News | 31 January 2025
Cardiff Metropolitan University welcomed Wales Rugby Union coach, Warren Gatland and his wife, Trudi to its industry-leading radio studio to record a podcast about dementia.
Mr and Mrs Gatland joined leading researcher into Alzheimer’s disease, Professor Julie Williams from Cardiff University, and dementia advocate, Justine Pickering on their new podcast, In Two Minds. The podcast provides listeners with a unique insight into the importance of raising awareness and fostering understanding about the disease.
The debut episode saw the rugby legend and his wife speak candidly about Trudi’s father, Terry’s Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia diagnosis and the emotional challenges of watching her father change and the strain it places on the family.
During the visit, Warren and Trudi met Deputy Dean of Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences, Dr Huw Wiltshire and Senior Lecturer of Sport Broadcasting, Joe Towns.
Commenting on hosting the recording at Cardiff Met, Joe Towns said: “We have developed a fantastic podcast studio on our Cyncoed Campus which our students and staff use on a daily basis. But recently, we have also begun hiring the space out to external clients. There is not really another facility like this anywhere in south Wales.
“When leading audio company Bengo Media contacted us to say the amazing In Two Minds podcast wanted to bring Warren Gatland and his wife Trudi in to record, we said yes immediately. It’s such a powerful podcast and amazing to see this side of Gatland, a figure who is often quite guarded, talking about something so personal.”
Hosting a podcast which dives deep into the science, questions, and complexities surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is another example of Cardiff Met’s Alzheimer’s advocacy. The University’s
Centre for Applied Research in Inclusive Arts and Design (CARIAD) continues to investigate the design of products and services for people living with advanced dementia, influencing care practices and guidelines for the design industry and stimulated business in the UK and globally.
Cardiff Metropolitan University was also a Longitude Prize on Dementia semi-finalist, securing an £80k grant to develop ‘MemoryConnect’ (previously DementiaConnect); an AI-assisted app designed to empower People with Dementia and enhance their confidence in living independently.
To book Cardiff Met’s sound-proofed, self-operated radio studio equipped with podcast / audio recording equipment, contact
JTowns@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
In Two Minds is available for streaming on major platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In Two Minds is produced by Bengo Media.
