In this special fifth-anniversary episode of the Full Stop podcast, our community members join us - Michael, Sarah and Berenice - to reflect on the journey and influence of The Full Stop podcast.

In this podcast episode, we talk to Dr. Joanne Lawrence-Bourne and Dr. Robin Hadley, about the complex topic of loneliness, especially as it relates to childlessness. They discuss the subjective nature of loneliness, its distinction from social isolation, and its fluidity. The conversation covers the societal pressures and gendered experiences of loneliness. Personal stories and the impact of societal expectations on individuals without children are shared. The episode also touches on the role of social media and draws attention to the importance of inclusive narratives and support systems to combat loneliness.

Meet Janine Ford and Cecilia Rebild who talk to us about community and friendship. They both live in Copenhagen in Denmark and talk about the wonderful friendships that can be forged from shared childlessness experiences and the meaning of friendship as we come to terms with not being parents. They are creators of a support network in Denmark, a vision they shared and acted on during the height of the pandemic.

Patricia Faulks set up her blog, Lilley and Me, during Covid lockdowns to share the story of ageing alone with childlessness and the challenges that brings including learning how to use her computer and Zoom calls. Denise Jackson returns to the podcast to talk about bias around money saving having challenged UK money expert Martin Lewis to tackle solo households.

Patricia and Denise cover so much ground here that applies not just to childless people but to those who are creating online environments and apps as we discuss digital exclusion. They also discuss bias and exclusion around power of attorney, the cost of living crisis, human rights and make a call for more support and awareness. 

We invited a few guys from the Clan of Brothers to discuss this topic, we were lucky enough to share views from three continents and cultures. Of course it was a rhetorical question - we all need community, but what we found enriching were the reasons why.

Empowerment can be a big act or something personal. In this episode we share our podcast episode with Judy Graham and Sarah Roberts who run their own practices supporting people who are childless not by choice.

In this episode, we share the details on our plans. The background to the change is future proofing our work and making it more streamlined so that we can continue to inform, entertain and give a voice to our community.

In this episode, we’re talking about adapting to online communication and making connections. Who better than Helen Louise Jones who has been raising our spirits with singing through her Childless Voices project and Chanting Circles. The choir began before lockdown in the UK in March 2020 and she had to quickly adapt the delivery to keep providing support. We were also delighted to welcome Lisa Ann Kissane who talked about her love of books and how she’s encouraging our community to read through her website and Gateway Women’s NoMo Book Club which hosts online meetings to chat about the books she's recommended. If you’ve ever been triggered by a book then you need Lisa in your life!

In this special episode recorded on the eve of UK lockdown, we reflect on the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus and our community, and Michael tells some stories! We also ask how we can help you.

Trigger: We talk briefly about the impact of ending IVF treatment during the crisis.

This episode is audio and video. We decided to include video as we felt you’d like a bit more of a connection with us and some friendly faces.