MAY 2024 NEWSLETTER

Hope you’re all enjoying the warm tropical Spring weather!  Here’s the latest instalment of 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 April with local people, groups, charities and businesses …

Mike Porter chatted with David Hurst, the new High Sheriff of Essex.  Mike also spoke to Jan Scott from Saint Francis Hospice, Steve Willoughby from Home Instead and Jane Bennett from Bennetts Funeral Directors about Dying Matters Week, taking place from 6-12 May.

Leanne Turner came in to talk to Jo Bailey about the Aching Arms charity.

Gemma Howard talked about the Big Sing Community Choir and their forthcoming Brentwood Centre concert.

Nicki Treffers chatted to Sarah Walmsley about the Brentwood BID which aims to help promote local businesses, and to Penny Hollington from Lady Penelope Wines about her new venture.

Patrick Sherring welcomed in Jonathan Croucher, Archdeacon of Chelmsford and Darren Barlow, the C and E Rector of Shenfield.

John Allen came in to chat to Bob Simpson about the Langdon Nature Discovery Park.

Claire Gevaux and Natalie Bays chatted to Amber Jarman Crainey about her immersive arts experience.

Tony Stringer from Friends of Namuncha visited to talk about the charitable work he is doing in Kenya.

Mark Searby came in for his regular film and DVD round up with Spencer Carter.  Did you see Mark on BBC Breakfast News last month talking about Rik Mayall?

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.

MUSIC

We also interviewed some great singers and bands in April.

Gareth Williams spoke to chart-topping folk rock legend Frank Turner.

Nick Field introduced Bob Collum who played live in the studio (15 years after his last appearance!) and also chatted to local duo Fear Of An Infinite Loop.

Andy Gardener hosted a live session from singer/songwriter Luce Rushton.

Madeline Christy welcomed in a number of country stars to her regular show The Nightshift, including Jake O’Neill, Denitia, Luke Flear and Kezia Gill.

Michelle Ward chatted to local band Square Wave, singer/songwriters Stephen Foster-Pilkington, Summer Lee Carlson and Amy Baker, hosted a live session from Jakob Diest from We Are All Fossils and also spoke to promoter Nick Garner about his experiences with David Bowie and Peter Frampton.

Bob Simpson introduced live music from Jodie McKay and Gerry Slattery, and Mike Porter chatted to local singer Kayleigh Walker.

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. April saw performances broadcast from some fantastic local performers – Callum Wood, Ella Fae, Georgia Larkin, Gregg Thickett, Jane Oakman, Jerry Rigg, Jessica Ivy, Josh Barber, Katie Savage, Katie Todd, Robbie Bunsell and Scott Wood.

BOOK NEWS

Jo Bailey chatted to best selling authors Simon Compton and Mark Jones about their book The Accidental Manager.

Sylvia Kent also came in for her regular Book Club feature with Michelle Ward.

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 Humphrey Repton, Loughton Hall and North Weald Bassett airfield.

Sylvia Kent chatted on air about Jimmy Todd, The Warley Blacksmith.

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, where you can hear his interview with Dan Wright, chairman of Benfleet FC.

Daren Mootoo’s popular cricket show 98 Not Out is on every Thursday. This month Daren chatted to broadcasters Mel Farrell, Victoria Polley and Matt Kabir Floyd.

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 Os Vice Chairman Kent Teague.

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 an exclusive interview with Basildon United’s Callum Stringer and Great Wakering Rovers’ Harry Talbot.

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. 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.

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 MAY

We’ve already got some great guests lined up for the next month and beyond …

Local bands Reverent Son (May 1) and The Exact Opposite (May 2); Zoe Jay, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Helen Rollason Cancer Charity (May 3); singer/songwriters Alya Elouissi and Romel who will be playing live (May 3); local band Soul’d Out (May 5); singer/songwriter Bird (May 6); film maker Caroline Spencer about new film Best Geezer (May 6); Adam Young from The Howlers will be talking about the band’s new album (May 6); travel experts Warren and Dena Jessop from Not Just Travel (May 7); Sally Sykes from Essex Business Partnerships (May 7); local singer/songwriter George Bone (May 8); Colchester band Elephant Jane (May 8); author Rob Merchant (May 17); Martin John and Melanie Hane will be talking about mental health and overcoming drug addiction (May 19); singer/songwriter Fraser Morgan (May 22); Steve Linton from Brentwood Town FC (May 24); Mark Anthony be visiting from London dance-fusion band Nyther Silence (May 25); Charlene Douglas from TV’s Married At First Sight (May 26); Marie O Regan and Clare Calder will be talking about their attempts to swim the Arctic Circle in aid of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (May 31); Mike Power, Archdeacon of Southend (Jun 7); singer/songwriter Daisy Veacock who will be performing live in the studio (10 Jun); and finally, Ann Coleman will be coming in to talk about the Doddinghurst Stonley Festival (Jul 5).

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 (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 music and business news with Nicki Treffers’ Modern Essex Girl.

In April we said goodbye to our youngest presenter George Hanlon, after three years of presenting The George Hanlon show.

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 new supporters Brentwood Spanish School and Malina Patisserie, and our existing supporters and partners too:

Attract & Engage, Brandler Galleries, Brentwood Golf Club, Brentwood Town FC, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Essex Business Partnerships, Essex Community Tree Network, EV Charging Systems, Foxtel, Guided Learning, 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 – 212,000 hours on air and counting