Eating Disorders, the New King and mistakes in Space - S3E1

4 May 2023

Welcome back y’all to Hope & Anchor, and a brand new series of the podcast!

We’re kicking things off strong with a wonderful new co-host - the ever-lovely Jaz Ampaw-Farr - and a delightful guest in former Emmerdale actress, charity campaigner & SEED CEO, Gemma Oaten.

Come with us on a podcast journey into Gemma’s incredible story of beating anorexia, the coronation & rites of passage, wise words from Sir Patrick Stewart, and how we can experience The Overview Effect without going to space…

Join the Hope & Anchor community, and be heard on the show as part of our new features: ‘The Gospel According to…’ and ‘Divine Day Trips’!

This episode covers:

Gemma’s life experience leading her to charity campaigning

The King’s Coronation & rites of passage we experience in our modern lives

A new awareness that comes from seeing Earth from space, The Overview Effect

Divine Day Trips: Celebrating the togetherness of football with West Brom fan, Claire

Episode highlights

“I remember having a conversation with my mentor at the time - bit of a mic drop, but Sir Patrick Stewart - and he said, ‘Gemma, if we can’t use our little bit of profile for good, there is no point in this crazy industry. Start speaking out’.” - 8:45 - Gemma Oaten

“I was christened Church of England, I went to Brownies and Girl Guides. The songs we sang are what I always took on board. I really loved it, then I lost my way massively, because at 10, that’s when the eating disorder started.” - 15:05 - Gemma Oaten

“These are just some of the accoutrements of a ceremony with more sparkle and spectacle than a box set of Drag Race. I think Ru Paul would love this coronation!” - 21:10 - Trey Hall

“The Overview Effect is this huge cognitive shift in awareness that happens when you’re viewing the Earth from a different place. People talk about national boundaries vanishing, and concepts that divide us on Earth fade in their importance.” - 34:05 - Trey Hall

“When you give birth, it’s inexplicably different, you’re inexplicably linked and it’s inexplicably spiritual in a way. It’s also healing for me, so those moments for me have been out-of-this-world connectedness.” - 35:45 - Jaz Ampaw-Farr

“There’s a lot of brilliant work done around the country from the football club foundations, and they do outreach work in the communities. So it’s much more than just winning and losing or drawing. It’s the community feel.” - 43:05 - Gemma Oaten