BBC Manchester's Austerity Christmas

Phil Trow Broadcasting from the Christmas Market.

The final two weeks of 2013 sees BBC Radio Manchester rap up its "Love We You Live" tour for the year.   Add that with the end of the Christie Campaign as all was set for another, al be it smaller, tour of a Markets in the Greater Manchester area.

The first week was spent in the city centre itself at the Christmas market that takes up Cross street, St Anne square and Exchange Square.

Parking up on Exchange Square we asked shoppers for Christmas dedications and even asked them to present the weather.

On each day a presenter came out to present his or her show live from the Christmas market.

BBC 6 Music's Mark Radcliffe
and Stuart Maconie

Becky Want was first out for her lunch show then Sam walker was next with her lunch time.  And the final weekday presenter Phil Trow came out for his drive show.


At the weekend we stayed in the same place to bring Becky Wants show on Saturday and then brothers in law, Jimmy and Eamonn, came out in the morning before the very popular Mike Sweeney rapped up the week on the Market. 

Over the week we talked to 100s of potential listeners and recorded nearly 50 request for BBC Radio Manchester.

The second week had a few days days "on the road" before heading back to the Christmas Market.  

After a day off the Bus tour headed to "Eden Square" in Urmston where Phil Trow headed out again.

Maxine Peake
being interviews by Phil Trow

On Wednesday Becky Want came back out, this time to "The Rock" in Bury and Thursday was Sam Walkers time to head back to the bus when she came out to the Market in Royton.

Due to technical reasons Sam had to head back to the studio during her show however we still met quite a few new listeners (hopefully).

The final day was the busiest of the lot.  BBC 6 Music's Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie came out to the Christmas Market to broadcast via the bus between 12 noon and 4pm.  At 3pm Phil Trow made his 3rd visit to the bus where he made a simulcast between 6 Music and Radio Manchester.  Not often 6 Music is on FM!

360 degree photo of the Urmston venue. (see if you can spot Justin Bones)

Also See  BBC Manchester's Love Where You Live Tour 2014
                 BBC Manchester at the FA Cup Final


listen to Phil Trows first hour of his first show from the Christmas Markets.

Also on my blog Turn Back Time

More at adrianchenery.co.uk

BBC Radio Merseyside's Toy Appeal 2013

The BBC Radio Merseyside Toy Appeal is an annual appeal run in conjunction with the Liverpool Echo and the Lions club international. 

St Helen's mayor presenting toys

We would like to thank everyone who give us toys and gives for children in the Merseyside area.

We asked for new toys, not second hand, and unwrapped.  The Echo, Gregg's  and the BBC handed over 1000 toys to the Lions to sort, wrap and give to Children's homes and hospitals for Christmas.  To give a toy to children in Merseyside that otherwise may not get anything. 

You can still Donate at BBC Radio Merseyside or the any Gregg's around Liverpool.

Thanks you to everyone who visited the BBC Bus at....

Monday 2nd

New Mersey Shopping Park,

Tuesday 3rd

ASDA, Bromborough.

Wednesday 4th

Sainsburys, Liverpool.

Thursday 5th

Church Square, St Helens.

Friday 6th

ASDA Aintree.

Saturday 7

Ashley Retail Park, Widnes

(All dates are December 2013)

 Also see. BBC Merseyside   
                 Liverpool Echo    
                 The lions Club International    
                 Liverpool's visit to Wembley 
                 Elections 2010

More at adrianchenery.co.uk

Lancashire Week

Wednesday the 27th of November is Lancashire day.  So BBC Radio Lancashire went big.

Lancashire Week

BBC Radio Lancashire are taking up the challenge.

Lancashire Red Rose

Over the five days Radio Lancashire did ten OBs from ten different locations.

In the Morning Brett Davidson came onto the Bus each day to co-host his show with Sally Naden who was elsewhere in the Radio Car.

Afternoon Presenter John (Gilly) Gillmore came on to the bus each afternoon at the second location to present his afternoon show.

Normally the morning show would hand over to the afternoon one at 12 noon however I needed time to get from one venue to the next.  So a guest presenter came in each day to present between 12 noon and 1pm.

The Venue where

Monday

AM – CONCOURSE SHOPPING CENTRE, SKELMERSDALE
PM - ORMSKIRK

Tuesday 

AM – LEYLAND
PM - PRESTON FLAG MARKET

Wednesday

AM – FORTON SERVICES, M6, NORTHBOUND
PM – DALTON SQUARE, LANCASTER

Thursday

AM – ACCRINGTON MARKET
PM - COLNE MARKET PLACE

Friday 

AM – FREEPORT SHOPPING VILLAGE FLEETWOOD
PM - BLACKPOOL RETAIL PARK

On the Bus we have two tapestries with lots of patchwork from the towns all over the county.  The "Peoples Patchwork" was made by WI or Kit groups across the county and lots of people came on to see.

A red rose was given out to every lady that came along, and a few men, as a symbol of Lancashire.

Also see BBC Lancashire

        See a 360 photo of the bus on the flag market in Preston.

More at adrianchenery.co.uk

The 50th Anniversary of Dr Who Day.

Davros, King of the Darleks

When you think of Dr Who Kent may not be the first place that comes to mind.  With most episodes being shot in London or Cardiff BBC South East Today's claim that Kent was "The Home Of Dr Who" needed a little bit of explanation.

The claim is all based on the fact that the original script writer was from Hurne Bay and one of the Doctors lives there.

A long shot?  

Maybe.

But with the 50th anniversary being marked across the world BBC South East and BBC Radio Kent got on board with a Dr Who show, Kent Style.

500 Tickets were given out to viewers and the full house where joined by VIPs of the shows past including the very first director Waris Hussein and the actor who played Susan in the first episode Carole Ann Ford.  

Along with a few Moving Darleks and Cybermen the audience sat down to watch the first ever episode (An Unearthly Child) of Dr Who some 50 years after it was first aired but this time on a big screen.

Just 24 hours latter the BBC aired its own vision of Dr Who aimed at marking the historic footnote in Science fiction.  On BBC One HD "The Day Of The Doctor" was aired across the UK as well as over 90 differant territories around the world.  The aim of the show was to right the wrong in the Doctors past. 

Over 10.6 Million people tuned in to BBC One to watch the drama with many more going to 3D cinema screenings of the event or watching around the world.   Beating Strictly Come Dancing into 2nd on the night with 10.2 Million views and ITVs X Factor into 3rd with just over 8 Million viewers.      

It just shows that even a 50 year old Doctor can still pull in the crowds around the world.

Also see a video and report of the VIPs at the event on a Q&A 
              BBC Kent 

More at adrianchenery.co.uk                                                                       

WM's Skills Show 2013

The Skills show at the NEC in Birmingham got underway on Thursday the 14th of November 2013.

For the first two days 1000s of school and Collage students came in to develop ideas of their futures or make contact with protental employers/further education providers.

BBC WM was on had to offer advice to getting into the Media.  Why anyone would want that is a question that needs to be asks.

On the first first day we had a few famous people in. Lib Dem leader Nick Clergg dropped in to answer listeners questions.  He did that from the BBC Bus.

The Childern liked using the Bus,  the green screen was very popular for the full 3 days.

Video 

See Skills Minister Mathew Hancock MP read the weather on the BBC Bus.

See TV Dragon Theo Paphitis read the weather on the BBC Bus.

Also see..  

Also from my Blog...WMs All loved up!

More at adrianchenery.co.uk

BBC Devon's Miles On The Money

BBC Radio Devon had a "Wacky" idea.

Two of their main daytime presenters were to race around the county, visiting every single town in Devon racing money for charity as they go.

The only Rules....

You can only use public Transport

and

NO CHEATING.

Shep and Fitz set off from the same location on Monday and ended up at the same location on Friday however in the rest was up to them.

They only had to stop for one thing... Their own show.

The two Davids still had to stop on the way to present their shows as normal with David Shepard presenting the Mid-Morning and David FitzGerald presenting the afternoon show.

Out of the 10 OBs the BBC Bus was used for 5 of them.

The winner was not the first to cross the line,  it was a point system based around gaining points for being first and raising money and losing points for not using public transport.

Fitz razed the most money and arrived at the final destination first however he did cheat, at lest one time per day.  So he ended up in negative points leaving Shep to claim the win.

The real winner, however, was the charities that the money was raised for.  The  Wacky Races raised
over £1000 for local charities.

Working with Devon Community Foundation they giving cash gifts to local groups and organisations who need it most.

The total amount raised across the station this so far is over £15000

So far this year grants have been made to:

£638 to South Devon Special Olympics Gymnastics Club to provide training working with gymnasts with special needs.

£780 to Chulmleigh Recreational Association to offer physical activities for young people with special education needs in North Devon.

£1,000 to South Devon Multiple Sclerosis Society to help provide physio sessions and transport costs for people with MS.

£2,000 to Community Action - Summer Adventures to provide activities,learning opportunities and fun for young carers aged 8-14.

Without your support this would not have happened - THANK YOU!

Video 

See a TV package of Miles On The Money 

Also see Miles On The Money Just giving site.

More at adrianchenery.co.uk

Carry on Up the Coast with Laura Rawlings

Laura Rawlings in Weston, 

Laura Rawlings has been presenting the afternoon show on BBC Bristol and BBC 

Somerset since April 2013.  

Its now her  tie to take her show on the 

road.

Starting in Minehead on the Monday 

each day will be a trip down the coast until it reaches Bristol on the Friday.

The BBC Bus didn't make it to mainehad due to comitments in Hull however I was with the team on arival into Burnham On Sea on Tuesday.

As well as all the normal interviews that Larura puts in her show, she went down to BARB, who look after the hovercaft lifeboat on the Burnham Bay.

Click here to hear Laura's interview with BARB

Wednesday's venue was by the hostric Weston Super Mear peir.

Thursday across from the peir in Cleavdon

And the final day was in Bristol by the M Shed

Also see..   BBC Bristol 
                   BBC Somerset
               
Listen to.. Music live from Hannah
                 Laura's interview with Barb
                 Laura's interview with Roy on the Mathew.
                 We can work it out

Also on my blog... Turn Back Time

More at adrianchenery.co.uk