The 4theRegion Podcast

79. Where's all the money? Discussing Wellbeing Economics with Mary Sherwood

In this episode of the 4theRegion podcast, Dawn is joined by Mary Sherwood for a frank, eye-opening conversation about poverty, inequality and the urgent need for a wellbeing economy.

Mary brings deep expertise from her work with Swansea Council for Voluntary Service, Fairer Future, Gower Power, and years of experience amplifying the voices of people with lived experience of poverty. Together, Dawn and Mary reflect on conversations sparked at the recent Wellbeing Economy Festival of Ideas and ask a deceptively simple but vital question:

If the UK is a wealthy country — where is all the money actually going?

In this episode, they explore:

• Why poverty in Wales is not about “bad choices”, but about income and inequality

• How expectations of a decent life have quietly been lowered over time

• Why holidays, hobbies and social connection are not luxuries, but essentials for wellbeing

• The myth that “there isn’t enough money” — and the reality of extreme wealth concentration

• How billionaires, tech monopolies and extractive systems drain money from communities

• Why taxing wealth is not punishment, but investment in shared wellbeing

• What community wealth building, co-operatives and local procurement can do differently

• How collective solutions — from warm spaces to shared transport — rebuild resilience

• Why tackling poverty means redesigning the economy, not just managing its consequences

This is a powerful, accessible conversation that challenges stigma, reframes poverty as a justice issue, and makes the case for a different economic story — one rooted in fairness, dignity and collective wellbeing.

If you’ve ever wondered why public services feel stretched, why inequality keeps growing, or why so many people are working hard and still struggling, this episode is essential listening.

Find out more about Mary’s work:
FairerFuture.org.uk

78. Land, Power and Hope: A new vision for Welsh communities with Leanne Wood, Ken Moon and James Hitchcock

In this episode of the 4theRegion podcast, Dawn brings together a powerful conversation on one of the biggest, least-talked-about questions shaping Wales’ future: who controls our land, and how can communities reclaim it?

Fresh from the Wellbeing Economy Festival of Ideas, Dawn is joined by:

• Ken Moon from Tir Pontypridd

• Leanne Wood from Community Energy Wales

• James Hitchcock from Rewilding Britain

Together they make the case that real change in Wales — real resilience, real community power, real wellbeing — depends on enabling communities to access, own and steward their land.

In this wide-ranging and inspiring conversation, they explore:

• Why land reform is the missing foundation of a wellbeing economy

• How community ownership can transform food, energy, housing, nature and local democracy

• Lessons from Scotland’s community right-to-buy movement

• Real stories of communities already doing it against the odds

• The future of farming, growing and biodiversity

• What a resilient local place could look like if people had access to the land around them

• The mindset shift we need in Wales — from dependency to community self-determination

This is a hopeful, challenging and deeply motivating discussion about what’s possible when communities have the tools to shape their own future.

If you care about the future of Wales, the wellbeing of our communities, or how we build a fairer, more resilient economy, this episode is essential listening.

77. The radical power of The Swansea Positive with Jon Franklin

This week on the 4theRegion podcast, Dawn Lyle speaks with friend and collaborator Jon Franklin, founder of The Swansea Positive — the beautiful, print-only newspaper dedicated to uplifting stories from across the city.

What starts as a chat about a volunteer-run local paper becomes a powerful conversation about hope, community, and why sharing positive stories is actually a radical act. Jon talks about:

✨ The origins of The Swansea Positive and why he launched a printed publication in a digital world
✨ How negativity in mainstream news shapes our worldview — and how local storytelling can shift it
✨ The slow-life joy of holding a real paper and reading good news from down the road
✨ Why positive local media is political, counter-cultural, and essential for community wellbeing
✨ The serious democratic, mental health, and long-term benefits of shining a light on what’s going right
✨ The growing movement of people who want to amplify hope rather than fear

Jon also shares brilliant stories from readers, contributors and organisations who’ve been lifted, inspired, and even funded thanks to the paper — and what Issue 5 has in store as it lands across Swansea.

If you care about community, connection, or changing the narrative about where we live, this episode will stay with you. It’s one of our most heartfelt conversations yet.

Find The Swansea Positive at: SwanseaPositive.wales

76. Let's talk about WHY we started 4theRegion with Zoe Antrobus

In this episode, Dawn sits down with co-founder and long-time collaborator, Zoe Antrobus, for an honest and uplifting conversation about the mission behind 4theRegion and the work they’ve been doing for the last eight years. 

Together, they reflect on why 4theRegion exists, how it started, and what it means to bring people, businesses and organisations together across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. They talk about the power of positivity, the importance of collaboration, and the real meaning of empowerment — and how these values show up in everything from monthly newsletters to county-wide forums to large-scale regional events.

Zoe shares her passion for the region where she grew up and worked her whole life, and explains why local connection and cross-sector partnership matter now more than ever. They explore what makes the county forums special, how the open agenda format gives everyone a voice, and why celebrating local changemakers is such a powerful catalyst for action.

They also discuss the 4theRegion membership — who joins, why they join, and how a network of committed people and organisations is helping to co-create a happier, healthier South West Wales with a thriving economy.

If you care about the future of South West Wales, this conversation is a great introduction to the movement growing across the region.

75. Kicking off a new season of conversations

Fresh from hosting the Wellbeing Economy Festival of Ideas and the Green Economy Conference in Swansea, Dawn Lyle opens a new season of the 4theRegion Podcast.

In this intro episode, Dawn reflects on two powerful days that brought together organisations, businesses and community leaders to explore the wellbeing economy, the green economy and the future of South West Wales. She talks about connection, collaboration and the honest conversations we need about the challenges we face, from inequality to climate action, and the role of communities in shaping our future.

This new season will pick up those discussions, featuring speakers and changemakers from across the region working on sustainable food, renewable energy, local business, community wealth building, systems change and more. If you were at the events, we’d love to hear what conversations you think matter most.

Subscribe and be part of the movement for a thriving, resilient and connected South West Wales.

72. Supporting Each Other and Making a Positive Impact

71. A Conversation with Sustainability Consultants in South West Wales

Dawn Lyle from 4theRegion sits down with experts in environmental assessments and sustainability, to discuss how businesses can get the advice and support they need to decarbonise their operations. 

We talk about why this is important from the perspective of supplying into large businesses and public sector organisations, and some of the risks and pitfalls associated with not taking your green credentials seriously. 

This roundtable discussion is part of the build up to the 4theRegion Green Economy Conference & Exhibition for South West Wales, taking place in Swansea Arena on Tuesday 19th November 2024.

Our Panellists for this conversation were:

• Alex Ross, Director of Circular Resource Specialists
• Enock Ebbah from Ebbah Sustainovation Ltd  - Find Enock on LinkedIn
• Mark Grant from the Welsh Government Sustainable Food & Drink Cluster
• Maxwell Green from ARCS (Applied Research For Circular Solutions) at Swansea University
• Leon Edwards, Carbon Solutions Specialist with Auditel

Find out more at:
https://www.4theregion.org.uk/green-economy-conference-2024/

70. Community Led Housing in South West Wales

Welcome to the first of our Round Table discussions leading up to the regional Green Economy Conference on the 19th November at Swansea Arena. In this episode, we dive into community-led housing initiatives that are paving the way for a sustainable and inclusive future in South West Wales.

Our Panel:

Sarah Foster: Pembrokeshire Community Led Housing Development Officer at PLANED;

Jonathan Hughes: Community Led Housing Advisor for Cwmpas;

Adam Land: Board Member of Gwyr Community Land Trust, on the Gower Peninsula;

Leonie Ramondt and Adrian Lester, from Swansea Co-Housing.

Together, they discuss the vision of affordable, sustainable homes in cohesive neighbourhoods and the challenges of making this vision a reality amidst the current property market and land use issues. From rural to urban settings, our panel explores alternative ways of building, living, and fostering community spirit.

And please register your place at the Green Economy Conference on 19th November 2024:

https://www.4theregion.org.uk/green-economy-conference-2024/

69. Opportunities for the Circular Economy in South West Wales

Today we're talking about the circular economy. The transition away from the consumer economy and towards an economy that actually serves our wellbeing is going to take many forms, and it is happening across Wales as a whole and across the world. We discuss opportunities that exist, and what people, businesses and organisations are doing to strengthen our circular economy: What do we think is needed now and in future, and how we might collaborate to really develop and enhance circular economy principles and practices.

68. Community Resilience in South West Wales

Community resilience is a subject that is really close to our hearts at 4theregion. A big part of our work is to enable the kind of collaboration and empowerment and place-based activities that are essential for building resilient connected local places, cohesive and connected communities and empowering people within communities to step up and play their part, and do all the amazing, wonderful things, many of which are represented in today's meeting, to build those resilient local places where we all want to live and work. Thank you for tuning in!