Inside Prison

There's a scheme at Doncaster prison where well behaved convicts are allowed to spend time playing with their babies. The theory is it means prisoners are less likely to re-offend when they come out of jail. As a journalist it's not easy to gain access to prisons, so I was pleased to have the opportunity to see inside and speak to a man who says he's benefiting from the Families First scheme...

listen to ‘Doncaster Prison’ on Audioboo

Laughter Yoga

You know what yoga is but have you heard of laughter yoga? A class in Sheffield is becoming more and more popular. There are even sessions being put on in the city to help people with mental health problems. I went to one of the weekly classes just around the corner from where I live.

There was about 45 minutes of laughter led by the a laughter coach who takes you through a range of different scenarios that make you burst out laughing. At the end there's a 15 minute meditation. I did feel a lot happier and more relaxed when I left. There may well be something in it. Have a listen to my report and scroll down to watch a clip of what it's like...

listen to ‘Laughter Yoga’ on Audioboo

5 Live Octoberfest

It's been a fantastic few days in Sheffield with 5 Live in town for Octoberfest with three days of special programmes in the UK's finest city. I helped out on the world record attempt for the most number of players involved in a continuous football match and we did it! 364 people took part in a 24 hour 5 Live-a-side match at the Sheffield United Academy in the Shirecliffe area of Sheffield. Click here for some of the highlights of Octoberfest on the 5 Live website.