Eastern Promise - The Podcast
‘Eastern Promise‘ explores the full potential of the East of England. We talk to experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, disrupters and more, finding out why the Eastern region is the best place in the UK to start, run and grow a business. From architecture to zoology, every business has a place here, with Mike Rigby as your guide on this audio journey, celebrating and promoting our region. Eastern Promise also features the Plug Board; where a panel of three get to plug their own business, event or project in exchange for giving a plug to someone else in return. And there‘s also a bit of lighthearted audience participation in ‘CrowdSourcery’, where folk from across the East of England - and even beyond! - choose their favourite things on a given theme to share and celebrate! You can contact Mike at podcast@easternpromise.org.uk.
Episodes

Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
CROWDSOURCERY! The Royal Norfolk Show 2024...
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
This Week: We asked YOU what you're looking forward to at this year's Royal Norfolk Show - the UK's premier two-day agricultural show - and you did NOT disappoint.
So many recommendations, we'll still be there on Friday 28th! So many people to meet and so much we need to squeeze in! Thank you to all who contributed and everyone stay safe in the sun tomorrow (26/6/24).
Oh, and to all our friends elsewhere in the East of England, we'll be asking you for recommendations for Cambridge Tech Week next, you mark my words!
Find out more here: https://easternpromise.org.uk
Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.

Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Episode 102: Norwich's indie game creatives, w. Kate Killick & Ellie Eady
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
This Week: Executive Producer and self-confessed Amiga fan Mike Rigby was thrilled to meet BAFTA-winning game designer, and CEO and Creative Lead at Glowfrog Games, Kate Killick, along with Game Artist Ellie Eady, to discuss the thriving Norwich indie gaming scene.
What makes the scene so special, how does the creative process for games work (which comes first, look or gameplay?) and what would make the Norwich gaming sector even more of a creative hub than it is already?
Find out by taking a listen! And if you want to weigh in, do get in touch by DM to Mike Rigby via LinkedIn, or by email to: podcast@easternpromise.org.uk.
You can check out Glowfrog Games here!
Find out more at: https://easternpromise.org.uk.
Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.

Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
CROWDSOURCERY! The East Is Blowing Our Minds...
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
This week, we look at how and when the East of England last blew your mind! Plus our first contributor in their own voice! Get in touch by LinkedIn DM or via email: podcast@easternpromise.org.uk.
Find out more about the University of East Anglia's advancements in 3D-printing that could revolutionise the treatment of cataracts, here
And! Listen to Dave Graham on the Blooming Late Scientists podcast here.
Visit our website: https://easternpromise.org.uk

Friday Jun 14, 2024
Episode 101: The Rising Network & Cambridge Wide Open Day (Part II)
Friday Jun 14, 2024
Friday Jun 14, 2024
This Week: It's another packed edition this week, as we look back at Cambridge Wide Open Day 2024, and ahead to The Rising Festival this September.
I'm joined by Lily Cheng, founder of The Rising Network and creator of The Rising Festival. We'll be chatting about the genesis of the network and we'll preview the forthcoming festival along with two of the event's highly distinguished panel moderators, Mary Hockaday and Professor Dame Carol Black.
Then! Join me on the 6th floor of Botanic House as I meet some of the businesses exhibiting for Cambridge Wide Open Day, from contracting AI to an unbelievably accurate speech-to-text engine, lab equipment, chemical processes, analysis and lightweight circuits on plastic. Yes, it's a packed episode but why wait?!
That's all on episode 101 of...Eastern Promise!
For more information, visit our website at https://easternpromise.org.uk.
Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.

Thursday Jun 06, 2024
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
This Week: Episode 100 arrives at last, and WHAT a bumper show we have for you!
First, recorded at UKREiiF 2024, O2H Co-founder Prashant Shah previews Cambridge Wide Open Day and tells us more about O2H before we're joined by special surprise guest, Dr Andy Williams, Chair of the Oxford Cambridge Supercluster Board. Find out more about Cambridge Wide Open Day here: https://cambridgewideopenday.com
Then! We dip into the Aviva/Tech East Fintech Hackathon to hear some snippets of the pitches, get the results and chat to the teams and judges. It confirms the city's fintech sector is good to grow!
Visit our website: https://easternpromise.org.uk.
Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.

Thursday May 30, 2024
Episode 99: St George's Guildhall, King's Lynn - Shakespeare Woz 'Ere!
Thursday May 30, 2024
Thursday May 30, 2024
This week: We journey to King's Lynn in West Norfolk to see the Bard's Boards - the very stage upon which Shakespeare performed, recently discovered under the floor of St George's Guildhall in the town.
We'll also be discussing how the Guildhall is the centrepiece of the £25m Town Deal project, and taking to the streets of King's Lynn to find out more about the town, visiting historic streets and buildings, and hearing some incredible tall tales about the history of the town.
Host Mike Rigby chats to Councillors Alistair Beales and Simon Ring, now Leader and Deputy Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk*; interim Chair of the Town Deal Board, Vicky Etheridge; and Creative Director of St George's Guildhall, cultural officer at the Borough Council - as well as an actor and comedian - Tim Fitzhigham to find out the amazing history that's not just underpinning Norfolk's largest town, it's setting the stage for its future renaissance.
* Cllrs Beales and Ring were Cabinet Members for Business and Culture respectively at the time of recording.
Find out more at: https://easternpromise.org.uk.
Eastern Promise is proud to be sponsored by Mills & Reeve.

Thursday May 23, 2024
Thursday May 23, 2024
This Week: We journey out to the magnificent public house in Guilden Mordern, near Royston in Cambs to visit 'The Three Tuns', a magnificent pub that is in community hands thanks to the efforts of some very dedicated residents, along with help from Plunkett UK and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. We're joined at the pub by CPCA Mayor, Dr Nik Johnson and Susie Middleton of Plunkett UK, alongside representative of the community John Harrison to hear the tale of the Three Tuns unfold...
For more information, visit https://easternpromise.org.uk.
We are proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.

Monday May 20, 2024
CROWDSOURCERY! Coming Home...
Monday May 20, 2024
Monday May 20, 2024
Welcome to Crowdsourcery, an audience participation spectacular rooted in the East of England, where we use LinkedIn to root out the best the region has to offer!
This time, our focus is the landmarks that welcome you back to the East of England, and let you know your doorstep is not far away. And your choices range from roundabouts to racecourses...
...to squeeze all this and more into the show, your host Mike Rigby, converses with pachyderms, engages in filthy, FILTHY wordplay, and fends off demons from the Orwell Bridge for some reason!?
All this and more, thanks to a little bit of...CROWDSOURCERY!
Find out more at https://easternpromise.org.uk
Eastern Promise is proud to be supported by Mills & Reeve.

Thursday May 16, 2024
Episode 97: UEA & CTW East of England Collaboration Event
Thursday May 16, 2024
Thursday May 16, 2024
This week: We join the audience at the East of England Tech Collaboration event at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia, sponsored by Mills & Reeve.
We hear from Dr Soraya Jones, UEA VC Prof. David Maguire, Cambridge Tech Week Chair Chris Bruce, and a panel consisting of Dr Jerry Wu of Tus Park UK, Prof. Sheng Qi of the UEA, Hannah Smith of Anglia Capital Group and Martin Frost CBE. Oh, and Eastern Promise host Mike Rigby, too...
Join us for the event as recorded on the evening of Tuesday 23rd April 2024!
For more information, visit: https://easternpromise.org.uk

Friday May 10, 2024
Episode 96: Peter Cowley
Friday May 10, 2024
Friday May 10, 2024
This Week: We hear from one of the East of England's foremost Angel Investors, Peter Cowley. Host Mike Rigby chats to Peter about his career, the highs and lows of being an angel investor and puts some submitted questions to the man himself.
We also learn about the tumultuous life experiences that have shaped his path, leaving him with many valuable life lessons. Plus! A look ahead to what's in this jam-packed run of six episodes...
Peter's book, 'Public Success, Private Grief' is available here.
Find out more at: https://easternpromise.org.uk

Welcome to Eastern Promise
Eastern Promise is the podcast that explores the full potential of the East of England. We showcase that potential, celebrate it and share it with you, our listener.
From architecture to zoology, your host Mike Rigby takes you on a tour of the region, finding out things you din't know you didn't know and surprising you as to the scale of fantastic stuff that's happening under our noses.
Photo, left: Mike and Engineer 49 record a Plug Board episode at the boardroom at the EpiCentre in Haverhill, Suffolk.