The Inclusion Bites Podcast

Joanne Lockwood talks with Tony Winyard about why lasting change tends to come from starting small. Tony explains how his work in health and his training in the “Tiny Habits” approach helped him move beyond simply sharing information, to supporting people to implement better sleep, nutrition, movement and breathing through micro-changes that become automatic. They explore what makes habits stick,...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Mushtaq Khan to explore what “homes for heroes” should mean in the UK today, in the context of long-running housing shortages and affordability pressures. They discuss how policy choices over decades—such as prioritising home ownership, the impact of Right to Buy, and inconsistent regulation of the private rented sector—have contributed to insecurity, poor property sta...

Diksha Chakravarti, a long-practising therapist, explains how she uses “pain” as a wide lens that includes physical discomfort alongside emotional, mental, societal and spiritual suffering. She describes an integrated approach that brings together bodywork, mindfulness and hypnotherapy to help women meet their pain directly, understand what sits beneath it, and find a way through rather than aroun...

Penny Pullan joins Joanne Lockwood to explore what it takes to design and lead workshops and meetings where everyone can contribute their best work. Drawing on her early shift to virtual working after 9/11, Penny explains why effective virtual collaboration is more than simply stacking video calls, and how asynchronous working and better meeting design can be both more productive and more inclusiv...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Neil Carberry to explore why inclusion should be treated as a hard-edged business priority rather than a “nice to have” HR initiative. They discuss how business performance, productivity, and reputation link to employees being able to bring their whole selves to work, and why leadership accountability matters more than statements or statistics. Neil shares practical re...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Stacey Hart to explore what it really means to say that none of us are included fully in the world until all of us are. Together they unpack how discrimination and exclusion harm everyone, and why a “bit of the world” isn’t enough when we’re trying to build safety, fairness and opportunity. They discuss privilege and meritocracy, including how systems, networks and soc...

Tom Morley joins Joanne Lockwood to unpack what it means to be “standing in the middle and feeling excluded” — a pattern that began in childhood as the youngest of four brothers, and followed him into adult life. Tom shares how he tried to engineer inclusion by becoming a vocal harmony facilitator, imagining that being the person in the centre would automatically guarantee belonging, only to disco...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by business strategist William Buist to explore whether diversity and inclusion will naturally improve over time, or whether it requires deliberate action. They discuss how legislation can create the illusion that equality has been achieved, while everyday systems and norms still produce unequal outcomes. William reflects on the invisibility of privilege for those who hav...

Professor Laura Serrant OBE joins Joanne Lockwood to unpack what it means for “the personal to be political”, and why our everyday experiences of inclusion, exclusion, and being given (or denied) equal chances reflect how society distributes value, resources, and voice. They explore the power of storytelling as a bridge to empathy, how perspective shapes reactions to the same event, and how group...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by wellbeing and stress-reduction specialist Pam Burrows to explore what it really means to “give yourself a gold star” — recognising your strengths, noticing small wins, and stopping the habit of beating yourself up. Pam explains how acknowledging even minor successes can lift mood and support resilience, and shares practical ideas to help people switch off from the stre...

Mark Lee, a chartered accountant and long-time member of the Magic Circle, reflects on how he spent years hiding his love of magic from clients because he feared it would undermine his professional credibility. Through stories of awkward moments and perceived stigma, he explores how small signals about who we are can shape trust, bias, and whether we feel safe to be fully seen at work. As Mark mov...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Roland Chester for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, labels, and the “hats” we wear in different contexts. Together they explore how intersectionality shows up in everyday life and why being able to bring your whole self to work matters for wellbeing, connection, and performance. Roland shares his lived experience of being a gay man who once stayed closeted a...

Lauren Chiren joins Joanne Lockwood to talk candidly about how early menopause showed up in her working life long before she had language for it. After a difficult meeting with her boss, Lauren reflects on months of exhaustion, anxiety, palpitations, memory problems and collapsing self-esteem, initially fearing early-onset dementia. A GP later helped her recognise that she was experiencing early m...

Susan Heaton-Wright joins Joanne Lockwood to explore what it really means to be visible, listened to and respected at work, especially for people who are naturally quieter or more reflective. They unpack how social conditioning and workplace norms can lead to introverts being underestimated, overlooked in meetings, and passed over for opportunities despite producing excellent work. The conversatio...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Derek Cheshire to explore how inclusion works in practice when people and perspectives mix. Starting from Derek’s work in creativity and innovation, they talk about why diversity needs curiosity, listening skills and better language to become genuinely inclusive, and how over-policing behaviour with rules can create loopholes rather than better relationships. They disc...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Mark Wingfield to explore why fear and anxiety are so universal, and how they can limit people’s ability to show up fully and reach their potential. Mark shares practical approaches he uses in his work, including calming techniques for when people feel triggered, and structured ways to respond to intimidation, bullying, and “banter” that crosses the line. They discuss...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Amy Rowlinson to explore the idea of being a “midlife beginner” and what it takes to move from simply existing to living with purpose. Amy reflects on how people can drift into careers and routines through early choices and limited exposure to options, and how stepping back to reassess values can open up new directions. They discuss the practical realities of change: r...

Ryals reflects on growing up gay in Ukraine, navigating shame, bullying, and the pressure to hide who he was while living through a period of upheaval and suppression. He shares how early messages from his parents, especially his stepfather’s quiet wisdom, planted a “seed” that later grew into a deeper commitment to compassion and understanding. Moving to the United States became a turning point:...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Merel van Haastert to explore why anti-racism work can feel daunting for white people, and why the work starts with seeing racism as a system rather than an individual moral failing. Together they unpack how “white as default” shows up in everyday life and representation, and how media narratives, nationalism, and colonial histories reinforce structural inequity. They...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by trainer and inclusion consultant Sarah Burrell to explore what it really takes to create a level playing field in both attitude and action. They discuss why inequality is systemic and historical, and how the language and practice of privilege can be used constructively to empower others and move beyond “lip service” toward measurable change. Sarah shares reflections fr...

Laurie Morgen joins Joanne Lockwood to talk about autism through the lens that’s often missing from public conversation: being an autistic parent. Drawing on their own family life and the stories shared with them since publishing their book, Laurie explains why “autism parent” is frequently misunderstood and why it matters to recognise autistic people as parents in their own right. The conversatio...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Dr Jacqui Taylor, a web scientist and IoT innovator, to explore what “leave no one behind” means in practice as technology reshapes society. Jacqui traces her path from aerospace engineering into deep tech and web science, and describes how the internet’s expansion can unlock opportunity when it is designed to be accessible and inclusive. The conversation looks at how...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by accessibility consultant Andy Barrow to explore why public transport still isn’t accessible for everyone, and what meaningful accessibility looks like in real-world travel. They discuss where physical infrastructure is difficult to retrofit, and why assisted travel often becomes the make-or-break factor. Andy shares how poor processes and inconsistent culture can leave...

Ruth Fogg joins Joanne Lockwood to unpack what stress is, how it differs from everyday pressure, and why it can build up unnoticed until it starts affecting health, behaviour, and relationships. They explore how stress can be triggered by stored memories, beliefs and values, and why stigma and workplace cultures that normalise overwork can prevent people from seeking help. Ruth shares practical, s...

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Gillian Jones-Williams to explore why women continue to be underrepresented in boardrooms, and what needs to change for progress to accelerate. They discuss the structural and cultural barriers that keep leadership teams male-dominated, including bias in perceptions of “gravitas”, expectations around age and readiness, and the experience of being the first (or only) wo...