“Seeing a police officer crying in the forest is a beautiful thing for me, because I know how important it is.”
Caz Jaine faced danger, isolation and even assault when she took a foreign office role in Basra during the ‘reconstruction’ phase of the Iraq war.
But she thrived on the adrenalin of conflict zones - and was later diagnosed with ‘post-traumatic development’...
As she explains to Olly in this wide-ranging conversation, her subsequent experiences as a Police emergency call handler led her to broaden her self-care and resilience.
Now a meditation teacher, Caz takes police officers on forest retreats, and advocates passionately for culture change and emotional support within blue light professions.
CONTENT WARNING: suicide, self harm, animal harm.
BONUS CONTENT: In this extra bit of audio, Caz shows Olly some breathing techniques and explains how, whatever you do for a living, you can integrate meditation into your daily routine 🎧👇
Caz Jaine and Olly Mann, Nov 2023
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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart checks out the trend for ‘philanthrotainment’ - influencers leveraging their platforms to raise money for charity.
Is the technique - evidenced by the likes of Youtuber Mr Beast and Instagram’s King of Chemo - a more direct, straightforward way of supporting charitable causes than the corruption-prone supply chains of larger organisations?
Or do household name organisations remain the best places to donate, given the administrative struggles of smaller charities?
With the help of Lucinda Rouse from Third Sector, Ollie navigates the best way to help out this Winter - and establishes his own side-hustle to support Mann-fans in need 👇
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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox, fresh from discovering the etymological roots of orchids and testicles, advises a widowed Mann-fan about post-bereavement dating.
When is the best time to disclose that your wife has died? Is it best to blurt the information out early, and risk ruining the conversation, or better to wait until you’ve established a deeper connection? And what are the stigmas around desire when you’re recently bereaved?
With the help of WAY (Widowed And Young) and Lets Talk About Loss, Alix reveals all.
The Foxhole is sponsored by The Handy, a high-end toy for men that bridges the gap between fantasy and reality. Get 10% OFF when you use the code FOXHOLE10 on their website.
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Finally, our record of the month comes from an artist described as one of the most original voices in UK rap - Jelani Blackman - and his current single, Clear👇
Love the show? Help us make it! 💰
If you enjoy listening, please please SUPPORT US! We need your help to continue producing our independent monthly podcast, so buy us a beer via our secure payment page - you can contribute as little and often as you like. Cheers!
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This episode is supported by…
BetterHelp 👇
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Readly are offering Mann fans an exclusive, three month FREE trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines. To get yours, go to readly.com/mann
BBC Maestro 👇
Use the code MANN to get your 40% off your favourite video course or 40% off a subscription at https://bbcmaestro.com. Let the greatest be your teacher!
SUPPORT: In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.
