Meet the Mancunian – 7.7 – Joel Oxberry transcript

Intro

Hello and a warm Mancunian welcome to you today. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your host, and it's an honour to share Season 7 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast: social impact stories from Manchester with you. This season is all about celebrating the stories of our local changemakers and the profound social impact they are creating.

Every Tuesday, I shine a spotlight on the incredible individuals weaving the fabric of our community. From grassroots heroes to local legends, their stories are the soul of Manchester.

Whether you're tuning in on Apple, Spotify, Google or www.meetthemancunian.co.uk, get ready for a season that showcases the incredible social impact within our community.

Welcome to the seventh episode of Season Seven of the Meet the Mancunian podcast: social impact stories from Manchester.

Meet the Guest: Joel Oxberry

Passionate about supporting veterans, we hear from Joel Oxberry, Director, Walking with the Wounded in this episode.

[00:01:09] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I'm delighted to introduce my guest, Joel Oxberry, Director, Walking with the Wounded. Thank you so much, Joel, for joining me today.

[00:01:17] Joel Oxberry: You're welcome. Thank you so much for the opportunity, Deepa.

[00:01:20] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Really looking forward to all the good work you're doing with Walking with the Wounded.

Joel's Journey to Supporting Veterans

[00:01:23] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: But first, tell us about how you found your passion for supporting veterans. Where did that come from?

[00:01:28] Joel Oxberry: It's an interesting one. My passion actually more broadly started with, and it's quite apt that this is Meet the Mancunian, just focusing on Manchester really. I'm Manchester born and bred. Born in hard work and now I've been dragged up into South Manchester in Bramhall.

But my passion started early into looking into Manchester and its community and supporting those who had found themselves in hard times, really. I was working in sales; I was working in marketing recruitment as well and I quickly learned that I wasn't driven by materialistic things.

It wasn't about salary for me, it was about converting my skill set into benefiting others. So, it started initially focusing that attention on Manchester and certain communities. I started with the hospice movement. I then went into the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to focus on children that needed treatment.

And then from there, it branched out into a more holistic piece around mental health and poverty. And that's when I zoned in, on veterans. I haven't served myself. I always face into that.

But actually, what I found was for those struggling who had been in service and we're trying to find their way on civvy street. Those individuals that unfortunately had a bumpy path found themselves disproportionately involved in drug and alcohol misuse into mental health family breakdowns, housing, criminality.

And for me that was just an indictment of society that those people that gave so much, in their service would find themselves struggling so much on civvy street. So it became my passion to really understand that. And for me, Walking with the Wounded demonstrates an organisation that has impact and that's why I support them and work for them.

[00:03:02] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that and, I totally resonate with you. The podcast and my aim are to make social impact myself, to give back to the community. And I also resonate with veterans.

While I haven't served, my father, my uncle, and my grandfather were all in the army and the navy. Many years of being a defence child, as we call it in India, and then seeing my parents and family make their transitions to civvy street, and that has its own challenges, so I can totally understand that.

This brings us very well for how you got involved with Walking with the Wounded.

Understanding the Work of Walking with the Wounded

[00:03:37] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: What does it do?

[00:03:38] Joel Oxberry: Walking with the Wounded is a military charity. It supports veterans that have found the transition from service a little bit more turbulent. We focus our areas of support around three key areas, which is mental health support in conjunction with the NHS. There is employment support and care coordination, which is essentially social welfare, Deepa.

It's putting a caseworker at the heart of that veteran's journey and supporting with a wide encompassing variety of barriers which might be drug and alcohol misuse. It might be homelessness, criminality. poverty. So, there are three big areas and from an organisation perspective, we live by our values.

It's client first. In this instance, we put the veteran at the heart of every single decision that we make. And our story isn't one of woe or pity. It's actually about empowerment and reigniting purpose. Often that's the thing that is missing. It's that confidence and that self-esteem and that acknowledgement that they are more than just being a soldier.

They can serve their communities again. So, we give the tools, but it's very much the veteran themselves that gets from point A to point B on their care journey. And around that social welfare piece, we acknowledge that we can't do all of those things ourselves. So, we work in collaboration with a number of other service providers and charities and at the wider community. That's Walking with the Wounded in a nutshell.

[00:05:06] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. I really like that about reigniting their purpose because obviously when they started to serve, that purpose was so strong and in a new environment, trying to find their purpose again. That's amazing.

Challenges and Evolution of Walking with the Wounded

[00:05:18] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Tell us about the challenges that you faced on the journey because I'm sure it isn't an easy path and there might be challenges that other people can learn from.

[00:05:27] Joel Oxberry: Walking with the Wounded has been going for around about 13 years. So actually still quite young. And we're still in many ways finding our feet. And when we first started, we never really really envisaged that would be where we are today. And what I mean by that is our founder, Ed Parker, his nephew served in Afghanistan unfortunately had physical injuries as a result of that service and came back.

And even though he himself was fine as fine can be, he was still focused, he was still resilient. He still believed he had a lot to offer. It was society that was writing him off and Ed saw that and believed that we needed, to rebalance how society saw those who had suffered injuries as a result of their service, and injuries being both physical but also invisible as well.

So, there's mental health injuries and those social injustices, and so he put together a platform to raise that profile. And that was an expedition to the South Pole that Prince Harry got involved in and it just built momentum.

There was a movement that was around it. And we became, for a short period of time, a grant giving organisation. We weren't necessarily set up to deliver services. But through that process of collaboration and of listening, we started to identify greater need that existed in the veteran community. And through that time, we listened to our service users, we tried to get better in terms of our delivery model, and they were some of the challenges that we faced.

An organisation that wasn't truly meant to deliver services but found itself right at the heart of doing so. And these 13 years, I think, have been an evolution of really understanding, really listening to what the community needs and adapting our services to deliver.

And an example of that is this Care Coordination Social Welfare piece that we've only been operating for three years now. But it's ultimately needed. There was a gap in that service and without it, there would be a number of veterans that would withdraw from society and unfortunately result in a spiral of dissent without what we're doing. It's been an interesting road having that type of initial approach into the military sector and now being very much at the heart of delivering services.

[00:07:45] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That is so interesting. Thank you for sharing that. And when you talked about your founder's nephew's experience, it sounds so much like another guest from one of the disabled charities talking about society disabling people rather than their disability, disabling them.

And it's really amazing that you've been now focused on that service delivery and working with empowering veterans to be their best self and contribute and have a second lease of life which is so lovely.

Impact and Success Stories of Walking with the Wounded

[00:08:17] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Can you tell us a little bit about the impact you've made over the last 13 years?

[00:08:20] Joel Oxberry: I would like to say it's absolutely huge. I think there is of course the individuals and their families that we've supported along those 13 years so we have taken individuals that have been unemployed for several years have been homeless, have been unfortunately in receipt of benefits and, have lost their way and taken them into a position of long term independence with a huge social value.

They end up contributing back into society. Not just in terms of paying in society because they've got a salary and they are contributing in terms of the economy but also volunteering their time and understanding that they are able to serve again, but in a very different way.

There's certainly that level of impact and over the 13 years, we support around about 3000 veterans a year. It's a number and actually you might hear of organisations that quote hundreds of thousands of people that we support, but the individuals that come into Walking with the Wounded's life have got very complex and multifaceted needs. They tend to represent the 10 percent or so of the most vulnerable veterans, the most barriers in their lives.

So for us, it's not about numbers, it's about the individual and if we get that it could just be one veteran that we support a year is the point I'm trying to make. Huge amounts of impact in terms of the lives of individuals and their families, but also we have helped shape and pioneer programs that have now become commissioned.

A couple of examples spring to mind in terms of Step into Health, which was an initiative that we ran in conjunction with the NHS support veterans into employment within the NHS in non-clinical positions.

And through our relationship, we were able to be listened to and adopt a program around employment within the NHS, which still runs today. We're not involved in it, we've given it back to the NHS, but it's something that they now operate.

And again, in Manchester, so a little bit closer to home, we were part of the BBC DIY SOS Appeal, where we purchased a street for a pound on Canada Street and converted those houses into offices. for Walking with the Wounded to deliver services, but also gave some of those houses to physically wounded veterans.

And that was at a time when there were no dedicated spaces, bed spaces for homeless veterans. You could find temporary accommodation and shelters and you could go through a path into permanent housing, but it wasn't veteran specific.

So we purchased that street. We put in there a house that acted as a four bedroom temporary accommodation centre specifically for veterans, and then wrapped them with our holistic support around mental health and employment.

And, it's now fondly known as Veteran Street. And that was back in 2015. We are still there today. And actually through the work that we're doing, we now have access to 300 dedicated bed spaces for veterans. And that was as a direct result and impact of us taking that quite innovative first step in terms of tackling an issue.

So, I think there's lots that we've done both from an individual perspective, but also from a program as well.

[00:11:36] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I just love that Veteran's Street story. It's so nice that you could create a kind of community as well as, of course, supporting them with actual services as well.

Fundraising and Getting Involved

[00:11:47] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I wondered if, do you want to talk about any of the fundraising that people do for your charity? Because obviously, Andy's been on the podcast, but there might be others that you do all year round?

[00:11:58] Joel Oxberry: Thank you for that. Ultimately, like any charity, we depend greatly upon the generosity of communities that support us. And there's many ways in which people can get involved, be that a regular donation, a one-off donation, or taking part in things like our events.

We've got a number of them, whatever is your interest, whatever excites you, be it abseils, parachute jump, swim, cycle runs Walking with the Wounded, are able to get places a number of events taking place across the UK. And we do operate nationally as well.

So anyone looking to get involved, they can come directly to us and we'll find them an opportunity. But as well as that, we run a couple of our flagship events each and every year. In May we have the Cumbrian Challenge. So we take about 200 teams in total, 800 people across the peaks in Grasmere. We have set up a marquee and spaces that people can camp out.

And we put on food and drink, and we almost refer to it as the Glastonbury of Grasmere. But it's an amazing venue. And the lovely thing about it is I've never really known an event like it in the third sector. As a donor, as a fundraiser, go and do these events with the charity in your heart and your mind. But the difference is with the Cumbrian Challenge, you actually get to meet our beneficiaries. We have beneficiary teams, we have all our staff on the ground. So it's a perfect shop window for anyone to get a greater understanding of what we do, who we are, and whether they would like to work with us. So that is in May, and it's the Cumbrian Challenge.

And a little bit closer, so almost around the corner, which is what Andy Schofield, a previous guest, took part in is walking home for Christmas and that is a virtual campaign in which we encourage individuals to take part in.

An event which is your pace, your race, so it could be something just like a mile a day in December all the way up to these incredible challenges that we've had with people walking with 20 kilogram to represent mental health.

So there is a plethora of things that you can do. We just provide that platform for you to be able to do it. And Andy himself did an incredible, walk from London to Manchester. Solo operation. He was supported with a team around the edges, but it was very much just him, his grit, his determination, and again, everything that represents the military but that takes place in December. Starts on the 9th, finishes on the 20th of December. That's our window.

We've got a micro site where people can sign up, a community that they can get involved in and listen to stories from, newsletters that you'll be that you'll be receiving. But for me, it's at a time when people normally withdraw into their houses. There are bad weather, dark nights, and actually having an incentive to get out there, to be grounded, to focus on your health and being whilst representing a good cause, I think is something really special. So there are two flagship events, Deepa. Thanks for the opportunity.

[00:15:02] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks so much for sharing that. And of course, we heard on the podcast about Andy's journey and how tough that was over in the, one of the coldest nights to walk, like you said, five days from the cenotaph in London to the cenotaph in Manchester, and to raise awareness for mental health and for supporting veterans.

And thank you for all sharing everything that you do. They both sound great, especially the Glastonbury version of Cumbria. I love Lake District, so who knows?

How can interested people reach out to you and learn more?

[00:15:34] Joel Oxberry: I think there's three ways to do this Deepa, personally. There are those individuals that won't know Walking with the Wounded. And for us having the opportunity to educate those individuals on what we do is of the utmost importance. Even if it doesn't go anywhere, it's a conversation that individual may well have within their community that sparks an interest.

 Step one would be to engage with Walking with the Wounded in whatever way you can. So we're on all of the social media platforms, Twitter, Instagram LinkedIn and you can find us there through through searching for Walking with the Wounded.

And the next thing is sign up to our newsletter which has regular updates on what people are doing for us, our client stories, and interesting events and insights that either people can get involved in or might just be nice information to have.

So if people go to www dot Walkingwiththewounded. org. uk then they will be able to sign up for our newsletter and get that regular contact. I think the other two ways, one of them for me is crucially important.

Walkingwiththewounded. org. uk wants to be a beacon for any veteran and their families requiring support. So if that individual or the family recognises they need help, they will find Walking with the Wounded.

But actually there's a number of individuals that don't reach out for support. And Walking with the Wounded wants to find them. So how does that work? It's through people being a megaphone for what it is that we do. So it's the veterans that have transitioned well, it's a reminder to them to reach out to the network that they served with, who's the person that they've not heard from a while who was on the WhatsApp chats that now is no longer communicating, that's the person that we need to reach and just say, Hey, how are you doing? But it has to come through the individual that has that connection.

But likewise, I think it's like this, seven steps away from someone that you know. In the same way Deepa that you kindly shared that your family had served, you could be an individual that could reach out to parents, to family, whatever it might be. So we've all got a part to play here in terms of just asking how our veterans are doing. Fingers crossed everyone's okay, but actually for those individuals that say I'm having a bit of a turbulent time introduce Walking with the Wounded. So that's the second point and the third one.

Finally, it does come into fundraising. We can't deliver our services. We can't operate as an organisation without charitable support and importantly for us what we're looking for is regular sustainable support as well. So, if anyone, is in a position to give a regular donation be that a pound all the way up to something, larger than that to us on a monthly basis is something that would be would be greatly received and would go a long way in terms of helping us deliver our services.

And again, at the first port of call for that would be our website and clicking on the donate button, where from there you'll get the options for a one-off donation or a regular gift, which would be as I mentioned greatly received.

[00:18:38] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that and I'll definitely be including your website in the show notes so that people can find it easily and it would be great if both veterans as well as supporters and families of veterans or friends of veterans could also reach out and s shout out to them.

Final Thoughts and Advice

[00:18:58] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: What advice do you have for people looking to start a similar movement in their local community? We talked about the fact that we have now listeners from 50 countries and there are veterans in most communities around the world or in any part of the UK. So how do they get started? What should they do?

[00:19:15] Joel Oxberry: I think this is a great question, genuinely, because if people are more cognisant to the fact that they have issues within their communities that they want to help and to solve, I think it's amazing if we can create a movement of people that want to support others.

I've got three pieces of advice for anyone thinking of, taking that first step, the first one is to listen and to watch and to observe. In my opinion, lots of individuals want to get straight to the solution without fully understanding what the issue is. And the only way that you can fully understand that issue and the nuances with it, is to observe, to watch, to take your time, and to listen to the individuals that you're trying to help. No one will understand it better than those with lived experiences.

The next one is, there is a feeling that we have to do it alone, that actually our solution needs to tackle all issues and that we have to operate and own the project ourselves. One of the biggest values that we live by at Walking with the Wounded is collaboration. We acknowledge that we are better when we seek best practice from others. And we recognise that others may be better positioned to deliver a particular aspect of the project or service than we are.

I see it too often that charities within not just the military sector, but the wider piece don't share insights, don't share data, don't share best practice, don't collaborate, and that will stifle innovations, stifle outcomes and success. So, it is crucially important that we collaborate.

And the final one is that everything that we do should be with the service user at the heart of that choice and that decision and again it seems obvious. I think lots of individuals come into this with good intent and then along the way they lose their focus on the individual for various different reasons.

But again, that's why Walking with the Wounded's first value is client first. And if we can live by the fact that everything that we do is for the betterment of that individual, and that we listen to those individuals so that we can improve our services. Then we're on the track to being a good ethical organisation.

Listen, watch, collaborate, and ensure that everything you do is for the service user that you're trying to support.

[00:21:53] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. And, really great pieces of advice. And I hear this from charities and the homelessness, and I think the disability sector a lot about collaboration, especially, I think it seems like it's the Mancunian way where they fill the gaps rather than trying to compete. And it's great that you have a shout out to others to follow this.

An opportunity for you to talk about anything I haven't asked you about, anything coming up.

[00:22:20] Joel Oxberry: Thank you. I think the only one that I would say is ensuring that veterans know the first port of call for some of the issues that they're facing. And at the moment, there's a particular wave around mental health support. And actually, one of our biggest partners is the NHS.

And we believe that for any clinical support they are the first port of call. So OpCourage is the name that people need to be looking for. That will get you straight into a system which will provide a wraparound service for individuals who have served that are currently suffering from negative mental health. So that would be my biggest shout out. Up Courage for anyone that finds themselves in a bad place feels that their mental health is in decline. OpCourage Courage would be the route in, and you will get picked up and you will get the support that you need.

Signature Questions

[00:23:14] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I've now come to the signature questions I ask all my guests. And we talked about this is Meet the Mancunians. Can you describe the Mancunian spirit in a word or a phrase?

[00:23:25] Joel Oxberry: Manchester is the biggest village in the world. The quote is that we do things differently here. I really believe that is the case. You've touched upon the fact that we collaborate, we don't compete. I think we really care about each other. And I think we care about our city. And how it's seen and viewed by others. There is a deep-rooted passion that you can back all the way.

But I think the turning point was the IRA bombings. And from there, there was this unrelented want and desire to seek opportunity out of one of the most adverse situations. And I think that continues now. As I look around the city, which continues to develop, there is this passion just to be the best that we can be and seek opportunity in everything that we do. And for me, I was only around the corner at the time. The IRA bombing not only shook us, physically but mentally gave us that shape that we needed to say, we're better and we will rise above.

[00:24:34] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That's just beautiful and I love this bit about being, Manchester being the biggest village in the world and it's so true there's such a spirit of community even for new Mancunians like myself .And I can really feel that and of course the fact that it comes from those industrial revolution, suffragette movement, bombings, and, many different, adverse things, but we rise above that, don't we? That's nice.

Can you name a Mancunian who inspires you and tell us why.

[00:25:03] Joel Oxberry: There's so many. You touch upon Emmeline Pankhurst there. You talk about the likes of Alan Turing as well. This is what I said, we've got just incredible history. The Midland Hotel still in Manchester is where Rolls met Royce. We've got incredible people and obviously from a sporting perspective, Lights of Hatton. From a music perspective, Oasis.

I don't know, I'm just passionate about Manchester, to be honest. It's not an individual, but again, it just encompasses that spirit. I was part of a team that supported the victims from the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. I was working at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital at the time, and everyone, I mean everyone at that hospital was working around the clock.

We're doing the small things at the time, which actually didn't realise how impactful it was. It was, delivering food and sandwiches to, the nurses and the doctors that were on the wards. But alongside that, we're raising funds for pain therapy management for these children that had to go through skin grafts. Being a part of that spirit, it was deeply traumatic. It was very upsetting, but at the same time talking about this drive and this resilience, I just saw it there.

It was a movement. It really was. So it wasn't individual, but I was very proud of the team that I was part of. And like I said, each and every one of them rising above that adversity and giving everything to support those who had found themselves in the most horrendous situation. Lots of people, I think, in Manchester inspire me.

[00:26:31] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. I'll let that pass, because you've talked about a lot of very inspiring people, from people in the past, to people very much in the present, and also all the staff that was working around the clock as well.

What's the most important life lesson you've learned so far?

[00:26:49] Joel Oxberry: We've got two ears and one mouth. Keep with that ratio. Listen. I just love listening. I love speaking to people, understanding their passions and it inspires me and I love listening to issues that people are facing and helping them to come up with the solutions.

Certainly, for me coming from a background that was sales, I was on permanent sell at times because I was selling. And actually, now that I've come into the third sector, they really promote listening. And I think it's been one of the biggest turning points, not just within my career, but personally. I'm very happy just to sit and to listen and to let all of that information wash over me.

[00:27:27] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. And that is so important for emotional intelligence as well, right? You can really relate, you can understand, because not everybody comes up at their first conversation with what's really on their mind. And if you're doing that deep listening, you can actually be a better conversationalist, or a better supporter, or a better provider of services, or whatever role you're playing in that context.

[00:27:51] Joel Oxberry: That's right. That's right.

[00:27:57] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

[00:28:00] Joel Oxberry: I was going to instinctively say the gift of foresight, but that might be quite scary with the world that we're living in at the moment. Instinctively I'd still say that because part of me would then see whether there would be a way to overcome what might be coming down the track or maybe I might be surprised and there might be some excitement.

I'd say the gift of prophecy, the gift of foresight, although it does come with a huge caveat that we are in quite a volatile world at the moment and that might be more scary than it is advantageous.

[00:28:27] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That is a very interesting one, and quite unique, I must say, because we've had a lot of different answers from guests, but this one stands out a little because it's a very different take. But you're right, the world is very volatile. There's a lot of uncertainty. It might also be a difficult one to navigate. Good luck with that.

[00:28:50] Joel Oxberry: I'm possibly never going to sleep again if it comes true, that's the problem.

[00:28:54] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Ouch, that is not good. Good sleep is so important.

Is there a funny story or a heart-warming story you'd like to share with listeners, either about Manchester or about Walking with the Wounded to end the podcast?

[00:29:08] Joel Oxberry: Do you know what, I'd say a personal one, actually. And again, it just comes in light of the conversation that we've had where it's quite a turbulent world. And I think, unfortunately at the moment as well, we're in a society that at times feels really divisive. You've got to be on one side of the fence, really far right, really far left, and there is no middle ground anymore. And it doesn't breed an environment for communication and conversation.

And I've been within the NHS and obviously at the moment there's the strikes and people, there's a resounding kind of support for that. And then there's also those that just say, oh, the NHS doesn't work. It's on its knees. It's terrible. That the staff don't care.

And actually, the one thing for me is my son, who is now two years old, he was born with a heart issue and I spent four months in the ICU with my wife. And our son was at home in during COVID because he wasn't allowed to join us, and he was going through his own mental angst at that time and actually resulted in him in his own way self-harming. It was a horrible situation.

But during that time that the staff that treated Grayson from the very moment that we went into Alder Hey [Children’s Hospital] to the moment that we left were absolutely exceptional. And I think we're so easily led by the media, and it informs our judgment. And we're in a bit of an echo chamber where with social media, if you follow one thread, which is damning against a particular organisation, in this case, the NHS, all you receive is negative information about it.

And what I can say is we have an incredible setup here in the UK, and we take things for granted like our NHS system. And it's not perfect. I know it has flaws, but actually I would not have my son here today if it wasn't for the incredible work that they provided, and, his surgeon was a gentleman called Mr. Ram.

And I actually now have a tattoo with a ram's head. Because, he literally gave me my future back. He works around the clock, but volunteers his time to support children in India that would have quite treatable and reversible heart conditions, but without his skill set and without his profession and setup, they are just left to die.

And unfortunately, he still has a painful choice to make where there are children that he can reverse their condition, but it would mean regular check-ups and regular intervention. And unfortunately, he can't provide that and they can't provide it. And so he has to let those children go.

And I think living and breathing through that just reminded me of at times, how good we have it here. But how we can all just criticise and actually it's reminded that, often your pains and your troubles in many ways insignificant compared to what others are having to go through.

I know it's not the most heart-warming, it's certainly not a funny story, but for me it's an important one to share because it's a reminder that, the glass is half full and it is difficult to see it, but we have to just take ourselves back and say we've got opportunity here, we've got a lot to live for, and we've got a lot in our favour.

[00:32:24] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that, Joel. I'm so glad your son is better. And you're very right, because, sometimes, whether it be media or social media or other people's opinions influence people without your kind of having a view for yourself. So, you're judging by somebody else's view.

And I really like that you're asking people to just take another look and do that deep listening and observe for themselves, have their own opinions, have their own worldview, and I think it's something that's a great reminder, and thank you so much for your honesty.

[00:32:57] Joel Oxberry: Thank you, Deepa. Thanks for the opportunity.

[00:32:59] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: It's been a real pleasure, Joel. We've covered quite a few varied subjects, but it's just amazing the work that you and Walking With a Wounded is doing, so keep walking, keep doing amazing work for the people who serve.

[00:33:13] Joel Oxberry: I certainly will. It's in my veins now, so I don't think they I don't think they've got an option but to have my support.

[00:33:18] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Brilliant.

Outro

​Joel, I really enjoyed learning about supporting veterans today.

Next week on Tuesday, 5th March 2024, I speak to Tahera Khanamm about supporting the community.

Dear listener, I hope you were inspired by today's episode and it sparks your passion to make change happen wherever you live and work. I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community for your support and feedback.

Your stories inspire this podcast. Share your thoughts at www.meetthemancunian.co.uk because this podcast is your platform too. Connect on socials @MeettheMancunian on Instagram and Facebook @MeettheMancunianPodcast on YouTube and @MancunianPodod on x.

This is more than a podcast, it's a community. Spread the love, share, comment, and let's keep building Manchester up. To the podcast's amazing listeners and supporters, you are the true heroes.

Keep thriving, keep connecting and remember the power of change lies within us.