Make Movement Matter with Wendy Welpton

You haven't decided to move less. But something is causing it, and it's closer than you think. What if the thing shrinking your movement range isn't time or age, but your kitchen worktop, your car and your sofa? This is a short episode with a big question. In this mini episode I explore something we rarely look around and notice: how our everyday environment is shaping our movement, often without...

Your body has been tracking your stress levels for years. The question is whether you've been listening. Because maybe your body has been signalling something for months, and just by adding data you can take a closer look? This episode explores the science behind heart rate variability, what it really means to recover (and it's not necessarily the same as resting), and why midlife women in particu...

You’re not lazy. Your body is just very, very good at finding the easy route. There are micro movements your body has been doing for you without asking permission, and it’s steadily costing you more than you realise. In this episode, I shine a light on the micro movement habits most of us have built without noticing; the small, repeated ways we offload effort from our bodies every day.  Some are t...

What if the diagnosis you were most afraid of turned out to be the thing that changed how you move, for the better? Osteoporosis is often presented as a reason to slow down, to be careful, to wrap yourself in cotton wool. But what if that instinct is actually one of the worst things you can do? In this episode, I’m joined by Alison Crouch; movement specialist, Pilates teacher and someone living an...

There’s a longevity test that scores how you get up from the floor, and it’s putting people off the very movement that could change their lives.  But what if the score isn’t the point? What if the variety of how you get up, and simply doing it at all, matters far more than hitting a perfect ten? In this Make Movement Matter Mini, we’re digging into floor sitting, get-ups, and what your body might...

At 65, she paddled into the Canadian wilderness alone. There was no phone signal, no quick way out. Just a canoe, a tent, and everything she needed on her back. But this episode isn’t only about an adventure in the wilderness. It’s about the years leading up to that moment - the spark that began when Sheila first saw another woman heading out alone, the doubts and ageist comments that almost convi...

We talk about future adventures as if they’re guaranteed. But if our capability isn’t, we need to start thinking about that today. In this mini episode, I unpack some everyday movements that can determine whether we stay capable of adventure, and why they need to be rehearsed long before the trip is booked. What does a ‘travel body’ really require? Which abilities can fade in modern life? And how...

What if your pain isn’t just physical? In this week’s episode, fascia specialist and somatic coach Amanda Ashy explains why our bodies often tell the truth long before our minds catch up. We talk about: how fascia works as the body’s largest sensory organ why emotions and memories can become “held” in the tissue the subtle ways our posture adapts to protect us why frozen shoulders, tight hips or j...

What if being active isn’t the whole story? When I first started explaining natural movement, the same questions kept coming up — and they were exactly what I would have asked too.“I’m active - surely I’m fine?” “Isn’t moving just… moving?” “What are the right things we should be doing?” In this mini episode, I explore why it’s not just what you do, but the way you do it, and why variety might be...

For this first conversation episode of 2026 on Make Movement Matter, I handed my host seat to my friend and fellow author Hilary Salzman, and let her ask the questions this time. What followed was an honest, wide-ranging conversation about writing a book, finding your voice, and what it really looks like to create meaningful work alongside motherhood, midlife changes, and the realities of running...

Make Movement Matter is back for 2026, and with it, a slightly new rhythm. In this short solo episode, I share how and why the podcast is evolving, what consistency really looks like behind the scenes, and how this new format better fits better with my values around movement and life. I reflect on why we’re starting back later than usual this year, celebrate reaching Season 7 and starting the thir...

As we come to the end of the year, this solo episode is a moment to both reflect and look forward. I’m sharing my perspective on why celebrating small wins matters just as much as big milestones, how our relationship with movement and trust in our bodies shapes how we experience life, and why self-kindness and realistic intentions create more sustainable change than pressure-filled resolutions. It...

A very special re-release as we near the end of 2025. This conversation with Dr Gladys McGarey was one of the greatest privileges of my podcasting life. We recorded it in July 2024, just a couple of months before she passed away, and I had no idea at the time that it would be one of her final interviews. Listening back now, her wisdom lands even more deeply. We talked about what it really means to...

For years, Cara Cunniff ran ultra-marathons, Ironman races, and even six days across the Sahara desert, and still couldn't see herself as an athlete. In this honest conversation, we explore:• why so many of us feel “not good enough” even when we’re doing extraordinary things• the pressure of comparison, to others and our past selves• how identity shifts when injury, ageing or life changes• why mov...

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start looking after your bone health, this episode is the reminder you need. Angela White, better known as The Running Granny, didn’t begin running until she was 53. Since then she’s run thousands of miles, including 2 epic challenges; 875 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and 62 peaks at 62 (in less than 62 hours!), and become a powerful voic...

Tight hips aren’t just about sitting too much. Most of us spend our days moving our hips in only one or two ways, which limits how strong and mobile they can stay. In this short clip, I’m sharing the first two of my 5 daily steps for healthier, happier hips; simple changes that fit into real life and make a genuine difference to how you move and feel. For the full show notes, visit:⁠ The Make Move...

Your feet are talking, but are you listening? You know that moment you kick off your shoes and feel instant relief? It’s your body’s way of saying, we didn’t like that. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Brittany Balinski, better known as ‘Barefoot Brit’; founder of barefootbrit.co.uk and the UK’s first Barefoot Shoe & Foot Health Expo. A mum of four turned advocate, Brittany’s mission is t...

Have you ever noticed how your shoulders creep up when you’re stressed, or how you breathe faster when you’re anxious? That’s your body ‘talking’. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Erica Hornthal, licensed clinical counsellor and dance/movement therapist, whose work bridges psychology and movement to help people feel more connected, calm, and creative in their own skin.  We explore how the way...

Angela Rippon’s message is simple but powerful: you don’t need to be a dancer to dance. You just need music, a moment, and the willingness to move. In this heart-warming conversation, I am honoured to be joined by the legendary broadcaster and campaigner who shares how dance has shaped her life, from childhood ballet classes to Strictly Come Dancing, and why it’s become her mission to get the nati...

What if we stopped seeing age as a barrier to movement, and started seeing it as a reason to move more? In this powerful joint episode of Make Movement Matter and Agents of Movement, I’m joined by it’s host, Erin Eleutario, a fitness educator and advocate for active ageing, to explore how movement shapes our confidence, independence and joy at every stage of life. We talk about: • Why cultural nar...

Why can movement feel so hard for some of us - even when we want to do it? This week on the Make Movement Matter podcast, Dr. Susanna Petche joins me to explore how trauma can disconnect us from our bodies, dampen intuition, and make exercise feel unsafe. Susanna shares her powerful story of breaking down as a high-functioning GP, being diagnosed with complex PTSD, and how she’s learning to reclai...

Your strength is still in there, it’s just waiting to be reclaimed. When Inessa first stood on a surfboard at nearly 50, she had no idea it would change everything. But movement has a way of unlocking more than just muscle - it builds courage, confidence, and a whole new outlook on ageing. In this episode, we talk about growing up with limiting beliefs, finding role models later in life. From surf...

She skydived Everest, climbed it too. But the scariest thing she’s done? Conservation. From world-first feats to frontline anti-poaching missions, Holly Budge’s story is one of bold action, deep purpose, and relentless preparation. In this inspiring episode, we talk about: Why action beats perfection (and how she fell out of the plane…) Building mental strength step by step - even when the summit...

Season 6 of Make Movement Matter is here! In this opening mini solo episode I share the real reasons I podcast, what keeps me curious and how the show connects to the bigger message and mission behind Reclaim Movement. September is a big month for me, not just because I’m celebrating the 5th birthday of Reclaim Movement, but because I’ve also got exciting news to share - tune in to find out what’s...

One walk. One hill. And everything changed! In the final episode of Series 5 of the ‘Make Movement Matter’ podcast, Mick Cope shares the simple, but life-altering moment he decided to walk up a small hill near his home. It was hard, really hard, but it sparked something. What began as one difficult walk became a habit, then a passion and eventually, a calling - to the Camino de Santiago, where he’...