Show Notes
This week on Ladies of Liverpool, Leanne is joined by Jenna Bradshaw, a foster carer who opens up about the incredible journey that led her and her family into fostering. It's an honest, heartfelt and eye-opening conversation that breaks down some of the biggest misconceptions around foster care, explores the realities of welcoming children into your home, and highlights the life-changing difference foster carers can make. Whether you've ever considered fostering or simply want to hear an inspiring story, this is an episode you won't want to miss. From initially considering adoption to becoming a foster family, Jenna shares how she and her husband made the decision to open their home to children in need. She talks honestly about the assessment process, balancing family life and work, the support available to foster carers, and the rewards and challenges that come with caring for vulnerable children. Together, they tackle common myths surrounding foster care, discuss why there is such a growing need for foster families across the UK, and explain how fostering can have a lasting impact on both the children being cared for and the families who welcome them in. Whether you're curious about becoming a foster carer, interested in learning more about the foster care system, or simply love hearing inspiring real-life stories, this episode offers warmth, honesty and valuable insight into one of the most important roles a person can take on. In this episode you'll hear about:
What it's really like to become a foster carer.
The differences between fostering and adoption.
Supporting children through difficult times.
Family life as a foster family.
The importance of support networks for foster carers.
Why more people should consider fostering.
A powerful, compassionate conversation that could change the way you think about fostering—and perhaps even inspire someone to take the first step.
More from Ladies of Liverpool
It's getting spooky on Ladies of Liverpool! 🎃👻 This Halloween, Leanne is joined by Alex Brewster from Living Liverpool Tour for a journey through Merseyside's creepiest locations, chilling ghost stories and haunted history. From mysterious encounters in the Queensway Tunnel to the dark past of Newsham Park, prepare for a few scares, plenty of surprises and a proper Halloween treat! Together, they take listeners on a spooky journey through Merseyside, beginning with the eerie tales surrounding the Queensway Tunnel, before exploring more mysterious locations, unexplained encounters and the chilling history of Newsham Park and its former orphanage. Along the way, Alex shares the history behind these locations, separating local legends from historical events and revealing stories that might make you look at familiar Liverpool landmarks in a completely different light. With plenty of laughs, fascinating local history and a few moments guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine, this Halloween special is perfect for anyone who loves ghost stories, paranormal mysteries, haunted buildings and Liverpool history. So turn up the volume, switch off the lights and join Leanne and Alex for a spooky trip around Merseyside. And don't forget to share this episode with anyone who loves a good ghost story! Happy Halloween from Ladies of Liverpool! 🎃👻 Follow Alex at Living Liverpool Tour on social media for more fascinating stories about Liverpool and Merseyside. Hosted by: Leanne Campbell Special Guest: Alex Brewster – Living Liverpool Tour Sponsored by: Diane Marshall Hair Extensions #LadiesOfLiverpool #LiverpoolGhostStories #HalloweenPodcast #HauntedLiverpool #LivingLiverpoolTour #LiverpoolHistory #Merseyside #NewshamPark #Paranormal #GhostStories
This week on Ladies of Liverpool, we welcome Sharon Munroe, founder of Equilibrium Northwest CIC and winner of the Merseyside Women of the Year Inspirational Women Award. Sharon shares her remarkable journey from a difficult childhood in Birkenhead to becoming a driving force for positive change in her community. An honest and inspiring conversation about resilience, overcoming adversity and helping others. Growing up in poverty and experiencing childhood trauma, domestic abuse and significant personal challenges, Sharon's early life was far from easy. But rather than allowing those experiences to define her future, she has used them to help others facing similar difficulties. Sharon opens up about her upbringing on the Wirral, the challenges she faced as a teenager and a life-changing assault that left her with serious injuries. She explains how her recovery led her into education, studying health inequalities and discovering her passion for supporting vulnerable people and families. The conversation explores how Sharon founded Equilibrium Northwest CIC in 2014 and went on to transform a community centre in Birkenhead into a welcoming space offering practical support, wellbeing activities, children's holiday programmes, mental health awareness, training, affordable services and a community supermarket. Sharon also discusses the organisation's work supporting families through the cost-of-living crisis, its annual Christmas Day dinners and fundraising efforts, and its plans to expand support for families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). From childhood adversity to receiving recognition at the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards, Sharon's story highlights the importance of community, determination and creating opportunities for others. It's a powerful conversation about resilience, mental health, social inequality, women's achievements and the difference one person can make in their local community. Listen now to hear Sharon's story and discover the work Equilibrium Northwest is doing to support families and communities across Birkenhead, the Wirral and Merseyside.
This week, Leanne is joined by Jude McMaster, founder of Pearls Project, an incredible Liverpool organisation supporting women involved in sex work and those facing homelessness, trauma, addiction and exploitation. Jude shares how a night outreach almost 20 years ago changed the course of her life, and how Pearls Project is helping women across the city through compassion, practical support and, sometimes, simply being there when somebody needs it most. Leanne and Jude have an important and moving conversation about the women in our city who can so easily be overlooked. Jude's journey began almost 20 years ago when she volunteered on a night outreach supporting women involved in street sex work in Liverpool. What started with handing out sandwiches, hot drinks and essentials gradually became something much bigger, eventually leading to the creation of Pearls Project in 2012. Jude talks openly about the realities faced by many of the women she works with, including homelessness, domestic violence, trauma, addiction, exploitation and what she describes as “survival sex” – situations where women may turn to sex work simply to pay for food, accommodation or other basic needs. But this episode is also about looking beyond labels. Jude explains why Pearls Project focuses on the whole person rather than simply the problems they are facing. From accompanying someone to a health appointment to wellbeing groups, swimming, walks, trips to the beach and even helping one woman rediscover her love of horse riding, sometimes the smallest steps can make an enormous difference. The conversation also explores hidden homelessness among women, the barriers vulnerable people can face when trying to access health, housing and addiction services, and why traditional systems don't always work for somebody living with trauma. At the heart of Pearls Project is a simple idea: meet women where they are, listen without judgement and give them back a sense of choice and control over their own lives.
This week, we are joined by Michelle O’Dwyer, chef, founder of Bay Tree Cookery CIC and Merseyside Woman of the Year 2026. Michelle shares the incredible community work behind her award, from bringing hundreds of people together on Christmas Day to supporting veterans and fundraising through some seriously tough challenges. She also opens up about her own journey with trauma, giving up alcohol and learning to turn some of the hardest experiences of her life into what she now calls her “superpower.”
This week, Leanne is joined by STEM ambassador and aerospace engineer Kristin Pearson-Rampeearee to talk about smashing stereotypes, women in engineering and inspiring the next generation to think bigger. Kristin shares her journey into aerospace, the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and why she’s passionate about showing young women that a career in STEM really can be for them.