Central to our martial art of Wing Tsun is the Confucianist principle of respecting and learning from our elders.

To honour this tradition and at the turning of the New Year, our guest in this episode is Marion Vincent, John’s mother.

Readers of the book Winning Not Fighting will know how her embodiment of principles like Positivity and Freedom and Responsibility have influenced John’s approach to life and business.

In an interview that ranges from Marion’s childhood to her retirement from teaching at the age of 85, we discover how those principles came to be instilled in her; how they shaped her experience of living through the Blitz; and how, despite a series of five miscarriages and still-births, she felt able to give John the freedom he needed to take risks.

There is, we believe, much to learn from and be inspired by.

Marion is in high demand for her time and wisdom. We hope that you enjoy hearing her stories from, and reflections upon, a life still being lived to the full.

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How can adversity fuel your creativity?

In this episode, John and Julian chat with Matt Lucas, of Little Britain and Come Fly with Me, about how early struggles - losing his hair, academic challenges, his father’s imprisonment, and finding his sexual identity - shaped his character, comedic voice and career.

You may know many of his characters from his sketch shows, but here’s a character you may not know so well: Matt Lucas.

This is good one if you want to meet the man behind the masks, be inspired to overcome challenges, or want to understand his creative process and how he collaborates.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do we need better MPs? And would you like to be one?

In this episode, Julian and John talk with Sir Charles Walker KBE, the former British MP for Broxbourne.

They discuss his passion for authenticity in politics and mental health advocacy. Charles has been open about his own struggles with mental health, using his platform to raise awareness on the issue.

This open and frank discussion will be an insightful listen for those who want a deeper understanding of life as an MP, and how we can better understand the needs of those who choose to represent us in parliament.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.