Big skies. Deep lakes. Rugged, breathtaking beauty. But that intensity is not just in the landscape. With great beauty there is a shadow side that pervades too.

Cumbria has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, around 50 percent higher than the national average. In parts of West Cumbria, it is among the highest anywhere in England.

This episode of Assa Marra features Lisa Birdsall. Oozing warmth vivacity and a formidable heart for her community. She has also been profoundly shaped by loss.

Lisa lost her brother Stephen to suicide. Out of that tragedy has come extraordinary purpose.

She is a trustee of Every Life Matters, supporting those bereaved by suicide and working to reduce stigma. In 2025, she led the Baton of Hope across Cumbria, the UK’s largest suicide awareness and prevention initiative.

Around 50 people carried the Baton across West Cumbria. Each with their own story. Each choosing to step forward and break the silence.

We also hear from Ken Johnston, one of the Lead Guides for the baton, sharing the lasting impact of being witness on that extraordinary day.

This is not an easy listen. But it is an important one.

A conversation about grief. About love. About what happens when people choose courage over silence.

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Having West Cumbrian parents Lyn has the place in her DNA the Marra in her marrow. There is something about that inheritance of place that tugs at you. Even if life starts elsewhere. Even if your accent is shaped somewhere different. Even if your career begins beyond the county line.

One of the themes that keeps surfacing through Assa Marra Podcast is this:

You do not have to be born in a place to serve a place. Nor is it about big ta-dahs. It’s about rolling up your sleeves and following the need.

Belonging is built through contribution.

Through her stewardship of the Girl Guide movement, and through her leadership as CEO of Always Another Way, Lyn’s influence is felt quietly and widely across this region.

Always Another Way operates in that vital space before crisis, improving mental wellbeing across West Cumbria. Early intervention. Practical mental health support. Real conversations for young people and adults across the region. Under Lyn’s leadership it has strengthened its governance, grown in reputation, and become an award winning force for preventative care.

We talk about dyslexia. About navigating education when exams are not your natural playground. About forging a career built less on certificates and more on adaptability, instinct, resourcefulness, a bit of streetwise guile, and a healthy abundance of personality.

And running through it all is that West Cumbrian thread. The call of home. The pull of heritage. The sense that even if you were not born here, something in you recognises the landscape.

This episode is about service. About leadership. About coming back in your own way.

And about how communities flourish when people choose to contribute.

Because here, legends are not made by birthplace.

They are made by impact.

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No silver spoons. No silken cushion.

Picking coal off the beach to keep the house warm.

Welding bikes together just to have a way of getting about.

That’s what shaped him.

Mark is a pragmatist. An understated man. He was coaxed into the podcast studio because this chap doesn’t crave attention. BUT being a leader and figurehead means - showing up and shining a light, even when you would rather stay out of it.

West Cumbria is often described as a mono-employer economy. Sellafield looms large upon the landscape and local economy. For years, there has been an expectation of a job for life.

When that certainty went, the rug pulled from under him, Mark didn’t make a fuss about it. Necessity is the mother of invention. He rolled his sleeves up saw an opportunity and built something else.

This episode looks at responsibility. At giving back. At fundraising. At giving people a chance. Sometimes that’s a hand up. Sometimes a hand out. Sometimes it’s simply doing what needs doing, without shouting about it.

Mark Telford is a pillar of his community, not because he sets out to be, but because he understands where he’s from. He knows this place. He belongs to it. And that sense of belonging shapes how he leads, how he gives back, and how he shows up.

This is a conversation about a man, his choices, and a kind of leadership that grows quietly from place, loyalty, and responsibility.

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An uplifting, joyful, laugh-out-loud conversation from start to finish. I give you nine-year-old Frankie McMillan.

In his short life so far, Frankie has already walked nearly 900 mountains, including some of the biggest and most iconic. He has travelled the world, reached Everest Base Camp, and somehow remains the most chirpy, curious, and grounded young human you could ever hope to meet.

Frankie is currently preparing for his 10 x 10 challenge, climbing the highest peak in ten European countries. Frankie moves the mountains and the mountains move Frankie.

As you are prepping your turkey, bicarbing your sprouts on Christmas Day, I humbly suggest you have Frankie playing in the background. His optimism is infectious, his energy irresistible, and the trajectory of his star feels inevitable.

Frankie receives voice messages from Bear Grylls. Of course he does.

He may well be among the greats one day, but for now we meet him right here, at the start. And alongside Frankie, this becomes a podcast within a podcast, as we also meet his wonderful mum, Basia McMillan, who has been on his shoulder and by his side every step of the way. Anyone who is a parent will understand what that takes, encouraging a child to reach full potential while quietly managing your own fear.

So here it is, our Christmas special.

Frankie McMillan.

And if you can, do donate to this stellar young chap's GiveStar page: https://givestar.io/gs/10-countries-10-highest-peaks-one-10-year-old

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Julieanne Mitchell was diagnosed with HIV in her twenties, more than two decades ago. She was seriously unwell, and the diagnosis took so much longer because she did not match the profile.

Not the expected picture.

Not the stereotype.

And that tells you everything about how silence and assumptions still work.

But here she is candid, forthright and deeply human.

Speaking pragmatically yet sensitively about something most people think belongs to another decade. It does not.

Numbers are still growing. And most of us may have never knowingly spoken to anyone who is HIV positive.

That is why this episode goes out on World AIDS Day. Because the need for continued awareness is vital. Julieanne’s message is a country mile away from fear-laden adverts of the 80s that haunted us rather than informed us. Julieanne’s interview cuts through the awkwardness and fear - better still, it will leave you better informed and very endeared to this warm, honest and refreshingly honest woman.

We give you the courageous and supremely candid Julieanne Mitchell.

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Sonny is Harrington born and bred. A West Cumbrian with a hidden illness that has shaped more of his life than anyone would guess at first glance. Lupus is no small thing. It is unpredictable and unforgiving, and it meant COVID was a real threat. So while Rishi was dishing out his Eat Out enticements and everyone was piling back into the noise, Sonny stayed inside. Same view. Same chair. Same caution. Not because he was nervous. Because he had to be.

That long stretch of quiet did something to him. It slowed him down in a way he never asked for, but it opened something too. He read. He wrote. He thought his way through days that felt stuck. Out of that came Where the Light Comes In, a book that feels like someone thinking out loud and refusing to pretend everything is tidy.

And now he is turning that lived reality into his doctorate. He is trying to crack how AI enhanced telehealth might actually work for West Cumbria. Not on paper. In real homes. In places with patchy signal. In families who cannot drive miles for a short appointment.

And here is the thing. Sonny has a depth that arrived early, but he is still young. He wants what any young lad wants. That mix makes him compelling. You feel the old soul and the young man at the same time. Yours brains going to get a Reet good workout Marra

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Our next guest Marc Goodwin is a Tigger not an Eeyore. He is the Town Crier, the beautiful collision of theatre and tradition. He is also a ninja natural connector who is blindingly brilliant at pulling people together. West Cumbria feels brighter more hope filled when he is about. This fine fella is warm, funny, thoroughly decent, and the role in his hands becomes something bigger, the true embodiment of centuries of tradition with a hint of mischief.

Marc is about to step on stage as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar. Let me say it plainly, he is as far from a despot as you can imagine. If Herod had Marc’s heart, we would be telling a different story.

This conversation is about family and love. It also touches the tender place of grief, as Marc speaks with care about losing his mum.

Settle in Marra. This one feels very close to home.

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For every ounce of darkness Emma endured, she’s channelled it back tenfold into light. From her own addiction struggles to that solitary moment where she chose radical change, she has turned pain into power. From not being able to put a full stop in a sentence, to earning a master’s degree, she’s taken bitter beginnings and transformed them into a force for good.

Now, she pours that resilience into making a difference for young people in the care system — living proof that no matter how dark it gets, light can return, and when it does, it shines brighter than ever.

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By 20, Rachel Holliday had crammed in more than most people manage in a lifetime – the rough, the raw, and the downright chaotic. Sofa-surfing. Addicted. Homeless. The kind of life that could have gone one way and stayed there.

But Rachel doesn’t do standing still. Motherhood lit the fuse. Family backed her all the way. She’s blasted out of that old life and now she’s pulling others with her – running Calderwood House in Egremont, turning rock bottoms into fresh starts.

She’s unstoppable, unmissable, impossible to ignore – a ball of charisma and drive, whirling through your Spotify feed with a story that’ll have you hooked from the first word.

https://www.ttcwestcumbria.org/donate/

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When Christine walked through the doors of Calderwood House in Egremont, she wasn’t just seeking shelter. She was choosing a new life.

Now in her late 70s, she’s a self-taught musician, playing multiple instruments, helping refugees, and serving as a trustee for a local charity. Her faith runs deep. Her presence is calm. And her story is a masterclass in courage, reinvention, and hope.

🎙️ This is a story of starting over, standing tall, and shining brightly — no matter what age you are.

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West Cumbria once rang with industry – from Marchon’s chemical works to Kangol’s iconic headwear, and the coal mines that powered a nation. But as those employers disappeared, they took thousands of jobs with them. Today, one major employer remains: Sellafield. It supports livelihoods, but it also dominates the landscape.

That’s where Dianne steps in. As CEO of BECBC, she brings together the businesses that orbit the nuclear sector – helping them connect, collaborate, and build a more balanced future.

Dianne’s never been driven by status. Her fuel has been denied value – hers and others’ – and a deep belief in giving back and seeing your neighbour right.

This episode follows her husband, Gerard Richardson, in Episode 12 – a love story in two parts, with the elemental majesty of the West Cumbria as its backdrop .

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At 17, Ruth entered a controlling and abusive relationship. Her partner’s obsessive behaviour gradually isolated her from friends and family, leaving her vulnerable and alone. The abuse escalated over the years, culminating in a terrifying six-hour assault that brought her to the brink of death. On her 21st birthday—a day coinciding with the passing of Freddie Mercury—Ruth experienced a powerful turning point, inspiring her to seek freedom and reclaim her life.

Now a passionate advocate for survivors of gender-based violence, Ruth shares her story not only to highlight the dangers of coercive control but to offer hope to others facing similar challenges. Her journey from victim to survivor is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the support that communities like West Cumbria can provide.

This episode serves as a poignant reminder that even amidst the charm and beauty of a place, there are untold stories of resilience and courage that deserve to be heard. Join us as Ruth candidly shares her experiences and insights on healing, advocacy, and transformation.

By bringing Ruth’s story to light, we emphasise the importance of acknowledging and supporting the struggles within our community.

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Joining Darren is none other than Cumbrian hero Gary McKee, who was moved to run alongside him during Darren’s final days in Scotland. Their friendship and determination are what proper Cumbrian grit is all about.

Don’t miss this emotional and inspiring episode—it’s a reet belter!

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But as an early adopter of AI, Kris discovered how this powerful tech could support recovery, rebuild focus, and spark transformation. His take is sharp, unique, and bound to get you thinking.

Don’t miss this fascinating chat with Kris Mathers on Assa Marra!

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With bipolar affecting 1 in 50 people in the UK, and ADHD often tied to addiction, Jade’s tale shows the grit it takes to face life head-on. It’s as raw as a Cumbrian winter, but full of heart and hope.

Don’t be twining—give it a listen!

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David’s journey is a testament to the power of nature and resilience. His commitment to cold water immersion has not only transformed his own life but has also inspired many in the Cumbrian community to explore this practice for their well-being.

Join us as we explore David’s inspiring journey, the benefits of cold water immersion, and how the natural landscapes of Cumbria have played a pivotal role in his transformation.

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Gary’s story is nothing short of remarkable. From grafting on the cycle track to completing the London Marathon—fuelled by 10 pints and a curry, no less—his journey is full of resilience, humour, and that uniquely Cumbrian grit. Even Jürgen Klopp has taken notice of Gary’s unstoppable spirit and his knack for inspiring others. For John and me, Gary is more than a local hero; he’s a true marra whose story has become a cherished part of our own lives.

This episode isn’t just about miles on the road—it’s about what it means to be Cumbrian: heart, determination, and always finding humour in the challenge. So grab a brew, settle in, and let’s crack on with the tales of a man who’s turned the fells, streets, and cycle tracks into his stage, inspiring everyone lucky enough to know him.

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Oliver’s approach is as unique as a Herdwick on a fell, refusing to let a “one size fits all” mentality dictate his work. His success story offers a compelling glimpse into the Gen Z mindset, showcasing how fire, grit, graft, and innovation can lead to remarkable achievements, even when the traditional route doesn’t fit.

Tune in for a crackin’ conversation that sheds light on the future of business through the eyes of a true Cumbrian trailblazer.

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Touching on the Bob Graham Round—a legendary fell running challenge in the Lake District - this gruelling 66-mile circuit over 42 peaks, with an ascent of 26,900 feet, was first completed by Bob Graham in 1932 and has since become a bucket-list achievement for endurance runners and the nemesis of Richard.

We’ll also delve into the rugged beauty of Cumbria, whose dramatic landscapes have inspired countless adventurers and writers alike. It’s a reet good listen, marra!

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Gary McKee’s graft and determination have inspired folk round here, while Gary Mankini brings a bit of craic and daftness with his antics, including his now-famous mankini. He’s the sort of bloke who can mek anyone smile and always has time for his marras.

These two couldn’t be more different, but they’re both grand examples of what makes West Cumbria so special—hard work, a good laugh, and a heart as big as the fells. So let’s get stuck in and celebrate two blokes who’ve left their mark on this corner of the world in their own unique ways.

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