A NEW podcast will explore people's concerns around Covid-19 and the vaccination programme.

Martin Kelly, who runs Disability Experts CIC, has received £12,000 funding from Voluntary Action Swindon and Swindon Borough Council to help him launch The Covid Question.

He said: “I am so pleased that we have the opportunity to do this.

“When we were able to re-open earlier this year, we received an influx of referrals for young people who have possibly been hardest hit by the pandemic and associated lockdowns.

“Over the weeks we have been working with them, and it has become apparent that many are sceptical about the vaccine.

“With so many people now getting their news from the internet and the amount of information and misinformation out there, it is not surprising that there are some people who are sceptical.”

The 49-year-old from Moredon will be joined by co-host Lady Unreal – whose identity has not been revealed to the Adver – who will represent those with sceptical views of the vaccine.

“Lady Unreal will act as the voice of those who have concerns about the virus and the various vaccines available and will ask the difficult Covid questions, that we will try to answer,” Martin said.

“The podcast will be a grown-up discussion between us.

“We have no intentions of telling people what to do, we will just give people the information that they need to make informed decisions.

“We hope it will be entertaining too.”

The Disability Experts team are currently building a website where episodes of the podcast will be available, as well as being listed on other popular podcast platforms.
Martin’s company is supporting people with mental health and employment issues by providing sessions tailored to help them prepare for job interviews, improve their computer skills and more.

Swindon Borough Council’s director of public health Steve Maddern said: “The funding is part of £200,000 allocated for community efforts related to preventing Covid-19 and improving vaccine uptake as well as reducing vaccine hesitancy.

“The new podcast will be another avenue where we can reach people and help in the fight against this virus.”

CEO of Voluntary Action Swindon Pam Webb said: “We have been delighted to manage the community outbreak management fund on behalf of Swindon Borough Council and have been impressed with the range of innovate ways in which the Swindon voluntary and community sector plan to address infection control and vaccine hesitancy.

“We have so for awarded grants to 25 organisations with a few more being assessed.”