Leicester Stories: Recent Episodes
Leicester Stories
On the 22nd of June, Professor Edward Cartwright and Rob Watson of Decentered Media, hosted
The Evington Echo is celebrating three hundred editions with an exhibition of past copies at the Documentary Media Centre in Leicester. The editor, Helen Pettmen, explains how the Echo came about and what stories have been covered. It’s thanks to the volunteers who write, produce and distribute the Evington Echo that this milestone has been reached, and here’s looking forward to the next milestone.
It was lovely to catch up with supporters of the Leicestershire Cares Power to Change network on Friday, and take part in discussions about how voluntary and community organisations can make a positive contribution to the future of Leicester as a place to live with high levels of civic engagement and a good quality of life for everyone. We chatted with a couple of people about their challenges of 2022 and what they are looking forward to achieving in 2023.
Just before Christmas Beta-X held its wrap-up. After ten months it was time to say thanks to everyone who aupported the project, and who had exhibited and run workshops. We spoke with people about what Beta-X meant to them, and how Leicester might support design and creative practice hubs in the future.
The Leicester Smart City project had a wrap-up discussion, so we could reflect on the process of gathering and sharing stories, and think about how community reporting is an effective model for public engagement for sharing and developing greater understanding for public awareness of research.
We captured a wide range of discussions from our reporters, ZamZam, Madina and Amrin, who along with Bindu had shared their reflections and observations. We’ve put them together as a podcast, so we can listen again to the questions and observations that participants contributed to the deliberation.
This project is supported by The Alan Turing Institute, whose mission is to promote the understanding of the ethical and social issues arising from the use of data science and artificial intelligence. Professor Edward Cartwright of De Montfort University is leading the project, along with colleagues Dr Swati Virmani and Dr Ruben Martinez Cardenas of the Leicester Castle Business School.
We’ve been following the journey of Leicester-based artist Lucy Stevens, as she prepares to present
How can Leicester build on the extensive social diversity of people living and working in
Today we attended a presentation by Professor Simon Rogerson of De Montfort University about the
On Wednesday, we paid a visit to the Compass exhibition in Jubilee Square in Leicester,
Yesterday we chatted with Gail Brown, who runs Leicester Coffee House, which is a social
Today’s Leicester Smart City Community Reporter planning session at Solvers Studio, was a full day
Lucy Stevens is preparing for her exhibition at Leicester Museum. Colour Coded Birds will reinterpret
How do we develop community-focussed support for wellbeing following the Covid-19 pandemic? This is one
Lucy Stevens is a Leicester based artist, who creates multi-media artworks inspired by ornithology and
What’s the role of creative design practice in supporting positive and inclusive social change? How
How do we inspire the next generation of designers and creative-makers to take the lead
BETA X is a Leicester-based design and sustainability hub that promotes digital work, fashion, textiles,
Leicester Lo-Fi is a community darkroom and photography collective that promotes fine art and traditional
How can we adapt our consumer habits so that they are more sustainable? Jon Prest is a regular shopper on Leicester Market, and wants to inspire small changes that will make a big difference to how our shopping habits can become more environmentally responsible.
Jon runs Seed Creativity https://seedcreativity.co.uk/ and presents Brand Master Flash on YouTube.
A group of artists from the West End in Leicester are opening up their studios and creative spaces to the public, to share their art and ideas. Taking place on Saturday the 20th November from 12pm to 5pm. Traci Howard chatted about what it means to be an artist in Leicester, and the importance of using art to inspire people to feel connections. Find out more at West End Studio Trail on Instagram.
The Corona Virus lockdown has got many people who volunteer and work for community and civic society groups thinking about what it means to build back better in Leicester. What are the challenges of the future that we must anticipate, and how can we support a new generation of community leaders with fresh and innovative ideas, to engage with everyone as we try to learn and improve? I’m Rob Watson, and over the summer I’ve been spending time chatting with people who work for charities and civic society organisations in Leicester, about what they think Building Back Better means, not just as a slogan, but in practise. What do we need to start planning for, so we’re ready for the next set of challenges? Over six programmes we’ve been hearing from people across Leicester who’ve been telling us what they think about the city and in what way they think life in Leicester can be improved.
In this final episode, we’ll hear from Sarah De’ath, who’s a computing sciences lecturer. We’ll hear from Recce Stafferton, who’s the editor of the Leicester Citizen, and from Rukhsana Hussain, who’s a community campaigner.
Interview 01: Sarah De’Ath, Senior Lecturer, De Montfort University, Wednesday 25th August 2021, Leicester Coffee House, Leicester.
Interview 02: Recce Stafferton, Editor Leicester Citizen, Wednesday 11th August 2021, Leicester Coffee House, Leicester.
Interview 03: Rukhsana Hussain, Founding Organiser Outspoken, Thursday 5th August 2021, Esquires Coffee, Leicester.
Programme Transcript: LBBBS-Episode-006-Radio-Edit-Transcription-2021-09-05
Leicester Stories Social Media
YouTube
Extended Episode: Right Click to Download
https://leicesterstories.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LBBBS-Episode-006-Extended-2021-09-05.mp3 Leicester Builds Back Better Stories is broadcast on Leicester Community Radio, Radio Seerah and Kohinor Radio, and is supported by the Audio Content Fund, and was developed with assistance from De Montfort University, the Documentary Media Centre and the Zinthiya Trust.
Thanks to Ryan Clayton and Roy Mark Weller for additional content production.
This is a Decentered Media production by Rob Watson.
This week, we were with local money advice charity Moneywise Plus, who recorded a feature on how it has helped people manage their finances and find training or employment.
We wanted to understand how a charity, that is focussed on helping people keep their lives together, might be able to use community media techniques, such as personal testimony and storytelling, to support their engagement with people who are being most affected by the cuts to universal credit.
We spent a morning listening to one another’s experiences of tuning into the different types of radio, and asking what kind of information and relationship they are based on, and in what way each of the different broadcasters share their content on-air and over the internet.
Our aim was to figure out what approach we should take if we are to help people who need support with their finances, and who may not be aware of the support services that are available for them.
At a time when many people are anxious about a potential squeeze on their ability to manage their finances, it is essential, we decided, that the stories and testimony that we share should be based on the experience of people who have faced the challenges of homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and who have relationships that might be fragile and prone to falling apart.
One of the advantages of using radio to help people who might be worried is that it doesn’t depend on reading or watching anything, but can be listened to while working, looking after the home or travelling about.
Radio is a powerful way to build trust with listeners, especially when we hear people like ourselves, talking about their own experiences and challenges, and how they have overcome them. Radio is even better when we hear people speaking and talking like we do.
Recovery from the Corona Virus lockdown has got many people who volunteer and work for community and civic society groups thinking about what it means to Build Back Better in Leicester. Coupled with the climate crisis, there will be no returning to what was the old normal. What the new normal needs to be, however, isn’t quite clear yet. I’m Rob Watson, and over the summer I’ve spent time chatting with people who work for charities and civic society organisations in Leicester, about what they think building back better means in practise and what we need to do, so we are ready for the next set of challenges. Over six programmes we’re hearing from people across Leicester who’ve been telling us what they think about the city, and in what way they think life in Leicester can be improved.
In this fifth episode, we’ll hear from Helen Patman, who is the editor of the Evington Echo, a community newspaper with a focus on local environmental issues, and from Ben Lowe, who is an environmental campaigner.
Interview 01: Helen Pettman, Editor Evington Echo, Wednesday 4th August, Leicester Coffee House, Leicester.
Interview 02: Ben Lowe, Greenpeace Leicestershire Co-ordinator, Thursday 19th August 2021, Esquires Coffee, Leicester.
Programme Transcript: LBBBS-Episode-005-Radio-Edit-Transcription-2021-09-05
Leicester Stories Social Media
YouTube
Extended Episode: Right Click to Download
https://leicesterstories.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LBBBS-Episode-005-Extended-Edit-2021-09-05.mp3 Leicester Builds Back Better Stories is broadcast on Leicester Community Radio, Radio Seerah and Kohinor Radio, and is supported by the Audio Content Fund, and was developed with assistance from De Montfort University, the Documentary Media Centre and the Zinthiya Trust.
Thanks to Ryan Clayton for additional content production.
This is a Decentered Media production by Rob Watson.
Recovering from the coronavirus pandemic is going to take some effort and determination, which means we need to rethink what and how we approach the support that is available to people across Leicester. There’ll be no returning to the old normal, though we don’t yet know what the new normal needs to be. I’m Rob Watson, and over the summer I’ve been chatting with people who work for charities and civic society organisations in Leicester, about how they are planning to Build Back Better, and what we need to do to be ready for the next set of community challenges. Over six programmes we’re hearing from people across Leicester who’ve been telling us what they think about the city, and in what way they think life in Leicester can be improved.
In this fourth episode, we’ll hear from Charlotte Robbie Turner, who’s an education support champion with Leicestershire Cares, who helps young people who’ve been in care to gain employment. We will also be hearing from Shim Gooch, who worked for Reaching People supporting community leadership training.
Interview 01: Charlotte Robey Turner, Head of Children and Young People, Leicestershire Care, Monday 26th July 2021, Bishop Street Chapel Café, Leicester.
Interview 02: Shim Gooch, Project Manager, Reaching People Wednesday 28th July 2021, Esquires Coffee, Leicester.
Programme Transcript: LBBBS-Episode-004-Radio-Edit-Transcription-2021-09-05
Leicester Stories Social Media
YouTube
Extended Episode: Right Click to Download
https://leicesterstories.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LBBBS-Episode-004-Extended-Edit-2021-09-05.mp3 Leicester Builds Back Better Stories is broadcast on Leicester Community Radio, Radio Seerah and Kohinor Radio, and is supported by the Audio Content Fund, and was developed with assistance from De Montfort University, the Documentary Media Centre and the Zinthiya Trust.
Thanks to Ryan Clayton for additional content production.
This is a Decentered Media production by Rob Watson.
Returning to normal after the pandemic means looking at the big things that enable communities to thrive, but also the small things, such as the relationships that we have with one another. I’m Rob Watson and I’ve been chatting over the summer with people who work for charities and civil society organisations in Leicester, about what they think Building Back Better means, and what we need to do to be ready to face the next set of social and personal dilemmas. Over six programmes, we’re hearing from people across Leicester, who’ve been telling us what they think about the city and in what way they think life in Leicester can be improved.
In this third episode, we’ll hear from Dr Marie Lefebvre, a project worker at Quetzal, who help women recover from childhood sexual violence, and from Mackinder Chahal, a senior support worker at Trade Sexual Health, which is dedicated to preventing the spread, and reducing the stigma, of HIV.
Interview 01: Marie Lefebvre, Development Officer Quetzal, 14th July 2021, Leicester Cathedral Café.
Interview 02: Makinder Chahal, Senior Health Promotion Worker, Trade Sexual Health, 18th August 2021, Trade, Leicester.
Programme Transcript: LBBBS-Episode-003-Radio-Edit-Transcription-2021-09-05
Leicester Stories Social Media
YouTube
Extended Episode: Right Click to Download
https://leicesterstories.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LBBBS-Episode-003-Extended-Edit-2021-09-11.mp3 Leicester Builds Back Better Stories is broadcast on Leicester Community Radio, Radio Seerah and Kohinor Radio, and is supported by the Audio Content Fund, and was developed with assistance from De Montfort University, the Documentary Media Centre and the Zinthiya Trust.
Thanks to Ryan Clayton for additional content production.
This is a Decentered Media production by Rob Watson.