In this podcast, we are going to test your knowledge of UK manufacturing, your memory, and empathy for items that, by their very nature, invoke nostalgia, as we take you through a journey that transcends technological change and leads through a combination of determination, an 'old-fashioned' desire to be the very best in a field, and contains equal amounts of passion and innovation.

Sound Leisure is a truly unique company. Built on one man's dream and passion for combining engineering and music, Sound Leisure is now the leading manufacturer of jukeboxes, not just in the UK but arguably worldwide.

Sound Leisure started in 1978 with a custom-designed jukebox, and today is the only manufacturer in the world producing classic jukeboxes for all major formats, including CD, Digital, Vinyl 45 and Vinyl LP, with all jukeboxes coming fitted with Bluetooth. And all of this comes not from Nashville or Germany, but proudly from Leeds.

In this conversation with Chris Black, who, with his brother, leads the company founded by his father, inventor and electrical engineer Alan Black, the company remains owned and run by Alan and his family, making it the oldest, single-ownership jukebox company anywhere in the world.

From its foundation to the present day, Sound Leisure has remained a brave and forward-thinking organisation. From becoming the first British company to design, develop and build a commercially viable and widely adopted jukebox platform in the 1970s, they went on to pioneer the early development of digitised music platforms in the 1980s and were responsible for the reintroduction of vinyl jukeboxes in 2016.

They remain a globally recognised and respected leader in their sector, with countless patents and industry-firsts to their name. Their consistent success and growth over a 40-year period, which saw the demise of many long-established jukebox manufacturers such as Seeburg and Wurlitzer, is based on an ongoing commitment to developing better products and technologies and an unfailing focus on high-quality British manufacturing.

Chris has heavily invested in his local community, keen to grow his company with local talent, and has reached out to schools and colleges to identify young people who possess the drive, determination, and passion to join Sound Leisure's journey.

This podcast was an absolute pleasure to record. Chris and his team are on a mission to make every jukebox they create unique. Handcrafted and featuring the latest carefully assembled technologies, you are not just buying a machine from Sound Leisure; you are joining a family.

To view Sound Leisure's Classic Jukebox range, visit www.soundleisure.com.

To view their operations webpage, visit https:/www.operations.soundleisure.com/

And for their kids division visit – www.Slkids.co.uk

Huge thanks to Arachne.digital for their sponsorship and support, which make these podcasts possible. Reach out to them, free to ensure

You can cover so much learning within the confines of the classroom, but with design & technology education, whether at the primary or secondary level, a carefully planned educational visit can add so much.

At the Design & Technology Association, we are always seeking potential visits to recommend to teachers and their students. With this in mind, we are delighted to talk with Julie Brierley, Head of Learning and Engagement at the excellent RAF Museum, Midlands.

In this podcast, Julie takes us back to a mixed experience at school. Loving her primary school experience, and then finding secondary school to be less than welcoming to a shy, introverted student. Design and Technology education proved to be a sanctuary within this environment, and being one of the few female students was not a barrier to her loving the subject.

Set on a career in nursing, she surprised everyone (parents included) by leaving school as soon as she could and joining the RAF as an apprentice flight engineer. Here she found her 'tribe' and was immediately at home, but as we will hear in the podcast, this was before equality of opportunity reached the forces. As a woman, there were several challenges to overcome.

Julie is now Head of Learning and Engagement at RAF Museum Midlands, a perfect setting to study all things D&T, maths, science and across most of the curriculum.

This is a tale of perseverance, about finding what you love, sticking with it, and finding a working role that plays to your strengths and brings you fulfilment and joy! I loved the conversation, and I think you will too.

Thanks to Arachne.digital for their continued support, which enables us to bring these conversations to you. Please reach out to request a consultation to secure your school's cyber presence by emailing contact@arachne.digital or visiting arachne.digital

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/schools-and-colleges/

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/schools-and-colleges/learning-events/

We have been offline for a short while whilst we evaluate, reconsider where the podcast is heading and reset. This is the first of what will be a regular series of brief updates between the main podcasts.

In these, we aim to tell you what we are up to at the Design & Technology Association, highlight any primary areas of work you might not be aware of, discuss what's going on with the subject, and occasionally bring in guests to help inform the conversation.

These pods will never be more than 12 minutes in length and will be released between the main Designed for Life podcasts...but only when there is something relevant to say!

Let us know what you think.