The Sunflower Conversations
Welcome to the Sunflower Conversations, the podcast where we explore the experiences of disabled people with non-visible disabilities through the lens of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.
This is a space to hear authentic stories from disabled people navigating life with non-visible disabilities such as chronic illness, mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and more. While most episodes focus on lived experience, we also feature occasional insights from experts in healthcare, accessibility, and inclusion.
Whether you or someone you care about wears the Sunflower, our conversations aim to raise awareness, build understanding, and help create a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Empowering voices. Raising awareness. Challenging assumptions - one conversation at a time.
- Update frequency
- every 12 days
- Average duration
- 30 minutes
- Episodes
- 135
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
PTSD and brain injury with Darren Carew
PTSD with Darren Carew
Darren Carew was a career solider in the Army until an accident occurred which would change his life forever. In this conversation Darren explains how his whole world was turned…
Autism and Alcohol with Matthew Tinsley
Autism and Alcohol with Matthew Tinsley
Matthew Tinsley has a degree in Modern Languages and had a long career as a bookseller in independent bookshops.
In this conversation Matthew explains how his a…
Autistic, Dyspraxic and Microdeletion on a chromosome with Lorina
Autistic, Dyspraxic and Microdeletion on a chromosome with Lorina
Lorina is 18 years old is autistic and dyspraxic, and also has a rare condition called microdeletion on a chromosome. These conditions…
Inclusive shopping experience at The Trafford Centre
Inclusive shopping experience at The Trafford Centre
Zoe Inman, the Centre Director at one the UK’s largest shopping centres, The Trafford Centre, talks to us about why disability inclusion is so impo…
ADHD, Epilepsy, PTSD and Autism with Mark Charlesworth
ADHD, Epilepsy, PTSD and Autism with Mark Charlesworth
Mark Charlesworth has a multitude of health conditions including, autism, ADHD, epilepsy and PTSD that were diagnosed later in life.
In this conv…
Dyspraxia, ADHD, Dyscalculia and Damp with Bailey
Dyspraxia, ADHD, Dyscalculia and Damp with Bailey
Bailey is in a mainstream secondary school and has the following health conditions, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder, dyscalculia and DAMP which …
The Brighton COVID NHS Mass Vaccination Centre
The Brighton COVID NHS Mass Vaccination Centre, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
With up to 3,000 vaccines administered a day, The Brighton Vaccination Centre is the largest hub in Sussex. Staff…
Autistic Spectrum Disorder family support with Sarah Hughes
How does the Sunflower help families with autisitc spectrum disorder? with Sarah Hughes
In her final dissertation for a Master of Science in Psychology, Sarah Hughes researched the experiences of eigh…
The Autism Employment Gap
Not every autistic person is the same, everyone is different, as are the variety of occupations available to all of us. So, we ask “why is the employment gap for autistic people so vast?”
In this podc…
Autism and comordities with Maria Cook
Autism and comordities with Maria Cook
Maria Cook is very candid about the multitude of hidden disabilities that her son, Ryan, has. They include autism, development delay, significant learning disabi…
Understanding, acceptance, and empowerment with Mark Isherwood Elected Regional Member of the Senedd
Mark Isherwood, Elected Regional Member of the Senedd, (Welsh Parliament), explains how the pandemic has affected people of all ages, in particular people from disadvantaged groups. Reduced accessibi…
FASD with Mick Jewell
Nurtured children with hidden pasts and FASD with Mick Jewell
Mick Jewell shares his personal journey of changing career to become a foster parent with his wife Sian, to children with emotional and be…
The events industry and the pandemic
There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the events industry. With Covid Rangers at markets to marshalling at testing centres, Sam Birtwell, from Phoenix Events East, an ev…
Epilepsy with Hannah Wilson
Epilepsy with Hannah Wilson
Epilepsy can affect people in different ways. Hannah Wilson shares her personal experiences of growing up with the condition - how it has had an impact on her education as…
The Sunflower Conversations
The Sunflower Conversations deliver a deeper understanding of the Sunflower's role in supporting people with hidden disabilities. The topics are often personal and explore hidden disabilities through…