D-lightful – Dad, DJ and the new Development Worker
Cue and Review Recording Service is delighted to welcome back former Real Radio presenter and producer Liam McCann to its studios in Bishopbriggs.
Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government to install brand new broadcast-ready studios, we can call on Liam’s vast commercial radio experience to help drive our work forward into 2011 and beyond as Development Worker for the charity.
Liam arrived at Cue & Review six years ago on a training partnership programme, where he received the support, guidance and expert advice he needed to embark on his radio adventure. Since then he’s worked with numerous radio stations, including Kingdom FM, and even helped produce the Real Radio Football phone-in. Now he has returned to his roots to help increase awareness of the great work done by the service for the visually impaired and the local community, and to also to aid in the development of new volunteers.
New dad and Bishopbriggs resident Liam said, “I’m hoping that the skills I now possess, the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had will all help drive the charity forward. I’m looking forward to doing all I can to increase our funding, enhance our volunteers’ skill-base and develop new, exciting ideas and products that the charity can provide. With fatherhood now a reality I’m hoping I can draw even more inspiration from those tiny wee hands and feet and all that comes with them!”
Liam has already brought in the services of Real Radio’s Brian Wolfson who is not only a radio presenter but a teacher of VI students at Uddingston Grammar school. Wolfies assistance in getting this years Children in Need bid in was invaluable.
A Fond Farewell
To the Sunday Herald team (Veronica, Irene, Ros and Moira) after ten years of service their silken tones will be missed by the team as was Margaret Strain’s from the Herald team who left earlier in the year. All the ladies decided it was time for a change and with all the revamp happening it seemed like a good time. Our summer time volunteer Alasdair Ranald has offered to come in on a Sunday morning to form the nucleus of a new Sunday Herald team but he is on the look out for other team members. Alasdair got involved with Cue and Review having heard about it through a colleague in another charity with which he is involved. . Lenzie resident Alasdair has benefited from a summer sabbatical with his golf improving over the summer months.
Alastair’s Refurbishment Update
Everyone keeps asking Alastair what is happening with our plans for the studios and the office area. In a nutshell we are making very slow progress but we could still be on course for the work being done during October as originally planned. We have now agreed that rather than going for our original idea of Clyde Broadcast at a cost of £38,000 we have decided to recommend that we go with P2 at a cost of £25,000, allowing us to spend the difference on improving the office area. The P2 option will ensure that all four back rooms can be used as studio space for both the talking newspaper and live streaming service, while also giving us the chance to have a discussion studio in the end room. The architect Colin Hardie has produced a proposal that most volunteers will be able to see displayed on the walls. At the moment we are trying to invest wisely in ensuring the income generation potential of the premises while also being more of a welcoming venue for the team, The only quote that we have had so far for his proposal suggests that it will cost in the region of £60,000 to achieve all that we wish to i.e.
- moving the toilets
- letting more light in
- creating a learning area by removing Morag’s office
- And a dedicated reception area by removing Liam’s office
- Having just one office area for the executive team but more open plan multi use work space.
Far more realistically we have had a quote (£7,500) from a local joiner, plasterer and painter for all walls to be plastered and painted in magnolia, and new laminate flooring to be laid throughout our building. This would also enable us to renew the carpeting in the studios and improve the lighting throughout the space.
During this redevelopment we are striving to ensure that we involve as many people from the local community as possible, by letting them rent out space for meetings, opening up our premises to host children’s parties (X-Factor style), and preparing to form a group that will become the nucleus for a community radio station for North Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire. Most importantly we want to ensure that all of our volunteers feel welcome and comfortable when recording the material to be broadcast via the British Wireless Fund for the Blind Sonata system and on cassette to our existing listeners.
New Recruits
Cue and Review have unveiled three new recruits -and there’s more on the way. Scott Fleming, Katie Macaulay and Kenny Lenehan have all joined our team at the Bishopbriggs Media Centre.
Scott, a qualified journalist who has worked with The Herald, The Sunday Mail and Calcio Italia magazine, is Cue and Review's new Press officer, whilst Katie, who has a HND in Travel and Tourism and extensive youth work and volunteering experience, has taken on the role of administration assistant. Kenny has filled the producer/presenter position, having already spent a year at Cue and Review beforehand and studied Sound production and musical performance at North Glasgow College.
"It’s been a bit of a whirlwind," according to Scott, 22. "I walked into the job centre one Thursday, two hours later I was being interviewed, and about half an hour later I had the job! One thing I lack is broadcast skills so this opportunity is invaluable in that sense. When I saw the size of the place, the number of people involved, and the work that they do, I was surprised that I had never heard of Cue and Review, and that’s my job basically - to make more people aware of the great work that goes on here."
"When you've been unemployed for a while you have no expectations whatsoever," 21-year-old Katie says. "I'm really enjoying being back in work. My role involves doing a bit of everything, so it should stand me in good stead for the rest of my career."
Alastair added: “I got the chance to turn my dream into a full-time job thanks to the FJF predecessor in 1985. What encouraged our team at the time, and what I believe will encourage today’s young people, is that they are receiving a real wage for a real job. That may only be for six months initially-but has the potential to become a longer term post. If these new team members can generate funding they could secure future employment with us. If 25 years after I went full time I am still in my job, who knows, perhaps Scott, Katie and Kenny could get the same chance.”
We have also recruited two other new volunteers over the summer Euan Henderson works with Radio Caley as a volunteer where he generates and develops original and entertaining ideas for programmes. He has produced pieces with contributions from musicians such as Zero 7 and Emma Pollock, TV personalities such as Deanne Berry and charity groups like Epilepsy Scotland and Maggie’s Centre. Laura Wilson has also joined the team missing out by only a few days on the Future Jobs Fund. Laura studied radio feature and drama production at university as well as presenting a radio show for a semester whilst studying. During her time at university she says she developed a love for radio and has wanted to pursue similar projects since.
Sonata
It’s been described as a ‘freeview box for the blind’, it allows listeners to tune in to Kenyan and Aboriginal radio, and soon it will host our content.
The Sonata is the latest and most innovative product from the British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF)
Cue and Review has teamed up with the BWBF to make our talking newspaper service available to a whole new audience via the Sonata.
The Sonata is an internet audio player with a dazzling array of functions. The device is sophisticated yet user friendly - its simple display contains just five buttons and there is a remote control. Radio stations, podcasts news programmes and more are available on the Sonata. Listeners can also decide their own content, picking and choosing from a massive variety of radio stations around the world.
The Sonata provides hundreds of potential new listeners to us according to Development Worker Liam. “From our perspective it’s a great opportunity to create exciting new radio content for the listeners but also to develop our volunteers broadcast skills. The Sonata gives the subscriber freedom to listen to whatever they want, and ourselves as provider the opportunity to provide a daily podcast of news, current affairs and entertainment alongside or instead of our present service.”
The BWBF issue all their radios on ‘Free Permanent Loan’, provided you are resident in the U.K., blind or partially sighted, over the age of eight and in receipt of means tested benefit. Alternatively you can purchase a Sonata for around £300. The device is proving to be very popular-the BWBF install an average of 10 a week!
MSP Likes What He Sees!
West of Scotland MSP Stuart McMillan visited the Bishopbriggs headquarters of Cue and Review in July-and was thrilled to see the progress we're making.
Mr McMillan, who is Vice Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Visual Impairment, dropped by the recently re-branded Bishopbriggs Media Centre to check up on us. “This is about coming to learn a little bit more about an organisation that’s helping deliver services to people who are visually impaired,” said Mr McMillan.
“Some would say it’s actually an impossible task to marry up those people who need the service to those who provide the service, to get the hand in glove so to speak, but I don’t believe that’s the case. As a politician I pride myself on the fact that I do go out a lot and try to learn more, so I can pass on the correct information and advice to any constituents or organisations that visit me.”
Mr McMillan inspected the plans for the new studios and the Sonata-the new device which will soon host Cue and Review content.
During his visit Mr McMillan questioned the coalition government’s decision to abolish the FJF, a scheme devised to find work for 18-24 year olds who have been claiming Jobseekers Allowance for six months.
Cue and Review recently employed three new members of staff thanks to the scheme, which the coalition government cut after less than three weeks in power.
“If the scheme (FJF) was proving to be successful then I think it’s very unfortunate for it to be abolished,” said Mr McMillan. “If there are problems with the scheme in terms of waste, then fine, improve upon the management and the bureaucracy. Trident has been ring- fenced, no cuts will come from it, but other budgets will be affected i.e. the Future Jobs Fund, and I just find that wrong. There will always be people who don’t want to work, who just want to use the system, but I’m a firm believer that 99% of the population actually want to work, and I find it quite that sad that those people’s opportunities are going to be cut now.”
Morag McKay, Operations Director, said: “It’s a pity. Of all the schemes we’ve worked with over the years FJF is easily the best.”
Dazzling Donation
A local couple have made a generous donation to Cue and Review-with money raised at their Ruby Wedding bash.
Jill and Graham McLean collected £445 from their friends and family during their party at Bishopbriggs Golf Club on Saturday 24th July.
Jill, whose father is visually impaired, chose to gift the money to Cue and Review, a charity that records talking newspapers for the blind.
She said: “At our time of life we don’t need presents, so rather than people buying us items, we thought it would be a good idea to ask our guests to make a donation to charity. We thought of Cue and Review because it’s a local charity in need of support. I’d like to say a big thank you to all the people who donated, they were very generous.”
Guests Welcome
Cue and Review has opened its doors to the local community. The move comes at a time when charities and community groups are struggling to find venues for their activities, with halls used for less than 30 hours a week set for closure as a result of council cost cutting. Brackenbrae House community hall in Bishopbriggs was set for the axe recently until charity Creative Care stepped in at the last minute and saved the day.
With facilities so thin on the ground, we have decided to make our headquarters available to other charities and organisations in need of a new home. Now’s the perfect time to get a foot in the door at the Bishopbriggs Media Centre, with a major revamp set to take place which will see the installation of state of the art new studios. Whilst we’ll still be using the studios during the day to produce our talking newspaper service, they will be available to any interested parties at night. Groups including the Forrester Court Residents Association already use the building for their regular meetings and with the refurbishment this can be extended further.
Any interested parties can speak to Alastair via email at alastairmcphee@cueandreview.org.uk or by phoning 0141 563 0306.
Hamish Was a Hidden Gem in Blairgowrie
Thursday, 5th August 2010 Adapted from the printed article
The Cue and Review fundraising team and Blairgowrie lost one of its characters on July 25 with the announcement of the death of Martin (known to local residents as Hamish) Kinmond. Hamish was indeed a little different. His old fashioned appearance, slightly unkempt, was something that local residents had come to expect and accept.
He was a well known local man who was known for many reasons. He kept a weekly running list of all results in Blairgowrie and District Darts League for many years and there must be many jotters lying with darts players’ names and scores covering many years.
His fame spread with regard to his annual jam making and many jars of Hamish’s very acceptable preserve would be distributed throughout the town.
Without fail every Christmas time a large box of groceries would arrive at various addresses in the town via the co-op delivery service, a gift from Hamish to people who had, in various ways, shown kindness to him during the previous year.
Tireless
A side from Hamish unknown to many was his tireless work to raise money for a charity called Cue & Review, which is dedicated to producing newspapers for young blind people. Over a period he raised, on his own, over £7,000 for this most worthy cause.
There is no doubt that this colourful man who negotiated the roads around the town on his tricycle often raised the ire of passing motorists.
But then we all have our little idiosyncrasies, and it is with warmth that we should remember this quite unassuming person who made a worthwhile contribution to society in his own manner and style. He is gone but not forgotten.
Bishopbriggs Directory
With the funding to help us to promote the charity coming as part of the Third Sector grant we now have the opportunity to reach out to more people in East Dunbartonshire with an advert appearing in the Bishopbriggs Directory. This is a high quailty A5 publication hand-delivered to over 12500 homes and businesses in the Bishopbriggs, Torrance, Colston, Auchinairn and Robroyston areas of Glasgow. The two page advert is promoting our www.blindweatherlottery.co.uk along with the transcription service and the offices to rent. Rebranding our building at the suggestion of the past Chairman as the Bishopbriggs Media Centre should also help raise awareness with the new signage in place.
