The CivicUEA Podcast

In this special episode, Prof Johanna Forster and Mike Rigby (Eastern Promise), attend the Tyndall 25 Anniversary Conference: Our Critical Decade for Climate Action Conference, held in September 2025, and hosted at the University of East Anglia (UEA) by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. In its 25th year, The Tyndall Centre continues to provide world-leading scientific research and policy expertise to support the global transition to sustainable low-carbon futures, improving climate resilience and mitigation strategies. Prof Johanna Forster and Mike Rigby speak with members of the Tyndall Centre past and present, to hear about their work, their experience of the conference, to celebrate 25 years of Tyndall, and think about the future. Listen up for conversations with Asher Minns, Executive Director for the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Corinne Le Quéré, Professor of Climate Change Science at UEA and Member of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Naomi Vaughan, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change at UEA and co-lead for Reaching Zero Emissions Theme at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Gaurav Gharde, Research Associate at the University of Manchester and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Neil Adger, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Exeter Alice Larkin, Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy at the University of Manchester and Partner Representative and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Andy Jordan, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research

This episode focusses on something that Norwich is particularly known for – writing and literature. We explore what it means to be a City of Literature as well as issues around wider access to literacy for our communities. Prof Johanna Forster is joined by Peggy Hughes (National Centre for Writing), Alice Kent (UNESCO City of Literature) as well as colleagues from UEA, Prof Jean McNeil and Eleanor Milligan.

In this episode Dr Johanna Forster and Dr Ben Little are joined by Dr Oren Margolis and Dr Marian Prinsley to talk about a collaborative project between UEA and our local Jewish community. Their work has brought about some exciting initiatives for UEA and our city, including plans to create a Centre for Jewish History and Heritage here at UEA and the fundraising to restore Jurnet’s House in Norwich, the oldest Jewish dwelling in England.

Welcome to the first episode of The CivicUEA Podcast. In this episode Johanna and Ben chat about their backgrounds and their work on CivicUEA with producer Skye and share what's to come on this new podcast highlighting the excellent civic work taking place as The University of East Anglia.

In this episode Johanna and Ben welcome Sophie North, Academic Lead of UEA’s University of Sanctuary initiative, alongside Sanctuary Scholar Salah Elnagar. They detail the important and life changing work Sophie and her team are doing at UEA and in the region more widely. Find out more about the University of Sanctuary here Find out more about CivicUEA here

This time Johanna and Ben speak to UEA Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy Lauren Flannery about her Communication Access project at UEA which aims to coach staff and students across the university to be more mindful of people they may encounter with additional communication needs.

Ben and Johanna speak to Sally Hardy and Jonathan Webster as well as Anne-Marie Minihane about two initiatives actively helping to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the region now and in the future. Find out more about NICHE here Find out more about NIHA here

In this episode Johanna Forster and our new producer Mike Rigby share highlights of the launch of the new UEA Civic Charter at our AGM, which we call UEA Court, before during and after the event.

In this episode Johanna Forster talks to Polly Morgan from the UEA Law and Business Clinics and David Powles from the Norfolk Community Law Service to find out about the amazing work they are doing together to provide help and advice to our people in our region.

In this episode we talk to Sarah Hanson, associate professor in Community Health at UEA, about her research into preventative health and poverty in the region. We also meet Jo Critch from the charity Feathers Futures and talk to her about the work she has been doing with Sarah to make a positive difference to the lives of women in Great Yarmouth.

In this episode we are delighted to welcome Alan Waters, who is the former leader of Norwich City Council, as well as Noel Longhurst, lecturer in energy and climate change at UEA, to talk about their role in the Good Economy Commission. The Good Economy Commission was a collaboration between Norwich City Council and UEA, and ran from 2020-22. It was set up to carry out research to identify key issues and explore how the lives and experience of people in Norwich could be improved.

In this episode we are delighted to welcome Julia Devonshire and Kaavous Clayton from artist-based organisation Original Projects which is based in Great Yarmouth. We also chat to Professor John Gordon, Academic Chair of CreativeUEA, about UEA’s work with Original Projects.

In this episode we meet Steph Copsey, who is Outreach Manager at UEA, and Hollie Baines who is the Regional Operations Manager for IntoUniversity Steph and Hollie chat to Johanna about the work they are doing together to support young people in one of the Britain's least privileged neighbourhoods.

In this episode we are delighted to welcome Simon Floyd from local theatre group The Common Lot and Georgia Philip from the School of Social Work at UEA. We also chat to UEA alumi playwright and poet Beau Hopkins about his work, his new play SALT, and collaborating with Out There Arts Great Yarmouth.

In this episode we are delighted to welcome Robert Jones, who is Professor of Brand Leadership in Norwich Business School and founder of Brandland Joining Robert are Darren Leader, who is a graphic designer and director of the Darren Leader Studio based at the Enterprise Centre on UEA campus, and Izzy Blackman, Head of Marketing at Norwich BID. Working in partnership with Creative UEA