BoroughLife Podcast

The 2026 local elections are just around the corner so we caught up with Oliver and Katie from the elections team. We talk through what you need to know in the build-up and what it's like for the team throughout their big day on Thursday, May 7. Along with the serious stuff, we also talk coffee strategy and snack availability for the overnight count. Remember, the voter registration and postal vot...

Hayley and Lucy head to Pennington Flash to talk to Dionne, from Complete Kindness CIC, and Imelda, from Mindful by Nature CIC, to hear all about the sessions they are delivering as part of The Field at Pennington Flash, as well as some tips and tricks on how we can all be more mindful, and the benefits of getting out in nature!    In the second half of the episode, Hayley brings along t...

Hayley and Lucy have a sneak peek audio tour of the new exhibition at Wigan Museum, exploring the borough’s past, what it looks like today, and what the future could hold. Plus James gives you the lowdown on the new Borough Life magazine! Learn more about the Museum exhibition here: Wigan Museum Read the Borough Life magazine here: Borough Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

This episode contains conversations about mental health and suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. For help and support, visit wigan.gov.uk/MentalHealth We’re kicking things off with a catch‑up from Tom Stocks, better known as The Chubby Northerner. You might recognise him from his pavement poetry, uplifting scrolls, or his iconic PO-E-TEA. Tom shares why poetry should be part...

This month's podcast is all about staying well in winter! With Kevin Parker-Evans, the chief nursing officer from the WWL NHS Trust and Lee Girvan from the Council's Public Health Team sharing advice on how keep yourself, family and friends safe and healthy this winter. The UK Health Security Agency is reporting a increase in cases of flu and RSV in early December, but there is still time to get p...

🎙️  Rosie and James are back! Join them for another exciting episode of The Borough Life Podcast. They’re bringing you the inside scoop on all the events happening across the borough - just in time for half-term fun! Rosie and James catch up with Jemma and Jude from Things That Go On Things, the creative minds behind Light Night Wigan. They chat about what’s in store for this y...

James and Rosie are back with Episode 30, and it’s a packed one! First up, they catch up with the team behind Wigan Living, the local social creators making waves in the community. Then it’s off to Phil Fletcher’s Believe Star event, where they chat with Hacker and Katie Thistleton about what the Believe Star means to them. But that’s not all, they also sit down with coaches from&nb...

Rosie and James are back with a brand new episode of the  Borough Life  podcast! In this episode, James chats with Jennifer Doyle, author of Billy the Blackbird, about all the jam-packed summer activities happening at Pennington Flash - from Summer Fun Trails and Billy the Blackbird story sessions to Birdbox Workshops - they cover it all! Then, they dive into the...

James and Rosie bring you the next episode of the borough life podcast! They catch up with Martin Crews, development director for Capital and Centric as he tells us the latest updates on Civic. They then chat with Kee Hong, creative director of factory international and Manchester international festival to uncover what’s in store on the day, and the powerful story behind the project. For more info...

Alreet cockers?  Hacker T. Dog has taken over the Borough Life podcast and it's safe to say that chaos ensued... Before Hacker's Borough Life podcast debut, Rosie and James (or... Jim) chatted to Lucy and Mel who, alongside local residents, have been working on the name and identity for the Wigan town centre regeneration project - Fettlers. The newest edition of the magazine - brimming with s...

Tune into the latest episode of the Borough Life podcast where James takes you on a tour of Haigh Hall's grounds. He chats with guests who have been instrumental in the hall's multi-million pound makeover, sharing the latest updates on its progress. To learn even more about Haigh's restoration plans, visit: The restoration of Haigh Hall The official opening of Amphitheatre For A Tree at Haigh...

In this episode, Rosie catches up with Be Well's Joy, and keen cyclist Ron, who completed Sofa to Saddle and is back on two wheels once again after three decades. And James joins the team as they get stuck into a litter pick as part of the borough's Great British Spring Clean efforts, which you can find out all about here: wigan.gov.uk/SpringClean As always, find all of our latest news over at wig...

In this month’s sporting special, Rosie and James attend the Progress with Unity sporting summit, where sporting legends gathered to share their inspiring stories and advice with over 400 young people! They catch up with Rugby League icon Brian Carney, Gladiators superstar Betti Worth, and Wigan Warriors’ own Junior Nsemba to get their insights on the event and hear what they thought of the day! F...

We’re back for 2025!   In our first episode of the new year Rosie and James share some amazing news about our Here For You campaign.   Wigan Borough resident Colin calls into the studio to share his story about how Here For You has changed his life. And Gabe from the council’s welfare team provides all the important background.   For all the information about Here For You and income...

Can you believe it's the end of 2024? Join us for an extra-special episode as hosts James & Rosie roll back the clock and share their best bits from 2024! Read the new Borough Life magazine edition here: https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/Borough-Life/BoroughLife.aspx   As always, you can catch up on our latest news via our social media channels and Borough Life Plus: www.wigan.gov.uk/borou...

Rosie and James are back with another exciting episode! This time, they catch up with Lucy from Wigan Council's Communities teams to talk all about their new Communities SOS project. Then, they speak to Alex about digital inclusion with the team behind the council’s TechMates scheme. As always, you can catch up on our latest news via our social media channels and Borough Life Plus: www.wigan.gov.u...

Rosie and James are back with another exciting episode! This time, they catch up with Great Britain Lioness Jane Banks and ex-rugby league referee Julia Lee to discuss the Pioneering Women in Rugby League project. This initiative aims to uncover, document, and celebrate the history of the sportswomen who paved the way for thousands of girls and young women to play the game today.   They’re in...

This month, James is flying solo without Rosie, but he’s not alone! He’s joined by special guests Andrea and Tom to bring you an exciting recap of Wigan Pride 2024 ! 🏳️‍🌈 And that's not all—this episode includes an exclusive interview with the queen herself, Baga Chipz MBE ! 👑 The iconic Drag Race UK star spills the tea on why she loves performing in Wigan and what makes our Pride celebration so...

Rosie and James catch up with sporting legends Ella Toone and Jenny Meadows! From reminiscing about the 2022 Women's Euro's to getting insights into coaching Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson - they cover it all in the latest episode 🙌 Don't forget, the Spring 2024 edition of the Borough Life magazine is out now! Read the new Borough Life magazine edition here: https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Co...

Get ready for the upcoming elections with Rosie and James as they bring you a special bonus episode! They've got you covered with everything you need to know, from important dates to remember, to what to bring on the big day. All this important information and more is available at: Voting and elections (wigan.gov.uk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie and James catch-up with motorcyclist, Jane Daniels, to chat about her fascinating off-roading career. From her performance at the Dakar Rally to winning four cross-country Enduros, Rosie, James and Jane cover it all.   Rosie later catches up with Michaela and Sarah to learn more about a blooming good idea to spread kindness which later became a life-saver. This chance encounter saw the...

Rosie and James catch up with colleagues from the town hall, Julie and Oliver, to chat all things elections.   On Thursday, May 2, we have both Wigan Council and GM Mayoral elections in the borough and Julie and Oliver explain what their roles involve and what everyone needs to know in order to vote.   There’s plenty of key information and dates mentioned, such as register to vote deadli...

International Women’s Day special:  Wigan Council’s chief executive Alison McKenzie-Folan joins Rosie and James to explore what it means to be a successful leader and advocate for women. They cover the great progress being made throughout the borough, as well as the work being done to break down barriers against challenges. Thank you to the Magicalogical team for welcoming us into their podpo...

Rosie and James take a trip to Manchester City to chat to Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, Sacha Lord. From the iconic hacienda days, Wigan Kababs, and the exciting future for our borough’s nightlife - they cover it all in this new episode. Find out more about safety at night: Safety at night (wigan.gov.uk) Read the new Borough Life magazine edition here: https://www.wigan.gov.uk...

Join James and Rosie as they catch-up with the Be Well team to get the scoop on how to make realistic new year’s resolutions and set achievable wellbeing and fitness goals that last all year.   As we pass the one year mark since Here for You was created, Jo Mitchell stops by the studio with heartwarming updates from the cost-of-living campaign which signposts residents to top tips and relevan...