Oxford Lives

Oxford is a wonderful city in which to live, and If you have the good fortune to call yourself a resident you are probably here because you value its incredible mix of people and cultures. However, whether local or visitor, your own personal network of friends and colleagues can only touch a small proportion of the fascinating people who call this place home.

We set up this podcast to seek out some of the individuals that we find interesting and explore their lives and stories. They are not all celebrated or well-known, but what they do and what they think add another dimension to the familiar narrative of town, gown and tourism. Hopefully you will find it an insight and an introduction to interesting and unfamiliar parts of our community.

So, relax and select someone from the cast below and get to know a bit more about a particular Oxford life.

As a compliment to our podcast we have produced a self-guided tour where we look at Oxford’s links to fantasy literature and the many writers who have lived and worked here. So if you find yourself in Oxford prepare to be whisked away to other worlds full of Hobbits, Orcs and parallel universes!

Literary Legends and Landmarks: A fantasy fiction tour of Oxford

If you have any comments or any suggestions for people to interview, please contact us at: oxford.lives@protonmail.com

Oxford Lives - Episode 47 with Ronak Sahni

May 20, 2023

On this episode of Oxford Lives we interview Ronak Sahni from SWAT (Sikh Welfare & Awareness). SWAT are a charitable organisation committed to transforming the lives of disadvantaged members of the community. You can see the SWAT team every Thursday night on Broad Street distributing free food to the homeless. Here SWAT...

Oxford Lives - Episode 46 with Charlie and Chico

Apr 15, 2023

Today’s guests are from the Oxford Artisan Distillery and are both leading experts in their field. Master Distiller Francisco Rosa (AKA Chico), and Head of Whisky, Charlie Echlin, talk us through the process of distillation and explain what makes their brand so unique, from locally sourced farming to...

Oxford Lives - Episode 45 with Jeremy Smith

Dec 4, 2022

We enjoyed his company so much the first time, we asked him back! This time Jeremy Smith is here to talk about the Oxford music scene, of which he has a vast knowledge, stretching back four decades. In a fascinating interview, Jeremy takes us on a journey through Oxford’s musical history, taking in the bands, the...

Oxford Lives - Episode 44 with Tinashe Mushakavanhu

Oct 30, 2022

Today on Oxford Lives we interview academic and writer Tinashe Mushakavanhu. Tinashe is a Junior Research Fellow in African & Comparative Literature at St Anne's College, here in Oxford. In a fascinating interview, he talks about deconstructing the myth of Africa, re- reading the continent, and making archival...

Oxford Lives - Episode 43 with Jeremy Smith

Oct 6, 2022

Oxford Pub Special – The Bear, Turf Tavern, Kings Arms. Oxford is blessed with an array of historical pubs, blending tradition, atmosphere, sumptuous ales, and some fantastic stories. Here, real ale connoisseur and official pub tour guide, Jeremy Smith, takes us on a virtual tour through some of the city’s finest,...