School's Short Story Competition – Writing for the fun of it This year, Mary Vincent-Coulter ran the short story competition again, in which three local Junior Schools participated - Winchcombe Abbey Church of England Junior School, Prestbury St. Mary’s Church of England Junior School and Oak Hill Church of England Junior School.
The three prize-winning pupils from Oak Hill School, shown in the photograph, are from the left: Iden Beswick (8), Freddie Eaton (8) and Monty Beswick (aged 5). Certificates were presented to all the winners and runner ups. Part of the prize was to attend a Radio Winchcombe live show, so the children joined Mary and John Brooks on Thursday Breakfast, taking part in everything including reading the weather, moving the faders, introducing the tracks and activating the music. It was tremendous fun and the parents enjoyed it all just as much while John declared ‘that they had all got the job!' On the previous Sunday, Rebecca Lea (aged 11) from Prestbury St. Mary’s School, her mother and Mary were guests on Sunday Breakfast where Kevin O’Flaherty made them most welcome. Rebecca took a full part in the presenting of the programme. She really enjoys writing and reading and is thinking about going into Journalism. Mary is waiting to welcome the remaining winners, from Winchcombe Abbey School, to the studio in the near future. Winchcombe Festival of Music & Arts – Outside Broadcast In what can only be Page 30
described as arctic broadcasting conditions (with presenters’ teeth chattering live on air) we broadcast from 10am until 4pm from outside the Tourist Information Centre on Spring Bank Holiday Monday in support of the Street Fair which took place on the last day of the Music & Arts Festival. More people were interviewed in the course of the broadcast than at any previous event and it was great for the station to be such an integral part of the day.
Many thanks to Judy Crombie, Ruth McDonagh, Ros Martin, Derek BT, Manny Masih and Mary VincentCoulter for their contributions, presenting and interviewing on the day, and to Cafe 6 in North Street for kindly providing the internet link.
Radio Winchcombe at the Wychwood Festival Sophie Lydia Smith, Kevin O’Flaherty, James Locke and Jim Hart were all involved in our first coverage of this Family Festival at Prestbury Park for three days in June. They recorded interviews of those attending, stall holders, organisers and various artists, even getting backstage to the main stage. Unfortunately, after weeks of technical enquiries, we could not bring a live broadcast but we did do Skype calls into James Locke’s Friday show and Jim and Sophie also presented a two hour live show on Sunday afternoon. Kevin was the main interview stalwart and even while the Sunday show was in progress he was still at the Festival recording and tweeting the very latest developments. Jim Hart said “It was the first time of doing live interviews for Kevin and Sophie but the two of them truly hit the street running to the extent that the organisers (WeAreFullFat.com) commented that they couldn’t believe it was their first time. It was great fun for us all and the organisers have already written inviting us back next year.” It was a great success and we certainly will consider returning and attending similar events in the future.
Radio Winchcombe Quiz Night On Friday 13th May we held a Quiz Night at The White Hart in Winchcombe which was so packed that additional tables and chairs had to be acquired, and there were still some standing! The evening was a roaring success raising a staggering £887 (far beyond our wildest dreams!). A huge “Thank you” to everyone who came along, everyone who bought raffle tickets, everyone who donated prizes and to those of you who provided donations! Thanks also to the organising team of Ros Martin, Mandy Clements-Hunt, Bev Harrell, Mary Vincent-Coulter and Lucy Newsum for a superb evening and a devilish quiz. We hope to organise another Quiz Night during the year. The money raised will go towards the funds necessary to keep Radio Winchcombe on the air for which we are very grateful.
In the picture you can see Sophie talking to a gentleman about oceans. John Oldham in Space Link-up! During the Cheltenham Science Festival John attended the final NASA press conference involving Major Tim Peake, the British astronaut who is currently on the International Space Station, before he heads home. John had the opportunity to ask Tim a question via a live link-up to the Space
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