Paul Golder writes for the Brentwood Gazette
One of our great passions on Phoenix FM is the commitment we give to mental health issues, both locally and nationally.
Other stations tend to cover this with very narrow focus – for example, commercial radio in the UK had a “mental health minute” last year – but we prefer to give the subject much more coverage, on both our regular daytime shows on live radio and also by recording interviews for specialist shows.
One such show is our Mental Health Matters podcast, which has been presented by Graham Stannard for the last 18 months.
On the current edition, which has just been published, Graham chats to Nicky Smith, Leisure Services Manager at the Brentwood Centre, about the new Chat 1st programme and how this has been helping people’s health, both mental and physical.
Graham also talks to Melvyn Cooper who is in charge of the Centre’s Community Garden project.
We also discuss problems that are caused by social media use and watching and reading the news.
You can find the podcast on phoenixfm.com and listen there – and we are also moving a lot of our podcasts over to iTunes and Spotify so you should be able to find them on those platforms soon too.
We’re increasingly broadcasting podcasts as well as our regular shows as it’s a great way of producing content that doesn’t conform to a set schedule like, for example, a Breakfast or Drive Time show – which will be continued to be produced locally here in Brentwood!
I also hate turning down new ideas for programmes on our station – and I don’t see why “the schedule is full up” should be an excuse.
Lots more guests on our live shows coming up over the next seven days.
* Jo Druce and Sangeet Tatem from F Barnes Solicitors will be talking about wills, inheritance tax and estate planning on Drive
* Megan Baily from Cancer Research UK will be chatting to Michelle Ward about this year’s Race For Life on Eat My Brunch
* Archdeacon Elizabeth Snowden, Archdeacon of Chelmsford will be talking about Lent with Patrick Sherring on Friday Night Extra
* There will also be live music in the studio from Lisabel Biscaldi and Lewis Churchill