Joanna Barbollo enjoys wine, not just as an accompaniment to a meal, but exploring wine, learning about the different varieties and production techniques, and sharing what she learns. As Joanna explains to Michael Millward there is much more to a glass wine than simply a great accompaniment to a meal. Wine has history, character and for Joanna wine can evoke memories and emotions that fuel her imagination. Divulge D’Vino started as a collection of wine reviews that Joanna wrote for her wine blog...
Feb 28, 2025•26 min
Fibre art is any fine art that uses natural or synthetic fibre, fabric or yarn to create an item that can be displayed, used or worn. There are says Sarazen Anyin more than fifty different fibre arts from sewing to Nålebinding. In this episode of podcast Rest and Recreation, Sarazen describes her introduction to fibre arts with embroidery, and how that initial interest became a passion and then a career. Michael and Sarazen explore the history of fibre arts and the evolution of the technical siz...
Feb 21, 2025•30 min
Creating Parent and Child Micro-Moments of Joy and Memories – a conversation with author Bitsy Kemper. With over twenty books published Bitsy Kemper is a prolific children’s author. In her latest book, her first for grown-ups, Bitsy has created a five minute a day devotional journal to help mothers create micro moments of joy and happiness. Mommy & Me Micro-Moments: A 5-Minute a Day Devotional Journal. In this episode of the Abeceder work life balance podcast Rest and Recreation, Bitsy expla...
Feb 14, 2025•26 min
Finding Common Ground, especially with teenagers – a conversation with author Henrik Wilenus Parenting a teenager can involve walking an emotional tight rope as you try to help them manage the changing times of adolescence. In this episode of the Abeceder work life balance podcast Rest and Recreation Henrik Wilenus the author of the Rise Up trilogy of coming-of-age novels explains using examples from his own experience, how to get along with anyone. Henrik stresses the importance of seeking to u...
Feb 07, 2025•33 min
Jonathan Taylor has won praise from audiences, critics and fellow musicians around the world. The Philadelphia Inquirer described him as "America's Leading Classical Guitarist" You can see why on his YouTube channel. In this episode of the Abeceder Work Life Balance podcast, Rest and Recreation Jonathan describes how he became a guitarist and the impact that learning a musical instrument has had on his life. Jonathan talks about the process of learning, and how his need to learn more crafted per...
Jan 31, 2025•25 min
Michael Millward meets Abdullah Boulad. Abdullah tells Michael about how a combination of personal and professional stressful in his early thirties prompted a career 180 shift from corporate to mental healthcare. He spent seven years working to gain a wide range of health and well-being qualifications. He then established The Balance a group of rehabilitation clinics. Abdullah explains the six stages of The Balance approach. It involves a wide range of health and well-being professionals who cre...
Jan 24, 2025•29 min
Eloise Skinner is an entrepreneur, author and existential therapist. She is the founder of two businesses: One Typical Day (an ed-tech start-up), and The Purpose Workshop (a social impact consultancy). In this episode, of Rest and Recreation Eloise explains the psychological importance of rest. Eloise and host Michael Millward discuss how rest is not always doing nothing. Rest can involve doing something that is more about fulfilling a passion. Yet many people are only passionate about meeting a...
Jan 17, 2025•29 min
With increasing automation at work and more opportunities for flexible working the 21st Century is delivering more leisure time than ever before. This is great, but the challenge is ensuring that we derive value from that leisure time and avoid spending it doing chores or watching TV. Leisure activities do not provider the same sort of structure for social interactions as we experience at work. Instead, we must create that structure if we are to stop being the stranger in the room and start enjo...
Jan 10, 2025•34 min
Ahead of the 2024 local government elections Anna Jacobs the Green Party candidate for the Wetherby Ward of Leeds City Council joins Michael Millward of Abeceder for this episode of Rest and Recreation. Anna explains the reasons why she decided to become and candidate this year, the challenges she believes she will encounter if successful in her election bide, and just how much fun she is having canvassing the people of Wetherby Ward. Michael and Anna discuss: Why Anna moved to Wetherby Anna’s v...
Apr 21, 2024•29 min
Ahead of the 2024 local government elections Alan Lamb the Conservative candidate for the Wetherby Ward of Leeds City Council joins Michael Millward of Abeceder for this episode of Rest and Recreation. Alan discusses the experience of representing the town he was born in for 17 years. How the Wetherby Ward has changed over those years and the vision Alan has for the future. Michael and Alan discuss a wide range of topics: · Growing up in Wetherby · Running a business and being an employer · Bala...
Apr 21, 2024•31 min
After the Second World War the victorious allies have agreed how they will divide Germany amongst them. But the Soviet regime wants more. Half of Berlin, the capital city is controlled by the Soviets. It is here that Stalin the Soviet dictator starts his campaign to seize control of more of Germany by blockading the city. The only way in and out of the city is by air. Everything that the population needs must be transported by Great Britain, France, the United States of America to the city throu...
Nov 04, 2023•26 min
In this episode of Rest and Recreation Greg Mosse introduces Michael Millward, the managing director of Abeceder and host of Rest and Recreation to Maisie Cooper a woman who becomes an amateur detective to find out why her brother died. We meet Maisie as she returns to Church Lodge in the village of her childhood, little does Maisie know that she will uncover Murder at Church Lodge! Greg Mosse explains to Michael the inspiration for Maisie Cooper and how she came to be the star of the series of ...
Oct 08, 2023•27 min
Michael Millward meets Ava Glass the creator of the intelligent intelligence officer Emma Makepeace the main character in The Chase, the first of a series of espionage novels. Ava explains the real-life events that inspired The Chase and the extensive research she undertook before putting pen to paper. A British intelligence agent is assigned to get a doctor across London without being spotted by any of the 690,000 surveillance cameras that monitor activities throughout the capital city. You can...
Mar 12, 2023•24 min
Michael Millward meets Greg Mosse to talk about his new novel The Coming Darkness. Set in the near future The Coming Darkness is a thriller in which Alex, a French secret service agent has to balance the needs of an assignment with the pressures of family life. With Alex. Mosse has created a very human hero who retains the James Bond style qualities that every successful secret agent needs.
Nov 10, 2022•28 min
Michael Millward meets Jody Medland and learns about his new play Dead Parents Club, which is part of the Criterion Theatre, London, Showcase of new works 2022. You will hear Jody explain the process of developing a new play and the role that audiences at showcases play in that process. To be on the guest list for the showcase on 25th November 2022 in London please visit this website http://www.penworksmedia.co.uk/contact-us For more ideas about how you can do more with your rest and recreation ...
Nov 06, 2022•24 min
Alan Reynolds discusses his first novel, Flying with Kites with Rest and Recreation host Michael Millward. Flying with Kites is an extensively researched novel about the experience of two mothers who are forced to flee their homeland in Kosova during the Balkan war of the late 1990s. In Flying with Kites Alan describes how news reports of the conflict inspired him to find out more about life in a war zone and the experience of both being a refugee and a member of the community that hosts the ref...
Oct 08, 2022•26 min
Michael Millward discusses the Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys with the author, film maker Jack Jewers. Samuel Pepys wrote a diary that documented life in restoration London, including the return of Charles II, the plague and the great fire of London. Then he stops without explanation. The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys is Jack Jewers fictional account of what might have happened to Pepys. As well as discussing this historical murder mystery Michael and Jack discuss the challenges of changing careers and...
Aug 02, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 1
