Grass in the Sky

19/09/2023

16/09/2023

16/09/2022

This week on the Grass in the Sky podcast, we are joined by the inspiring Steve Smith. We discuss how his life of unrest and criminal activity led him to become an inspiring changemaker for communities and individuals across the UK.

His parents were part of Windrush and left their children behind. It took 6 years before all the kids were back together in which time the parents had more children in the UK. This caused family tension, racism and a lot of anguish.

Steve quickly became known as Crucial, firstly for his musical endeavors later this name would follow him into a darker chapter of gangs. From a young age, Crucial was a leader and a feared name. After his wheelchair-bound mother was punched in the face by police, Steve (Crucial) attack and injured several officers with a baseball bat thus beginning the life of crime.

After being sentenced to a total of around 18 years, on 12 separate occasions and serving 9 and half years, Steve began to change his life. His time inside had allowed him to educate himself in areas that interested him and he quickly became respected in the community rather than feared.

He started many business from Record Shops to Business Advice for startups but his passion and enthusiasm lay in helping others. Helping those with similar upbringings to his, kids that have been excluded by the system and society.

Steve has worked tirelessly for years to deliver the assistance and guidance to those who need it most through an array of programmes, projects and foundations. Whether he is helping someone start their own business, community gardening, litterpicking, Steve’s goal is to help others and empower them to feel worthy.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, unfortunately Steve’s mother lost her battle with Dementia, which is why Steve is now a Dementia Champion, host sessions to help those dealing with the care of their loved one.

What a man, what an interview. Take a listen.

Resources Mentioned:

Dementia Friends
Nottinghamshire County Council
FUEL - First Universal Enterprises Ltd
Community Organisers
Notthingham Together
Community Friendly Nottinghamshire

16/09/2022

This week on the Grass in the Sky podcast, we are joined by the inspiring Steve Smith. We discuss how his life of unrest and criminal activity led him to become an inspiring changemaker for communities and individuals across the UK.

His parents were part of Windrush and left their children behind. It took 6 years before all the kids were back together in which time the parents had more children in the UK. This caused family tension, racism and a lot of anguish.

Steve quickly became known as Crucial, firstly for his musical endeavors later this name would follow him into a darker chapter of gangs. From a young age, Crucial was a leader and a feared name. After his wheelchair-bound mother was punched in the face by police, Steve (Crucial) attack and injured several officers with a baseball bat thus beginning the life of crime.

After being sentenced to a total of around 18 years, on 12 separate occasions and serving 9 and half years, Steve began to change his life. His time inside had allowed him to educate himself in areas that interested him and he quickly became respected in the community rather than feared.

He started many business from Record Shops to Business Advice for startups but his passion and enthusiasm lay in helping others. Helping those with similar upbringings to his, kids that have been excluded by the system and society.

Steve has worked tirelessly for years to deliver the assistance and guidance to those who need it most through an array of programmes, projects and foundations. Whether he is helping someone start their own business, community gardening, litterpicking, Steve’s goal is to help others and empower them to feel worthy.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, unfortunately Steve’s mother lost her battle with Dementia, which is why Steve is now a Dementia Champion, host sessions to help those dealing with the care of their loved one.

What a man, what an interview. Take a listen.

Resources Mentioned:

Dementia Friends
Notts County Council
FUEL - First Universal Enterprises Ltd (FUEL)
Community Organisers

05/09/2022

Welcome back to the Grass in the Sky podcast and our sixth episode, how time flies when you’re having fun talking to amazing and incredible people. Today we are joined by Nottingham-born Cliff Bull, a professional footballer with Manchester United from the age of 15, signing just days before the tragic Munich air disaster in 1957.
We chatted to Cliff about his footballing days for many clubs including Nottingham Forest and Manchester United. Cliff explains his experience of the disaster as a young boy at Manchester United, his ultimately career-ruining injuries and how his interest in women, or lack of it, was turned on its head by one woman in particular, Janet.
This episode is a truly incredible love story that isn’t without its unwanted tragedies. A 58-year marriage, 3 daughters, 7 grandchildren and 2 Labradors, a stint in France, a Pride of Britain win, a knighthood and an enormous amount of family love to guide Cliff and his loved ones through the best and worst of times.
Nottingham Forest
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Manchester United
Bury Football Club
Meningitis Now
The Pride of Britain Awards

05/09/2022

Welcome back to the fourth episode of Grass in the Sky podcast. This week we are joined by the lovely David Murphy. David is an incredibly interesting and kind man who runs a pub in Netherfield, Nottingham, called It’s Inn The Bank - a pun on the fact that the building used to be a Lloyd’s bank.

David has been in the pub, bar, nightclub and restaurant scene for many years, and is considered an icon within his community thanks to the many people he has met over the years and the stories he has to tell

In his own words, he has met a lot of colourful characters and seen it all. His first experience within the nightclub world was as a glass collector, and he immediately fell in love with the trade.

David’s life within the industry also saw him go him oversees, living in Florida where he ran a bar and restaurant for two years. An avid football fan with a love for reading, there are many facets to David, and his conversational style just pulls you in.

In this podcast, we discuss David’s life, his family, his hobbies, his work and the exciting experiences during his career, but also how his current pub coped during lockdown.

We also hear how he and his wife Nikky constantly evolve and come up with great ideas to keep their business running; how they helped their local council during lockdown; and why they received the local Pride of Gedling award. Only people like David and Nikky would say the award should have really gone to their customers.

This is another cracker of an episode. Listen on all major platforms 🎧 Link in our bio 👆


Resources Mentioned in the episode:

Manchester United
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Nottingham Playhouse
Trentham Monkey Forest
Jack Reacher Books
Michael Connelly Books – The Bosch books
John Connolly – The Charly Parker Books
Fantastic Beasts
VISIT FLORIDA
Stadium connected by EEpremierleague.czWembley Stadium connected by EE
Amazon.com
Healthline - Muscular Astrophy
Nottingham Forest

31/05/2022

Welcome back to the Grass in the Sky podcast and our fifth episode, this week we’ve stayed local. Marisha and Andy run Eartharmony, a vegan, zero waste shop in Belper. Their journey started on November 4th 2020, sound familiar? They moved into the shop on the day that Mr. Johnson locked the country down for the second time. How’s that for timing.

We discussed their shop and how it all came about, how they support the local community and creators, a more sustainable and mindful way of life and of course a little more about what makes Marisha and Andy tick as people. Family, holidays, hobbies, passions and we are also joined by a few customers and deliveries as it was actually recorded in the shop.

Listen on all major platforms: https://grass-in-the-sky.captivate.fm/?fbclid=IwAR3LG4QSSZjq33BAdlZKE_d0uk5Jb-MN34NEEozRon9TNhjFuXI8rhhtuQM

Resources mentioned in the show:
Eartharmony
Matthew the Baker: Fieldfare Bakery
DeBraidei Shopping Village
Nestlé
Pingle Produce

19/04/2022

Welcome back to the Grass in the Sky podcast and our third episode, Paul Ince aka BizPaul. Our discussions this week are about Paul’s life. Starting on the student and hospital radio and struggling to find a role in radio after university Paul “got a real job”. Between Next and a tech company, Paul enjoyed his jobs until one day he wanted to do it for himself, hence LikeMind Media was born.

As well as being a marketing genius, Paul co-hosts a podcast called Humans Exhaust Me with Keep Up with Mrs. Jones which was beaten last year to an award by The New York Times. We discuss the ins and outs of raising children with autism and Elizabeth’s involvement in autistic care. Why Paul started a business, what he gets from it, why Paul is thinking more about self-care and what people should be trying to take from work.

It’s a real cracker of an episode. Listen on all major platforms 🎧 https://grass-in-the-sky.captivate.fm

02/04/2022

30/03/2022

Charlotte Throssel- “Learn from your mistakes”

Here we are for episode 2 of the Grass in the Sky podcast. Today we’re joined by the wonderful Charlotte Throssel, a truly incredible woman with an even better story to tell. Charlotte runs her Nottingham-based charity, Disability Support, which provides vital help and assistance to people living with disabilities, the elderly and carers.

Adopted at the age of 10 months old, Charlotte’s life didn’t get off to the most ideal start and the challenges would keep coming thick and fast. Her experiences in facing these challenges led her to start Disability Support and make the lives of so many people that little bit better. Suffering the great loss of not one but two immediate family members, as well as dealing with the bullying and stigma surrounding disability, Charlotte’s attitude, enthusiasm and outlook on life is astounding.

Here is a quote from Charlotte that we found very poignant: “If something different appears in front of you, you are going to look, you are going to ask questions, you know. It’s what you do with those answers that matters.”

Listen on all major platforms or click the link 👉https://grass-in-the-sky.captivate.fm

Resources mentioned in the show:

Disability Support
LoughboroughCollege

30/03/2022

Lovely quote from Pete's MP, Lillian Greenwood 🥰😄

30/03/2022

Pete Bell- “Football is just the carrot”

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Grass in the Sky, a conversational podcast where we’ll chat to some truly incredible and remarkable people. The aim is simple. Engage in conversation to share the life stories of a wide array of people to learn from them and appreciate where life has taken them. Their hard work, struggles, success, setbacks, it’s all part of the journey that each of us takes in a very different way.

Our first guest, born and raised on the Clifton estate in Nottingham, Pete Bell is a 55-year-old with some story. From his ‘goody-goody’ days as a boy and a burning passion for football and cricket through to the present day, Pete shares his story with Elizabeth with all the details. Discussing his time spent in prison, role models, atonement, regret, dealing with anger and loss, drinking, football coaching and even how Pete made it from “Prison to Parliament".

Listen on all major platforms or click the link 👉https://grass-in-the-sky.captivate.fm

Resources mentioned in the show:


Judge John Hopkin
Lillian Greenwood
The FA


Oakwood Prison