JANUARY 2025 NEWSLETTER
HAPPY NEW YEAR 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.
PRESENTERS’ PICKS
The whole Phoenix FM team pick their favourite single and album of 2024 – there’s some real variety! You can read their choices here. You can also see our choices in the December 25 edition of the Brentwood Gazette.
PHOENIX FM IS FINALLY COMING TO DAB!
We’re delighted to announce that Ofcom have awarded us a licence to operate a new small-scaled DAB multiplex, which will bring Phoenix FM to over 1 million new DAB listeners in Brentwood, Romford, Dagenham and Ilford (and we may be on DAB in Southend now too). We hope to get on the digital airwaves in the Spring. We’re getting to see some light at the end of the tunnel with the solicitors, so hopefully some more news soon.
INTERVIEWS
You may have missed some great interviews in December with local people, groups, charities and businesses …
Jo Bailey spoke to Anne-Marie Wickham about her Art Therapy classes.
Local IT expert Phil Bradley came in to talk to Bob Simpson about the rise of AI.
Villene Hyam from Brentwood Connected came in with local shop owner Sarah Aarons from Patrick Green & The Country Café to talk about Ingatestone Christmas Market.
Karen Cole of Essex Business Partnerships visited the studio with The Endeavour School‘s Head Teacher Antonella Crudgington and learners Alfie & James.
Karen Boath and Rachel Franklin from SNAP came in to talk about their charity’s winter activities.
Tracey Johnson from NHS Talking Therapies visited us with loads of great information on Mental Health at Christmas.
Mike Porter chatted to Liesbeth Newman about the Marillac Mobility Month.
Patrick Sherring continues to welcome a number of guests in from the local community, including Aaron Watts from Dodds Road church, Ian Kemble and Sue Evans from the Brentwood Schools Christian Worker Trust, Archdeacon of Barking Chris Burke and Pastor Peter Graham from Brentwood Food Bank.
Patrick also welcomed in Pastor Tim Lee on his regular live Boxing Day show, What Christmas Means To Me.
Scott Ross chatted to local historian Margaret Mills about Ongar’s connection with the Titanic and Essex benefactor Lady Olivia Sparrow.
Mark Searby came in for his regular film and DVD round up with Spencer Carter.
And don’t forget … 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 December.
We had two artist takeovers last month! Local singer/songwriter Sophie Griffiths hosted a two hour special with Jo Bailey, and lead singer of indie band The Others, Dominic Masters, joined Paul Golder to talk about some of his favourite tunes in a 2½ hour marathon.
Andy Gardener celebrated the 250th edition of his Under The Radar show with a Christmas special and also ran down his favourite songs of the year.
Roman Jugg has been interviewing many local musicians and producers on his new show Truly Electric Camembert, including Matt Boulter, Mark Elliott, Warren Kennedy and also John Pearman and Nigel Thomas from Southend promoters the Indie Cult Club.
Antonia Jones interviewed Helena May on her regular AJ’s Soundbooth feature.
Michelle Ward hosted more live music in the studio including Richard Roxwell, Paul Hardcastle and The Waterside Choir.
Nick Field continues to welcome local musicians to his Curveballs show, including Arcane Moon, Lady Grey and the Earls and Reverent Son.
Madeline Christy has been putting in an extra shift at The Nightshift this month once again; along with some great music you can hear her chatting to a number of country stars, including Dylan Schnieder, Owen Morton, Haley Jones and a Christmas special with Florence Sommerville.
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 saw new performances broadcast from some fantastic local performers – Callum Wood, Claudia Mack, Dan Stracey, Dawn Hutton, Grace Brazier, Gracie Mae, Hannah Mae Duggan, J.C. Duo, Jane Oakman, Josh Barber, Katie Todd, Richard Barker, Robbie Bunsell and Scott Wood.
SPORT
John Chubb continues to cover grass roots sport as host of both the Saturday Sport show and our mid-week Non League Show.
Steve Linton from Brentwood Town FC came in to talk about the latest news from the club.
Daren Mootoo’s popular cricket show 98 Not Out is on every Thursday. This month’s guests included Essex Cricket chairman Anu Mohindru, former Essex player Aaron Beard, cricket writer The Grumbler – and a Christmas Day special with Bumble himself, David Lloyd.
Andy Gilson hosts our weekly Orient Hour with a rotating panel of fans running through the latest Leyton Orient news, matches and rumours. Guests this month included Orient First Team Coach Alan McCormack, former Os defener Adrian Whitbread and current defender Jayden Sweeney.
Andy Gardener reports on Hornchurch-based footballer Millie Isherwood who won the FA’s Women’s FA Cup player of the round for her part in an incredible nine goal thriller against QPR.
Reporter Jaden Christy looked at Leyton Orient’s matches with Burton Albion and Cambridge United, and Alex Stripe covers the recent match with Crawley Town.
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.
BOOK NEWS
Emma Marns’ Wednesday Words & Music talks about books from Kate Morton, Pip Williams and Frieda McFadden.
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.
Made In Essex is a regular business podcast celebrating Essex entrepreneurship, presented by Jill Willis, co-founder at Attract & Engage, author and communications strategist. This month Jill chats to Dr Nicola Thorn, CEO of AND Technology.
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 JANUARY
We’ve already got some great guests lined up for the next month and beyond. You can see our full and ever-changing list here.
SO WHAT’S ON AIR?
We welcomed a new presenter to the team in December – Beth Linnell, whose new show Good For The Soul can be heard every Sunday at 6pm.
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 and Richard Connolly.
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, The Show That Goes Like This with Ben Simmons, Reggae Revival with Daren Mootoo, Truly Electric Camembert with ex-Damned guitarist Roman Jugg, Curveballs with Nick Field, The Golden Years with Andy Gilson, The Bliss Disciples with Daniel Gregory, The Weekend Wind-Up with Spencer Carter, TFI 90s with Chris Stagg, The Nightshift with Madeline Christy, 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, GR80s with Xanthe Bearman, Wednesday Words & Music with Emma Marns, The Midlife Mixup with Michelle Spencer and Living For The Weekend with Ian Cash.
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:
Anytime Fitness, Attract & Engage, Brandler Galleries, Brentwood Golf Club, Brentwood Spanish School, Brentwood Town FC, Essex Business Partnerships, Essex Community Tree Network, Foxtel, Guided Learning, Heralds Way Dental Clinic, Herongate Dental, Holiday Inn Brentwood, Layalina, Malina Patisserie, The Mortgage Specialists, Pinney Talfourd, Saint Francis Hospice, Shepherd Neame, The Family Parks Group, Virtual Assistant Whiz and You & I Care.
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 – 217,500 hours on air and counting
