Award-winning children's podcast takes flight with Virgin Atlantic

Locally-based not-for-profit participatory arts organisation, Made By Mortals, is spreading its wings after joining Virgin Atlantic’s entertainment offering as the airline’s first inflight children’s podcast.

Virgin Atlantic teamed up with the Manchester-based CIC to offer its young passengers an unforgettable flight experience with its award-winning podcast, Armchair Adventures.

Led by directors Paul Hine and Andy Smith, Made By Mortals work alongside elderly people and those with mental health conditions across Manchester and the North West, bringing their experiences to life through participatory music and theatre sessions.

Made By Mortals works with a diverse range of people who would typically not engage with the arts and are at risk of exclusion and isolation for many reasons, which became particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the 2020 pandemic saw millions of people restricted to the walls of their homes and deprived of vital social interactions, Made By Mortals recognised a crucial need for an outlet which people, young and old, could turn to for unity and a sense of support.

As a result, Armchair Adventures was born: a fun, interactive podcast for children, created by older people.

The Armchair Adventures podcast, and associated activities including schools’ workshops, art installations, activity packs and a live theatre show, takes listeners on a journey of the imagination.

Each adventure is inspired by the experiences, knowledge and passions of its elderly participants and expressed through drama, music, movement, and song.

Andy Smith, Director at Made By Mortals, said: “When the pandemic hit, we wanted to keep the connection between the older people and younger generations that we had established through our theatre productions and workshops.

"We wanted to keep giving the participants the purpose many of them gained through creating the productions for the young people.

“We decided that since we couldn’t take the shows out to children anymore, we’d provide a podcast for them, an interactive and fun arts and culture experience.

"We quickly adapted to Zoom, upskilling the elderly people, setting them up on the software and equipping them with cameras and microphones – that’s where Armchair Adventures was born and even fully produced for its first few episodes!”

Described as a ‘positive podcast’ by BBC Radio 4, Armchair Adventures is a journey of the imagination.

It follows the story of Connie, a young girl whose family-run travel agency is at risk of going bust as a result of the pandemic, so working with her customers, who are portrayed by the group’s elderly participants, they create an alternative to a traditional holiday – an adventure from the armchair.

The news of the partnership comes shortly after Armchair Adventures took home the Bronze prize for Best Family Podcast at this year’s British Podcast Awards.

This is the latest addition to the podcast’s growing trophy collection, which has previously picked up awards from the Digital City Awards and Manchester Publicity Association Awards.

Armchair Adventures took flight with Virgin in July and can now be enjoyed on flights across the world.

Made by Mortals continues to work with groups of people in Manchester to create further episodes for series three of Armchair Adventures, which launches on Thursday, October 6.

New episodes are released twice a month. 

You can listen to Armchair Adventures for free on all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

You can also listen on your Google Home, Alexa or directly on the Armchair Adventures website: www.Armchair-Adventures.co.uk 

To find out more about Made by Mortals, visit: https://www.madebymortals.org/

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.