One 2 Three
Patrick Sherring
Namuncha is a small Maasai community in the rift valley in Kenya.
https://www.friendsofnamuncha.org is a charity that works with the community to develop and maintain Education, Health and sustainable Enterprise. There are projects to develop a primary school, a secondary school and a chimney project.
Since 2010 the primary school has grown from a single tin hut to an eight classroom building teaching over 600 children. There is still not enough room for all the local children. The teachers aspire to one day having enough text books so that each pupil can have their own book.
The Namuncha Peace Secondary school enables children to continue their education but still lacks resources. The cheeky smiling younger children have grown into young adults acutely aware of their future, their countries future and their place within it.
Traditional Maasai homes, manyattas, do not have the ventilation to remove smoke and carbon monoxide produced from burning wood for cooking. This results in acute problems of lung disease. A locally designed chimney with a solar fan can be constructed and fitted for just £50.
The website have a video showing have the community has developed since 2020.
There are many opportunities to volunteer to help in this change-ready Maasai community.
I was joined in the studio today by Laurence Spencer, who has been on work experience at the station throughout the week.
Playlist
Paul Simon – Under African skies – featuring guest singer Linda Ronstadt. Track from 1986 album – Graceland – Grammy album of the year, world-wide sales of over sixteen million. No 46 in 2020 list Rolling Stone 500 Greatest albums of all time.
Soweto String Quartet – Freedom – from the 2001 album – Four.
Rachel Sage – Only you – from the forthcoming album – The other side.
Toto – Africa. USA no 1, UK no 3, Top 10 in seven more countries. 2021 Rolling Stone 500 Greatest songs of all time, no 452.
Red House Rhythm & Blues Duo ft Matthew Hollingshurst – Standing at the crossroads again. Regular listener Chris in Guildford requested a track by his band.
check out the band on https://www.facebook.com/RealRedHouse
Elton John – Goodbye Yellow-brick Road – 1973 UK no 6, USA Cashbox no 1 , Canada no 1. 2010 Rolling Stone 500 Greatest songs of all time, no 390. Played for Tony Stringer, a great supported of the charity who has been to Kenya to see the work of the charity.
Soweto String Quartet – Straight lingo – another track from the album – Four.
Birthdays competition.
Above, Stewart Copeland in 2023.
Below, as member of the Police in 1983.
Stewart Copeland is 71 years old. We heard the 1983 Police track – Every breathe you take. Grammy awards , Best performance by duo or group. No 1 UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Ireland and Israel. Top 20 in 14 more countries. N 84 in Rolling Stone 500 Greatest songs of all time.
Martha Reeves, lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas recently celebrated her 82nd birthday. We heard the 1964 track – Dancing in the street. USA no 2, UK no 4. This track became a Civil Rights Anthem in USA.
John Lodge, bass guitarist, singer and songwriter in the Moody Blues, is 78 years of age. We heard his 1973 composition – I‘m just a singer in a Rock & Roll band. USA no 12, UK no 36. From the album – Seventh Sojourn – N0 1 USA and Canada. UK No 5.
Thanks to Chris and Bob in Harlow, Chris in Guildford, David in Whitby, Patrick in Ingatestone and Laurence in the studio for taking part today. Our joint winners with three points were David, Chris in Guildford and Patrick in Ingatestone. Laurence was particularly unlucky. He was one year out with each of his answers.
Patrick requested Roger Whittaker – Durham Town (the leavin). This 1969 release was a UK no 12 and Ireland no 17. Roger originally intended this to be a song about leaving Newcastle. Chris in Guildford e-mailed in to say that he went to university in Durham. What a great co-incidence.
Jody & The Jerms – Liberation – new release.
Laurence interviewed me about how I became involved in radio and why I love being on PhoenixFM. This was the last of his interviews with the seven day time presenters.
Johnny Dankworth – African Waltz – UK no 9 in 1961. Johnny was born in Woodford, Essex.
Chart this week in
Regular listener Chris in Harlow asked to hear the chart from 1990.
No 3 Luciano Pavarotti – Nessun Dorma. This is a track from Puccini’s opera Turandot. The English translation is “Let no-one sleep”. This became a hit, peaking at No 2 in the UK, following being sung at the closing concert of the Football World Cup, held in Italy.
No 6. Roxette – It must have been love. USA no 1 and topped the charts in seven more countries. UK No 3 and Top 10 in nine more countries.
No 7 MC Hammer – Can’t touch this. No 1 in five countries. UK No 3, USA No 8. Grammy awards for Best R & B performance and Best Rap performance.
Weeknd – Save your tears – chosen by Laurence. He said that Weeknd “has a voice like an angel”.
Soloman Smith – Five Spot note –exclusive play of the track from the album – Y’dig that – released of 1st of August.
Join me next week when my guest is Frances Pennel-Buck from Mountnessing. She will be talking about having recently undertaken the Diocese of Chelmsford Course in Christian Studies on-line. Since 1987 over 2,500 people from Essex and East London have undertaken this course. It became available on-line and v1a Zoom due to the pandemic. This has proved convenient for participants and this option has been continued.
https://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/vocations-and-discipleship/
