra and Peter's conversation about courage, leadership and speaking up couldn't be more timely. After reflecting on another emotional night of football (and Peter's hopes for Somerset's T20 campaign), they turn to a much more serious topic: the growing impact of polarisation on charities. Prompted...

Episode 75! Debra and Peter are back, and this week, football may or may not be coming home, but Peter definitely isn’t, as he worries about his onions, potatoes and spinach from the heat of London. After a World Cup catch-up, including Spain, England, late-night football stress and Peter’s power cut drama, Debra and Peter turn to a much bigger question: what role does lived experience play in cam...

How much should we trust the people around us? This week, Debra and Peter explore one of the biggest challenges facing every leader: building a culture of trust while protecting organisations from the small number of people who abuse it. The conversation begins with two thought-provoking new books. Fresh from attending the launch of Caroline Slocock's Bad Government and How to Make It Better,...

It's hot. Very hot. Hot enough for Peter to resurrect a potentially lethal fan from the garage and for Arthur the dog to rack up a £380 vet bill after an unfortunate encounter with a bee. But the real sting this week comes from Westminster. With the Prime Minister stepping down and Andy Burnham looking increasingly likely to take over, Debra and Peter discuss leadership, ambition, succession a...

This week begins in the garden, but it doesn't stay there for long. As Peter battles an endless supply of weeds and Debra reflects on the idea that a weed is simply a plant growing in the wrong place, the conversation quickly branches out into leadership, culture and the challenges facing charities today. Can underperformance sometimes be a sign that someone is simply in the wrong role? And is...

Episode 71 begins with a shocking confession: Debra has accidentally become a criminal. After unknowingly leaving Waitrose with two unpaid peppers and a piece of ginger, she spends the weekend wrestling with her conscience and preparing to hand herself in at customer services. Will Waitrose show mercy? Tune in next week for the verdict. Meanwhile, Peter enjoys a rather more glamorous weekend, atte...

Episode 70! Seventy episodes in, and somehow Debra and Peter still have plenty to talk about. This week, Peter's return to The West Wing sparks a fascinating conversation about leadership, integrity and the weight of public office. Is it simply one of the greatest TV dramas ever made, or does it remind us of a style of politics that feels increasingly rare? The conversation then turns to communica...

After a short break, Debra and Peter are back and straight into some big conversations. Peter shares his experience attending a Downing Street discussion about banning under-16s from social media, and outlines his four-point plan for tackling online harms. From safety by design to stronger regulation and the idea of a UK eSafety Commissioner, they explore what meaningful action could actually look...

Episode 68! Debra and Peter are back with a slightly existential question: what exactly makes a podcast “proper”? Debra has been in a real studio, on a comfy sofa, being filmed properly, which of course raises absolutely no questions at all about the professionalism of this podcast. From there, they reflect on emotion, vulnerability and what it means to be seen, literally and figuratively, when yo...

Episode 67! Debra, Peter and their producer Justin (or should that be José 🤷‍♂️) are back after a couple of weeks away, after Debra briefly rebranded the show at the start, and there is plenty to catch up on. Peter shares the slightly surreal experience of watching his son Bertie become one of the faces of Channel 4’s Virgin Island, complete with bravery, honesty and, apparently, the need for goo...

Episode 66, and Debra is on one about four-day weeks. Quite right too, because this is one of those topics she could probably keep going on about all week (see what I did there?). This time, Debra and Peter get stuck into a big conversation about four-day working weeks, productivity, public sector stereotypes, and whether politicians are actually paying attention to the evidence. Debra makes the c...

Hello? Is that the government? … can we talk? Debra and Peter are back just as Easter arrives, and this week they take on a question that feels far too familiar: when government gathers the grown-ups in the room to tackle a national crisis, why is civil society still so often left outside the door? Starting with the latest response to oil price shocks, they explore why business is so often treated...

Episode 64! A slightly later release than usual as José may or may not have fallen asleep at the publishing wheel, but we are here. This week, Debra and Peter cover everything from leadership philosophy to celebrity status, with a brief but memorable detour into Peter’s unfolding duck saga. They begin with conference season reflections, including Debra’s trip to ACEVO and a closing keynote in Wimb...

Episode 63! Peter is back from Panama and, thankfully, more or less back in the right time zone. Debra, meanwhile, shares her tried and tested approach to interrupted sleep: get up, stop worrying, and let a bit of K-drama do the heavy lifting. From there, the conversation moves swiftly from sleep habits to the very real reasons charity leaders can find themselves awake at 3am. Debra and Peter dig...

After two weeks away, Debra and Peter are back with plenty to catch up on. First, an important update for listeners who have been following the saga of Arthur the Basset Hound. Good news: Arthur has finally been discharged from the vet, the collar is off, and he is now charging around the house like an overexcited puppy again. Meanwhile in Peter's garden, the wildlife population is growing. Wh...

All good things come in threes… apparently. In Episode 61, Debra and Peter explore a trio of big themes, with a few bonus threes thrown in for good measure. First up: AI and identity. After asking ChatGPT for a character assessment, Peter shares the surprisingly flattering results. But can we trust tools that are designed to please us? The conversation ranges from chatbots and child safety to horo...

Episode 60. Some people retire at 60. Others keep going until at least 67. And some of us, apparently, will still be producing this podcast well into our late 80s if the pension age keeps creeping up. This week, Debra and Peter start with life updates, including a worrying but heartfelt update on Arthur the Basset Hound, reflections on ageing, retirement, and Peter’s upcoming football-fuelled trip...

Episode 59!Debra and Peter are back with another wide ranging conversation, mixing life, leadership and some knotty charity sector issues. This week starts with travel tales, as Peter reports back from Dubai, including flooded Somerset rail lines and presenting to an international board. Debra shares a much more emotional update from home, as her beloved Arthur recovers from major surgery, complet...

Episode 58 sees Debra and Peter cover a lot of ground, from the practical realities of charity governance to some much bigger questions about leadership and ambition. Debra explains why board rehearsals have become one of the most valuable practices at DSC. From preparing staff to answer trustee questions with confidence, to creating the right space for honest discussion, they explore how preparat...

In Episode 57, Debra and Peter tackle a big and often uncomfortable question in the charity sector: how long is too long? Prompted by a recent post from Steve Allman, the conversation explores CEO tenure, career versus cause-led leadership, and why there is no such thing as a perfect length of service. Debra reflects on her 25 years at DSC and shares the signals she looks for when thinking about w...