Good Company
Explore the joys and challenges of relationships as a blind or partially sighted person.
Listen at 7pm on the first Tuesday and 8pm on the first Sunday of each month.
Good Company explores the joys and challenges of relationships with members of the blind and partially sighted community.
Each month presenters Karen Wye and Amelia Hilton speak to guests and experts about family, friends, romantic partners and more.
Listen for insights on meeting new people, healing from difficult experiences and strengthening your connections.
Episodes
Showing episodes 1 to 10 of 21
Oct 2026: Getting And Giving Help
How can you ask for help when you need it? How can you offer help to people you love? This month Karen and Amelia speak to collaborators and friends Dr. Mhairi Thurston, Professor in the Department of Mental Health Nursing & Counselling, and Amanda Hawkins, Head of Mental Health and Counselling at RNIB for their ideas. We also hear about a small gesture that makes Allan Russell feel cared about in ‘Love Language’ and share a 70s family band.
Sept 2026: Making New Friends And Managing Conflict
This month Amelia and Karen talk to Lacey Roo about how to make friends in a new environment. They also learn how to repair after a conflict with long-time friends Amanda Hawkins, Head of Counselling and Mental Health at RNIB, and Dr. Mhairi Thurston, Professor of Applied Counselling and Psychotherapy Research in Sight Loss. They also dance along to a 60s family band and share some live wise words.
August 2026: Brotherly Love
Amelia and Karen are back to discuss Brotherly Love. Counsellor Yahya Pandor and his brother Isa discuss getting closer with age, adjusting to sight loss over lockdown and how they show eachother they care. We also dance along to a family band and debate this month's wise words.
July 2026: Love And Collaboration Over Distance
This month, Karen and Amelia speak to Ellie and Josh (@morethanjustablindcouple) about building a relationship between England and the Netherlands and supporting eachother with disability acceptance. They share how working together on creative projects strengthens their bond and their tips for other long distance couples. We also laugh along to Joe and Niamh Kenny's love language and head to the beach in this month's family band.
June 2026: Stepping In and Stepping Back
This month Karen and Amelia speak to father-daughter duo Joe and Niamh Kenny about laughing together, learning from each other and asking for help. They also discuss whether ‘I told you so’ ever helps relationships and share a summery family band.
May 2026: Finding Your Person And Bonding Over Music
This month, Paralympian and Social Media Creator Souleyman Bah returns to tell Amelia and Karen how he met his partner Saskia. He shares how they support eachother and some wise words on parenting. Hubert Pawelkiewicz shares a dedicated too to make you laugh.
April 2026: Self-Compassion In Parenting
This month, Karen and Amelia speak to paralympian and Social Media Creator Souleyman Bah about being a young dad, finding self-compassion and being a positive male role model for his kids. They also hear David Hogg's love language and rock out in Family Band.
March 2026: Fostering And Feeling Supported
This month Karen and Amelia speak with married couple Nigel and Penny Walker about being foster parents, how they connect with young people and look after themselves. Nigel shares the impact of losing his remaining sight on his mental health and approach to fostering. Claire Sisk from the Happy Hour also makes a guest appearance to kick-start a new feature.
February 2026: Love Has Many Forms
For the month of love Karen and Amelia celebrate many different meaningful connections. They laugh while speaking to husband and blind farmer Mike Duxbury and wife Ness Shillito about being partners in life and mischeif. They also hear from poet and playwright Ellen Renton about the importance of friendships and wise words she gets from her Dad.
January 2026: Reconnecting And Reaching Out
Karen and Amelia bring in the new year with a focus on reconnecting. They discuss reaching out to old friends and strengthening your existing connections with playfulness and shared interests. VI Counsellor Sally Clay returns to share her ideas for getting closer and wise words. They also dive into great titles about repairing relationships from the RNIB Talking Books Library.