Lending Voices

In this concluding episode of the series, Grahame in his trademark mix of humour, reflection, and raw honesty, he explorers how perspectives, shaped by illness, history, hardship, and humour, change the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Expect stories that wander from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to Woody Guthrie, from libraries to Gladiator, and from penguin biscuits to P...

In this special follow-up episode, Grahame , E , and The Sandy Man come together for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about life with MS. With honesty, humour, and heart, they reflect on their shared experiences, exploring the challenges, unexpected triumphs, and everyday moments that shape their journeys. From the calm of meditation to the comfort of community, from the power of poetry to lau...

In this episode of Descent into MS , strap yourself in for a raw, funny, and moving look at the realities of adapting to life with MS. From imagined MI5 lift lobbies to beach holidays gone sideways, we explore what it really means to make do and mend when the rules of daily life are rewritten by chronic illness. Host Grahame shares stories of humour, humility, and hope, whether it’s navigating cou...

This week Mairi reviews an old favourite book and audiobook,  Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption . This audiobook is a classic prison tale where King enthrals us with his excellent story telling without his usual horror slant. It is also the first time we've seen Stephen King on BorrowBox . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's listening pleasure, Mairi reviews the book,  Honeycomb by Joanne M. Harris. Beautifully illustrated by Charles Vess, it's a collection of intertwined tales about The Silken folk, and the Lacewing King, on his journey through many worlds, where he seems to make more enemies than friends.  Find it in our catalogue . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

This practice enables us to settle in the present moment, in a Safe Place, which offers us security, comfort and contentment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This practice soothes us by bringing to mind an image which denotes aspects of kindness, compassion, peace and wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This practice helps us to settle the mind by concentrating on different parts of the body. This helps us to choose what we want to focus on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This mindfulness practice helps us to  Recognise  what moods, mind states, feelings and emotions are present for us. It  Allows  us to accept our present mood and  Investigate  where we are holding or experiencing it within the body. It enables us to have an open relationship with our moods and not become them, through a process of  Non-Identification . Hosted on...

This week, Mairi reviews the audiobook,  Q & A by Vikas Swarup  (famously adapted into the movie, Slumdog Millionaire). It tells of Mumbai orphan, Ram Mohammad Thomas and his unbelievable rags‑to‑riches story after stunning the nation by winning the 10 million‑rupee prize on a popular quiz show! He takes us through slums, Bollywood, and brothels to prove to the police that he di...

Mairi shares her thoughts about the book  Poor Things by Alasdair Gray  this week. It's a wildly inventive, postmodern reimagining of Frankenstein set in Victorian Glasgow, where Bella Baxter—reborn with an infant’s brain—defies patriarchal control to carve her own path through scandal, feminism, and social critique.  Find it in our catalogue and on BorrowBox Hosted on Acast. S...

Martin Stepek delivered a World Refugee Day talk on 20 June at Fairhill Library, focusing on his family’s experiences during and after World War II. He recounts how his Polish family was uprooted by the war and eventually found refuge in Scotland. The talk highlights pivotal moments and chance events that influenced his family’s survival, such as the kindness of a stranger who provided food when t...

For your ears this week, Mairi talks about  World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks . This excellent eAudiobook imagines a global apocalypse reshaped through the voices of survivors and is an unsettling mirror for our own societal vulnerabilities. Find it at BorrowBox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mairi takes a quick look at the book, The Voids,  this week. Author  Ryan O'Connor  delivers a haunting yet darkly lyrical debut set in a condemned Glasgow tower block.  The Voids  asks hard questions about belonging and purpose - an unsparing yet tender exploration that will linger long after the final chapter. Find it in our catalogue . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Mindfulness the Journey, Not the Destination  is more than a self-help book. It is an amazing journey of self-discovery, understanding and knowledge that brings clarity and motivation into every aspect of our lives. By practising mindfulness every day, we can achieve a deeper understanding of who we are. The author takes us on her own personal journey through life. She encourages us to become...

In this episode, Heather and James chat about the Wise Mentoring service and how it helps families take positive steps forward. From money worries to mental health, digital skills to energy advice, they explain how the service works and what kind of tailored support they can provide. And it won’t affect your benefits! It’s a friendly and honest look at a service that’s all about lifting people up...

Descent into MS A podcast by Grahame Brown Episode 2: Making Use of Broken Pieces and MS Thinking In this four-part episode, Grahame Brown explores the cognitive and emotional effects of Progressive MS. Through personal stories, reflection, and dry humour, he examines how the condition affects memory, thought, and self-understanding. Part 1: Reframing the Broken Grahame shares three memories: a ru...

This short podcast is a personal description of how MS affects me: my thoughts, feelings, and the daily challenges I face living with this life-limiting condition. My Descent into MS: An Abstract View is part of a series exploring the impact of Multiple Sclerosis, treatments, medications, and the support available through the NHS, charities, and local groups. Featuring personal stories and intervi...

Welcome to our third LGS inclusion podcast!  I saw this quote below and felt it perfectly sums up what this podcast is all, about much better than anything I could write!   “One day I dream that we can grow in a matured society where nobody would be ‘normal or abnormal’ but just human beings, accepting any other human being – ready to grow together”. The Mind Tree - Tito Rajarshi Mu...

In her latest episode Mairi talks about Edgar Allen Poe's creepy classic, The Fall of the House of Usher. This eAudiobook also contains lots of Poe's best known and lesser-known tales. Why not give her review a listen and see if you fancy this scary book! Find it on BorrowBox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Multiply Music Project was created by adults who attend Rutherglen Universal Connections , a vibrant community centre in Burnhill that's part of South Lanarkshire Council's Youth, Family, and Community Learning service . Running every Thursday from 10 am to 12 pm , the group offers adults (school-leaver age and up) the chance to explore and develop music-related skills, including: 🎹 Playing i...

Welcome to The Happy Tuesday Club ! Join the warm, friendly, and lively chat with members of the Whitehill Adult Literacy Group as they share stories about their journey, the fun activities they enjoy, and the supportive tutors who help them along the way. Discover their experiences at Craighead School, memories from past work placements, and the sense of community they've built together. There's...

In this episode, we’re featuring the music of Rakha Singh , also known as Wolfbeam; a Glasgow-based musician whose journey into songwriting began after a life-altering experience. Following a heart attack at the age of 31, his perspective on life and what truly matters shifted, and that change echoes through his music. Recorded at East Kilbride Central Library through the Lending Voices project, t...

If you watch American Horror Story on television, you might be familiar with Danielle Valentine's 2023 publication, Delicate Condition. Mairi gives her thoughts on this increasingly popular creepy book. Find it in our catalogue . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

📚 Thinking about returning to education? 🎓 Hear from Thomas, Megan, and Kaitlyn , three inspiring adult learners who took the leap with the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) . In this episode, they sit down with Kerry from SWAP West to share their powerful journeys— why they went back to education, the challenges they faced, and how SWAP helped them transition from college to university ....