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For the next few weeks we’re going right back to where Shoulder to Shoulder began over two years ago, revisiting the first six episodes of the podcast and the conversations that helped shape the series.

These early episodes introduced us to people with powerful lived experience, honest reflections on mental health, and a deep belief in the value of peer support.

Listening back now, they still feel just as relevant. These early episodes introduced us to people speaking honestly about lived experience, mental health, recovery, and what peer support actually looks like in real life.

They still matter, because the heart of it was always the same, people who had been through something difficult, sitting alongside others who needed to know they weren’t on their own.

In this first episode of Shoulder to Shoulder by With You, we revisit where the podcast began with Anita’s powerful story of identity, culture, motherhood and peer support.

She shares her journey from childhood in Africa to building a life in Manchester, reflecting on the challenges of adapting to a new country and the importance of connection during difficult times.

At the heart of the conversation is the impact of peer support and how it helped her feel seen and understood, and why support from those with lived experience can be so meaningful. Anita also talks about co-founding Holding Her Space, an organisation supporting mothers and families through pregnancy and early parenting.

As we look back on the first six episodes, this conversation captures what the series set out to do: highlight the people behind peer support and the difference it makes in mental health and everyday life.

Hosted by Cate Munro, Shoulder to Shoulder explores these stories with peer supporters from all walks of life.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

With-you consultancy: www.with-you.co.uk