ESTHER GHEY: The fight to free children from their phones

In February 2023, Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington, in a premeditated attack by two 15-year-olds. Today, Esther is a bereaved mother, but she is also one of the most significant voices for social reform in contemporary British life. She founded the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, co-launched the Phone-Free Education campaign with Kate Winslet, and has helped force a national reckoning on children, smartphones and social media. She was named the Independent's Most Influential Woman of 2024 and a GQ Hero. Her bestselling memoir *Under a Pink Sky* - now available in paperback - is a searing and hopeful account of love, loss and rebuilding. It is one of the most breathtaking tales of resilience I have ever read. **POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:** I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visithttp://www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. **FIVE LESSONS FROM ESTHER:** 1. Grief doesn't get easier – you learn to build your life around the hole the person left. 2. Don't blame other people for your own decisions. 3. Perception is everything: You can walk the same street looking down at the dog mess or up at the blossom – the choice is yours. 4. Mindfulness isn't a wellness trend. It's a tool that rewires how you respond to stress. 5. Compassion costs nothing. **CHAPTERS:** 03:56 – The cherry blossom and the sign 05:20 – Growing up with mum 07:55 – Leaving school with no GCSEs, becoming a mum at 18 09:13 – The sludge-green walls and the addiction 12:17 – Why she refuses to blame anyone but herself 15:43 – Going back to school in her 30s 16:07 – Discovering mindfulness 17:51 – When Brett became Brianna 21:17 – The phone, the bedroom, the 3am email 27:24 – The day it happened 30:16 – The dream that became acceptance 32:47 – What she'd say to anyone in early grief 34:35 – Grieving in public 36:33 – Why she won't name the killers 37:55 – Meeting Emma 43:23 – Building Brianna's legacy 48:05 – Could I have done more? 51:16 – Phones don't build resilience 54:26 – Where the campaign goes next **FOLLOW ESTHER GHEY:** Instagram –http://www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/ Brianna Ghey Legacy Project –http://www.instagram.com/briannagheylegacyproject/www.instagram.com/briannagheylegacyproject/ Phone-Free Education –http://www.instagram.com/phonefreeeducation/www.instagram.com/phonefreeeducation/ **BUY ESTHER'S BOOK:** *Under a Pink Sky* – www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Pink-Sky-Esther-Ghey/dp/0241738733 **FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?** Instagram –http://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastwww.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok –http://www.tiktok.com/@crisispodwww.tiktok.com/@crisispod