Welcome to the BCB newsletter for June. Here’s just a few things that have been going on at BCB and some events that are coming up:

Bradford Literature Festival 2025 27June – 6 Jul

The programme is finally out for BLF 2025! As we reported last month we are putting together our BCB plans for broadcasting over the BLF period. We are planning to increase our coverage this year with having the Radiobox in City Park. If you’d like to be part of the BCB team reviewing events, interviewing authors, talking to people attending the festival, co-presenting our daily programmes please do let us know. We need a team of committed people to enable us to deliver our coverage of BLF. Also if you’d like to attend any BLF events we have a code that enables you to access free tickets. Just get in contact with mary.dowson@bcbradio.co uk

Bradford 2025 – reporters needed!

Things are really hotting up in the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture programme. We are trying to cover as much as we can on BCB, reflecting the breadth of the activities in the programme. But there’s such a lot! If you are going to an event, would you be up for telling us what you thought about it on our Bradford and Beyond or About Bradford programmes? We are looking for people to chat for a short while either on the phone or in the studio, just outlining what they’ve been to and how it was. Could you do that? If you are up for it, just let Jo know and we’ll arrange a time with you to do your review. hello@bcbradio.co.uk

If you’d like to be part of our outside broadcasts team this year, please get in touch with Jonathan Pinfield on 01274 771677 or jonathan.pinfield@bcbradio.co.uk

Developing Confidence in Community Journalism

Thanks to everyone who attended the session last month with Carl Hartley. This was part of BCB’s collaboration project with Leeds University School of Media. The workshop that Carl delivered looked at ways that we can enhance our recordings, and make the most of our outside broadcasts, and generally think more widely about how we produce radio pieces. We are hoping to have a follow up session that will explore producing features and packages. The date for the next session is still to be confirmed but will be at the end of June/beginning of July. If you’re interested in attending and are not on the current list just let us know mary.dowson@bcbradio.co.uk

Radio Times

BCB is going to be starting a brand new radio project for the over 55s. The project is called Radio Times, and will provide a weekly drop in session at BCB where people can learn radio skills, and ultimately present a new weekly afternoon programme on BCB. If you know anyone who might be interested in joining the project or finding out more about it then please let us know. Dipak.mistry@bcbradio.co.uk mary.dowson@bcbradio.co.uk

Another right Royal visit!

BCB was again represented at the recent visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to Bradford, in celebration of Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture. Mary Dowson was invited to meet the king in Cartwright Hall along with other representatives of the cultural and creative industries, and the Bantams of the Opera choir providing the entertainment.

Bradford StoryHub Launch

We officially launched the Bradford StoryHub on 21st May at BCB – and it was a massive success! A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make it such a brilliant start, and to those who joined our fact-checking course last week.

The Bradford StoryHub is a new community journalism initiative from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism in partnership with Bradford Community Broadcasting (BCB). It aims to amplify local voices and support community-led storytelling.

Upcoming free StoryHub workshops at BCB (no experience required)…

Telling Untold Stories: Producing Long-Form Audio
Tuesday, 17th June -4-5pm with John Offord, Bradford’s StoryHub Community Organiser from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Our community organiser and experienced audio producer will take you behind the scenes of powerful audio investigations. This session will explore how to pitch, plan, and produce compelling long-form audio documentaries that centre marginalised voices, navigate legal and ethical considerations, and deliver impact.

Using Journalism for Community Impact
Tuesday, 15th July – 4-6pm with Katie Mark from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Join Katie Mark, journalist and documentary filmmaker at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, for an interactive session on how journalism can uncover overlooked stories and challenge power. With experience at BBC Panorama and Africa Eye, Katie focuses on under-reported communities across Africa and the Middle East. She’ll share how investigations are built, why public interest journalism matters locally, and guide a practical workshop to help you shape your own impactful, evidence-based community story ideas.

How to write for the reader
Tuesday, 22nd July 4-6pm with Oliver Kemp, from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Learn how to craft stories that truly connect with your audience. This practical session will explore how to write clearly, compellingly, and with purpose—keeping the reader front and centre. Whether you’re sharing lived experience, reporting a local issue, or writing a blog, you’ll pick up tips to make your writing more engaging and impactful. Oliver joined TBIJ to lead on direct audience growth, having previously developed digital strategies and best practices for regional titles across the UK.

To reserve your place, email johnofford@tbij.com. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Romalandia!

We are very pleased to be working with members of the Connecting Roma CIC. Daniel and Jennifer have started training with us at BCB, with the aim of broadcasting a regular ‘Romalandia’ radio programme. We are hoping that the first programme will be ready for broadcast at the end of June, celebrating Gypsy Roma and Traveller History month, and to coincide with the opening of the new Roma community centre at the bottom of Bolton Road.

Kala Sangam Visit

Behind the scenes it’s all moving ahead of our move to Kala Sangam (soon to be known as Bradford Arts Centre). This week we’ve been down to the space to see how the construction works been coming a long and to continue thinking about how we will use the space we have and to make it uniquely BCB! We don’t have any definite dates about the move but we’ll we let you know as soon as we do. In the mean time, if you have any ideas, suggestions or input please do let us know. Exciting times!

We(can’t)Transfer

Over the past month or so, we’ve not been able to receive audio files sent to us via wetransfer to radioshows@bcbradio.co.uk and we’ve been unable to fix the problem. If you’re planning to send us any audio files in future, please don’t use wetransfer, we’d recommend trying fromsmash.com instead.

Open Minds

Thanks to everyone who came along to our Open Minds taster sessions over the last few weeks. We now have a new group of people with lived experience of managing mental health, who will be starting radio training at BCB next week. This group is part of the BD2025 Creative Health social prescribing pilot project, exploring how participation in creative activities can make a positive contribution to well being.

Radio 119

It has been a busy month at Radio 119, our project supporting adults with learning disabilities to have greater access to the media, as per usual. The team have been spending more and more time honing their broadcasting skills in the BCB studios. They’ve also been celebrating Mental Health Awareness week and Learning Disability week with two shows that went out on Tuesdays About Bradford at 11.30am (their regular slot) as did their interview with Aware, a charity supporting people with Autism. Even though they’ve been incredibly busy they managed to squeeze in seeing King Charles and Queen Camillia when they visited.

Bradford 2025 Roundup

Trains, royal visits and musical journeys across Bradford – it has been all go for Bradford 2025 over the past month and we’ve been busy with all of it. At the start of the month the BCB RadioBox, our roving mobile radio studio, was at Bingley 25 – the three day celebration of Bingley arts and culture – for the bank holiday weekend. Jenny Kean was over at Salts Mill chatting to American artist Ann Hamilton about her exhibition “We Will Sing” which is currently on Salt Mill. Carole Moss and Dipak Mistry were further afield as they hoped on a LNER Train to London for the launch of five new services from Bradford to London – Dipak aka Mistryllaneous was playing out some banging tunes to the people of Kings Cross as well. May also saw the Bradford Progress

Recorded programmes in June/July

Jonathan and Jem are both on periods of annual leave between Monday 30 June and Monday 14th July (and they’re both away on Friday 11th July), so please give us some extra time to schedule in your recorded programmes between these two dates by sending them in to us a few days earlier than usual or booking studio time in advance to record your programme on the audio wall, thanks.

Featured Programme of the Month

Every month we shine the spotlight on one particular programme on the BCB schedule. This month we’re telling you more about VisionON with Marcus Rattray and June Russell.

VisionON is BCB’s brand new visual arts programme and every four weeks June and Marcus will be chatting with artists from across the Bradford district about theirart and creative process. The first edition (which aired on the 24th June at 1pm) featured artists Ruth Fettis and Patrick Whitehead about their art and work as printmakers.

There will be a new edition every four weeks, if you’d like to be featured please email visionON@bcbradio.co.uk

Live Outside Broadcasts on BCB 106.6FM

t’s a busy time for live outside broadcasts on BCB 106.6FM! Our live outside broadcasts in May included the Bingley 25 Festival, Bradford City Fire Memorial Service, Bradford City’s Victory Parade and the Royal visit to Bradford.

Our live outside broadcasts in June include the Epliepsy Action 10K (on 1 June), The Lexus Ilkley Tennis Open from 6-10 June (possibly until 12 June if the sun re-appears), Thornton Arts Trail from 13-15 June and Bradford 2025’s BEACON at Bowling Park from 17-22 June.

We’ve now also got a new BCB-branded gazebo that we can use alongside the RadioBox or at different events across the district to celebrate our Bradford 2025 U.K. Capital of Culture year.