The Just Checking In Podcast

In this episode of Behind The Mic we checked back in with Norwegian artist, Severin. We first checked in with Severin in August 2023. In Part 1 we discussed his musical identity, moving from singing and producing music in English to Norwegian, overcoming shyness he had as a child and how his artist persona was a vehicle for him to gain confidence and improve his self-esteem. Since we checked in, S...

In episode 277 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Earl John Charlton. Earl is currently employed by Northumbria University as a professional with lived experience. However, prior to that he has worked as an outreach worker and a seller for The Big Issue, one of the most important charities in the UK for giving homeless people an income, dignity and pride. Earl spent 18 years of his...

In Part 4 of James Roffey’s journey, we discuss the grief he and his family went through from his uncle’s suicide and the decisions he had to take to make ends meet after losing his entire client base in Huddersfield after the marriage breakdown. As always, #itsokaytoventYou can find out more about Ultimate Body & Mind here: www.ultimatebodyandmind.comYou can follow James on social media below...

In episode 276 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with James Roffey. James is a personal trainer and semi-professional footballer. He was previously the business owner of his personal training brand ‘The Mental Health PT’ but due to personal and business reasons, has rebranded and relaunched it as ‘Ultimate Body and Mind’. James first came on the pod in JCIP #183 where he discussed...

In episode 275 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Anthony Bedward. Anthony is a qualified person-centred psychotherapist and the Founder of a2btherapy. In this episode we chart his vast professional journey, from working as a mentor in a learning provision for young people expelled from school, to applying for a 10-week course at the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute based...

In episode 274 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Thomas Mackintosh. Thomas is a Scottish journalist currently working for the BBC. The reason we checked back in with him is that he fronted a fantastic documentary called ‘My Alopecia And Me’, which documents his own, personal journey with alopecia, and interviews men and women from a range of backgrounds about their journeys w...

In this episode of Reel Stories we checked in with Jeremy Ojo. Jeremy is a screenwriter, actor and producer. Jeremy fell into the industry when a friend contacted him about getting involved in making a web-series, which he subsequently wrote, produced and starred in. We met Jeremy through a mutual close friend who studied at Oxford University with him. In this episode we discuss how Jeremy broke i...

In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked in with Tom Forte. Tom is a DJ and producer and started his music journey as a producer before he got into DJing. The first instrument he ever took up was the guitar, before trying a few other instruments and then took up the saxophone from the age of 11 years old. His entry into dance music was listening to dubstep and drum & bass records, before...

In episode 273 of The Just Checking In Podcast we turned the tables as our Founder Freddie Cocker was interviewed by his best friend of 28 years and previous guest, James Lamb who came on in JCIP #50.Over the years, Freddie has been interviewed by another close friend Lloyd Taylor twice, in JCIP #10 and JCIP #135 respectively. His old friend and work colleague Connor Smart then wanted to try his h...

In episode 272 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Rose Rowkins. Rose is the Founder of Start The Conversation.uk, a suicide prevention training organisation. Rose has had a hugely varied career and has worked in the mental health space for over two decades. She started by working at Samaritans in her early 20s and progressed rapidly to become a trainer of other people to become Sam...

In this episode of Behind The Mic we checked back in for the third time with UK artist AMiR.AMiR first came on the podcast before the Behind The Mic series started, in JCIP #19. We discussed his debut album, 'All or Nothing' he released in 2019, his refusal to be pigeon-holed or stereotyped and fatherhood. In Part 2, we discussed the impact that Covid-19 had on his career both financiall...

In episode 271 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Aaron Pearson. Aaron is the husband of previous guest and Co-Founder of Menstrual Health Project, Gabriella Pearson. Aaron works as an estate planner and as a car salesman and has been with Gabriella for 10 years. Aaron’s mental health journey started when he was between seven to 11 or 12-years-old when he was sexually abused and th...

In episode 270 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Robert Grattan. Robert works as a Clinical Physiologist and our Founder Freddie met Rob through playing football locally in north-east London as teenagers. In this episode we discuss his exposure to suicide as a teenager when family friends of Rob took their own lives. We then talk about a relationship break-up Rob went through rece...

In episode 269 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Antoine Brimbal. Antoine Brimbal is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Modern Insurgent, a grass-roots independent media organisation which specialises solely on insurgencies, rebellions and political movements from around the globe. We first checked in with Antoine in JCIP #164 when he was still a puppy at 18 years old but...

In episode 278 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jamie Dennis. Jamie is the CEO and Founder of Mandem Meetup (MM), a grassroots charity which promotes, corrects and improves the conversation around men’s mental health and wellbeing. They provide an open, inclusive community for all men, integrating a range of social, holistic and more ‘traditional’ forms of clinical support. This...

In episode 267 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Robert Parks. Robert is a Head Chef and someone our Founder Freddie has known since they were school-mates one year apart at Ilford County High School, where Freddie attended for sixth-form college. They then went to the same university at Sussex and have remained friends ever since. Rob broke into the culinary industry in the...

In this episode of Behind The Mic, we checked back in with Pete Anderson, frontman of Beach For Tiger. Pete also plays guitar and bass for several other artists, including friends of Vent Rayowa, Isla Rico and DROZ!We first checked in with Pete in 2022 and since then we have also checked in with his brother Mick, who plays in the band. Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pete has worked hard t...

In episode 266 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with two of our favourite guests, Danny Bowman and George Mycock. Danny and George both work in the mental health space around eating disorders, specifically Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Danny has come on twice, in JCIP #70 and JCIP #209 respectively. He is currently in the final stages of completing a PHD at the University of Li...

In episode 265 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Billy McGranaghan. Billy is the Founder and CEO of Dad’s House. Dad’s House is a charity which aims to make sure children remain the priority after divorce, separation or bereavement. There are currently over two million non-residential dads in the UK and over 450,000 raising their children alone. Just in London there are 25,000 dad...

In episode 264 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with David Leck. David Leck is a communications professional, writer, editor, copywriter and the business owner and Managing Director of David Leck Associates. Our Founder Freddie met David whilst he was working in the BBC Press Office from 2019-2020.David’s career in the BBC started when he was a young man and he worked in various depar...

In episode 263 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in for a third time with Irish farmer Gar Lock. Gar first came on the pod in JCIP #196 where we discussed his redemption story from prisoner to farmer and family man, his relationship with his father and family and the work he does to help other men, who are also former prisoners, turn their life around. We checked in again in JCIP #22...

In this episode of Behind The Mic, we checked back in for (maybe) the final time with UK rock band Cavalcade. In JCIP #25 we interviewed interviewed Jack Campbell from the band for the first time. A couple of years later, Jack was joined by bandmate Connor to check in again on Behind The Mic. The band then played JCIL #4 (Take Two) and sold out The Victoria in Dalston, east London. In August 2024,...

In episode 262 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with Duncan Craig OBE.Duncan is the Founder and CEO of We Are Survivors (WAS), formerly known as Survivors Manchester. We first checked in with Duncan in JCIP #147 where we charted his journey starting the charity many years ago, being recognised for his work with an Order of The British Empire (OBE), the conversation at that point...

In episode 261 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Jody Goldsworthy. Jody is the Founder and CEO of Jonathan’s House Ministries, which serves as one of the only male domestic abuse shelters in Wales. Jonathan’s House Ministries firmly believes in all men, and that all men deserve to be healed, restored and eventually fulfilled. Through building safe spaces and educating people on th...

In episode 260 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked back in with journalist, presenter and DJ, Amber Haque. We first checked in with Amber in JCIP #177 to discuss her brilliant and powerful BBC documentary series, 'Hometown: A Killing’, series two, which focused on the murder of teenager Yousef Makki. We also discussed her workplace anxiety and ADHD symptoms she exhibited in childhood a...