Team Leader, Darran Wilson, is one of our One Fylde COVID-19 Heroes
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought our first Lockdown, team leader Darran knew the time was right to create a radio podcast that could keep everyone in the One Fylde family in touch and combat loneliness and anxiety. The first show, initially known as the One Fylde Radio Podcast – and now renamed the One Fylde Radio Show – aired on April 1st 2020. The weekly broadcast features music, requests and contributions from supported people and staff, along with friends and family.
The show reached an even wider audience when it was one of the main events promoted during Learning Disability Awareness Week and aired live on Fylde Coast Radio, now a regular spot on Saturdays at 7pm.
Darran has recruited an enthusiastic team of supported individuals consisting of Camilla, Channelle, Chris, Eleanor, John, Leighann, Liam, Lorraine, Robert, Roshen and Sian – and with the help of staff member Beverley Davies they are learning radio production and editing techniques. They interview guests and create jingles, too. Every week the team takes part in three online activity sessions to put together the next show.
At the end of last year, Darran was awarded The High Sherriff of Lancashire’s Award for Exceptional Voluntary Service to the Community during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Our big news this month is that the One Fylde Radio Show has been chosen to receive Fylde Borough Council’s Community Champions award. This fund has been set up to support people shown to be most at risk from COVID-19 to enable them to follow safer behaviours and reduce the impact of the virus on themselves and those around them. The award of £4500 this will be spent on room hire, equipment, training and materials.
Going forward, it’s Darran’s goal to start One Fylde’s own radio station and create even more content for the learning disability community.
Ready to listen in? You can listen again to previous shows by following the link on One Fylde’s Facebook page The latest show is aired on Fylde Coast Radio every Saturday from 7pm until 8pm http://www.fyldecoastradio.org/ and on our Facebook page every Saturday at 10am. Please email your requests to Darran at OneFyldeRadio@OneFylde.Org