It’s over twenty six years ago now since I was confined to continual rest during the pregnancy that was to end in the birth of my son Chris. Bored silly I entered a competition to become a "Reporter for a Day" on BBC Woman's
Hour. Then came an unexpected envelope and as they say the rest is history. Whilst lying to the doctor that I was at home resting constantly,
I was in reality dashing about on tugs and trawlers at 5am on an icy cold fish dock making a radio documentary........
Chris fell in love with radio at college where he produced his first programme “Stagecoach” followed by a stint on hospital radio at both Grimsby and Louth, since which time he has gone independent, making his debut as
editor of the Take Ten programmes. After employment in the computer industry, Chris has taken up the reins of producer of “This is England”, a role he says allows him to paint pictures with words .
Together Chris and I, with help from family and friends, produce “This is England” which is available to listeners worldwide through our website http://www.one-voice.co.uk/england/index.htm
Our 13 minute items are teamed into pairs to make a program and there is especially recorded classical guitar to accompany each one. We met Neil O 'Grady, the guitarist, as he was busking in the streets of Lincoln. That a man of such accomplishment and talent should make his living so modestly was our good fortune.
The format is polite in a very old fashioned way and the atmosphere that of an intimate chat between friends. My job is to disappear into the ether and make it feel as if the listener and the interviewee are having a private chat.
Our brief we decided was to talk to ordinary people who were both expert and enthusiastic in their particular field. The only limits on subject matter were that it should be legal, decent and honest. It’s a dream brief and through the series we have met
some of the most wonderful people you could ever imagine. I could never get depressed about the state of humanity when I spend my days meeting ordinary folk who make the world such a rich and positive place.
I've had search and rescue dogs wait patiently by their owners Chris and
Jane Murdoch as we recorded their work with the Police in saving lives and finding bodies. "Cesspool Sid" regaled us with his tales of a
lifetime career in a profession no one wants to think about. I couldn't laugh out loud because it would spoil the recording - but my insides ached with giggles all the same.
I've met the oldest working journalist in Britain, Bette Vickers who specialises in obituaries and a wry sense of humour, and I've talked to Bob French who has invented the machinery to clear land mines so safely and efficiently
that you can walk behind them and sow a crop of grain.
Mike Sandling , the forensic technician came to talk about all sorts of prints from fingers to ears and even bare feet, but the real lesson for me was his companion Amy. Amy, his bloodhound goes everywhere with him and he is working
to have the talents of these amazing dogs recognised and used by the British Police. Scientists are now beginning to suspect that they do not follow a scent trail but are actually processing DNA to track their target!
Just two days ago, Gary Carter an expert in stained glass manufacture and restoration let me handle a fragment of 14th century glass that depicted a man living and working in the craft at the time. Terry Boyce the lady World
Champion Field Archer showed me how to shoot a bow, but I clearly have a very considerable way to go to reach her level of skill.
The six week series quickly became 13 and then 26 as we offered it free to
educational, community and public
broadcasters all over the World. Thats how new radio programs get established when you don't have the backing of a big corporation behind you. We are entirely self funded from my small teacher's pension and Chris' overdraft. The average program
budget is less than 30 pounds sterling and almost all our equipment is borrowed or donated by other radio enthusiasts. We recently were featured on an American web site for new radio producers called Transom (www.transom.org)
and earned a massive three hundred dollars US! Oh the excitement and argument that went into spending that unexpected bounty, and the precious new equipment it brought us.
So why not join us on our web site at www.one-voice.co.uk/england/
and eavesdrop on Cesspool Sid and his wonderful companions. You can download some of our programs direct from the site for free using real audio. All we ask is that you sign the guest book .... we can't afford the luxury of market research so your feedback
is especially important to us.
If you like what you hear and you would like your local radio to carry the series, then all they have to do is ask for it via the web site. We'll do the rest.
And now to the future.....I don't suppose you
would expect us to rest on our laurels would you - that would be too easy. Well there is a very ambitious plan afoot that I can't discuss right now. But when the time is right I'll come back and share it with you if I may. We' re pretty sure you are
going to like it!
