Recovery Radio: Being Human Festival

I was successful in winning an Open Call Bid for the Being Human Festival in October 2023. Alongside colleague Sam Shipley (Radio & Sound Lecturer) we planned, delivered and produced a series of radio workshops with Double Impact Academy in Lincolnshire. The broadcast was aired on Siren Radio towards the end of 2023, and the workshops were a part of the fantastic Being Human Festival.

Double Impact Academy are a Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, that through collaboration with their service users, have developed an approach based around the principle of connection – connecting people to their hopes and personal strengths, to an effective support network, and to a range of opportunities and community assets which will move them away from their old life and into a new one – with no turning back. I have worked with and for Double Impact on several occasions, and was incredibly excited to be back to deliver a radio project, to challenge the stigma of addiction and share stories of hope in recovery.

The theme in 2023 for the Being Human festival was Rhyme and Reason. We delivered a series of radio workshops that taught participants basic radio techniques, introduced them to the radio studio and equipment, and helped improve their confidence when sharing their personal stories on air. The participants were absolutely amazing (no surprises there) and I couldn’t wait to share their stories, messages of hope, bravery and strength in the local community. The show that aired was completely run by Double Impact service users and volunteers, and they absolutely smashed it. Another example of community radio being used as a tool to create a sense of belonging in our communities, to share new voices and stories, and I couldn’t be blooming prouder of everyone involved.

You can listen to the full broadcast here: