Welcome to the BCB newsletter for February. Here’s just a few things that have been going on at BCB and some events that are coming up:
Radio Venus on BCB – Sunday 8 March
Yikes – its only 4 and a half weeks away! Radio Venus is BCB’s celebration of women and radio. Each year on International Women’s Day, we produce and present a full day of women’s radio. Its a time for women and girls to come together, to make the programmes that they want to make. Its also a great opportunity to learn new skills, to try something different and, most importantly, have fun together! No experience necessary. If you’d like to be involved in some way – have an idea for a programme, an issue that we should cover, know someone who’d make a great interview guest – or none of the above! – then we want to hear from you. We are holding two planning sessions at BCB – Wednesday 11th February 5- 6pm and Saturday 14 Feb 11-1pm. It would be great if you can come along to one of those sessions, but if not please do email any ideas that you have or let us know that you’d like to be involved. carole.moss@bcbradio.co.uk or mary.dowson@bcbradio.co.uk
Bradford Arts Centre Update
Big thanks to Rich Halfpenny, who is single-handedly fitting out our 3 brand new state-of-the-art radio studios at Bradford Arts Centre, (in between work and family commitments).
At the time of writing, studio 3 is just about complete. It’s our live broadcast studio at the moment and we’re also squeezing in pre-recorded programmes and training sessions in between live programmes. As a temporary measure, the RODEcaster mixing desk (that we used in the RadioBox) is set up in studio 2 and is ideal for speech-based programmes and programmes where presenters play their music via a bluetooth device (eg phone, laptop, tablet).
The work in studio 3 should be complete by Monday 9th February. The fit-out in studio 1 will be next, followed by studio 2.
If you’d like to book studio time to record your show, please call 01274 771677 and book studio time with Jonathan.
Our studio training sessions are all posted on our WhatsApp channel BCB 106.6FM > Announcements – follwed by a WhatsApp poll so we know how many people are attending each session.
If you’re recording your programme at BCB, you can now upload your own music playlist onto the audiowall from home, so that your playlist is available as soon as you come into the studio. To set up a playlist from home, please arrange to meet Jem or Jonathan at BCB (and bring your laptop in with you if you’ve got one) by calling 01274 771677.
Maureen Grant – New Chair of Management Committee
As the newly appointed Chair, I’d like to thank everyone for the commitment, care and energy you bring to BCB Radio. I have huge admiration for all those who help keep the station on air — from listeners, staff, presenters and producers to volunteers, supporters, tech teams and behind-the-scenes heroes. You are the reason BCB continues to thrive. Community radio is about connection, creativity and giving people a voice, and that only happens because of your time, passion and generosity. Thank you for being part of BCB and for everything you do.
As we settle into our new home, I hope my time as Chair will build on your strengths — continuing to produce outstanding programmes while making the most of this new space to reach even more people, welcome new voices and deepen our community connections. I’m really looking forward to working alongside you as we shape this next chapter together.
Schools
We’ve been continuing our work with pupils from Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy, who were very excited to see our Brand New Studios! They’re currently busy practicing for their next show where they will share all the latest school news, talk about reading, films AND giving us the low down on current trend ‘6 7’!
In January we welcomed a group of young people from Bradford Citizens as part of our new ‘Listen up’ project, funded by the Pears Foundation. The pupils from Belle Vue Girls and Emmanuelle College produced a special program all about Reading, as this year we celebrate the National Year of Reading. You can listen back to the show via our listen again service.
Radio 119
It has been a busy month for the team at Radio 119, our project supporting adults with learning disabilites to have greater access to the media. They have interviewed Creative Flare, Bradford People First, Healthwatch Bradford and St.George’s Hall. The team also visited the National Science and Media Museum and Bradford Cathedral and have been doing a lot of researching, editing and recording.
Step Up To The Mic
We’ve just started the new radio training course for women, Step up to the Mic. Its an 8 week course for women who are not currently in paid work, who want to learn new skills and build confidence. There’s a great group of women already enrolled – and there’s still time to join us! It runs every Wednesday 11-1pm at BCB. If you’d like to join in, please get in touch with mary.dowson@bcbradio.co.uk or phone BCB 01274 771677 to get more info.
International Women’s Day Event
Over the last few weeks BCB has had the pleasure of hosting the planning sessions for the International Women’s Day event. We’ve been able to welcome a fabulous group of women who are pulling together ideas for the celebration. The event this year will be held at Bradford Arts Centre and The Broadway on Sunday 8 March 11am-3pm – so hold the date! If you’d like to have a stall, could deliver a workshop, maybe perform a song/poem/spoken word/dance – or anything else at all please do get in touch. mary.dowson@bcbradio.co.uk bev.mullaney@bradford.gov.uk
Featured Programme of the Month
Every month we shine the spotlight on a particular programme on the BCB schedule. This month we’re telling you about Selection Box with Patrick Thornton who has recently broadcast his 800th show.
Selection Box goes out every Wednesday 9-10pm and is hosted by Patrick Thornton. The show brings together new and lesser-known records across a range of different genres. “I’m not looking to be wilfully obscure”, Patrick says, “but what’s the point in another programme that plays all the same things you can hear everywhere else? I fall in love with a new record just about every day, and I want to give people that same sense of the thrill of discovery.”
BCB Membership
We’d just like to remind all our volunteers that BCB is a membership organisation and that you need to be a member to broadcast on BCB. The minimum annual membership fee is £5 for unwaged, £10 for waged and £25 for an organisation. It may be easier to pay by bank transfer. Many BCB members now pay a supporting monthly membership – a monthly membership of either £5 or £10, If you could possibly afford to make this monthly subscription for being part of BCB that would really help us to ensure our future. If you’re unsure whether you are a paid up BCB member then please email jem.emmett@bcbradio.co.uk or check with Jem when you’re next in.
Email Addresses
We’re currently making sure we’ve got up to date emails for everybody so we can keep everyone informed of what’s going on at BCB. When your next in BCB just check with Jem to see if we’ve got the right forwarding address for you. You can also email jem.emmett@bcbradio.co.uk to check as well.
Work experience
As we mentioned last month, here at BCB Radio we offer a variety of work experience placements for young people, or those in education, who are currently living in or studying in the Bradford district. Placements are a great way for people to get a taste for working in community development and the media.
If you know a young person from Bradford who may be interested please ask them to contact hello@bcbradio.co.uk for further info! Dates are filling up fast so it’s first come first served!
