Finding Our Way Podcast

Based in the North York Moors, Rob Mitchell is a mountain leader for Outdoor Lads, a UK-wide community who run a range of sociable outdoor activities for gay, bi and trans guys. In this episode, Rob, a gay man, talks about discrimination linked to homophobia. He also talks about the importance of a supportive community to help individuals deal with stress and life challenges.

Glasgow-based photographer and filmmaker Euan Ryan has documented para-climbers on the Eiger, climbing with autism, and the mental healing that climbing can offer. He also suffers from Crohn's disease, a painful and sometimes debilitating inflammatory bowel condition.

An outdoor youth and community worker based in Greater Manchester, Rehna discovered a passion for outdoor activities in her teens through the Lindley Educational Trust. She now helps other young people find their own passion for the ‘great outdoors’ as the leader of the Ashton Youth Club. 

Bonita Norris has summited three of the world's 8000m peaks and retains the record as the youngest British woman to climb both Everest and reach the North Pole. She's also written candidly about suffering from bulimia as a teenager.

Cherelle is the founder of Steppers UK, a community group based in the Midlands, focused on encouraging more people from under-represented backgrounds into outdoor activities including walking. She says that they’re all about #GoodViewsGoodVibes.

Stu Skinner is an experienced expedition leader, mental health first aid provider, and the founder of the charity Changing Horizons. He wants us to normalise conversations about mental health, and is passionate about the mental health benefits of outdoor activity.

In this one we sit down with Steph Wetherell, co-founder of Every Body Outdoors, a group campaigning for better representation, clothing and gear for larger and plus-sized bodies in the UK outdoors. We talk about sizest attitudes, why seeing plus size people represented by brands and media is so important, and how clothes and kit can be more inclusive. And the unexpected joy of finding your ‘tribe’. We also chat with Head of Product at Berghaus.

In this episode, Mary-Ann Ochota chats to National Geographic explorer Dwayne Fields about giving young people a chance to shine, helping urban communities connect with the outdoors, advice for allies and how to respect the wild.

Legendary adventure climber Leo Houlding and adaptive adventurer Ed Jackson – both Berghaus ambassadors – are unlikely mountaineering partners. They first met after Ed, a former professional rugby player who broke his neck diving into a swimming pool, said he wanted to climb Mont Blanc. We talk to them both about wild places and wild people, rebuilding your life after spinal cord injury and why new friends and big mountains are a recipe for growth

Marie Uri and Yasmin Lazarus are climbers and two of the directors of United We Climb, an organization that champions underrepresented and underserved climbers by creating experiences and events that are accessible and inclusive, as well as working with businesses like climbing walls to help the industry identify and break down barriers and become more welcoming.

International paraclimber Anoushé Husain champions the truth: that everyone should have opportunity to reach their potential, and not be limited by characteristics like their gender, faith, race or disability. No-one should be told what they should – or shouldn’t – do because of other people’s or society’s perceptions.

In this episode, Richard Chapman talks about his young son dying from cancer, and the impact of that traumatic experience on his mental health. He also describes how climbing has helped him recover and manage PTSD.