We are very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to listen and to share Gwen Gets To Work. Any contributions to this fund will also be deeply valued by our little family team.

Please help Gwen carry on her sterling work, recording the world of work as it is right now!

THE ELECTRICIAN

In this week's episode Gwen chats with her lovely neighbour Adam, a brilliant Electrician. She finds out that being an electrician isn't just about plugs and wires; there are also bacon sandwiches, interesting people and the occasional rat!! Thankfully though, no snakes....yet!

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THE ENTREPRENEUR

In this week's episode Gwen and her Step-Dad, who does all the editing and production for Gwen's podcast, talk about building relationships with clients, meeting needs and growing a small business from scratch. Some good tips for budding entrepreneurs!

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THE HR DIRECTOR

Why is working in Human Resources a bit like running a marathon? You'll have to tune in to this week's episode to find out from Dave, the HR Director. Gwen puts him (and herself!) through the wringer with a personality test and finds out how a job that sounds very grown up is actually pretty fun.

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THE 111 OPERATOR

Gwen puts some pretty wild scenarios to Madiha, The 111 Operator, in this week's episode! But she also gets a really clear insight into what it is like to be on the end of the phone for people who need help and advice.

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THE GRAPHIC ARTIST

For Gwen's first episode as a 9 year old she interviews super cool Graphic Artist Paul Farrell, whose bold, colourful, geometric style of work you may recognise. She puts his designer knowledge to the test and they have a lovely chat about what it is really like working all day on his designs, and most importantly what is Paul's tea-break biscuit of choice?

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SHE HAS TWO JOBS! YAYA DIAMOND

Special Episode featuring Yaya Diamond, a funk artist and podcaster from Florida, USA who also has her own range of fragrances!

Yaya says “Failure only exists when you quit, but if you keep going you are successful indeed!” and in this episode to Gwen Gets To Work she talks to Gwen about what that means to her, and what it is like juggling two creative jobs in her life as a musician and interviewer.

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THE ZOOKEEPER

Oct 11, 2021 Gwen / Chris

This summer, Gwen got the chance to talk to a real Zookeeper! She spent the morning on a Junior Keeper Experience at the wonderful Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Oxfordshire, and after a hard morning's work a very tired Gwen got to interview Chris Green, Bird Keeper at the park, to find out what he gets up to at work all day.

You can see Gwen's morning as a zoo keeper over on her YouTube channel! Visit cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk to find out more about the park and book your own amazing junior keeper experience.

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THE POTTER

Sept 6, 2021 Gwen / Tweeny

This summer, Gwen visited Tweeny At The Pottery in Plymouth and got the chance to watch her in action, throwing a ramen bowl. They had a lovely chat about what it is like making and teaching all day and Tweeny even gave Gwen a go on the pottery wheel!

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THE POLICE

August 9, 2021 Gwen / PC Michael Havers

Gwen has waited along time to talk to a Police person and it was worth the wait - she got to interview three! In this episode she talks to PC Michael Havers and two of the Police Community Support Officers on his team, Lauren Jerrom and Derrin Giles, about what they do all day at work, and most importantly whether pizza is on the menu.

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THE THEATRE COMPANY DIRECTOR

July 5, 2021 Gwen / Gail

Gwen is back with a super fun episode and some great life lessons from Gail, the Artistic Director of Acorn, a performing theatre company. She says Acorn is a family, a tribe, a team of all ages who work together to produce creative, original performances using live music and dynamic physical theatre. Gwen finds out how Gail came to bring her vision to life and what running it day to day is really like.

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THE FLORIST

June 14, 2021 Gwen / Joanna

This week's episode is one for everyone who loves doing art and creative projects and of course for anyone who loves flowers. Gwen is talking to Joanna, a top London florist who creates amazing floral displays or weddings and for people's homes - she EVEN does flowers for Buckingham Palace! You can see loads of pictures and read more about the different types of jobs florists do at Joanna's company's website.

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THE BIOTECH SCIENTIST

May 24, 2021 Gwen / Tracy

We hope you enjoy this episode with Tracy the Biotech Scientist! It's pretty cool stuff. Tracy works for Orbit Discovery. They look for new drugs and so are at the very start of the discovery process. If you are interested check out the video they made about their DNA encoded peptide display technology which you can watch here or at orbitdiscover.com.

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THE SUBJECT LIBRARIAN

May 11, 2021 Gwen / Suzi

Suzi is not just any librarian.....she is a Subject Librarian. That means she specialises in one topic, working in a university library focussed on art. She and Gwen have a lovely chat about books, libraries and what Suzi gets up to on a normal day in the library.

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THE FIGHTER PILOT

April 26, 2021 Gwen / Mandy

In this week's episode Gwen has the immense privilage of sitting down to talk to Mandy one-on-one about her incredible journey to become one of the UK’s first female, fast-jet pilots.

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THE CHARITY FOUNDER

April 19, 2021 Gwen / Elaine

We can all do our little bit to make the world a better place. In this week's episode, Elaine the Charity Founder tells Gwen all about how some volunteering led her to eventually start a charity, working for the rights & protection of young refugees. It is a very inspiring story - we hope you enjoy it!

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THE SAILOR

April 12, 2021 Gwen / Helen

Would you like to spend your days and nights sailing the ocean waves? Helen The Sailor has done just that, not just sailing a big boat but teaching kids how to do it too - what a breeze!

Gwen gets to work finding out how fast the boat goes, powered just by the wind in its sails, and learns that Helen's favourite sea side town is St Malo - a super cool walled city on the north coast of France.

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THE HORSE GROOM

March 29, 2021 Gwen / Carly

Any kids out there love horses? Learn from Carly, The Horse Groom, what it's like to work with them every day and what you can do now to get some experience.

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THE ARCHITECT

March 15, 2021 Gwen / Simon

Who knew, being an Architect could be like going on a treasure hunt?! What an amazing job to hear about in this chat between Gwen and Simon. It sounds like there is a lot of fun to be had at work all day, if you like making things, exploring things, drawing and doing maths.

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THE OLYMPIC ROWER

March 8, 2021 Gwen / Polly

It is International Women's Day and we are celebrating the achievements of a very special woman in today's Episode. Gwen asked all the important questions when she got the amazing opportunity to talk one-on-one with the incredibly lovely Polly Swann: World Champion, European Champion AND Olympic Medallist Rower!

Is it hard to get in and out of those little boats? Do you get very wet? And how did last week's Olympic Trials go?

You can follow the progress of Polly Swann and her team mates at British Rowing.org and find out more about the #choosetochallenge theme of this year's #IWD2021 at InternationalWomen'sDay.com.

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THE STYLIST

March 1, 2021 Gwen / Annabel

Those shoes with that dress?! You need the help of a modern day super hero, The Stylist: swooping in to rescue people - from the fantastically famous to the fabulous rest of us - from not looking our best. A Stylist was top of Gwen's personal wish-list and fortunately the very fabulous Annabel Kerman was kind enough to oblige!

Annabel is a Stylist, Fashion Editor and Writer. You can click see her work as Fashion Editor at: The FRANK Magazine and if you fancy finding out more about her styling work visit her own website here: Annabel Kerman.

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THE DOG TRAINER AND CANINE MASSAGE THERAPIST

Feb 22, 2021 Gwen / Sara

SIT! Comfortable? Then we'll begin our training episode with Sara, who is also a Canine Massage Therapist. Sara works with dogs who need an extra bit of TLC. If you love dogs and think you would like to work with them when you grow up, or just learn a bit more about how to help your own dog, check it out!

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THE FARMER

Feb 15, 2021 Gwen / Simon

Is a ploughman's still the lunch of choice for a man about the farm? And exactly what do farmers do with all that poo?! Gwen dives in with all the important questions this week in her chat with Simon The Farmer.

See if you can play along with Gwen's 'Brain Game' and beat the Farmer at his own game.

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THE REFLEXOLOGIST

Feb 1, 2021 Gwen / Sally

Are you ready to relax? Get your calm on with this episode of Gwen Gets To Work in which Gwen talks to Sally, The Reflexologist. Gwen first met Sally when she was very little, and still remembers it very clearly. Reflexology is powerful stuff! So, it is about time they sat down to talk about what Sally does at work all day and how she makes people feel better!

See if you can play along with Gwen's Brain Game and guess what all the different essential oils do.

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THE GUITARIST & COMPOSER

Jan 18, 2021 Gwen / Richard

Why can't you be good at guitar and the piano at the same time? Guitarist and Composer Richard Durrant reveals the reason and everything else about being a professional musician and composer. He travels to his concerts around the country on a bicycle and has a studio full of all sorts of different guitars.

If you'd like to find out more about Richard or listen to his music visit his website HERE

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THE CHILDREN'S AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Jan 11, 2021 Gwen / Holly

Have you ever thought about the grown-ups who write and illustrate the books you love? Imagine if children all over the world were reading a book full of your own stories - wouldn't that be amazing?!

Holly tells Gwen about how it felt when her very first book was published and inspires us to draw our own pets this week - it's a lot of fun to try and draw them jumping about!

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THE MIDWIFE

Jan 4, 2021 Gwen / Lou

Babies aren't brought by storks?! Whaaaaat?!

The midwife tells us all about how she helps mummies deliver and care for new babies and how it can be a super cool, wonderful, magical, and occasionally very messy job!

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THE COMEDIAN

Dec 28, 2020 Gwen / Joe Lycett

Christmas Special with Joe Lycett! Gwen and Joe chat Strictly Come Dancing, Christmas Baubles, furry coats and, of course, what exactly does a comedian do at work all day?

We hope you love Gwen's festive treat and have a very happy holiday.

You can see Joe presenting, and dancing, in The Great British Sewing Bee's Celebrity Christmas Special on catch up. And if you haven't seen his show Joe Lycett's Got Your Back you should definitely go check it out!

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THE FOOTBALLER

Dec 21, 2020 Gwen / Adam

In this week's episode Gwen talks to Adam, a Professional Footballer! Is professional training a bit like what Gwen and her classmates do at school? And what would he do if football was no longer an option?

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THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Dec 7, 2020 Gwen / Nick

Kids all do coding at school these days, and in this week's episode Gwen gets to grips with what kind of job that skill might turn into. Nick explains his job really well without getting us in a twist.

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Nov 23, 2020 Gwen / Scarlet
Lights, camera, action, and smile please!

Gwen got her moment in the spotlight a couple of weeks ago, when she was photographed by star-shooter Scarlet Page. Scarlet told Gwen what she loved about the magic of taking pictures, and told a very naughty story about Robbie Williams!

You can see Scarlet's photography work at https://scarletpage.com/ and her gorgeous jewellery at https://www.lovescarlet.co.uk/

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THE COUNSELLOR

Nov 16, 2020 Gwen / Jill

Ever feel like you need someone to just listen to you? Jill the Counsellor calls herself The Worry Lady so that people, especially children, can come and tell her all their worries.

Gwen has a good old natter with Jill but this time, the counsellor gets to do the talking!

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THE LEGO MAN

Nov 9, 2020 Gwen / Rob

We all love LEGO! But some love it more than others and Gwen is one of those children that fell for it the moment they clicked their first two DUPLO bricks together.

Another life-long fan is this week's guest, Rob. Not only does he still love playing with these magical little building bricks but he actually works with them AND he has his very own minifigure!

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THE ENGINEER

Oct 26, 2020 Gwen / Kirsten

What do you think an Engineer looks like? And what do you think an Engineer really does all day? Gwen talked to the inspiring Kirsten, a Chartered Engineer who works in manufacturing, about what led her down a path that is very different to the one she had expected to take.

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THE CHOCOLATIER

Oct 19, 2020 Gwen / Rosie

Gwen takes her mum and step-dad to a real life chocolate factory and asks its owner, Rosie, all about what she does at work all day. She also learns that there is actually a fourth kind of chocolate.....can you guess what colour it is?

You can visit Rosie's Chocolate Factory yourself, or order some of the delicious treats from her web shop. Her chocolate really is extremely delicious!

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THE F1 ENGINEER

Oct 12, 2020 Gwen / Rich

Zoooooom zoom! What a thrill! On Saturday, Gwen got the chance to talk to one of the Mercedes F1™ engineers just after the Qualifying for the Eifel Grand Prix 2020 - German F1 Race.

They talk speed, sound and what it means day-to-day to be working on these super fast cars for the best team in the world...and why the most impressive thing about the Formula One cars is not their speed.....can you guess what it might be?

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THE PODCASTER

Oct 5, 2020 Gwen / Jim

Podcasters go head to head in this week's episode when Gwen meets Jim, host of The Bloody Vegans podcast.

Can you record a podcast in your pyjamas? What got The Podcaster into the game? And what equipment does he use?

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THE LITERARY FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Sept 28, 2020 Gwen / Harriet

Gwen meets Harriet, the Director of the Henley Literary Festival, in the week of the festival's first fully virtual offering. Join their game of 'Guess The Childrens' Author' and hear a funny tale of mistaken rabbis.

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VEG BOX DELIVERY DRIVER

Sept 21, 2020 Gwen / David

In this week's episode Gwen goes beyond the doorstep with David; one of Riverford Organic Farmers' amazing Delivery Drivers. He and Gwen play a complicated game of fruit and veg-based Rock, Paper, Scissors which you can join in with - if you can work it out!

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THE GARDENER

Sept 14, 2020 Gwen / Leanne

Gwen and The Gardener play a game of 'Guess the Bug' and then happily shoot the breeze about ponds, wildlife gardening, steel-toe-capped boots and how amazing it is that you can put a seed in the ground and get food from it!

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THE VIDEO GAME DESIGN TRAINER

Sept 7, 2020 Gwen / JG

Welcome back to a new term of Gwen Gets To Work! We start the new term as we did the last, with a teacher of sorts. Gwen's Uncle trains (mostly) young people at University in how to create the characters and environments that you find in video games.

If you are interested in learning to code the trainer recommends Scratch and Minecraft, and if you want to get more hands on, maybe a Micro:bit from Technology Will Save Us.

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THE OCEANOGRAPHER

August 3, 2020 Gwen / Dr Knap

Summer holiday special! Who is dreaming of oceans, swimming pools, fish and floats right now? The Oceanographer opened up the magical world of sea life for Gwen and her classmates, in an episode that is fascinating for all ages.

Anthony Knap is Director (Geochemical and Environmental Research Group), Professor of Oceanography, and James R. Whatley Endowed Chair of Geosciences at the Texas A&M University, USA. Thank you to his daughter - and a teacher at Gwen's school - Mrs Loveday, for making this interview possible!

Jacques Cousteau, one of the Oceanographer's heroes, is featured in two beautiful childrens' books >
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino
and
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne

The series that inspired Gwen so much, by one of Dr Knap's other heroes, are Blue Planet and Blue Planet II with Sir David Attenborough. You can sign up for programme updates and see more about the series here. There is even a BBC Earth podcast!

Dr Knap's other hero was Dr. Bob Ballard. You can read his story about discovering the Titanic and other sunken ships on the National Geographic blog here.

The whale communication project in the Caribbean that Dr Knap was talking about is called Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) and you can visit the website or follow it on instagram to find out more.

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THE CHEF

July 27, 2020 Gwen / Lucy

It's a good thing that chefs are used to working under pressure, because this Chef stepped in to save our bacon and record her episode several weeks early! Gwen finds out all about how Lucy got into food, cooking and working on TV.

We also get to meet Gwen's new personal assistant robot, Treacle!

The chef also shared with us a really simple pasta recipe that you can try at home:
400g fine semolina flour (durum wheat flour)
200ml warm water
Mix
Knead until smooth
Rest it for a bit
Mould into shapes / roll out and cut with cookie cutter
Put in boiling water
Add sauce!

If you make it then share the photo with us on instagram @gwengetstowork or Facebook!

View Episode 16 transcript

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THE JAZZ PIANIST

July 27, 2020 Gwen / James

Do you know your notes? Join in with the game as we test the Jazz Pianist on his musical ability and find out from him what it means to be a professional musician.

We also get to listen to the Jazz Pianist's top three jazz piano tracks of all time, which is very inspiring. Here they are in case you would like to look them up:

Someone to Watch Over Me by Brad Mehldau
Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Köln, January 24, 1975, Pt. 1 - Live by Keith Jarrett

View Episode 15 transcript

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THE MOUNTAINEER

July 13, 2020 Gwen / Kam

What exactly is a mountain? Gwen and the mountaineer discuss how you measure the height of a peak; what to wear so you don't lose your bits; and what foods keep you going on a hard climb. Gwen entertains Kam with some gems from her joke book and gets some advice about how to follow her dream to be an adventurer.

View Episode 14 transcript

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THE BEEKEEPER

July 6, 2020 Gwen / Jemima

Is there such a thing as a King Bee? And what is special about this honey? Gwen got to work on one of the hottest days of the year, interviewing a Beekeeper about what she does all day at work. Check out the video of Gwen's Beekeeping adventure on YouTube.

View Episode 13 transcript

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THE CLASSICS FELLOW

June 29, 2020 Gwen / Ben

Gwen plays a game of Guess the God with and Ben the Classics Fellow and we will learn why we should care what people a very, very long time ago thought about how we ought to organise the world.

View Episode 12 transcript

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THE SHOP MANAGER (FATHER'S DAY SPECIAL)

June 21, 2020 Gwen / Gwen's Dad

Father's Day Special! Gwen talks to her Dad about his job working as a manager in a shop, and what he wanted to be when he was growing up. Gwen's Dad teaches her that knowing what you definitely don't want to do can sometimes lead you towards the thing that you end up loving!

View Episode 11 transcript

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THE ACTOR

June 15, 2020 Gwen / Natalie

In this episode we will learn what an Actor in both Theatre and TV really gets up to at work, and what happened when someone in the audience did a "pop-off" during a performance Midsummer Night's Dream.

View Episode 10 transcript

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THE MMA FIGHTER

June 8, 2020 Gwen / Sophie

Does this Fighter have to be angry with the people she fights? Does she have any medals? And how did she end up doing such a wild job?! In this episode we will learn what an MMA Fighter and Personal Trainer really does, and what she thinks of Gwen's emoji pineapple.

View Episode 9 transcript

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THE PRESIDENT

June 1, 2020 Gwen / Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes

A Very Important Guest in this week's episode! Her Excellency, Paula-Mae Weekes, is the 6th and current President of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's first female Head of State since Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from Great Britain in 1962. It was a dream to get the chance to speak to her, as you will hear in this special, and rather unusual, episode of Gwen Gets To Work.

View Episode 8 transcript

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THE BARRISTER

May 25, 2020 Gwen / Jess

What is one of The Barrister's favourite things about her job? And why does she say she works 'at the bar'? Gwen and the Barrister play a game of Objection or Sustained and chat about the kind of things the Barrister has to do every day at work.

View Episode 7 transcript

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THE DOCTOR

May 18, 2020 Gwen / Dr Kate

What did the Doctor definitely, definitely not want to be when she was little? And does this Doctor clap for herself on Thursdays at 8pm? Gwen reveals all about her own trip to the Doctor following an escapade with a mouse, and gets some health tips straight from the Doctor's mouth.

View Episode 6 transcript

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THE HEADTEACHER

May 11, 2020 Gwen / Mrs Edwards

Does the Head Teacher ever play on the equipment when no-one else is around? And what is in her secret drawer? In Gwen's most hard hitting interview to date, she uncovers the mysteries of Head Teacher life in a British Primary School.

View Episode 5 transcript

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THE ARTIST

May 4, 2020 Gwen / Camilla Clutterbuck

What is the essential drink for an artist in the morning? What would she do if she ran out of paint? And what does she collect that might be a bit gross? In this episode we will learn what an Artist really does all day.

View Episode 4 transcript

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THE DENTIST

April 27, 2020 Gwen / Leentje Schade

Do Dentists ever get people with really bad breath? Does this Dentist wear a uniform? And why is she sometimes happy when it's really gross inside someone's mouth?! Tune in to find out what colour this dentist's chair is, and about the unusual places she has been a dentist in!

View Episode 3 transcript

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THE REPORTER

April 20, 2020 Gwen / Ronn Grant from 284 Media

Is it scary sometimes, interviewing people for TV? Or mainly exciting? In this episode we will learn what a Reporter for a News Channel really does, with Ronn Grant from 284 Media.

View Episode 2 transcript

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THE ARTS LECTURER

April 13, 2020 Gwen / Alanna

Is a lecturer the same thing as a teacher? Does she ever get bored at work? Maybe not, when she gets to wear fashionable clothes, go to Paris and spot famous people! In this episode we will learn what a Lecturer in Fashion, Media and Marketing at a University in the UK really does.

View Episode 1 transcript