Eastern Promise - The Podcast
Mike Rigby
’Eastern Promise’ showcases and celebrates the East of England and, each week, your host Mike Rigby brings you stories of opportunity, potential, success and support from England’s most diverse and exciting region! Whether Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, or ALL of the above; from the public sector to academia, charities and more! Eastern Promise is a uniquely positive voice for a uniquely wonderful region.
Episodes
Citizen Hub St. Neots: Redefining Community Action
Episode 184: Citizen Hub St Neots How belonging, community power and live local insight can transform a town What happens when a community stops waiting for solutions to arrive and starts building its own social infrastructure? In this episode of the Eastern Promise Podcast, Mike Rigby visits Citizen Hub St Neots, a welcoming town-centre space designed to connect people with support, opportunities and one another. He is joined by: Alex Hughes, founder of Citizen Hub and social entrepreneur Grace Marsh, Managing Director of Citizen Hub St Neots Richard Shaw MBE, Chair of St Neots Initiative Zion Ayokunnu, technical entrepreneur, researcher and data lead Together, they explore how a community hub can become far more than a building. It can create belonging, build trust, identify local needs and give residents the confidence and connections to shape the future of their town. Citizen Hub began in response to a practical gap: St Neots had no Jobcentre on its high street and limited access to further education. Instead of recreating a conventional service, its founders concentrated on creating a place where the whole community could belong and where different services, programmes and ideas could take root. The discussion reveals a model built around community power rather than institutional control. People are not merely referred from one service to another. They are encouraged to move from coping, to competence, and ultimately to contributing to the lives of others. The team also explains how community insight and local data are being used to turn people’s experiences into action. One example is the demand for accessible financial and digital support following the disappearance of bank branches from the high street. Running throughout the conversation is a wider argument about infrastructure: railways, housing and power stations matter, but so do the relationships, trust and local networks that allow communities to respond to change. Building that social infrastructure is complex, long-term work, but it can unlock an extraordinary amount of local energy. Find out more Visit Citizen Hub Explore Citizen Hub St Neots Find Citizen Hub St Neots on LinkedIn Visit Inspire 2 Ignite Find Inspire 2 Ignite on LinkedIn Learn about the Cambridge Regional College partnership Read about the City & Guilds Foundation volunteer programme Find out more about Eastern Promise, contact us and listen to our entire back catalogue by visiting easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
The Future of Pharmacy at the University of Suffolk with Dr. Georgina Marsh
“Pharmacy is maybe a little bit like magic, in the sense that everything should happen behind the scenes and you don’t see it.” — Dr Georgina Marsh Pharmacy is changing fast. Once seen primarily as the profession that dispenses medicines, it is increasingly becoming a frontline clinical service—one in which pharmacists prescribe, manage long-term conditions and give patients accessible, expert care. In Episode 183 of Eastern Promise, Dr Georgina Marsh, Head of Pharmacy and Prescribing at the University of Suffolk, joins your host Mike Rigby to explain what this transformation means for patients, the NHS and the next generation of pharmacists. Georgina also introduces the University’s new four-year MPharm programme, due to begin this month (September 2026), and discusses how it has been designed around professional standards, regional workforce needs and the future direction of healthcare. Guest Dr Georgina Marsh is Head of Pharmacy and Prescribing at the University of Suffolk. A pharmacist by training, she is leading the development of the University’s MPharm programme and oversees its non-medical prescribing provision. Her research interests include pharmaceutical 3D printing and the potential for personalised, point-of-care manufacture of medicines. In this episode Why pharmacists are increasingly recognised as medicines experts and clinical healthcare practitioners How independent prescribing is widening the profession’s role in patient care Why communication, active listening and an understanding of patient behaviour matter alongside scientific knowledge How the new MPharm combines science, clinical practice, digital skills and early placements Why the East of England needs more locally trained pharmacists—and how a “grow our own” strategy could help address shortages The breadth of pharmacy careers, from community and hospital practice to industry, regulatory affairs, the armed forces, prisons and care homes How realistic simulation can help students move from knowing what to do to taking responsibility as the pharmacist How resilience, leadership and wellbeing are being built into training amid concerns about burnout The potential of AI, remote consultations, personalised medicine and pharmaceutical 3D printing How research, continuing professional development and partnerships with healthcare and industry could shape the department’s future. From science to patient care Dr Marsh describes pharmacists as “scientist healthcare practitioners”. Their work spans the whole life cycle of a medicine: discovery and development, formulation and packaging, understanding where and how it acts in the body, and helping patients use it safely and effectively. That scientific foundation is matched by clinical judgement and human skills—from reading body language to adapting advice for someone processing a new diagnosis. Training pharmacists for the region The programme responds to a clear regional need. Dr Marsh cites a 2024 community-pharmacy workforce survey indicating a vacancy rate of around 19% in the area, alongside shortages of early-career hospital pharmacists. Developed with input from hospitals, community pharmacies, GP practices, industry and the local Integrated Care Board, the course supports a wider “grow our own” approach to developing the healthcare workforce. Students will complete 14 weeks of placements across community, hospital and GP settings during the four-year degree, beginning in the second semester of year one. They will also learn in a simulated pharmacy, purpose-built laboratories, clinical-skills suites and mock ward environments. By the fourth year, teams will be expected to run realistic pharmacy services, respond to patients and clinicians, manage long-term conditions and deal with the practical problems of day-to-day practice. Building confidence—and resilience The aim is not to force students into an early specialism, but to give them the broad foundation needed to move between sectors and specialise after registration. Alongside that flexibility, the curriculum addresses the pressures of professional practice through mentoring, leadership, team management, resilience and psychological wellbeing—helping future pharmacists recognise when they need to pause, reflect and ensure they remain safe to practise. Looking ahead The conversation closes with a look at the future: a digital thread running through the course, including AI and remote consultations; closer links between university research and patient care; expanded continuing professional development; and pharmaceutical 3D printing that could one day produce medicines tailored to an individual patient and dose. Listen to Episode 183 for a revealing look behind the pharmacy counter—and at the education, technology and regional partnerships shaping a profession at the heart of future healthcare.
Water Matters for the East of England
The Eastern Promise Podcast: Water Matters in the East of England Recorded at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire | 10 July 2026 In this special episode, Mike Rigby is joined by three leading figures from the water sector to discuss one of the East of England's biggest strategic challenges: securing enough water to support growth, agriculture, industry, communities and nature in a changing climate. Guests Dr Paul Leinster – Chair, Water Resources East and Chair, Cambridge Water Scarcity Group. Paul Burrows – Chief Executive, Middle Level Commissioners. Geoff Darch – Head of Strategic Asset Planning, Anglian Water. Key Topics Water scarcity and future demand Climate change impacts across the East The Fens Reservoir Housing and economic growth Agricultural water requirements Water recycling and reuse Desalination Smart metering Data and AI Environmental protection and nature recovery Organisations Mentioned Middle Level Commissioners: https://middlelevel.gov.uk/ Internal Drainage Boards (Association of Drainage Authorities): https://www.ada.org.uk/ Water Resources East: https://wre.org.uk/ Cambridge Water Scarcity Group: https://wre.org.uk/cambridge-water-scarcity-group/ Cambridge Growth Company: https://thecgc.org.uk/ Environment Agency: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership: https://bedfordshirenaturally.com/ Anglian Water: https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/ DEFRA: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-housing-communities-local-government Ofwat: https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/ Key Takeaway The East of England is becoming the UK's test bed for next-generation water management. Delivering future resilience will require major infrastructure investment, smarter regulation, behavioural change, environmental stewardship and new technologies including AI, reuse systems, desalination and smart water networks.
Jimmy Doherty: Bears, Butterflies & Big Ambitions
Episode 181: Jimmy Doherty: Bears, Butterflies and Big Ambitions Quote of the Episode "Anyone can start a fight. Creating lasting friendships and partnerships takes work." In this episode of Eastern Promise, we visit award-winning wildlife park owner, farmer, conservationist and broadcaster Jimmy Doherty for a wide-ranging conversation about animal welfare, rare breeds, conservation, science education and the future of East Anglia. Jimmy shares the remarkable story behind efforts to rescue and rehome moon bears from South Korea, explains why he believes positivity and action matter more than protest alone, and reflects on the grassroots organisations making a genuine difference to wildlife around the world. We also discuss: The campaign to rescue moon bears from former bile farms; Why conservation needs practical action, not just awareness; Protecting rare livestock breeds and Britain's rural heritage; Groundbreaking research into safeguarding the British Swallowtail butterfly; The role of farmers in biodiversity recovery; Why science should be accessible to every child; and What makes Suffolk, Norfolk and the wider East Anglian region so special. Organisations and Causes Mentioned: 🐮 Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park Offiically England's top Large Visitor Attraction, 2026! https://jimmysfarm.com/ 🐻 Animals Asia Working to end bear bile farming and improve animal welfare across Asia. https://www.animalsasia.org/ 🌿 Space for the Wild Jimmy Doherty's conservation charity supporting wildlife rescue, habitat restoration and education. https://spaceforthewild.org/ 🐾 Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) South Korea's leading animal welfare organisation. https://www.animals.or.kr/english/donation 🐄 Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Protecting the UK's native livestock breeds and genetic heritage. https://www.rbst.org.uk/ 🔬 Cambridge Science Centre Inspiring children and young people through hands-on STEM education. https://www.cambridgesciencecentre.org/ 🌎 Eden Project Educational charity and environmental visitor attraction exploring the relationship between people and nature. https://www.edenproject.com/ 🐕 RSPCA The UK's largest animal welfare charity. https://www.rspca.org.uk/ 🐼 WWF UK Working to protect the natural world and tackle the causes of environmental decline. https://www.wwf.org.uk/ To contact Eastern Promise, enquire about partnership opportunities or to listen to our full back catalogue, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Swaffham Prior - The Village That Took Control of Its Energy Future
What happens when an entire village decides to break free from fossil fuels? Mike Rigby travels to Swaffham Prior, a Cambridgeshire village near the Suffolk border that has become a pioneer in community-led, retrofitted sustainable energy. Through determination, collaboration and a shared vision, local residents, the Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust - with the help of Cambridgeshire County Council and Equans - have delivered one of the UK's most ambitious rural district heating schemes. We hear from Emma Fletcher, one of the driving forces behind the project, as she explains how concerns over rising oil prices, energy security and the future of village life sparked a decade-long journey towards clean, green heat. Local resident Roz Fairburn also joins us to share the reality of living with the new system, and we take you behind-the-scenes of the village's Energy Centre, exploring how this remarkable transformation is powered and controlled. It's a story about communities taking control, building resilience, rejecting fossil fuels, and creating practical solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing rural England. Eastern Promise would like to acknowledge the kind assistance of Cambridgeshire County Council and Equans in the production of this episode. In this episode: Why Swaffham Prior decided to move away from heating oil How a Community Land Trust helped turn an ambitious idea into reality The challenges of retrofitting a village-wide district heating network The role of local government, funding and partnership working What residents think of the system now it's up and running A guided tour of the innovative Energy Centre Lessons for other communities interested in sustainable heating Key themes Community action Rural sustainability District heating Renewable energy Net zero transition Local government innovation Energy resilience Community land trusts Timestamps: 01:35 Introduction Mike introduces Swaffham Prior and explains how the village has retrofitted homes with a sustainable district heating network. 02:15 Emma Fletcher: Why Swaffham Prior decided to leave heating oil behind… The origins of the project, concerns about energy costs, housing affordability and the future of village life. 04:24 Resident Perspective: Roz Fairburn… How villagers first heard about the project and the role of community engagement during Covid. 05:27 The challenges of connection… Roadworks, disruption, community buy-in and overcoming practical barriers. 15:21 How district heating works for residents… Roz explains what day-to-day life is like after switching from oil heating. 17:19 The connected home, inside & out … Mike visits a resident's property to see the heat interface unit and understand how the system works. 19:16 Connecting to the network… How new residents who aren’t connected to the heat network can join the scheme. 23:41 The role of the Community Land Trust and Cambridgeshire County Council How partnerships, funding and local leadership made the scheme possible. 24:55 Tour of the Swaffham Prior Energy Centre A detailed walkthrough of the technology powering the village heat network. 34:42 Action Points! What communities, councils and developers can learn from Swaffham Prior. 37:20 Coming Next Week Preview of Mike's interview with farmer, author, broadcaster and naturalist, Jimmy Doherty. Next Episode Mike is joined by Suffolk broadcaster, author, farmer and wildlife champion Jimmy Doherty, the founder of Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park on location at the park itself! Yes indeedy! Eastern Promise celebrates and showcases the people, projects and ideas helping the East of England achieve more together. Find more episodes and discover the stories shaping the region in the podcast feed or at Easternpromise.org.uk. Contact us about recordings, our upcoming schedule, collaboration and sponsorship opportunities at [email protected] Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Watatunga Wildlife Reserve
This week: With the Summer holidays upon us, what better time to explore Watatunga Wildlife Reserve in the company of Reserve Operations Manager, Molly Ruder! Join Molly and your host, Mike Rigby, as they head into Watatunga's 170 acres of breathtaking woodland, grassland and lakes - a stunning recreation of the natural habitat of the endangered deer and antelope from across Africa and Asia that now reside just south of Kings Lynn. You'll hear about the Watatunga ethos of animal care, the inspiration behind the park and learn about some of the furred and feathered characters that call the park home, not least Water Buffaloes Rocket and Slice, and Hattie the Eurasian Crane. Why not give Watatunga a try for a Summer Safari? You can find out more at: https://watatunga.co.uk/ For more information about Eastern Promise, to listen to our back catalogue or to contact us, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. The Eastern Promise podcast was made in The Podding Shed in partnership with Mills & Reeve: https://mills-reeve.com.
Forest City One
This Week: I'm chatting to journalist-turned-visionary Shiv Malik, as Eastern Promise takes a look at Forest City 1. It's an exciting scheme that's certainly turning heads, as well as both asking big questions about how we want to live our lives in the future, and providing one possible answer. The scheme, which has attracted some controversy(!), proposes that a city be built between Newmarket and Haverhill, at a scale that allows it to be infrastructure first and with a vision of municipal life last seen in the Garden City movement. Eastern Promise host Mike Rigby met with Shiv at the National Trust's Hatfield Forest in Essex to discuss how the vision for Forest City 1 originated, what the proposal actually entails, and what the scheme might deliver for the region beyond its bounds. It's a fascinating insight into a bold proposal. To find out more about Forest City 1 click here: https://www.forestcity.uk/. To find out more about Eastern Promise, to contact us and to listen to our back catalogue, visit our website here: https://easternpromise.org.uk.
Episode 177: The Beginner's Guide to PETERBOROUGH!
This week: Welcome you to the brickmakers' city, which sits across the main arteries of communication for all four points of the compass! This is the Beginner's Guide to PETERBOROUGH! Our panel of local and sector specialists are: ARU Peterborough's Assistant Principal (PFHEA) Professor Tom Williamson; Multi-hat wearing local champion Al Kingsley MBE; MD of Cap Air Systems, board member and advanced manufacturing advocate Katy Davies; and Engagement Manager at the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce and Trustee of Peterborough Cathedral Connor Butler. Together, the panel identify the heart and soul of Peterborough, the engines of growth and innovation in the city, and their hopes for the coming years as exciting projects are rolled out and the Mayoral Development Corporation gathers pace. And, speaking of the Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Paul Bristow, he and Leader of Peterborough City Council, Cllr Dr. Shabina Quayyum open this episode by underlining the potential of Peterborough, as well as some inspired dining recommendations! But there's more love for Peterborough in another Eastern Insight from resident of the city and regional hotelier Gez Chetal! It's all in Peterborough so listen in and then get going! You can find out more about Eastern Promise, listen to our back catalogue or contact us by visiting: https://easternpromise.org.uk This episode of Eastern Promise was made in The Podding Shed in partnership with Mills & Reeve: Achieving more, together.
Episode 176: 'Everything you ever wanted to know about Cambridge (but were afraid to ask)...' - CWOW 2026 Special
From the sun-kissed garden of O2H Group's UK HQ, Hauxton House, Eastern Promise brings you our contribution to Cambridge Wide Open Week 2026: 'Everything you ever wanted to know about Cambridge (but were afraid to ask)...' Your host Mike Rigby has the questions and we've assembled an incredible panel who have the answers! They are: Harriet Fear MBE, multi-hat wearer, including beaing the chair of Cambridge Ahead and the Cambridge Science Centre; Dr Julia Wilson, Director of Innovation and Impact at the Wellcome Sanger Institute; Recruitment expert and disruptor talent scout, Joe Graziano of Sheffield Haworth; and Constance Anker of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority! We discuss the ingredients of the city's 'Secret Sauce', making opportunity available for all, whether you have to be good at networking in Cambridge to have a great network here, and more. O2H's own Francois Meullenet and Sunil Shah also join the fun. You can find out more about Cambridge Wide Open Week here, and you can sign up for 2027's celebration of the Capital City of Science here. Well, go on then! To find out more about Eastern Promise, listen to our back catalogue and to contact us, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. The Eastern Promise podcast is made in The Podding Shed and is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 175: How Norwich's research institutes communicate impact
In this second part of our mammoth two-part roundtable featuring the UKRI-funded institutes and partners on the Norwich Research Park, we look at how these institutes communicate the impact of research, the commercialisation of discovery and the way science and research influence the policy-making process. Your host Mike Rigby chats with the returning stars of episode 174, who are: Dr Matt Gilmour of the Quadram Institute: https://quadram.ac.uk/ Dr Agnieszka Witek of The Sainsbury Laboratory: https://www.tsl.ac.uk/ Dr Diego Durantini of The John Innes Centre: https://www.jic.ac.uk/ Doctoral candidate Jade van Wijk of the Earlham Institute: https://www.earlham.ac.uk/ Dr Sue Coleman of the University of East Anglia: https://www.uea.ac.uk/ and Scott Cogman of Connected Innovation: https://connectedinnovation.co.uk/ We also welcome a special guest appearance from back in May - Prashant Shah of O2H Group and Cambridge Wide Open Week, recorded at #UKREiiF 2026 last month. Join us now for this fascinating exploration of research and how it's used - plus our list of action-packed Action Points! You can listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue and contact the show at: https://easternpromise.org.uk or at [email protected] Eastern Promise is made in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode174: Norwich's Research Institutes at the Royal Norfolk Show 2026
This week: You join us for Part One of a mammoth two-part roundtable, taking in the UKRI-funded institutes and partners on the Norwich Research Park. In this opening episode, your host Mike Rigby finds out more about the all-new Innovation Zone at this year's Royal Norfolk Show. Joining us are: Dr Matt Gilmour of the Quadram Institute: https://quadram.ac.uk/ Dr Agnieszka Witek of The Sainsbury Laboratory: https://www.tsl.ac.uk/ Dr Diego Duratini of The John Innes Centre: https://www.jic.ac.uk/ Doctoral candidate Jade van Wijk of the Earlham Institute: https://www.earlham.ac.uk/ Dr Sue Coleman of the University of East Anglia: https://www.uea.ac.uk/ and Scott Cogman of Connected Innovation: https://connectedinnovation.co.uk/ The Royal Norfolk Show is the UK's largest two-day agricultural festival; very much Norfolk's shop window, pulling in tens of thousands of visitors each year. That being so, finding out what the city's tight-knit scientific community can offer in the landmark innovation zone is very important. And frankly, it sounds amazing! The show is on until Thursday 25 June 2026 and you can buy your tickets here: https://royalnorfolkshow.co.uk/tickets/ You can listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue and contact the show at: https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is made in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 173: Solving the East of England's Skills Challenge
This episode is about one of the biggest barriers to growth in the East of England — skills. We're at the University of Cambridge’s Bennett School of Public Policy with a region-wide panel of experts from education, business and industry. We’re unpacking this recent report from the Bennett School that asks a vital question: In a region with high employment, why do so many employers still struggle to find the skills they need — and so many young people still struggle to find clear pathways into good work? We're also blessed with an amazing panel: Gwen Bergius, Head of Business Development at Form the Future; Charlotte Horobin, Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce; Suzanne Allen, Skills for Energy manager from the East of England Energy Group; and Burcu Selvi, Researcher at the Bennett School of Public Policy. In this conversation, we go beyond the headlines to explore why skills policy can’t be separated from transport, housing and access; how SMEs can engage with the system; and what it really takes to build pathways into work, not just qualifications. Because this episode isn’t just about training. It’s about opportunity — and what needs to happen so that young people across the East of England can actually reach it, and employers have the skills staff they need. PLUS! East of England hotelier and hospitality industry stalwart Gez Chetal shares his Eastern Insight, principally his work through Prismstart creating employment pathways for ex-offenders and vulnerable people. For more information on Eastern Promise, to listen to our back catalogue, and to contact us, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is made in The Podding Shed and is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 172: The East of England Energy Group's Southern North Sea Conference 2026
This Week: We join the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) at the Norfolk Showground and Events Centre for the 2026 Southern North Sea conference. It's the second day of this two-day event, and you get to come along as we visit stands in the exhibition hall, chatting to EEEGR members and luminaries. These include Opergy CEO and member of the Suffolk Business Board, Johnathan Reynolds; Lowestoft Port Manager Tom Duit of Associated British Ports; Lillian Morter of Jarrold Training; ECITB scholar Luna Wilson; Dr Amy Kingston of Tide Medical; Richard Sheppard of SEEL; Mark Walker of Norfolk County Council and an opening thought from Bill Cattenach OBE of the North Sea Transition Authority. Then, we get the closing thoughts of the Chair of EEEGR, Kevin Keable on a fantastic two-day event where the Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP addressed the conference on the opening day. If you were ever in any doubt that the East of England has a uniquely diverse energy ecosystem, this should put the issue beyond doubt. Plus, we bring you our always-electrifying ACTION POINTS! No offence to Michael Shanks, but we want Energy Secretary Ed Miliband next year for SNS2027! For more on the East of England Energy Group, visit: https://eeegr.com/. To learn more about Eastern Promise, to contact us and to listen to our podcast back catalogue, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. This episode was made in The Podding Shed in partnership with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 171: 'Beyond Entertainment' - The Games Growth Plan for the East
This week: We're at the Norwich University of the Arts to discuss their recent report -'Beyond Entertainment' - on powering up the East of England's cutting-edge gaming industry. Your host Mike Rigby is joined by Professor Mark Wickham, lead gaming lecturer and an advisor to TIGA, the Independent Games Association. Also on the panel for this wide-ranging discussion is Rebecca Cockerill, employment lawyer and Women In Tech specialist from our friends and partners at Mills & Reeve; and Robin Milton - founder of Fairer Games, lecturer and member of the Norfolk Business Board. Join us as we dig into the conclusions and recommendations and enjoy a wide-ranging discussion. The read the report yourself, click here: https://norwichuni.ac.uk/app/uploads/2025/11/Beyond-Entertainment-Report-Norwich-University-of-the-Arts.pdf For more information on Eastern Promise, to listen to our back catalogue, or to contact us, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. The Eastern Promise podcast episode #171 was made in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 170: Day 2 at UKREiiF 2026
The second day of the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum 2026 (aka #UKREiiF) was, contrary to expectations, packed with awesome, timely, and thought provoking panels and the opportunity to chat to key figures from the East of England and beyond. That's why our Day Two round-up is a MONSTER! What's that? You want examples? Very well, try this on for size... Lowestoft MP Jess Asato chairing the 'Coastal Communities Rising' panel; Dr Andy Williams, Chair of the Oxford Cambridge Supercluster Board; Leader of Peterborough City Council, Dr Shabina Qayyum; Sandra Dineen, Chair of Bullen Group; Matt Francis, Head of Science and Technology at Oxford Innovation Space; Prashant Shah, Co-Founder of O2H Group & Cambridge Wide Open Week; AI avatar 'Penny' and Dominik Vagner, both of 1956 Individuals; Shiv Malik, CEO of ACDC; Phil Harker, Technical Director at The Cambridge Growth Company; Peter Cushing, Light Rail Commissioner for the Cambs & Peterborough Combined Authority; Jane Hutchins, Director of the Cambridge Science Park; and Mike Rigby, CEO & Executive Producer at Eastern Promise! Plus! One very extra-special guest: Science Minister Lord Patrick Valance! It's an incredible feast for the senses - primarily, the hearing - where the East of England is showing the world of what it's made! Thank you to everyone at the Cambridge Growth Company, the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, the Oxford & Cambridge Growth Corridor and Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited for their warm welcome and technical cooperation. For more information, to listen to our back catalogue and to contact us, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk This episode of Eastern Promise was made in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve, and in partnership with The Cambridge Growth Company.
Episode 169: Yesterday at UKREiiF (Day 1)
This week: Eastern Promise is at UKREiiF 2026 at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, bringing you the best of the East of England here at the show! We begin in the Norfolk & Suffolk pavilion with key members of both counties' Business Boards, before hotfooting it to the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor to hear from Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, alongside Chair of the Oxford Cambridge Supercluster Board, Dr Andy Williams, Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority Paul Bristow, Executive Director of Innovate Cambridge, Kathryn Chapman, and Chair of the Cambridge Growth Company, Peter Freeman. With the recent announcements of the opening date of Cambridge South Station, and a £3 billion pound expansion of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, small wonder that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s pavilion was heaving as the Next Generation of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus came under the spotlight. Paul Weston, Regional Head of panel sponsor Prologis UK, who previewed this event on last week’s episode, shares his key takeaways. Finally for this Day 1 roundup, we drop in on Cambridge x Manchester Partnership Director, Faye Holland, to find out the latest about this mould-breaking collaboration that's pulling in interest from across the UK and beyond. Due to the lack of cloning technology or a time machine, we couldn't make it to all the East of England's events, such as the Invest East prospectus launch. However, you can find said document here: Invest-East_Investment-Prospectus_May-2026 We'll be back with the highlights of Day 2 tomorrow, there's so much more to come! Eastern Promise wishes to thank the Cambridge Growth Company for their invaluable assistance in recording this episode. For more information on Eastern Promise, including ways you can contact us and to listen to our back catalogue, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is made with love in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 168 - Previewing UKREiiF 2026!
This week: The Eastern Promise podcast is your guide to the week ahead in Leeds for #UKREiiF 2026! Host Mike Rigby chats to three key players in the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority's (CPCA) programme for the UK's Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum: Martin Woodhouse, Co-Founder and Director at PRD; Adrian Davey, Interim Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration at Peterborough City Council; and Paul Weston,Regional Head of Prologis UK. Each organisation a sponsor of the CPCA pavilion, and each of our guests will profile their organisation, share their aspirations for next week and also some much needed tips and advice for showgoers old and new! And don't forget next week, when we'll be coming to you from the Royal Armouries in Leeds for our legendary 'Yesterday at UKREiiF' episodes! For more information on our guests and their projects, these be the links you need: The UKREiiF website & 2026 Programme. PRD: https://prdweb.co.uk/ Peterborough City Council's Regeneration page: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/council/planning-and-development/regeneration Discover Peterborough: https://discoverpeterborough.co.uk/ Prologis: https://www.prologis.co.uk/ The CPCA website: https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/ Eastern Promise wishes to thank the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority for their assistance with this episode. Don't forget, you can find our back catalogue, including our coverage of UKREiiF's past, on your podcast provider or on our website, where you can also contact us: https://easternpromise.org.uk Eastern Promise is lovingly made in The Podding Shed in association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 167: Babraham Research Campus
This week: It's a privilege for Eastern Promise to bring you our visit to the Babraham Research Campus to the south of Cambridge, at the invitation of Chief Scientific and Innovation Officer, Dr Louise Jopling! Our own Mike Rigby, will be chatting to Lou about innovation the Babraham way, looking at the Babraham Masterplan and the future of the campus - not to mention the big role housing is playing in that vision. Lou will also be showing Mike around the grounds, looking at the buildings and why green space is so important to those working on the Babraham Research Campus. Don't miss it! For more information on the future plans for the Babraham Research Campus, click here: https://www.babraham.com/masterplan/ For more detail on Live Labs, click here: https://www.babraham.com/livelabs/ For more on the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Local Growth Plan, click here: https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/C221033-CPCA-Local-Growth-Plan-Stage-7_v21_Acc.pdf For more information on Eastern Promise, to contact us, or to listen to our FULL back catalogue, click here: https://easternpromise.org.uk Eastern Promise is made with love in The Podding Shed in association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 166: The Norwich Financial Industry Group Annual Conference 2026
This Week: We take you inside Aviva's iconic Marble Hall, where the Norwich Financial Industry Group (FIG) is meeting for its 2026 Annual Conference. This year's theme is 'People': an especially prescient theme as the AI revolution gathers pace. Host Mike Rigby talks to keynote speakers Gautam Hazari, Chief Product and Innovation Officer at XConnect, and Professor Amir Sharif of the Norwich Business School at the University of East Anglia. We hear what the delegates made of the event, including Turning Factor's Brian Bush and East Norfolk Sixth Form College students Charlie Willis and Sonny Moughton, not to mention college principal Dr Catherine Richards! Finally we hear from Norwich FIG Chair Steve Davidson on a fantastic evening, and Holly Bamford of Work In Norwich (WiN) about their crucial survey for the Norwich Business Improvement District. And don't forget our three irresistible Action Points! The Norwich financial sector is a case study in quiet excellence and a pleasure to turn up the volume yet further. You can find the Work In Norwich survey here: https://www.workinnorwich.co.uk/win-fig-survey/. Visit the Norwich FIG website here: https://fignorwich.org/. To find out more about Eastern Promise, to use our contact form, or listen to our back catalogue, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. The Eastern Promise podcast is made in The Podding Shed in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 165: Abbey People
This week: Eastern Promise's own Mike Rigby heads for Barnwell Road, on Cambridge's Abbey estate, where hyperlocal charity, Abbey People, are working incredibly hard to help residents move from surviving to thriving. Mike joins Chief Executive Nicky Shepard and her team - Food Hub Coordinator Rachel and Comms guru Gemma, amongst many others - to chat about the work Abbey People do at The Hub on Barnwell Road, all whilst the Community Cafe buzzes away in the background. Then, they get out into a rainy Cambridge afternoon to walk to the pocket parks and new verges created by Abbey People, before visiting the Community Food Hub and Social Supermarket. You can find out more about Abbey People, including how to donate to this hyperlocal charity, here: https://abbeypeople.org.uk/ All this, plus this week's 'Eastern Insight' also comes from Abbey People in their own words! We hear more about Abbey People's Barnwell Basket campaign, aiming to ensure everyone in the community can have access to nourishing food. For more information about the Barnwell Basket, visit the Abbey People website here and Boost the Basket: https://abbeypeople.org.uk/barnwell-basket-campaign/. To deliver the 'Eastern Insight', and share your thought leadership with the region, contact Eastern Promise at [email protected]. A single slot costs £75 and a block of six across the year costs £350. The slots are free to charities and non-profits. To listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue, and to find out more about what we do, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. The Eastern Promise podcast is made in The Podding Shed and is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 164: Stephen Crocker, Norwich Theatre CEO
This week: We drop in on Stephen Crocker, CEO and Creative Director of Norwich Theatre. We ask Stephen about his career, whether behind or in front of the curtain; the three stages across the City of Stories that make up the Norwich Theatre; how Norwich Theatre lives and breathes its values and the amazing community work the theatre does. Host Mike Rigby talks to Stephen about how the cultural sector contributes to the region's economy, the power of Norwich as a centre for creative wellbeing and Stephen's role as a Norfolk ambassador. As our ACTION POINTS stress, regional theatre provides an amazing entry point for new performance arts, whether as patron or participant; ballet, opera, straight drama, comedy, music or even panto. Oh, yes it is! (Stop it!) Do visit the Norwich Theatre's website here: https://norwichtheatre.org/ Find out how you can support Norwich Playhouse's redevelopment project: https://norwichtheatre.org/playhouse-redevelopment-project/ Learn more about the Norfolk Ambassadors here: https://norfolkambassadors.co.uk/ ...and the Norfolk Suffolk Cultural Board here: https://norfolksuffolkculture.co.uk/ To find out more about Eastern Promise, including our entire back catalogue and to contact us via our messaging service, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk! The Eastern Promise podcast is made with love in The Podding Shed, in proud association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 163: Cllr Cameron Holloway, Leader of Cambridge City Council
This Week: Your host Mike Rigby chats to Councillor Cameron Holloway, Leader of Cambridge City Council. We discuss his ward, the side of Cambridge many people seldom see, and also the impact of the Cambridge x Manchester Innovation Partnership. Not only that, Cameron also discusses the hugely positive impact that the city council has had on housing and the consultation on the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation that closes shortly (1st April 2026). Then, we distil the interview and propose three 'Action Points'; each of great practical and philosophical value! PLUS! Eastern Promise is looking for strategic partners who share our values and can support us in delivering our ambitious programme for 2026-27. With your help we can go even further... For more information on Cambridge City Council, click here: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ Find out more about the Cambridge x Manchester Innovation Partnership by clicking here: https://www.cambridge-manchester.com/ To submit your response to the consultation on establishing a Greater Cambridge Development Corporation before 1st April 2026, click here: https://easternpromise.org.uk You can read the Bylines East Anglia interview with Cameron Holloway, as referenced in the podcast, here: https://eastangliabylines.co.uk/politics/local-government/cameron-holloway-on-growth-poverty-and-rebuilding-trust-in-cambridge/ To find out more about Eastern Promise, access our podcast's full back catalogue and get in touch via our contact form, here: https://easternpromise.org.uk This podcast is made with love in The Podding Shed in association with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 162: The Beginner's Guide to IPSWICH!
This Week: We return to our special series of 'Beginner's Guides' with a deep dive into the East of England's town & city ecosystems. And in this episode, we take on Suffolk's county town - IPSWICH! You join your host, Mike Rigby, at the University of Suffolk with an extraordinary panel: Provost of the University of Suffolk, Professor Rachel Allen; CEO of 'Brighten The Corners'. Joe Bailey; Ipswich Borough Councillor, former Mayor and columnist, Lynne Mortimer; Ipswich Central's Chief Executive, Lee Walker; and Local resident, previous guest and Senior Partner (East Anglia) for KPMG, Joe Faulkner. Between them, the panel delves deep into: what defines Ipswich for them. We examine why the cultural and music scene is so fundamental to the town, as is its rich historic legacy. The panel share their thoughts on the University itself, the key sectors of Ipswich's economy, especially innovation. Then there's networking, start-up funding, signposting and much more besides! Plus, with the announcement that Ipswich has been long-listed for City of Culture, Lee explains the process, considerations and strategy behind Ipswich's approach - it's one Eastern Promise supports wholeheartedly! And that's not all! Mike is back for your Eastern Insight this week, extoling the benefits of a strategic partnership with...Eastern Promise! Can he do that? Yes, he can! Some Ipswich links: https://www.uos.ac.uk/ - The University of Suffolk. https://ipswichcentral.com/ - Ipswich's Business Improvement District (BID). https://www.brightenthecorners.co.uk/ - A non-profit, youth-focused live music organisation. https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/ - Ipswich Borough Council. https://www.danceeast.co.uk/ - Based on Ipswich waterfront, it's the home of dance in the East of England. https://www.abports.co.uk/locations/ipswich/ - The Port of Ipswich. https://usehalo.com/ - Suffolk software firm moving into Ipswich's iconic Willis Building. https://ipswich.love/ - giving Ipswich the love it deserves. This is episode 162 of the Eastern Promise podcast, made in The Podding Shed. To listen to our back catalogue, and to contact us, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is made in The Podding Shed in association with Mills & Reeve: http://mills-reeve.com..
Episode 161: Establishing a Greater Cambridge Development Corporation
This week: We're taking a closer look at Government proposals to establish a centrally-led Urban Development Corporation (UDC) for Greater Cambridge. Taking us through the proposals, including what exactly is being proposed, the powers a UDC will have, the difference a UDC can make and the size of the opportunity presented, are two distinguished members of the Cambridge Growth Company's Advisory Council. Mike is joined by CGC Chair, Peter Freeman; and Master of Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, and Chair of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Baroness Sally Morgan. Peter and Sally take Mike through the proposals and stress the potential for positive public impact to emerge early through these proposals., The Government consultation on these proposals is open now and runs until 1 April 2026. You can read the consultation documents and submit your response by clicking here. You can also read more about the Cambridge Growth Company - which will evolve into the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation - by clicking here. PLUS! This week's 'Eastern Insight' is delivered by our own Mike Rigby, delivering a three-minute slug of thought leadership on 4.5 years' worth of learning from the Eastern Promise podcast. Listen now! You can listen to our podcast's back catalogue, or contact Eastern Promise, by visiting our website - click here to go there now! Eastern Promise is proud to be in partnership with Mills & Reeve.
Episode 160: Paul Bristow, Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority
This week: Eastern Promise host Mike Rigby sits down to chat with Mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, Paul Bristow. We discuss Paul's hometown of Peterborough, the Cambridge x Manchester Partnership, the difference between being a mayor and his previous role as an MP, and also the Combined Authority's Local Growth Plan - particularly the decision to have 'mayoral targets', putting his accountability front and centre. You can read and download a copy of the Local Growth Plan by clicking here. You can visit the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority website by clicking here. PLUS! We begin a new era with our first EASTERN INSIGHT! This week, Kim Lockwood of Thetford Town Cricket Club's Project 100, which aims to create a fully inclusive, modern, and accessible community sports environment that enables more people in Thetford to become active, stay active and feel part of a supportive community. Here's Project 100's crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/project-100-2. For more more information on Eastern Insight, contact Eastern Promise at: [email protected]. Visit our website at https://www.easternpromise.org.uk. Thank you to our partners, Mills & Reeve.
Episode 159: The Norfolk Farming Conference
This Week: With a packed hall of farmers, agronomists, scientists and agricultural luminaries old and young, we're glad Mike Rigby dropped in on the 2026 Norfolk Farming Conference! Calling in first on the Food and Farming Discovery Trust's splendid mobile classroom, we hear from Trust Manager Frances Roberson about why they're at the conference and what this educational sister charity to the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association has planned for the year ahead - no need to feel sheepish! Next, Mike drops by the Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group's stand to chat with Nathan Walker about their deer management strategy and the move to get more people into venison. With the slightest of pauses to hear more about Eastern Insight, Mike catches up with Cllr Fabian Eagle to ask about the Norfolk Rural Business Awards, before seizing the chance to interview former agriculture minister and Pier of the Realm, Baroness Shepard of Northwold, asking about what makes this event so important. It was a whistle-stop tour of the stands but you can get a flavour of the event right here...possibly venison! You can hear all of Eastern Promise's back catalogue and contact us by visiting our website and clicking on 'contact'. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 158: Form the Future's Annual Conference 2026
This Week: Form the Future is one-of-a-kind; a unique bridge between the worlds of education and work. This Cambridge-based CIC is rightly praised for its work in lifting the horizons of young people in the #EastofEngland and beyond, so Eastern Promise didn't hesitate to send Mike Rigby along to Hinxton Hall Conference Centre to ask delegates at Form the Future's 2026 Annual Conference why they're there, what makes Form the Future so special, and what they hope to have gleaned by the end of the day. Mike chats to delegates, speakers and CEO of Form the Future, Anne Bailey herself. Don't miss it! To find out more about Form the Future, click here. PLUS! Hear all about our new thought leadership slot, 'EASTERN INSIGHT'; it'll be kinda like 'Thought for the Day' but more: 'Thought for the East'! Perfect if you need to raise the salience of a product, place, innovation, or a cause that motivates you. If you've something to say that's true to Eastern Promise's values of people, place, potential and positivity, and shares our commitment to diversity and inclusion, then get in touch via [email protected] for pricing and booking details. There's only one Eastern Insight slot per week, so you'll have unrivalled visibility (or audibility!) To listen to Eastern Promise's entire back catalogue, or to contact the podcast, click here to visit easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 157: Cambridge Science Centre
This Week: As the magnificent Cambridge Science Centre publishes its new Strategic Plan for 2026-2031, Eastern Promise's own Mike Rigby chats with the centre's CEO on the intent behind the Strategic Plan, their outreach strategy and the drive to not only make the centre 'best in class', but also an exemplar for STEM educational centres around the world. You can read the Strategic Plan by clicking here, and buy tickets to visit the centre by clicking here. PLUS! You can hear about the all-new thought leadership slot coming soon to the Eastern Promise podcast: EASTERN INSIGHT! It's your chance to share your news, views and more with the world, with strategic visibility and a unique position in each episode. All this and so much more! You can contact Eastern Promise by visiting the Eastern Promise website and clicking or by emailing [email protected]. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 156: The Beginner's Guide to CAMBRIDGE!
This Week: Confused by Cambridge? Well, Eastern Promise has your back and help is at hand! We bid you welcome to this first in our occasional series exploring our region's main urban ecosystems, the BEGINNER'S GUIDES! In this first of our special episodes, Mike Rigby is joined by local experts to explore and explain the nuances, niceties, and need-to-knows of CAMBRIDGE! Joining Mike to make up this cohort of Cambridge connoisseurs is: Chair of Cambridge Ahead, Cambridge Science Centre, and all-round legend, Harriet Fear MBE; Founder and CEO of CONEXEN, Paula Bekinschtein; MD of Cap Air Systems, Board Member and SME champion, Katy Davies; Strategy and Community Advisor, Ilker Akansel; and Investment Fund specialist and Partner at Mills & Reeve, Dona Ardeman! Together, they talk through the special secret sauce that makes this city what it is; bust a few myths and shed new light into a place that can seem intimidating from the outside, but is a truly warm and welcoming place that rewards those who make the effort to engage. You'll be informed, educated and - hopefully - entertained! More Beginner's Guides will be coming soon, with Ipswich, Norwich and Peterborough following later in the spring! Let us know what you think of these special episodes. What did Mike miss? Does it need a second volume? Where should we go after our first four? Let us know by emailing [email protected], or by visiting our website at https://easternpromise.org.uk, and clicking on 'contact us'. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve. Recorded on 5th December 2025 at Botanic House, Hills Road, Cambridge.
Episode 155: Norfolk's Ambassadors
This Week: We meet three of Norfolk's incredible coterie of AMBASSADORS! Meet Matt Smith of Place UK, Candy Richards of the Federation of Small Businesses, and Chris Spinks of Westcotec, who will be sharing with you: Their love for Norfolk; What makes the county unique; and Why families, businesses, entrepreneurs and more should relocate to Norfolk! Our ambassadors share their experience and a clear-eyed vision for the county; not shrinking from challenges and eager to forge solutions. Norfolk really couldn't ask for better representatives So, put those spherical, golden chocolate & hazelnut sweeties into a tottering pyramid, because these ambassadors are really spoiling us! To find out more, and to apply to become an Ambassador for Norfolk, click here. For further details about the Norfolk Business Board, click here. To learn more about Eastern Promise, and to listen to all of our back catalogue, click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 154: The Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board!
This Week! We're kicking off 2026 in style, and focussed on what's currently the most important economic development project in the UK - The Oxford Cambridge Corridor. Our navigators to this galactic-scale potential are the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, ably represented by Chair Andy Williams and fellow board member (and CEO of Cambridge Ahead) Dan Thorp. Together, we'll dig into where we are, where we're going, what's at stake and what each of us needs to do to make this happen (top tip: just be nice to each other!) It's a fantastic listen and a brilliant insight into the importance of capability, community and coherence to this project. Our thanks to Dan and Andy. For the Connected Clusters report referenced by Mike and Dan, click here. To visit the website of the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, and read the reports referenced in this episode, click here. Click here to read the UK Government's investment prospectus for the Oxford Cambridge corridor (PDF, opens in new window). To read the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority's Local Growth Plan, then click here (PDF, opens in new window). If you want to take a look at the Cambridge Growth Company Click here to visit their site. Eastern Promise was made in The Podding Shed and you can catch up on previous episodes at our website, and contact us there or by emailing [email protected]. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 153: Looking back at 2025 & ahead to 2026! (PLUS more Xmas Charity Appeals)
This Week: We round off our Christmas Charity Appeal open mic with the Big C Cancer Charity and the MedCan Foundation! Find out more about our 2025 featured charities here: Abbey People The Big C - Norfolk's Cancer Charity The Cambridge Acorn Project The MedCan Foundation Then! We take a long, loving look back at 2025 with some choice cuts from the archive... We'll visit UKREiiF 2025, pop in on the John Innes Centre's Insectary, drop by the STEMM village during the Royal Norfolk Show, and relive part of last month's 'Skills, Careers & Policy' event (such a catchy title, and it's three parts, actually!) We'll even skip ahead and sample some of what 2026 has to offer, including the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, and a snippet from two of our 'Beginner's Guides': Norwich and Cambridge! Thank you for listening in 2025 and all being well, we'll see you again on 15th January 2026! To find out more about Eastern Promise, contact us, and listen to our back catalogue, click here. Eastern Promise was made in The Podding Shed and is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 152: Playlist Power! How AI is empowering Music in the Fight Against Dementia! (PLUS Christmas Appeal Open Mic!)
This Week: We find out how, for dementia patients and their families, the hits of their youth have now become a critical bridge, especially when communication falters. We'll meet Music for My Mind's Dimana Georgieva at Cambridge Consultant's HQ on Cambridge Science Park, along with CC's AI experts Joseph Corrigan and Ali Shafti, to discover how the deeptech dynamos of CapGemini Invent helped Hertfordshire-based charity 'Music For My Mind' to create an AI Prototype to measure and learn the reactions of people living with dementia to hearing music. To try out the Music For My Mind playlist maker yoursef, click here: https://app.musicformymind.com/ We'll also be bringing you our first two Christmas charity appeal open mics, and we'll be joined by the Cambridge Acorn Project's own Hannah Golding, and then by Nicky Shepard, CEO of Abbey People, a vibrant community charity in the Abbey Ward of Cambridge, improving the lives and wellbeing of Abbey residents. CLICK HERE FOR THE CAMBRIDGE ACORN PROJECT BIG GIVE! To find out more about the Cambridge Acorn Project, a fantastic mental wellbeing of young people in Cambridgeshire, click here. To find out more about Abbey People's amazing work in the Cambridge Abbe Ward, click here.
Episode 151: LIVE EVENT! Skills, Careers & Policy
This Week: On 21st November 2025, Eastern Promise held a live event at Mills & Reeve's Cambridge office, focussed around skills, careers and creating better policy on both. However, this recording, in front of a live audience set out to do something different: to talk to a group of young people about their hopes, dreams and future plans, and get a panel of educators and skills professionals consisting of: Andy Daly, Executive Principal of the Meridian Trust; Anne Bailey, CEO of Form the Future CIC; Kevin Keable, Chair of the East of England Energy Group (and, coincidentally, the recently announced Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Norfolk and Suffolk), and Deputy Principal of East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston near Great Yarmouth, Dr Simon Fox, to address these points, before giving young people the final say. Then, in what is admittedly a bit of a 'long player' of a podcast, we move forward to look at the impact of career breaks, whether chosen or not, and career pivots. We'll hear a number of stories of what can best be described as 'squiggly careers', huge life changes, sudden shocks, pivots from successful careers into new ventures and more. Taking us through this are: Deborah Dawson of Mills & Reeve, Victoria Higgins of 'Beyond the Noise', Sally Field of Cambridge Wireless and Tarquin Bennett-Coles of Compass Carter Osborne. And finally, Charlotte Horobin, CEO of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce; Dan Thorp, CEO of Cambridge Ahead; Owen Garling of the Bennett School of Public Policy; and Gareth John, Director of Policy at accountancy trainers First Intuition will unpack everything we've heard and share their thoughts about what it all means going forward. Eastern Promise would like to thank everyone who attended the recording, our engineer, North Cambridge Academy and East Norfolk Sixth Form, and especially Lee, Dotty, Mai, Drew, Ash and Shanae from those institutions for taking part. To find out more about Eastern Promise, to listen to our back catalogue and to contact us, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 150: Haverhill's EpiCentre is Five!
This Week: Mike Rigby joins the fun and frolics (there were frolics, weren't there?) to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of Haverhill's very own innovation hub, the EpiCentre! Eastern Promise's own Grand Fromage, Mike Rigby, joins the jamboree and, at the invitation of Centre Manager Helen Earl and Innovation Director Gary Jennings, hosts four special panels for the galaxy of guests present, with each panel looking at a different aspect of the EpiCentre's offer to its community. We consider: Funding; Engineering Skills; Healthcare & Innovation; and AI. It's a celebration with insight, excitement, progress, and practical advice, and we thank all those who took part. For more information on the EpiCentre, click here. To listen to our whole back catalogue, or to contact Eastern Promise, click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 149: 'High Streets Matter' in North Walsham
This Week: High Streets Matter! They matter across our region and they matter in North Walsham, where your host, Mike Rigby, finds himself this week. In the company of Alexandra Hemen of New Anglia Growth Hub, visits the magnificent Black Swan Pub and Theatre to chat with landlord, actor and all-round human dynamo Joseph Ballard, along with social entrepreneur Selina of Best In Broads. Alex then whisks us into the town proper, calling in at Dolly's gift shop, a recipient of support ftom the Norfolk County Council Retail Excellence Programme, to talk to shop florist Evie. All our local guests have several things in common: their love of North Walsham and their soaring community spirit. Alex(andra), meanwhile, brings huge and hard-won retail expertise at the pinnacle of one of the East of England's best known brands. One of Mike Rigby's favourite things is to get out and about across the East of England and North Walsham was truly something special. If you want to find out more about the High Streets Matter package of support, visit the New Anglia Growth website here: https://www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk/norfolk-high-streets-matter/ Find out more about the wonderful New Stages Black Swan Pub & Theatre here. You can find out more about Eastern Promise, listen to our back catalogue or contact us here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 148: Cambridge Consultants
This Week: 'Ahead of the Curve' could well be Cambridge Consultant's business address. Indeed, these global professional problem solvers, part of Capgemini Invent, thrive on getting out in front and staying there. After an illuminating press day, host Mike Rigby is joined by Head of Biotechnology Frances Metcalfe and New Frontiers Board Member Richard Traherne, to find out more about this organisation, whose presence on the Cambridge Science Park site predates the park itself. For more information on Cambridge Consultants, visit their website here. To listen to our back catalogue or to contact Eastern Promise, visit our website here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve. Follow the link to discover more.
Episode 147: EI Innovate 2025 at the Earlham Institute
This Week: We start a new 6-week run of the Eastern Promise podcast at the Earlham Institute on Norwich Research Park! This event looks at the latest developments in genomics and brings together industry, academia, and Knowledge Transfer Partnership experts from Innovate UK. Your host, Mike Rigby, chats to all these fine folk, including Director of the Earlham Institute, Professor Neil Hall and Helena Saunders of Syngenta. Melissa Salmon and Marine Folgoas represent PhD candidates and Tozer Seeds-embedded Jamie Pike tells us more about KTPs, alongside Innovate UK's Mike Lloyd. We'll also hear from Georgie Oatley about Tropic's banana-based work! For more on the Earlham Institute, click here. You can find more information, contact details and listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 146: The Cambridge Tech Podcast
This Week: We welcome the two leading lights of the Cambridge Tech Podcast, all-round ecosystem lynchpin Faye Holland and MD of the iconic Bradfield Centre and NFL fan, James Parton! We'll discuss how they do what they do, the importance of Faye's rolodex and what drives their pod forward! Host Mike Rigby has been itching to interview Faye and James since day one of Eastern Promise so please listen, so maybe now he'll stop going on about it! You can hear the most recent episode of the Cambridge Tech Podcast here, on Apple, Spotify, and Audible. To listen to more of the Eastern Promise podcast, or to drop us a line via our contact form, visit the Eastern Promise website here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 145: Cambridge Tech Week's Innovation Alley
This Week: You didn't think we'd forgotten about Cambridge Tech Week, did you? Certainly not! In fact your own (and you're welcome to him) Mike Rigby hits the anything-but-mean streets of the Cambridge Guildhall for 'Innovation Alley', and what an incredible experience it is... We chat to some of the hottest names in new tech, some of the sharpest spin-outs, the most brilliant innovators and we say 'wilkommen' to visitors from the German tech sector. Digital twins, AI, photonics, battery tech, it's all here! AND THIS IS JUST PART ONE! Come back next week for part two, where we chat with the dynamic duo behind the Cambridge Tech Podcast! At Cambridge Tech Week 2025, we meet... Cambridge Enterprise Entopy FiveD Form The Future CIC HutanBio Illumion Orca Paicon Prospectral The University of East Anglia To listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue and to contact the show, click here. Eastern Promise is proudly supported by Mills & Reeve and is a Podding Shed production..
Episode 144: The John Innes Centre
This Week: We peek behind the scenes at one of the most consequential research institutes in the world, let alone the UK or the East of England! Nestling at the heart of the Norwich Research Park, the John Innes Centre is home to the UK's greatest concentration of plant and microbial science and scientists - but that's not all! No siree... My co-host for our Royal Norfolk Show episodes joins regular roving microphone wielder Mike Rigby to look at just a fraction of the work being done inside the centre, including Bioimaging, Genotyping and the Insectary! We also take in the social side of the John Innes Foundation, created though bequest by a Mr J. Innes. It was a struggle to keep this recording under an hour and it only just makes it. The recording was also bedevilled by technical issues, hence the delay bringing it to you and for which we apologise to you and the JIC. But wait! We do find time for helicopters and fish! And the link will surprise you... For more information about the John Innes Centre click here. To contact Eastern Promise or listen to our back catalogue, click here. Eastern Promise are proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 143: The Cambridge Innovation Story
This Week: When Innovate Cambridge call and say "we'd like to talk about the HUGE week ahead for the city and both the tech and life science ecosystems", you drop EVERYTHING! And so, dear listener, we did... So it was that your host, Mike Rigby, dropped in on The Glasshouse - home of Innovate Cambridge - to find out how the fun, inclusive and enigmatic branding unveiled last year is launching now, just as Cambridge Tech Week and the inaugural BioCentury Grand Rounds - Europe take the city by storm in ONE SINGLE WEEK (15th Sept. to 19th Sept. 2025)! Dr Kathryn Chapman, Executive Director of Innovate Cambridge will be telling us about the huge importance of this moment and the vote of confidence it represents for the city. And then! Chair of Innovate Cambridge, Prof. Andy Neely and Michelle Lamprecht of Cambridge Innovation Capital join Mike to talk through the branding campaign for the Cambridge Innovation Study, just how widely it's being spread, and the power of a unified ecosystem to make a huge difference for everyone. To find out more about the Cambridge Innovation story, including the film introducing the story, click here. To listen to the Eastern Promise podcast back catalogue, or to contatct us, click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 142: Health Innovation East, with Piers Ricketts
This Week: We are at one of the most important locations in the East of England for furthering, supporting and unleashing our region's innovative and entrepreneurial spirits in all manners health-related. Yes! Mike Rigby is heading to Health Innovation East! The key reason Health Innovation East exists is to translate early-stage scientific discover and research into actual medicines, processes, practices and devices. My guest, Health Innovation East's (HIE) CEO Piers Ricketts, tells your host Mike Rigby (and, therefore, you!) about the manifold ways in which HIE helps the NHS, plus academia and the private sector, to do precisely that. For more information on Health Innovation East, visit: https://healthinnovationeast.co.uk/ To listen to our back catalogue, or to find out more about Eastern Promise click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 141: King's Lynn Enterprise Park
This Week: Eastern Promise roars back from our Summer hiatus, with a trip to the new King's Lynn Enterprise Park! Your host (with, if not the most, then at least a bit), Mike Rigby, headed over to the Enterprise Park to meet Cllr Simon Ring, Deputy Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Regenerations Programme Manager Jemma Curtis, also of BCKLWN; Norfolk County Council's Enterprise Zone guru Jen Wigzell and Graham Purkins, co-founder and CTO of med-tech anchor tenant Merxin! We discuss the origins of the park, what the assembled want to see as the KLEP continues it's growth, why Graham chose King's Lynn in the first place, plus the sheer drive and verve behind the KLEP offer is laid out. It's got exactly the right ethos and we look forward to revisiting it soon. To find out more about King's Lynn Enterprise Park, click here. King's Lynn Town Deal board is here and, for more about this perfectly positioned port, visit Vision King's Lynn! You can learn more about the New Anglia Growth Hub here. For Merxin, please visit this link! If you want to hear our back catalog, including our previous visitas to King's Lynn, then visit https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve. Eastern Promise is a Podding Shed Production.
Episode 140: Well:O - a new approach to dental wellness!
This Week: We pay a visit to the Cambridge Independent Business Awards' Start-Up of the Year 2024 - oral wellbeing experts Well:O! We sent our own Mike Rigby to meet co-founder Felix von Nathusius and Clinical Director Shelley Belgrove to chat about the Well:O story, the beautiful and decidedly non-clinical feel of their studio and how their model could do great things for a service economy such as the UK's where retail is disappearing from the high street. PLUS! Before we press pause for our Summer break, we give you a quick tease of a small sliver of the goodness yet to come! For more information about Well:O, visit: https://wellohello.co.uk/ To listen to the Eastern Promise back catalogue, and to contact us here on the podcast, visit our website here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 139: University of Suffolk research into hybrid working (PLUS! online meeting app, YakBit)
This Week: Dr Laura Reeves of the University of Suffolk takes us through her research on hybrid (AKA agile) working and its emphasis on belonging. Laura takes us through her findings and conclusions of the research, before asking 'what next'? But that's not all by ANY means! Still on the hybrid working trail, Mary-Jo Hill tells us all about YakBit app, which helps managers analyse online meetings to see where they can get more from their team. You can find out more about Laura's research here: https://www.bam.ac.uk/grants/project-repository/funded-transitions-1-projects/2023-laura-reeves.html and here: https://www.uos.ac.uk/about/news/opinion-will-hybrid-remain-the-future-of-work/. You can find out more about YakBit here: https://yakbit.ai/ And, of course, you can find the Eastern Promise podcast back catalogue and a contact form at: https://easternpromise.org.uk. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 138: Cambridge Wireless CEO Michaela Eschbach
This Week: We chat to Cambridge Wireless CEO Michaela Eschbach about her career path to the top of this global connections community. We ask her what exactly IS Cambridge Wireless - aka CW - and how does it leverage the world-famous name in its title? We'll also look at what's to come during Cambridge Tech Week 2025, which kicks off on 15th September. For more information on all of the above, visit Cambridge Wireless here or... Click here to find out more about Cambridge Tech Week 2025. To contact the Eastern Promise podcast or to listen to our entire back catalogue, visit us here. Eastern promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 137: The Royal Norfolk Show 2025
This week: It's the Royal Norfolk Show 2025! What more needs be said? Only that regular host Mike Rigby is again joined by show co-host Dr Penny Hundleby of the John Innes Centre to tour the avenues and boulevards and winkle out the best bits for our Eastern Promise podcast audience! Thank you Penny and everyone who gave a clip for this show. We'll talk education, tech, business, food, renewable energy, agri-tech, science, TOOTH FARIES and at least one bishop, (who of course left the podcast diagonally...) Check out the chapter markers and be guided to your content of choice! For the entire back catalogue of the Eastern Promise podcast, and to contact us directly, visit our website here. Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 136: King's Lynn Festival & On Set with 'Chicken Town'
This Week: It's arts and culture a-go-go, as first we travel to King's Lynn to chat with Anna Pool, Festival Manager for the King's Lynn Festival, about the exciting programme of classical music concerts, talks and tours! Then, we go behind the camera and 'on set' of the new Norfolk-set comedy crime caper 'Chicken Town' with Producer Tom Wood and Director Richard Bracewell! The East of England is a cultural juggernaut and this proves it! To find out more about the King's Lynn Festival and to book tickets, click here. For more details about chicken Town, click here (NUA) To listen to the FULL Eastern Promise back catalog, or to contact the show, click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
Episode 135: 'Choose Your Own [Cambridge] Adventure' - CWOW 2025
This Week: You can now hear Mike Rigby's unabridged, unedited and unplugged talk at Cambridge Wide Open Week, delivered beside the beautiful River Cam at Cambridge Wide Open Week! For more on Cambridge Wide Open Week click here. To listen to the FULL Eastern Promise back catalog, or to contact the show, click here. Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.