Sunday Brunch featured soundbytes from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

One in four adults will face a mental health problem each year across the SUSY area, but numbers don’t capture the quiet part: the loneliness, the slow slide, and the moment someone realises they’re not coping. From the Red Lion & Cellar Room in Betchworth, Surrey, we talk plainly about mental health in Sussex & Surrey and why it’s showing up more in everyday life, workplaces, and friendships.

Maureen Jones, a psychotherapeutic counsellor, shares what she’s seeing more of: anxiety, depression, isolation after Covid, and that undercurrent of not belonging. We dig into early warning signs many people miss, like broken sleep, irritability, comfort eating, zoning out, and feeling emotionally numb. We also come back to one simple habit that can cut through all the awkwardness: asking “Are you okay?” and meaning it.

Our special guest Graham Dearing from Menshare Listening Group tells his story, from pushing through school and building a high-pressure finance career to hitting a point where “buckle down and work harder” stopped working. He talks candidly about imposter syndrome, unrealistic roles, trying different medications and therapies, and why empathy and confidentiality in peer groups can be the support that finally lands. We also discuss barriers to workplace help, concerns about privacy, and the bigger picture around crisis care, including NHS plans for mental health A&E and the need for proper follow-up and long-term talking therapy.

If you’re looking for support, we point to Menshare Listening Group and Sistershare across the area, and Maureen wraps up by sharing practical guidance on finding properly qualified private counselling through the Counselling Directory. 

Roundtable Featuring: Graham Dearing (Menshare Listening Group), Maureen Jones, Georgie Lucas, Iqbal Khan, Aga Es & James Tidy. Host: Clive Hilton. 

Sunday Brunch featured soundbytes from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

What does teaching really look like in a modern secondary school?

In this episode, Amanda, a passionate teacher from Surrey, shares an honest look at life inside today’s classrooms. From 30+ student classes and rising SEND needs, to the behaviour challenges that emerged after COVID, she explains what teachers are really dealing with and why the story is far more complex than headlines suggest.

We talk about the fragile partnership between schools and parents, why the “teaching has gone soft” narrative misses the bigger cultural shift, and what it actually takes to help a mixed-attainment class succeed without leaving anyone behind.

Amanda also shares practical advice for families, why resilience matters more than ever, and how small habits at home can make a huge difference to a child’s confidence and learning.

If you care about education, inclusion, and raising resilient young people, this episode offers clear insight straight from the classroom.

10 Key Points

1) Classrooms now regularly include 30+ students with a wide range of learning levels and needs

2) Post-COVID changes have affected student resilience, focus, and behaviour

3) Behaviour systems only work when parents and schools work together

4) The “teaching has gone soft” narrative overlooks wider cultural changes around authority

5) Rising SEND diagnoses may reflect better recognition rather than overdiagnosis

6) Teachers spend significant time adapting lessons for mixed-attainment classrooms

7) Resilience and confidence grow when students face challenges rather than avoid them

8) Simple habits at home—like checking homework apps and discussing the news—support learning

9) Funding pressures and teacher retention are shaping the reality of schools

10) Even sports day matters, teaching children how to handle both winning and losing

Roundtable Featuring: Amanda (guest), Georgie Lucas, Micaela Leal, Jacq Inwood, Maureen Jones & James Tidy. Host: Clive Hilton. 

Sunday Brunch featured soundbytes from the above ‘Sussex & Surrey Soapbox’ podcast episode…. to skip chapters click on the 3 horizontal lines (left in the above player). Have your say via WhatsApp (bottom right) or join the conversation in our Facebook Group HERE.

On International Women’s Day 2026, this roundtable with special guest Maggie Chen (Founder of GIC, www.girlsincharge.co.uk) goes far beyond celebration. Under this years IWD theme “Give to Gain,” the panel explores what equality really looks like — at work, at home, and in the everyday moments that shape confidence and opportunity.

From career-defining champions who opened doors, to uncomfortable debates about whether progress has gone “too far,” the conversation doesn’t shy away from tension. The group unpacks the gender pay gap, unconscious bias, networking advantages, and the often-invisible mental load women carry at home.

Stories of quiet advocacy — someone “sending your name into a room you’re not in” — reveal how small acts of generosity can transform careers and lives. At the same time, the discussion challenges partners, families, and workplaces to rethink roles, responsibility, and recognition.

Is equality about identical outcomes? Is feminism creating friction? Do men feel pushed out? And what does it truly mean to “give” in order to gain — as individuals, couples, and communities?

This is an honest, multi-generational conversation about respect, responsibility, and the role of partners in building a more balanced future. 

10 Key Points:

1. International Women’s Day is more than a checkbox.
It should spark action that lasts all year, not just symbolic recognition.

2. “Give to Gain” isn’t just about money.
It’s about advocacy, visibility, time, mentorship, and emotional support.

3. Career-defining champions matter.
Having someone advocate for you in rooms you’re not in can change the trajectory of your life.

4. The gender pay gap is complex.
Legal equality exists, but cultural patterns — networking habits, caregiving roles, self-selection — still influence outcomes.

5. Networking advantages aren’t neutral.
Informal, after-work networking often benefits men more due to differing home responsibilities.

6. The invisible mental load is real.
Women frequently carry the cognitive burden of planning, anticipating, and managing household life — even when tasks are shared.

7. “How can I help?” can feel like another task.
Delegating help adds to the mental load; shared ownership works better than reactive assistance.

8. Equality conversations create discomfort — and that’s part of growth.
Some men feel blamed; some women feel overdue recognition. Honest dialogue is necessary.

9. Appreciation may matter as much as redistribution.
For many, feeling seen and valued is as important as dividing chores evenly.

10. Respect is the foundation.
Whether at work or at home, progress depends on mutual respect, partnership, and shared responsibility.

Roundtable Featuring: Maggie Chen (guest), Georgie Lucas, Micaela Leal, Jacq Inwood, Maureen Jones & James Tidy. Host: Clive Hilton.