Tashas Tales - The Podcast

What better way to contribute to “dry January” than sharing an episode with Gary from Sober N Sound?! I had so much fun chatting to Gary who is mega relatable, articulate and open about his journey with alcohol. Describing himself as an alcoholic, he talks about what that meant for him. The difficulties around stress, physical dependency, financial difficulties, recreational drugs. Over the last d...

Iman (means faith in Arabic) is a youth bereavement ambasador for Winston’s Wish charity. She has been an advocate for young people experiencing loss and grief. My favourite thing about this conversation was Imans focus on Islam. It was truly inspirations and I felt in awe of the wisdom she has. Iman talks about her bond with her father and their memories together. She tells us about her fathers u...

In this episode, Lisa, a dedicated mother of two teenagers (ages 18 and 16), opens up about the challenges of parenting children with various health issues, including asthma, allergies, Coeliac disease, and Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). Reflecting on the difficult times of 2020, she recalls how both of her children received their diagnoses, saying, “Christmas that year was particularly tough.” L...

Safiya is a taekwondo and Pilates instructor, as well as a mother of four children. In this episode, she shares her story of growing up in France and being raised by agnostic parents. However, from a very young age, Safiya was intrigued by Islam. Her interactions with a couple of Muslims had a life-changing impact on her. When she moved to London in the 90s, Safiya began to read books about Islam....

Jo Tosh, a mother of two, grandmother of one, retired nurse and principal lecturer. Jo is an advocate for Parkinson’s disease and has been on TEDxWarrington to raise awareness. She has also worked with Parkinson’s UK and filmed a series called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) and Me. This emotional series takes us on a journey with Jo and can be found on YouTube. Jo also talks about some of the ways i...

Yahya takes us through his journey of sight loss and navigating life since ~the~ his diagnosis during lockdown. Yahya broke the world record this year by running a marathon untethered (without a guide). His yearn for life and adrenaline-seeking personality is truly inspiring and I feel so honoured to have spoken to him. He is a counsellor based in Swindon and an advocate for the blind and visually...

In the past year, we have witnessed truly inexplicable horrors and an onoing genocide. Many commentators have given heartfelt and passionate analyses and insights into the events of October 7th 2023 and the following indiscriminate onslaught by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian people. However, few have explored the deeper history of the ‘Holy Land’ and the origins of the ‘conflict’. In t...

Recorded this episode whilst on holiday abroad Sharing some thoughts and reflections, on life, on the episodes I’ve shared and the people we’ve met on holiday!

I am heartbroken to say that at the time of sharing this Episode, Dr Gladys is no longer with us as she left this earthly plane Saturday, September 28, heading for new horizons we’ve only dreamt of. In her memory and in the hope to keep her legacy alive, I had to share this episode and all the pearls of wisdom she has shared with us. Dr Gladys’ infectious yearn for life was apparent in all the sto...

My pal Nida and I reminisce about our decade-long friendship, the kindling of our families and everything in between. Nids is the only friend I’ve ever lived with, which gives her a special status in my life. During this episode, we laugh over my near-death experience at her wedding and the drama that came with it. We also spoke about the tragic loss of their baby boy. She shares this personal jou...

In this episode I am joined by Dr Anita Raja, a doctor who has been practicing medicine for 14 years and is passionate about women’s health. She has appeared on Good Morning Britain, Radio 5, The times and many more platforms in the hope to raise awareness around women’s health. She talks us through the importance of women prioritising mammograms and cervical screenings. Dr Anita shares her very p...

Episode 28: There is nothing “down” about Down Syndrome October is Down Syndrome awareness month and what better way to prepare us all, than to talk about our loved ones with Down syndrome! My guest and dear friend Lalain is not just a mama to a daughter who happens to have Down Syndrome, but is also a passionate advocate who champions her daughter’s rights. She believes in surrounding herself wit...

Ronni is a Mama to 5 beautiful children and has been running her blog multicultural motherhood for ten years! She is a Speech Therapist specialising in bilingualism and a Homeschool coach . In this episode, Ronni shares the importance of encouraging bilingualism in the home as well as her home education journey. She is inspired by the Charlotte Mason approach and enjoys spending time outdoors! Ple...

A conversation with one of my oldest friends/bestie. We reflected and talked about how we met, the things we have done together and her trip to Pakistan for my wedding. My favourite quote from the podcast: “There’s so many different ways to do life”.

A really moving, emotional and raw conversation with Adrian, whose son George tragically died by suicide at the tender age of 24. Since George’s death, Adrian has chosen to ‘fight’ by raising awareness around the importance of mental health and suicide. In 2021, there were 253 UK veterans who took their own lives – George Ellis was one of them. Suicide among veterans remains a huge issue. Adrian i...

I feel really excited to have been able to take part in the South Asian Heritage Month, in particular, with focus on the “Free to be me” theme. In this episode, Sara and I reflect on our journeys and experiences of being raised in different parts of Europe. We converged upon our social unifying factor: Our language, Pothwari. Pothwari isn’t just a language but a sense of identity that creates a co...

Shamila takes us on a journey from Europe to India to the Philippines and so much more. Her love and enthusiasm for travel is inspiring as well as admirable. She has not allowed any barriers or challenges to stop her from exploring the world which is a credit to her. We talk about cuisines, man made border, her ethnic identity and so much more. A really beautiful and wholesome conversation with on...

An incredibly thought-provoking yet liberating episode recorded with the amazing Zoe Brogan, a menopause coach. Yep, you read that right – she’s a menopause coach who helps women take control and ownership of their bodies and lives. Zoe tells us about peri-menopause, menopause and the symptoms we should be looking out for. Her empathetic and caring approach makes menopause (the inevitable) not so...

A few of my friends referred to my podcast as “Tasha in my pocket” so it only felt right to name this episode that. I decided to be spontaneous and try something new by “walking and talking”. On this episode I share a couple of life updates, reflections, thoughts and everything in between. Think of it a bit like an extended voice note from a friend. Please do let me know if you love it or hate it....

A very honest and unfiltered chat with my friend Farah who no longer wants to “hide away”. Farah takes us on a journey of what it’s like to be single in the South Asian/ Muslim community. She talks about the insensitive questions people ask, even within a professional setting and her experiences of living with parents as an adult. A wonderful conversation capturing Farah’s honesty and lived experi...

My only male pal and work bestie, James shares his journey of fatherhood. We speak about his wife Freya’s pregnancy, the birth of their son Evan and the role he played while Freya was recovering from an emergency C-Section. James mentions receiving support from Dad Matters and his influence in changing men’s paternity leave in our work place. We talked about Evan’s weaning journey as well as our s...

Sharing a story of a remarkable woman who I am lucky enough to be related to. A very personal, raw and honest conversation with my grandma. We talk about so many important topics including interracial marriage, having a child with Downs Syndrome in the 1970’s, mental health and her road trip to Pakistan. I am in awe of how much my Nana has been through in her life. Despite her challenges in life,...

21st June is global MND awareness day. I have had the pleasure of sharing a really special and emotional episode with James, who shares the difficulties he experienced leading up to his diagnosis with MND. James talks about the current battles, support and treatment that’s available. I am in awe of his resilience and tenacity in wanting to raise awareness for MND. Please see the links below to sup...

A very spontaneous and in the moment conversation with my cousin, Memoona AKA khobsoorat massi. Rabia also graced us with her presence mid convo. We laughed, we cried and we spoke about a whole load of random things. But the biggest take was to “LOVE YOURSELF”. Come & take a peak into what we get up to on Eid.

For this episode I was joined by Fizza all the way from Dubai (we going international baby)! Fizza takes us on a journey of her lived experiences of endometriosis over the last two decades. She spoke about the symptoms, the diagnosis and her recent surgery in Dubai. We also touched upon how periods impact women in the Muslim/ South Asian households. Fizza challenges cultural taboos in an effort to...