A new panel-show podcast sharing diverse views on the outdoors news in the UK

On The Outside is a news-panel podcast for people who spend leisure time outdoors in the UK. It will cover news stories from a range of sports and general outdoors recreation. Plus it will talk about the relevant social issues that permeate and feed into the outside sector.

This is the first podcast to use the news-panel format to inform listeners about important issues in the UK outdoors scene. It aims to encourage listeners to learn more about what’s happening in the outdoors and feel more connected to the wider outdoor community. It will discuss news in a jargon and judgement free environment.

Produced by 'epilepsy adventurer’ Francesca Turauskis, it features a rotating panel (3 per episode) who come from different sports but are all passionate about getting outside. Francesca said: “The outdoors sector traditionally has a very narrow narrative of what an ‘outdoorsy’ person is. Interview podcasts are a great way of raising consciousness about experiences outside that narrative - but having been on both sides of the process, I noticed a power dynamic in interviews that takes away agency from the interviewee. I was being asked the same questions, often reliving the trauma of my diagnosis, and talking about the barriers I’ve faced. It made me feel more like an outsider, and I knew others must be feeling the same. On The Outside is a way to break the cycle and engage in social issues that permeate the outdoors. I am so excited about the panel and I can’t wait to start having conversations that go beyond telling our own stories.”

The On The Outside trailer launched on Friday 16th July and the pilot episode ‘The Olympics outdoors, water safety and a new fleet of beach wheelchairs’ was released on Friday 30th July, and features Black Girls Hike London Leader Oge Ejizu, handcyclist Neil Russell and LGBQTA swim group leader Eden Elgeti. Topics covered include the new adventure sports in the Olympics, Becky Meyers having to withdraw from the Paralympics, and controversies around the length of women’s shorts and the Soul Cap for afro hair. We also talk about water safety following 31 deaths in water in the last month, Southern Water dumping sewage and how adaptive wheelchairs can help people access beaches.

Listen to On The Outside on the website, and subscribe now in Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major platforms.

About the Producer

Francesca Turauskis is a freelance podcast producer, writer, and Digital Editor for Pod Bible magazine. She has produced and written episodes for award-winning podcasts 'Out There’ and the New York Times featured 'Ochenta Stories’, and works on several independent shows. Her work focuses on underrepresented stories in the Wilderness category. Her show 'Seize Your Adventure’, shares stories of adventure and outdoor living, with epilepsy. Francesca is a judge for the first International Women’s Podcast Awards. She is a big advocate for active travel (which she was initially steered into by her epilepsy diagnosis) and has been known to walk and run silly distances across countries by herself.

About the panel

• Soraya Abdel-Hadi is Award-winning writer, artist, advocate for diversity in the UK outdoors and founder of the All The Elements network. Soraya writes about sustainability, nature and travel.
• Ani Patas is mixed race South Asian and passionate about anti-racism and access for people with disabilities/chronic illnesses. She’s chronically ill herself but feels free when she’s wild swimming and hiking.
• Neil Russell is finding his inner adventurer in his mid-30s, while trying to navigate the hurdles disability can throw at you. Handcyclist, teacher and advocate for inclusion for all.
• Frit Tam is an adventurer, filmmaker and photographer and loves exploring the outdoors in as many ways as possible - preferably with a camera in-hand, shooting underrepresented stories for his film studio, Passion Fruit Pictures.
• Eden Elgeti is a Swimmer, campaigner for LGBTQIA Rights & Visibility and is also an advocate for adventures. She is the co-host for Freestyle Fridays, a weekly LGBTQIA swimming session in London.
• Kirsty Pallas is an outdoor instructor passionate about climbing and mountaineering, and co-founder of Our Shared Outdoors, a diversity and inclusion activist organisation. She’s a Training Officer for Oban MRT, and is learning to mountain bike and rollerskate!
• Vedangi Kulkarni is a 22 year old adventure-traveller, content creator and an expedition manager. Through her business, The Adventure Shed, her goal is to make adventure accessible.
• Oge Ejizu is a hiking enthusiast and London regional leader of Black Girls Hike_UK which seeks to create a safe space and encourage Black Women to explore and enjoy the outdoors.