MARCH 2024 NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the Phoenix FM newsletter on, according to the Met Office, “the first day of spring”!  This is our monthly newsletter which looks back on our programmes and interviews over the last month and forward to what’s coming up on the airwaves.

INTERVIEWS

You may have missed some great interviews in February with local people, groups, charities and businesses …

Keith Woodcock from the Brentwood Access Group came in to talk about their aim to make and keep Brentwood Borough – paved areas and parks, public buildings, shops, cafes, restaurants, churches, buses and more – accessible for all.

Steve Drew and Katie Harrison came in to talk about Strictly Air Ambulance, taking place at the Brentwood Centre on 9 March in aid of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

Dan Skeates from Essex homeless charity Cool To Be Kind updated listeners on The Rucksack Project.

Chris Booth from men’s health charity CHAPS came in to talk about free men’s health checkups.

Sue Shaper from Hutton U3A visited the studio to tell listeners more about their organisation.

Michelle Ward chatted to David Worsfold of Brentwood Choral Society about their next concert, taking place on Saturday 16 March at St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Brentwood.

Jane Granby from Billericay Operatic Society returned to the studio to talk to Bob Simpson about their production of Our House.

Bettina, EL and Kathryn from 1:4:9 Productions came in to the Arts Programme to talk about their contemporary version of Shakespeare’s Henry V.

Julie Hardy visited to talk about the churches of All Saints Kelvedon Hatch, St. Paul’s Bentley Common and St Thomas Navestock.

Spencer Carter spoke to Kevin Davies from StandUp Theatre School and children’s entertainer Nicky Trix.

Frankie Mae from Chelmsford Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society also visited Spencer to talk about their new production of Kiss Me Kate.

Jane Bennett and Lisa from Bennetts Funeral Directors came in to talk to Mike Porter about dealing with grief.

Nick Field spoke to director Emmanuel Odusami about his new production Almost Home, a film tackling homelessness and mental health.

Dena and Warren from Brentwood travel experts Not Just Travel came in to talk about what’s hot in 2024.

Sally Sykes from Essex Business Partnerships came in with Sue Porter and Emma Backshall to talk about the EBP’s Health & Wellbeing Conference.

Spencer Hawken talked about Horrhiffic – The Romford Horror Film Festival.

Becky Wash from Retro From Scratch came in to talk to Claire Gevaux and Natalie Bays about how you can help save the planet.

Jaylan and Kieran from Mind Of The Student visited to talk about Children’s Mental Health Week and how their organisation helps young people.

Patrick was joined in the studio by Mark James, chaplain at Pleshey Retreat House and Laura Thurlow, supporting the charity UNiViDA.

Michelle Spencer visited to talk about yoga and what you need to know if you’re pregnant.

MUSIC

We also interviewed some great singers and bands in February.

London singer/songwriters Nish Faith and Frankie Bird played live in the studio on Jo Bailey’s Drive show (not together – on different shows!)

Paul Golder chatted to Welsh indie music legends Melys, veterans of 11 Peel Sessions.

Michelle Ward spoke to some talented singer/songwriters including Carlos Abril, jazz trumpeter Olivia Cuttill and local duo The Rebel Party, who played live in the studio.

Singer/songwriter Austel and Canvey newcomer Lois Leon came in to play live on Andy Gardener’s Under The Radar show.

Richie Milton and Bill Farrow returned to Bob Simpson’s show to play live and talk about their new record, The Bill N Ricky CD Live!

Nick Field spoke to Johnny from Colchester band Pet Needs, Matt from Alexander Valentine and 35 Promotions’ Tranunki Thompson, Seventh Fear frontman Martin, Reverent Son frontman Ross and Reverent Son/Forged In Black drummer Oli about their forthcoming Westcliff show.

Madeline Christy welcomed in a number of country stars to her regular show The Nightshift, including Dasha, Peter Sun, Hannah Blaylock and Claudia Stark.

Kev Piggott runs Phoenix FM’s weekly Open Mic Night at The Essex Arms in Brentwood every Monday from 8pm, and plays out the best of the performances from local unsigned artists on his Sunday Sessions show. February saw performances broadcast from some fantastic local performers – Becca French, Callum Wood, Dan Stracey, Emma Osbourne, Freya Carpenter, Grace Brazier, Hannah-Mae Duggan, Jane Oakman, Josh Barber, Katie Savage, Robbie Bunsell, Sam Dillin and Scott Wood.

BOOK NEWS

Jo Bailey spoke to Emma Barns about her free writers forum event in Southend.

Canon Ivor Moody came in to talk to Patrick Sherring about his new book, Six More Songs.

Sylvia Kent also came in for her regular Book Club feature with new author D S Johnson-Mills.

LOCAL HISTORY

Margaret Mills is a regular visitor to Scott Ross’s lunchtime show and in the last month came on air to talk about more Essex stories such as Birdbrook, Moynes Park in Steeple Bumstead (and its connection with James Bond), the early aviators of Fambridge and Rudyard Kipling’s Essex links.

Another regular contributor, Mike Davies from Rayleigh Town Museum, came in to talk about the Essex Martyrs.

SPORT

John Chubb is the host of our regular Saturday Sport show and returns midweek to look at the latest local non-league action in the Non League Hour.

Steve Linton came in once again to Jo Bailey’s Drive show to talk about Brentwood Town FC and the progress of their current 3G project.

Daren Mootoo’s popular cricket show 98 Not Out – which has been nominated for Best Cricket Podcast at the Sports Podcast Awards – is on every Thursday. This month Daren chatted to Ashes and World Cup winner Tim Bresnan, writers Charles Dagnall and The Grumbler, Essex superfan Dan Haggar and also to David Griffin and Don Topley about their memories of Mike Procter.

Andy Gilson hosts our weekly Orient Hour with a rotating panel of fans running through the latest Leyton Orient news, matches and rumours.

Our regular sports correspondent Jack Patmore is also writing and appearing regularly with news from our local non-league clubs including Brentwood Town, Billericay Town and Southend United.

PODCASTS

There are only so many hours in the day – but that doesn’t mean we can’t cram in more programmes! We also have podcasts which are produced regularly:

Made In Essex is a regular business podcast celebrating Essex entrepreneurship, presented by Jill Willis, co-founder at Attract & Engage, author and communications strategist. Recent podcasts have featured Martin Series, Graham Higgins, Kim Morrish and Brigette Bard.

Rising Stars is a regular weekly(ish) podcast highlighting unsigned artists from around the world across every genre possible.

Mental Health Matters is coming back to Phoenix FM in 2024 – our regular monthly look at Mental Health issues locally, nationally and globally, in partnership with the Essex Community Tree.

We also host QFM – the occasional show made by the children of Quilters Junior School in Billericay.  The latest edition is now online here.

COMING UP IN MARCH

We’ve already got some great guests lined up for the next month and beyond, including Paul Beasley-Murray talking about his 7 mile walk in aid of Essex Dementia Care, just a few weeks short of his 80th birthday (1 Mar), Tom Bailey from The Thompson Twins about his upcoming tour which celebrates the 40th anniversary of his album Into The Gap (3 Mar), Natasha Radford from children’s bookshop Chicken & Frog (4 Mar), Richard Willis and Jody De’Ath about their forthcoming appearance at Strictly Air Ambulance (6 Mar), former World javelin champion Fatima Whitbread MBE (7 Mar), The Right Reverend Adam Atkinson, the new Bishop of Bradwell (8 Mar), best-selling author Kimberley Chambers (10 Mar), writer and children’s entertainer Siobhan Pierce (11 Mar), Sally Sykes and Karen Cole from Essex Business Partnerships (12 Mar), Rob Saggs from homeless charity CHESS (15 Mar), drag racer Paul Marston (17 Mar), Fr Andy Smith, Vicar of Hutton and C of E Area Dean of Brentwood (22 Mar), Steve Linton from Brentwood Town FC (22 Mar), Mike Davies of the Rayleigh Town Museum (25 Mar), Archdeacon Jonathan Croucher, the new Archdeacon of Chelmsford (12 Apr) and Darren Barlow, Rector of St Mary’s Shenfield (19 Apr).

SO WHAT’S ON AIR?

On daytimes you can hear Mike Porter, Michelle Ward and Jo Bailey five days a week with local news, information, features and great music – lunchtimes are shared between Scott Ross (Mon/Tue), Bob Simpson (Wed), newcomer Roy Tyzack (Thu) and Patrick Sherring (Fri). Weekend breakfast is covered by Antonia Jones (Sat) and Siobhan Copland (Sun).

Evenings and weekends are also the home of our many specialist music shows including Synth City with Rob Harvey, Under The Radar with Andy Gardener, Resurrection with Paul Golder, Turn It Up with Vic Damhar, The Show That Goes Like This with Ben Simmons, Reggae Revival with Daren Mootoo, Curveballs with Nick Field, The Golden Years with Andy Gilson, The Bliss Disciples with Daniel Gregory, The Weekend Wind-Up with Spencer Carter, Geezers Pleasers and Cheesers with Mandy Cullen, Boogie Nights with Andy Furneaux, Classic Phoenix with Steve Robertson, The Sunday Sessions with Kev Piggott, Sunday Lunch with Tony Smith, Vicki Michelle’s Music Mix, The Arts Programme with Claire Gevaux and Natalie Bays, Stepping Out with Nigel Fitzmaurice, GR80s with Xanthe Bearman and George Hanlon’s eclectic music hour.

None of the shows on Phoenix FM are “syndicated” – every single hour is created and produced exclusively for Phoenix FM by local people passionate about music and their community.

You can see our full schedule here.

IN THE PAPERS

Phoenix FM has had a regular page in the Brentwood Gazette since 2013 – you can see our recent columns here.

A BIG THANK YOU TO …

Phoenix FM is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to maintain a full-featured community radio station for Brentwood, Billericay and surrounding areas. Any money we raise goes straight back in the pot to broadcast more programmes on FM and online.

So we’d like to say a big thank you to Brandler Galleries and Guided Learning, who both came on board during the last month.

And another big thank you to our existing supporters and partners:

Attract & Engage, Brentwood Golf Club, Brentwood Town FC, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Essex Business Partnerships, Essex Community Tree Network, EV Charging Systems, Foxtel, Hallmark Care Homes, Holiday Inn Brentwood, Hutton Spice, JWD Heating & Plumbing, Layalina, The Mortgage Specialists, Not Just Travel, Pinney Talfourd, Players Lounge, Saint Francis Hospice, SEH BAC and Shepherd Neame.

FEEDBACK

Is there anything you would like to see in a future newsletter? Email us straight back!

See you on 98FM and https://www.phoenixfm.com!

Thanks for reading and listening

The Phoenix FM team

Phoenix FM – 210,900 hours on air and counting