Local Life

Lucy Swift from the National Garden Scheme came into our Mix 92.6 studio to update us on the latest National Garden Scheme openings in the next few weeks when many gardens are at their very best. Lucy also told us all about some of the incredible work they do with smaller, lesser known charities supported by NGS. Lucy shared her extensive knowledge of gardening by answering some of our most urgent gardening questions for the month of May. And ... do you know about the Chelsea Chop"? Well, with Lucy's expert help, all our listeners will now be perfecting the "Chelsea Chop" in their own gardens in the coming weeks. You can learn more about the National Garden Scheme and find out about local gardens participating this year via their website: https://ngs.org.uk/

Mix Mornings caught up with James Shipley, the Managing Director of ATW Events - the team behind the St Albans Half Marathon. James discusses how he created ATW Events from his passion for running and how he now organises more than 160 events a year with the ATW team. The St Albans Half Marathon is one of these events and is a combination of 5km, 10km and Half Marathon events, along with the now legendary fun run, which this year starts and finishes in Verulamium Park. James also took time to coach our Mix Mornings listeners on how they can join in the runs and come and watch the action on 8 June. Ties up your trainer laces and have a listen to James!

Ken Wright is a local Clockateer - one of the group of volunteers who help keep the St Albans Clock Tower open for visitors during the summer months, The Clock Tower is a Grade I listed belfry completed in 1405. It claims to be the only remaining medieval town belfry in England. Ken came into the Mix 92.6 studios to tell us all about the Clock Tower and how you can visit, learn about its fascinating history and enjoy the spectacular views from the top.

We recently welcomed Olivia, Nicki, Harry and Christelle from the Camphill Village Trust into the Mix 92.6 studio. The Camphill Village Trust is a leading national charity and adult social care provider supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health problems and complex needs to lead a life of opportunity. They empower people to make informed choices and contribute to their communities. In this lively discussion, we learned about the lives of the residents, the amazing Corner Cafe in Catherine street St Albans, the work of the Kindness Crew and their annual inclusive music and art festival - The Festover.

Alex Twyman is a sports agent - but what exactly is a sports agent? What do they do? In this interview Alex shares his own sporting history as a local Football and Rugby player and his journey to become an agent for one of the World's largest sports agencies. Alex also shares some of his predictions for this year's 6 Nations Rugby tournament and his special focus on one of his clients who is on the pitch playing for the England Team.

De Havilland is an important part of our local history and the De Havilland Aircraft Museum in London Colney documenrs this wonderfully. Jonny Seabrook was welcomed by Derek Lamb, a volunteer at the museum, who guided him around the museum. Their chat is here as a two part podcast. 

Podcast creator and producer John Cushing explains to Local Life the production services that he and his colleague Michael Weadock are providing to a multitude of different sports after a working lifetime in broadcast radio with a focus on news and sport.  It is indeed anythingbutfooty.com.

Local nature correspondent Rupert Evershed asks a simple seasonal question - but the answer might not be the one you expect.

Lucy Gaygusuz, Trustee at Open Door, tells Rob Pearman about the plans to help and then keep local rough sleepers off the streets for the second Covid winter.  This year - as last year - the project involves Open Door, Centre 33, Hightown Housing, Emmaus and the District Council and this year with the additional support of Morgan Sindall.  This year, the project needs more volunteers to help manage and support the special cabins located at Emmaus St Albans where those without a warm place for the night will be protected from the cold and rain and Covid.  Can you volunteer?

Chris Tillin chats with Youth Talk CEO David Barker and fundraiser Phill Coates about the fantastic work the charity are doing as we approach Christmas

Nature correspondent Rupert Evershed calls for support in the campaign to save Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits - home to a wide range of birds and other wildlife - from potential loss if the Bowmans Cross development proposed by Hertsmere Borough Council is approved.  Consultation closes on 6th December.

John Mulholland, Trustee and Warehouse Manager at St Albans & District Foodbank, explains to Rob Pearman how the service works, how much it has increased over recent years (it now has six distribution points), and how the combination of increasing prices, the ending of the Covid uptick to Universal Credit and of the furlough scheme, plus announced increases in National Insurance may add to local requests for assistance - just at a time when the Foodbank has to move out of its current premises and find a new distribution warehouse by mid-November.  If you know of a suitable site, please contact warehouse@stalbans.foodbank.org.uk urgently. (Local Life - Sundays 8-9am and 6-7pm; Wednesdays 7-8pm.)

It's been thirty years since local nature observer, writer and correspondent Rupert Evershed was last visited by a Spotted Flycatcher.  They had once been annual visitors so he was delighted to see them back again - even though now as migrants rather than nesting birds and also, sadly, on the 'red list' as an endangered species. (Photo copyright and used by courtesy of Rupert Evershed)

Local naturalist and correspondent Rupert Evershed (see podcast series: Local Life - Nature Notes) believes that experiencing nature's variety is as good as a rest.  His recent experience of land and sea birds around The Scilly Isles included discoveries about the house sparrow and the magpie, but also an encounter with the rarely seen tiny seabird Wilson's Storm Petrel, as well as dolphins, gannets and shearwaters.   Now, back home, we move on from summer to autumn!

One of a series of publications by the British Library, 'Crawling Horror - Creeping Tales of the Insect Weird' is edited by Daisy Butcher and Janette Leaf, respectively postgraduate researchers at Hertfordshire University and Birkbeck, University of London.   They have searched the archives for 19th and 20th  century tales about insects - some good, some bad.  Some by men such as HG Wells and Edgar Allen Poe, others introducing previously overlooked women writers.  In this extended version of an interview with Rob Pearman on Local Life, Janette and Daisy explain and illustrate this strange world - with recorded excerpts from three of the fascinating tales.

Stacey Turner, founder of the local mental health charity It's OK to Say started to plan ways to help newly arrived evacuees from Kabul who were facing the trauma of their unplanned exit from their homeland .  She soon realised that many of them - having left Afghanistan in haste - had very real immediate needs for clothing and other essential items.  Stacey and her colleagues set up collection points around the city and within a matter of days local people had responded so overwhelmingly that they had to pause the programme - and also to ask for luggage (suitcases, backpacks etc) so that the evacuees could move on with their new belongings.  She explained how it came about and how it succeeded in this interview with Rob Pearman on Local Life.

The High Street Life podcast is presented by Roma Bhowmick and Leona Fensome and is a six-part series looking at life as an independent business on the St Albans High Street.

When someone knocks on your door and tells you he can fix that loose tile, beware.  It's odds on he's a scammer aiming to rip you off.  HCC Trading Standards Officer Darren Ward tells Local Life some hair-raising tales of the tricks these scammers play and how much it can end up costing you.

We're all doing our best to help in the fight against climate change, so it's no surprise that scammers have decided that is where we're most vulnerable.  Trading Standards Officer Darren Ward explains on Local Life how the 'energy-efficiency scammers' work, what to watch out for and - above all - how to save yourself [...]

Well actually, it isn't.  And if you 'click on one' as invited, you could soon be handing over access to all your banking details.  Darren Ward of HCC Trading Standards explains how the scammers use a simple text about an undelivered package (supposedly from Royal Mail or Amazon or DPD or.....) to get into your [...]

Anyone who owns a phone, a computer, a letter box or even a front doorbell is a target for the scammers (which means all of us).  On Local Life, HCC Trading Standards Officer Darren Wood explains the tricks the scammers use – focusing this time on the ‘Nottingham Knockers' and the rogue fish sellers, who [...]

The High Street Life podcast is presented by Roma Bhowmick and Leona Fensome and is a six-part series looking at life as an independent retailer on the St Albans High Street. The series is sponsored by the St Albans BID (Business Improvement District) and will share with you, the stories, triumphs and challenges of business owners and managers who serve our community on a daily basis.

Local Life welcomed Robert Naylor-Stables, current Play Director at one of the District's best known amateur dramatic societies. Rob Pearman asked him to tell us what they've achieved over the past 75 years, what they see as their contribution to the local community, how they coped with the lockdown and what's coming up when they [...]

Adam Nichols, Artistic Director at OVO and The Maltings, tells Local Life what the company aims to achieve through live performance, how they've used streaming during the lockdowns, and what happens next - including their management of and performances at the Roman Theatre Open Air Festival (28 May - 11 July) plus other productions to [...]

Celebrating 70 years since its foundation, St Albans Musical Theatre Company can’t wait for the lockdown to be eased so they can get back on stage.  Choreographer and performer Elise Betts tells Rob Pearman what SAMTC does, why and how – plus how you can join them whatever your skill or aspiration.  The first new [...]

Canon Tim Bull, the Director of Ministry for St Albans, presents an Easter reflection

In the first of his short series for Local Life on jazz greats, local music man David Ireson looks at the life and music of George Gershwin - from Tin Pan Alley and Broadway to Hollywood.

This podcast - in the series looking at theatre activities in and around St Albans -  focuses on Trestle Arts Base and Trestle Theatre Company (now in its 40th year, with a celebratory exhibition due to open at St Albans Museum+Gallery on 17 May).  Creative Director Helen Barnett explains the history of the company and [...]

Abbey Theatre Manager Tina Swain and Production Executive Karen Thomas tell Local Life how the theatre and The Company of Ten have coped with the past year's lockdowns, how they adapted through live streaming, recording and hybrid performances, and what the plans are for the anticipated re-opening from 18 May.  Also how how they produced [...]

Rev Caroline Keighley the Vicar of St Mark's Colney Heath presents a reflection for the 3rd week of Lent.

Local music maker and performer David Ireson introduces George Gershwin, one of the giants of 20th Century music.

Local nature correspondent Rupert Evershed encourages those of us with an outside space to feed the birds - not just in winter months but all year round.

As part of our seasonal reflections Rev Richard Watson the Vicar of St Saviour's Sandpit Lane presented a reflection on the second week of Lent.

The Radio Verulam Lent Reflections have returned for 2021. Listen on the radio every Sunday at 9.45am and Wednesday at 7.45am. Week 1 features Peter Crumpler from St Paul's Church on the Hatfield Rd. Coming up we we'll welcome  Richard Watson, Caroline Keightley, Kirsty Wainwright, Tim Bull and Kim Quak-Winslow.

The pandemic has not been kind to those living on limited income, at whatever age.  But for those over 60, a single unexpected event can push you to the edge.  Kate Newton, Grants Manager at St Albans Old People's Trust, explains how the Trust can help individuals in need - and has done so to [...]

Don't leave those old laptops (or tablets, smartphones etc) just gathering dust.  They can be put to great use by Computer Friendly, a local charity now refurbishing unwanted devices and getting them into the hands of local kids who don't have their own means of connecting with their online home schooling.  Guaranteed protection for your [...]

The High Street Life podcast is presented by Roma Bhowmick and Leona Fensome and is a six-part series looking at life as an independent retailer on the St Albans High Street.

Helen Gray, CEO of Hertfordshire Communities Foundation, reports on the huge pressure on local charities/voluntary groups and the people they serve.  Thanks to the Foundation's long history of fund raising, it has been able to assist many that were struggling to cope - and in some cases survive - during the pandemic.

Nature correspondent Rupert Evershed records sighting of his 100th bird in this area - the yellow browed warbler.