JUNE 2024 NEWSLETTER
Hello again and welcome to the latest Phoenix FM newsletter! Here’s a look back on our programmes and interviews over the last month and a look forward to what’s coming up on the airwaves.
INTERVIEWS
You may have missed some great interviews in May with local people, groups, charities and businesses …
Villene Hyam came in to talk with Roy Tyzack about this year’s Brentwood Art Trail.
As part of our regular feature on mental health, Mike Porter spoke to Nikki Schuster from Renew Counselling and Training about men’s mental health and to Sidra Naeem from Essex Mind & Spirit about dealing with addicition.
Jo Bailey chatted to Daryl Branch, CEO of Arts Outburst & Brand Artistic Director of Thurrock Pride
Hazel Lucas talked about the Short + Sweet Festival taking place at Billericay Theatre.
Former Phoenix FM presenter George Hanlon came back to talk to Jo about his new documentary Welcome To The Brush, celebrating one of Essex’s legendary music venues.
Nicki Treffers chatted to Sam Mason, business development manager at Brentwood School.
Karen Boath of SNAP Charity and Nimo Saeed of Tri Sport Essex visited the studio to talk about a new sport initiative, Try A Tri.
Patrick Sherring spoke to Frazer Croft from Chelmsford Rough Sleeper Support, and Eric Smart and Helen Wilson from Trinity Music & Drama.
Blake Sweeting from Helen Rollason Cancer Charity also came in to talk to Patrick about the charity’s latest news.
Warren Jessop from Brentwood travel experts Not Just Travel looks at new places to visit.
Natalie Sykes hosted festival director Spencer Warren and actress Louise Ann Munro who chatted about this year’s Romford Film Festival.
Marie and Clare from the Chalkwell Redcaps came in to talk about their plans to swim the Arctic for Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.
Caroline Spencer, Lutricia Norris and Andrea Sandell came in to talk about new Essex film Best Geezer, which is now on Apple TV.
Mark Searby came in for his regular film and DVD round up with Spencer Carter.
Sally Sykes from Essex Business Partnership visited with EBP members Monica Cooper and Duncan Moore from Let’s Get Out and Steve Chilton from ERB Insurance.
LOCAL FEATURES
Phoenix FM has partnered up with new Brentwood youth project Creative Cove. You can find out more about this exciting arts initiative here.
Andy Gardener reports on this year’s Billericay Soapbox Derby.
Brentwood Foodbank needs your support. You can find out the latest news and what’s needed here.
MUSIC
We also interviewed some great singers and bands in May.
Daren Mootoo spoke to Tony Gad from reggae legends Aswad.
Paul Golder has been chatting to some fantastic indie and alternative bands on his weekly Resurrection show, including Britpop legends Echobelly, London disco-punks Bugeye and Welsh slack-rockers Sybs.
A busy month for our award-winning morning presenter Michelle Ward who spoke to Eddi Reader and Mark Nevan from chart-topping folk band Fairground Attraction, hosted live music from The Exact Opposite and Miguel Olivares-Alvarez and caught up with singer/songwriters Blue Scarr and Aimee Britannia, Bird, The White Gates Band and Abi Flynn.
Andy Gardener caught up with The Howlers, and also Sydney duo Salarymen at their London show.
Madeline Christy welcomed in a number of country stars to her regular show The Nightshift, including Mikala Fredriksson, Kirstie Kraus, Kate Harding and Chanel Yates.
Nick Field chatted with female Deep Purple tribute band Diva Purple, Colchester band Elephant Jane and to 035 Promotions and Reverent Son about their latest show.
Jo Bailey hosted live music in the studio from Alya Elouissi.
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. This month Kev broadcast a special tribute to Paula Allibon, who has very sadly passed away. Paula had been supporting the Open Mic Nights since 2017.
May saw new performances broadcast from some fantastic local performers – Callum Wood, Jane Oakman, Josh Barber, Richard Barker and Scott Wood.
BOOK NEWS
Ros Green and Sylvia Kent came in to talk about this year’s Essex Book Festival.
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 the Prince of Preachers and The Cutlers of Thaxted.
SPORT
John Chubb is the host of our regular Saturday Sport show and chatted this month to Bob Theobald from Brentwood Bowling Club.
Daren Mootoo’s popular cricket show 98 Not Out is on every Thursday. This month Daren chatted to Essex Deputy CEO Dan Feist and Head Coach Anthony McGrath, broadcaster David “Bumble” Lloyd, cricket writer Richard “The Grumbler” Clarke,
Podcaster Allie Heppell updated listeners with the latest news from the Women’s Super League.
Andy Gilson hosts our weekly Orient Hour with a rotating panel of fans running through the latest Leyton Orient news, matches and rumours. This month guests included former Os player Matt Harrold, Bishop’s Stortford manager Steve Castle, and a tribute to former Orient defender Phil Hoadley.
Steve Linton from Brentwood Town FC came in to talk to Jo Bailey about latest news at the club.
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, along with a review of Romford FC’s historic win in the FA Vase final.
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:
Rising Stars is a regular weekly podcast highlighting unsigned artists from around the world across every genre possible.
Mental Health Matters – our regular monthly look at Mental Health issues locally, nationally and globally, in partnership with the Essex Community Tree – is back on Phoenix FM. This month’s podcast deals with coping with anxiety and depression.
Made In Essex is a regular business podcast celebrating Essex entrepreneurship, presented by Jill Willis, co-founder at Attract & Engage, author and communications strategist. In the latest instalment Jill talks to Joe Tighe, CEO of KleanDrive about his company’s endeavours to replace internal combustion engines with clean solutions.
We also host QFM – the occasional show made by the children of Quilters Junior School in Billericay. The most recent edition is now online here.
COMING UP IN JUNE
We’ve already got some great guests lined up for the next month and beyond …
Jamaican artist Tosh Alexander will be chatting live in the studio about her recent music (Jun 1); Tracey Johnson from Vita Health Group will be talking about men’s mental health (Jun 3); Mike Davies from Rayleigh Town Museum will be in the studio to talk about his town’s churches (Jun 3); Michelle Ward will be chatting to singer/songwriter Sano Hill (Jun 4); Mick Clarke, founder member of The Rubettes, will be playing live in the studio (Jun 5); Luke Smith will be chatting about Southend’s Music and Beer Festival at the Vulcan (Jun 5); Frances Quintrell and Wendy Sant will be visiting the studio to talk about their support for the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill (Jun 6); Patrick Sherring will be talking to Mike Power, Archdeacon of Southend (Jun 7); singer/songwriter Daisy Veacock will be performing live in the studio (Jun 10); Jo Bailey will be chatting to Sally Sykes from Essex Business Partnerships (Jun 11); Richard Pusey, who works as a guide at Ingatestone Hall, will be in the studio (Jun 14); Matt Barry from Blue Serif and the Creative Cove youth forum will be talking about opportunities for young people through their new project (Jun 16); Members of The Companye of Merrie Folke will be talking about their forthcoming historical re-enactment at Paycocke’s House in Coggeshall (Jun 28); Steve Linton will be talking about Brentwood Town FC’s 3G project and other news from the club (Jun 28); Ann Coleman will be coming in to talk about the Doddinghurst Stonley Festival (Jul 5); Author Rob Merchant will be talking to Patrick Sherring about his book exploring hope in anxious times (Jul 19); and Wes Sutton, Director of the Acorn Christian Healing Trust will also be visiting us (Jul 26).
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), Roy Tyzack (Thu) and Patrick Sherring (Fri). Weekend breakfast is covered by Antonia Jones.
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 music and business news with Nicki Treffers’ Modern Essex Girl.
We have a new arrival in June too – Emma Marns will be taking up a regular books and music show with her Wednesday Words & Music.
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 our existing supporters and partners:
Attract & Engage, Brandler Galleries, Brentwood Golf Club, Brentwood Spanish School, Brentwood Town FC, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Essex Business Partnerships, Essex Community Tree Network, EV Charging Systems, Foxtel, Guided Learning, Hallmark Care Homes, Heralds Way Dental Clinic, Herongate Dental, Holiday Inn Brentwood, Hutton Spice, JWD Heating & Plumbing, Layalina, Malina Patisserie, 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 – 212,800 hours on air and counting
