Westminster Radio Latest Posts: Recent Episodes
Westminster Radio Latest Posts
This is the channel for students from the University of Westminster studying radio and digital media.
The University of Westminster is one of the top 15 media production courses in the country . Here you can find a selection of students' content from the course.
An original modern day comedy by James Mortimer. Theo & Tatiana seek success in both love and career but will dishonest tactics lead to the demise of their friendship or careers?
Warning - This drama contains strong language
Directed: Afia Bruce
Producer: Natalie Malcolm
Studio Manager: Simon Le Vans
Script Editor: Ellen King
Production Coordinator: Adam Berks
An audio drama written by Chloe Harris.
Molly has a condition which keeps her at home in her bed. Her mother treats her with medication but Molly often dreams of seeing the outside world. Molly's sister Lucy has a plan to set her free.
Producer - Beth Moss
Director - Iona Hammond
Studio Manager - Dan Freeman
Production Coordinator - Geneva Leal
Script Editor - Yeliz Sonat
Charles Parker Prize Shortlisted feature:
Producer Hester Cant takes us around the world via the kitchens of women in the UK. There won’t be academics, critics or head chefs telling you what to cook and when to cook it. This is the food your mother and grandmother taught you to cook: simple, full of flavour and rooted in rich cultural tradition. Learn how to eat global food…locally, with help from the women who know best.
To find out more about the social enterprise Mazi Mas visit there site: www.mazimas.co.uk/
When was the last time you went to an arcade? Did you have a good time, or did you think it was a little bit dated? Gabriel Green explores whether arcades have a future.
Harrogate in North Yorkshire is famous around the world for being the home of Bettys café tearooms. Bettys is a Yorkshire institution and has served its loyal customers for nearly a century. What is strange about this quintessentially British and Yorkshire Company. Is the fact, Frederick Belmont, who was an orphan immigrant from Switzerland, founded the business.
Very few Bettys customers will know the struggles of Frederick Belmont’s early life, where he lost his family in a tragedy over Christmas in 1890. His enslavement to his new foster family, in the Swiss mountains. Frederick eventually turned his life around and travelled to England, to start Bettys in the spa town of Harrogate in 1919.
Alex Mearns presents a tale of heartbreak and immense success for this Yorkshire family business. You will hear Jonathan Wild, who is Frederick's Great nephew and former chairmen of Bettys. Malcolm Neesam, whose knowledge of the history of Harrogate, is unrivalled. Lesley Norris, Head of product development at Bettys for over 35 years and importantly the creator of the famous Fat Rascal, that so many Bettys customers have enjoyed. Finally, Matthew Husband catering manager at the business, this man ensures all the delicious food, remains delicious.
This is a story about immigration, family, loss, success, business and most importantly Yorkshire.
The Barbershop is one of the fastest growing businesses in the United Kingdom.
But it isn’t just a random modern wave or trend that has no substance or backbone behind it, in fact it has a very rich history within the Capital from the oldest barber organisation, The Worshipful Company of Barbers, to infamous story of Sweeney Todd of Fleet Street which have been immortalised through the Stephen Sondheim’s musical and Tim Burton’s film.
Dom Betts investigates this by taking a journey startng with it’s history talking to a historian from the University of Exeter, called Dr Alun Withey and discussing with him the ancient history of this trade in the Capital, then Dom heads over to Fleet Street to talk to a London Tour Guide about whether Sweeney Todd really did exist.
With this providing enough backbone to the craft, he fast forwards to the Modern Day and speaks to a marketing manager & a barber about how to become a successful barbershop in the 21st century and what role social media plays in the industry.
Before looking ahead to the future and what lies ahead for such an intrinsic part of London culture.
Contributors: Dr Alun Withey Julian McDonell Adam Brady Klipper Kem
Produced by Dom Betts
Why do we love our old games and what phycological effects do they have on us. With the industry taking advantage for our demand for nostalgia is it giving fresh life for classic titles of the past of harming the originality in contempary gaming. Documentary on retro games featuring author Jamie Madigan and Retro Asylum host Dean Swain.
Produced by Sean Allsop
I've never been to The Royal Opera House before, and so after being invited to take a look around one evening with my friend Fay, I wondered - Why aren't more young people get involved?
Thank you to The Royal Opera House for inviting us in, and my younger sister for talking to me about fancy ballet.
third year audio feature project.
Creating bespoke shoes is a skill that is continuing within workshops all over the country. But with prices starting from £3,500 at certain shops, why do people want to part with this money for a pair of shoes?
In this programme we will meet some of the few bespoke shoemakers left in the industry. George Glasgow is the chairman and managing director of G.J.Cleverley, located in the heart of London’s West End. George has been in the industry for over 50 years. We hear from his craftsmen who give us an insight into how you construct a pair of bespoke shoes, having made for the likes of Sir Winston Churchill and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Marsha Hall is a bespoke shoemaker for ladies footwear, creating and constructing her designs in a workshop in her garden.
We also hear from Tim Little, chief executive and creative director of Grenson, a shoemakers on a larger scale, based in Rushden. Grenson has been creating shoes since 1866 and continues to do so, both bespoke and factory made.
Contrary to belief, bespoke shoemakers are thriving with orders more so now than ever. However, the younger generations do not seem to be interested in learning the skills involved, and those within the industry are looking for ways to entice them in.
Produced by Rachael Bird.
This year UK Garage is back in such a big way, even Craig David has returned to his roots; but for some the uniquely British sound has never gone away. From it's humble beginnings from the independent clubs in London, UK Garage changed the sound of clubbing in Britain and bombarded the charts with hit after hit.
A scene that launched acts like Alesha Dixon in Mis-Teeq, Wiley, Dizzy Rascal and Ms Dynamite I spoke to the people that pioneered Garage and taking it into the mainstream and beyond.
Disclaimer - THIS ITEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BBC RADIO 1XTRA. This feature was created to sound like something that would be played on BBC Radio 1Xtra for assessment purposes only.
Producer - This item was created fully by Keith True, a professional London DJ of 13 years and Events Promoter since the late 90's. He is about to complete the University of Westminster's Radio Production degree course and continues to present his iTunes top 30 comedy podcast, 'Big & Clever'.
Special thanks to: Majestic at Kiss FM UK DJ Spoony at Rinse FM MC Creed Andy Parfitt at Enlightened Leadership Ian Parkinson at Parkinson Media Rose at Enlightened Leadership CKP Kele La Roc
Why do we feel pain, and what happens when it stops becoming useful - Can we ever learn to ignore pain we don't need anymore. Jamie Wareham re-examines his personal journey of understanding his persistent and chronic pain.
3rd Year Documentary Project - 15 Minutes. TX aimed at Radio 4 audience
As a child Sean Allsop suffered from a speech disorder which required years of speech therapy and training. Now 20 and communicating with ease Sean looks into how the voice develops, when it has difficulties and what methods are used to improve it .
Featuring contributions from Children's author and poet Michael Rosen and Meath specialist Speech & Language primary school.
Dom Betts looks at how double basses are made from the raw wood to the gigantic masterpieces you see in orchestras and jazz ensembles. He speaks to Malcolm Healey, the man behind Healey Basses and Violins, about the whole creation process. He also hears from bassists such as Malcolm’s wife and bass teacher Jane Healey, and jazz performer Arnie Somogyi on why the love they instrument so very much.
Stephen speaks to professors and psychologists to explore and discover if their are any serious long term effects from FOMO and if they think the digital age and the increased use of smartphones play a huge part in this new phase.
Scott Hughes, a radio presenter from Liverpool discusses his own experiences with FOMO and explains the results after going cold turkey from all forms of social media.
By speaking to a variety of professors, psychologists and sufferers Stephen hopes to find out if FOMO has definite links to anxiety or depression or are we able to control this ourselves?
Over the past 20 years, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has taken Mixed Marshal Arts (MMA) and has transformed it from the no rules bare-knuckle bloodbaths of the early 90’s, into one of the fastest growing sports of the 20th century, but has still yet to take a foothold in the UK and Ireland, but all of that may be about to change, all because of a young Irish man named Conor McGragor, who was still collecting his social welfare check just 6 days before he made his UFC debut on the 6th of August 2013. We sent our reporter Dafydd Jones-Morris to find out more about this charismatic young man and the affect this is having on up and coming fighter Tom Wincott of Diesel MMA in south east London, and British and Irish MMA scene as a whole.
Christmas eve was traditionally the time to tell scary stories around the hearth in the 19th century time period. This is an investigation of the Victorian ghost story, Spring Heeled Jack, as experts explore the stories of the mysterious character that was so often on the lips of the public and print papers. Spring Heeled Jack may not be as well heard of as the case of London's infamous Jack the Ripper, but had just as much of a hold over London during this time period. As the winter solstice is soon approaching, the true darkness of the night is described within this story. Here Karl Bell, gives us a common description of Spring Heeled Jack himself..
“It was rather like the telephone we use today, you could send an almost instant message.”
The postcard: a simple device to show your loved ones all the glamorous places you’ve visited. Filled with messages of ‘Wish You Were Here’, they are a freeze frame of another far away exotic place. For family members, they are memories. For collectors, they are snapshots into the past. For some, they are a way of sprucing up your otherwise dreary office desk.
Steve Kentfield is a postcard trader under the guise East London Postcard, and every few months he visits the ETC Fair, to sell and trade vintage postcards from across the world to other like minded collectors.
Meanwhile the National Library of Wales has a collection of over 20,000, used to document the changing face of the country. The Photographer’s Gallery recently held an exhibition on John Hinde, the most prominent postcard photographer in the 1950s and 60s. Sarah Salway is a poet and writer that uses postcards as a platform for her poetry, and Tony Bryant is a collector of over 50 years.
During the Golden Age of postcards between 1905 and 1915, about 750 million postcards were sent in Britain each year, a staggering 2 million a day. In 2005, the Royal Mail estimated 134 million postcards were sent in the UK during the summer months, an increase of 30 million over three years. The vintage postcard attracts people from all walks of life, either interested in the social history they showcase, or the messages on the back.
But in a world that is increasingly online, will people collect and send them forever? Producer: George McDonagh
By Islay Bell-Webb. The story of a girl who really listens to her heart. A quirky comedy drama set in a hospital about a young woman who is awaiting a heart operation, and her heart’s desire to find love.
Liddy: Roslyn Hill Lump: Bethan Boxall Kim: Phoebe White The Nurse: Ali Brice
Directed by: Sophie Hawkins Producer: Rachael Bird Studio Managers: Natassia Caffery and Lauren Day Production Coordinator: Chloe Atkins
Bereft by Michael Wiafe follows Ella, the mother of missing child Grace, capturing the battle between Ella and Raymond, someone whom Ella seems to have a short fuse with. Produced and Edited by Dafydd Jones-Morris. Directed and script re-write by Emma Battle. Production co-ordinator Claire Claringbold. Studio Manager Keith Williams All music composed by Dafydd Jones-Morris
Ever wondered what cosplay is, well here is your chance to find out. This 3 minute guide will provide you with what cosplay is, why people decide to cosplay and the issues that are present in the cosplaying community.
by Ece Ozdemiroglu.
BBHope45 never thought there would be a deadline on pregnancy. As life progressed and she has now met Mark, her life partner, she is relying on IVF to give her a child. With a support from her well-meaning mother who has her best interests at heart, Frosties is the story of BBHope45’s anticipation at 5am for her truth telling moment. It’s a two sided story: Bry the embryo, has been through this before and just tells it as it is, and BBHope45 desperately wants to meet and raise him.
Ece Ozdemiroglu wrote the radio drama Frosties for R4 and a longer version is being developed. Ece loves acting and has acquired a passion for writing drama.
BBHope45….. Francesca de Sica Bry…..Timothy Shoesmith Mother…..Buke Soyusinmez
Directed by George McDonagh. Produced by Lucy Hunt Coordinated by Cassie Galpin Edited by Adam Bloom
YouTube and Money recently have been brought into debate with young millionaires owning Penthouse apartments and sports cars. Dom Betts investigates the matter. He interviews Gaming YouTubers eldeniro90 and FifaMonstah on their opinions on the matter.
An exploration into the strange and mystical behaviour of Black Shuck, the Devil’s dog. Legend says, he lurks along the Norfolk and Suffolk coastline, Old Shuck is a menace to anyone who crosses his path. Experts delve deeper into the ‘mythical beast’ that is Black Shuck.
Short feature about true storytelling in London. Final project work from Kelsey Daly #radio #documentary
For our final assignment for Introduction to Audio we had to produce a 15 min live broadcast for a London based Student Radio Station. For our broadcast we chose to do a New Music show. This episode includes interviews with Years and Years who have just recently topped BBC Sound of 2015's list and BBC Radio 1's Phil Taggart.
The human and canine bond has been beautifully consistent for generations. Ever since the domestication of animals, dogs have been working alongside people and helping to for-fill our everyday lives. In November 2014, University of Sussex researchers discovered that dogs listen to our words, not just our voices. This reinforces how the special relationships between people and dogs can be unique and genuine. Through the stories of people from different backgrounds, we find out how significant the connection between people and dogs can be. #dogs #relationships #people
Verity Piner and Jeanette Bryson, two ordinary women, whose lives got turned upside down. This is a short montage of just a few of their experiences with Guillain Barre Syndrome - the highs and the lows.
If you want any information or support, please visit, www.gaincharity.org.uk
With 57 lifeguarded beaches along its 400 miles of coastline Cornwall is an extremely popular holiday destination bringing nearly 5 million visitors to the county every year. The sheer number of people visiting the coastal areas makes keeping the visitors safe in and around the sea a mammoth task. Cornwall plays host to 24 Surf Life-Saving clubs who volunteer their time to train people how to save lives on the beaches and in the water.
Ben Fairclough takes you back to his old surf life-saving club to shine a light on some of the most dedicated life savers in the county.
This piece is in no way connected to BBC Radio 5Live. It was selected as part of the university brief
Dreaming, everybody does it whether that maybe winning the lottery, getting a promotion or even having a nightmare because of a scary film you were forced to watch.
There are different sorts of dreaming though, more specifically “Sleep Paralysis”. Most people aren’t fully aware of what sleep paralysis is which is why this area of dreaming needs more research because what it actually is when you know you are awake but cannot move for a while, if this does happen then you have gone into paralysis and will probably see a figure in the room with most cases being reported with someone on top of you trying to physically attack you with some horrific cases from some people being sexually assaulted, this doesn’t actually happen but that’s one of the reasons why sleep paralysis is a scary topic for people to talk about.
In this feature our reporter Stephen Mitchell spoke to Professor Chris French at Goldsmiths University who receives funding for his research for sleep paralysis, and also explains why the human body enters paralysis.
Also Stephen speaks to Carla MacKinnon about her short film “Devil in the Room” which features stories from people mixed with stock motion to create a real life experience for the viewer about the feeling you get when your body enters sleep paralysis.
Trees have a large presence in British folklore, and legends, they carpet the landscape in a way that is often only noticed when they are gone. Ancient trees have the power to link the mythical with the biological to create stories which have inspired generations. These majestic giants are home to small creatures from insects to bats and squirrels, all of whom live within its hollow trunk and rotting base. Trees never want to die. Even when limbs flail and fall to the ground in high winds or due to old age, it is not uncommon for them to take root and shoot new growth. The oral telling of stories passed between centuries are sometimes “lost in the mists of time”, folklorists would say, however some are more certain than others, the name of the Royal Oak Pub, for example. Stories enshrined with more mystery include that of dancing skeletons around tree roots at midnight, and the biblical thorns of Glastonbury, which reportedly remain to this day. It appears that trees are cultural and historical icons which represent much of their own surroundings, but should they be protected and supported, or left to rot and wither as nature intended, or should they be showcased as if in a museum? Ancient trees are valued by few, but how will they fare in years to come? This short documentary uses folklore and stories to illustrate the mighty power that ancient trees have. Experts describe these trees, detailing bulges and cracks, holes and imperfections, but should they be conserved for the future? How do we know about these trees? Does it matter?
Interviews with Dr Jacqueline Simpson (The Folklore Society), Ian Lamb (Brighton gardener), Jill Butler (Woodland Trust) and Andy Jesson (National Trust).
Tree pictured in the car park at Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex (National Trust).
This was created as part of my University coursework.
After the incredible display put on at the Tower of London for the 2014 Remembrance day, the true symbolism's and origins of the poppy are explored to understand why the poppy is important. David Stevenson, Chair of International History specialising in World War One, uncovers the beginning of the remembrance poppy.
He tells the story's of the lives' that help create this tradition we all know and support today. The journey uncovers just how far the tradition has really come and the elements that have encouraged it's growth are discussed. He compares the context of the poem 'In Flanders Field' by John McRae to Wilfred Owen's 'Anthem for doomed youth'.
A visit to the poppy factory as Bill Kay, the general manager, tells us what the charity stands for and how it still supports people affected by war today. The factory's background and the reasoning for its creation is discovered during the programme, giving a real insight on all of it benefits and services it has to offer.
Bill Sulic, a worker at the poppy factory, shares his personal journey and experience of working in the factory. He talks of how the factory and its workers has supported him and others in similar situations.
Discover the meaning of what the remembrance poppy symbolises, and how it's journey, which has positively affected so many life's, really began all them years ago.
For adults with a child that has cerebral palsy the struggle for care is a full time job. Often the care is traumatic for the parents, children and even the staff involved. A quadriplegic child would often have to wait 23 weeks for what is determined as simple care.
Naveed Pavrez is one of those parents. His son Diamo had the condition, and Naveed experienced a very disjointed care system. As a result of this he decided to try and fix this problem, and came up with the idea of using 3D Printing to manufacture the back braces needed in order to care for his son - all inspired by a Welsh Steam Train.
Now known as one of the top 12 startups in Europe, the idea goes from strength to strength. Naveed’s story is one of great will power, with some help along the way. The next 12 months for the project promise to be exciting, with there being a select few families that will be helping develop more prototypes - the aim is to have a functioning prototype by this time next year.
The ultimate aim is that Andiamo becomes the number one orthotics company worldwide with a simple message - no one should be without care.
One in twelve adults suffer from alcohol abuse or dependency. Amy Winehouse is the most recent celebrity who suffered from this problem, and since then The Amy Winehouse Foundation has been set up. The charity started with the intent to aid addicts from drink and drugs, however lately a new project has been set up with the aim to help adolescents. The resilience program brings former addicts into schools to give an insight view of the dangers addiction can lead to. The teenagers then get the opportunity to ask questions about this subject. Former alcoholic and speaker for the program James Walton talks to Sean Allsop about how the bottle dominated his life and what encouraged him to stop and get involved with the charity.
Olive Supple-Still talks about her time spent teaching drama at a theatre school in India and why she chose to do this.
Joining the Royal Navy is much more than just an exciting and fulfilling career, it can also be very rewarding.
The individuals in charge of looking after our English waters get the chance to travel the world and experience life away from home.
35,000 people are currently serving as a Royal Marine, and Amy Miller got the chance to step on board the HMS Belfast to talk to John Lavery, ex captain, as to why he chose this career path.
After living, working and attending international school in Oman from 1999 till 2006, one British family decided to make the long and adventurous journey back to the UK by car. Syria was one of many countries that the Miller family drove through on their 8000km drive home. This story would have been very different just 5 years later.
Almost 10 years after their return, in his halls at Edinburgh University, recounting a very different experience to others, Hamish Miller speaks to Hester Cant about why his parents chose to take them on the adventure of a lifetime.