WomenKind Collective

This week on WKC Spill The Tea, we’re spilling the tea with Mandy Hickson, former Royal Air Force fast jet pilot and the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on frontline operations.
Across a remarkable 25-year military career, Mandy flew 45 missions over Iraq while navigating the intense pressure of a male-dominated environment all alongside raising a young family.

In this powerful conversation, Mandy opens up about what it was really like to be judged as “a woman” rather than a pilot, the pressure to prove herself, and the realities of balancing ambition, fear, and family life.
Mandy is the author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman and An Officer and Her Gentleman, written with her husband Craig, a Royal Navy and commercial airline pilot.
She’s now a highly sought-after motivational speaker, sharing lessons on leadership, resilience, and challenging stereotypes.
✨ In this episode, we ask:
• Was flying fast jets always the dream?
• What did it feel like being told to be “more feminine”?
• Can women really do it all — or do we have to compromise?
• How do you push through fear when it really matters?
• What cockpit lessons translate into everyday life?
• What advice would Mandy give her younger self?

💬 Plus, we share a menopausal brain fog moment from one of our listeners, catch up on our week with you, and leave you with some beautiful inspiration to carry you through the week.
🎧 A must-listen episode about courage, confidence, and owning who you are — both in the cockpit and beyond.

Stay in touch

Mandy Hickson:

W: www.mandyhickson.com
I: @mandyhicksonspeaker
FB: @MandyHicksonSpeaker
LinkedIn: @Mandy Hickson

Books: An Officer Not A Gentleman. The Inspirational; Journey of A Female Fighter Pilot. Mandy Hickson. 2020. Independently Published.
An Officer And Her Gentleman. Two Aviators, Two Cockpits, One Journey. Mandy & Craig Hickson. 2025. Published by Hickson & Hickson Ltd.
Both Books are available online and also from: www.hicksonbooks.com

☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy, one cuppa at a time.
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💬 We love hearing from you, email us your ideas here Jinty & Lou @ [email protected]
👀 Join us on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/womenkindcollective?igsh=ZmxmbGs2d3BjcXA1&utm_source=qr
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We’re delighted to be back for Series 15 of WKC Spill The Tea, and we’re kicking things off with our brilliant friend Karen Newby, registered nutritionist, author, and menopause champion.
With over 15 years of clinical experience in women’s health, Karen is passionate about helping women understand how food can be a powerful ally during perimenopause and menopause.
In this episode, we discuss:
• The most common nutrition mistakes women make during menopause
• How to support our hormones naturally through food
• Practical tips for improving sleep during menopause
• The one piece of advice Karen wishes every woman knew before menopause
With Menopause recipes and foods for menopause symptoms, Karen’s latest book, The Natural Menopause Method Cookbook, features 60 simple, flavour-packed recipes designed to ease symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, hot flushes, and mood swings without adding pressure to busy lives.
We’ve tried the recipes at home and we can vouch for how easy they are to make and how good they make you feel.
Her compassionate, realistic approach has helped thousands of women embrace menopause with confidence, nourishment, and joy.
🎄We chat about our Christmas break and how Nigella nearly blinded Jinty
☕ Stick around for some words of wisdom to carry you through the week.
📌 SUBSCRIBE for more shenanigans, honest chats on feminist issues, women’s health, sisterhood, and smashing the patriarchy — one cuppa at a time.
☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy, one cuppa at a time.
💛 Enjoying the podcast? Please share, leave us a review or comment!
If you would like to you can Buy us a coffee at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast
💬 We love hearing from you, email us your ideas here Jinty & Lou @ [email protected]
👀 Join us on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/womenkindcollective?igsh=ZmxmbGs2d3BjcXA1&utm_source=qr
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/womenkind-collective/id1557937820
🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/42KniEtc5WGQhNvREsN1WP?si=e14a83c93a304bb3
And all your favourite Podcast Platforms
Thank you for Listening

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We’re wrapping up Series 14 with a phenomenal guest, the one and only Leslie Horton, Canadian broadcaster, feminist powerhouse, and the woman who went internationally viral after responding on live TV to a body-shaming email with pure grace, humour, honesty and unapologetic power.
Leslie has been keeping Calgary moving for decades, but in December 2023 her clip reached millions worldwide, inspiring women, especially those in midlife, to say: “This is what women my age look like”. Even Hollywood took notice.

Beyond the screen, Leslie leads a major annual charity campaign bringing holiday support to families in need, and she’s constantly out in her community making real change. She’s living proof you can navigate rush-hour chaos, silence trolls, and stand up for women everywhere, all before your morning coffee.
Off-camera Leslie leads a major annual charity drive supporting families during the holidays. She navigates traffic chaos, internet trolls and a wildly full schedule, all while championing women everywhere.
In this episode:
• Leslie’s viral moment and the global reaction
• The realities of midlife visibility and body image
• Compassion, community work, and handling online trolls
• Our HUGE Book Collective gift-guide list
• A fun invitation to join an act of micro-feminism
• A beautiful quote to carry into your week
☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy — one cuppa at a time.
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💬 We love hearing from you — leave us a review or comment!

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube
Lesley Horton:
I: @leslie_horton
F: Leslie Horton
L: Leslie Horton
☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy, one cuppa at a time.
💛 Enjoying the podcast? Please share, leave us a review or comment!
If you would like to you can Buy us a coffee at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast
💬 We love hearing from you, email us your ideas here Jinty & Lou @ [email protected]
👀 Join us on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/womenkindcollective?igsh=ZmxmbGs2d3BjcXA1&utm_source=qr
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/womenkind-collective/id1557937820
🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/42KniEtc5WGQhNvREsN1WP?si=e14a83c93a304bb3
And all your favourite Podcast Platforms
Thank you for Listening

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This week on WKC Spill The Tea, we sit down with Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, Guardian columnist, author of The Vagenda and her latest book, the acclaimed The Republic of Parenthood. Known for her sharp wit and fearless feminist insight, Rhiannon joins us for an honest conversation about motherhood, identity, care, politics, and the chaos and tenderness of raising tiny humans.
Even though our own babies are now adults, we LOVED this book, especially the “What Worked / What Didn’t” reflections at the end of each chapter.
Because this isn’t just a book about nappies and night feeds. It’s about identity, care, feminism, and how we survive (and reshape) this mad world together.
We dive into birth stories, baby clothes, feminism, and Rhiannon’s unforgettable Guardian piece suggesting autistic people could teach Donald Trump a thing or two about focus, facts, and empathy.
Whether you’re a parent, a feminist, or simply a lover of smart conversations, this episode is full of warmth, wisdom, and laugh-out-loud moments.

🌸We share some great news about advances in cervical cancer, HPV jab
✨ Stick around for a beautiful quote to carry you through the week.
💥 SUBSCRIBE for more shenanigans, feminist chats, women’s health, sisterhood, and smashing the patriarchy — one cuppa at a time.
💬 Drop us a comment — we love hearing from you!
📺 Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel.
☕ Support us at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube.
Stay in touch - email us [email protected]


Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett:

The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/profile/rhiannon-lucy-cosslett
Instagram: @rhiannonlucycosslett
Books:
The Republic of Parenthood. On Bringing Up Babies. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett. Duckworth Books. 2025.

The Vagenda. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett & Holly Baxter. Vintage Publishing. 2015
The Tyranny of Lost Things. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett. Sandstone Press Ltd. 2018
The Year of The Cat. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett. Headline Publishing Group. 2023.

Ready for Pre-Orders:
Female Nude. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett. Tinder Press. Out February 2026
☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy, one cuppa at a time.
💛 Enjoying the podcast? Please share, leave us a review or comment!
If you would like to you can Buy us a coffee at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast
💬 We love hearing from you, email us your ideas here Jinty & Lou @ [email protected]
👀 Join us on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/womenkindcollective?igsh=ZmxmbGs2d3BjcXA1&utm_source=qr
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/womenkind-collective/id1557937820
🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/42KniEtc5WGQhNvREsN1WP?si=e14a83c93a304bb3
And all your favourite Podcast Platforms
Thank you for Listening

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This week, the Womenkind Collective Spill The Tea Podcast tackles one of the most urgent issues in modern medicine: the systemic gender bias that has shaped women’s healthcare for centuries.

We dive deep into the systemic gender bias baked into healthcare and we’re beyond excited to introduce a guest who is fighting for change.
After hearing countless stories from listeners, guests, and our own lived experiences, one thing is clear:
For years, we’ve uncovered story after story about the massive gaps in women’s health research and this episode proves once again that these aren’t isolated incidents.
They stem from centuries of male-centric medicine and underfunded research, the lack of research in women’s health is not an accident, it’s structural.
In this episode, we unpack:
• The long-standing funding gaps in women’s health research
• The near-halt of major US research databases since October 2025
• The consequences for gender-specific research and medicine
• How women turn dismissal into determination
We’re so thrilled to introduce a guest who brings expertise, fire, and a fearless voice to this conversation.
To find out who this guest is, take a listen on your favourite podcast platform.

Stick around for a beautiful quote to carry you through the week.

SUBSCRIBE for more shenanigans, honest chats on feminist issues, women’s health, sisterhood, and smashing the patriarchy — one cuppa at a time.
Drop us a comment — we love hearing from you! Or email Jinty & Lou at [email protected]
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube
▶️ Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel
☕ Support us on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast

Book:
Tackling Gender Bias in The Healthcare System. What Patients Stories Teach Us About Implementing Systemic Change. Jinty Sheerin & Louise Hockings-Thompson
Ready for Pre-Orders. Published 21st September 2026. Jessica Kingsley Publishing.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/tackling-gender-bias-in-the-healthcare-system/louise-hockings-thompson/jinty-sheerin/9781805018810?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=531573&awc=3787_1763489275_8383ca5407e1af5521f03fad96fcaca1&utm_source=531573&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=https%3A%2F%2Fshopforward.nl%2F

https://amzn.eu/d/baVbLBm
☕ SUBSCRIBE for honest chats on women’s health, feminist issues, sisterhood & smashing the patriarchy, one cuppa at a time.
💛 Enjoying the podcast? Please share, leave us a review or comment!
If you would like to you can Buy us a coffee at Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/womenkindcollectivepodcast
💬 We love hearing from you, email us your ideas here Jinty & Lou @ [email protected]
👀 Join us on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/womenkindcollective?igsh=ZmxmbGs2d3BjcXA1&utm_source=qr
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/womenkind-collective/id1557937820
🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/42KniEtc5WGQhNvREsN1WP?si=e14a83c93a304bb3
And all your favourite Podcast Platforms
Thank you for Listening

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