European Social Fund in England

‘I hope to have my own drive-time radio show one day’

Chris Wilsdon was working as an IT consultant when he started to experience problems with his eyesight.

Within months his sight had become so poor that he had to give up his job.

“My eye condition started three-and-a-half years ago,” said Chris, 43. “I had both my corneas replaced due to infections.

“I was hospitalised for a week and from then on it was operations and more visits to the hospital. I’m now partially-sighted.”

Chris got in touch with an employment adviser at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) who referred him to a European Social Fund supported radio skills project in Reigate, Surrey.

The three-month scheme, run in conjunction with local radio station Redstone FM, gave participants a chance to learn about scriptwriting, production techniques, media law and how to present a show.

A former BBC journalist delivered the legal training to the students - including the laws of contempt and libel that journalists must adhere to - while voice training was provided by a professional voice coach.

At the end of the course, each participant delivered a live broadcast themselves.

“I’d never worked in radio before but because my sight had deteriorated I thought it was an avenue to explore, where I could use my other senses,” said Chris, who lives with his partner in Sidcup, Kent.

“I’d expressed my interest in radio to my advisor at the RNIB and he put me in touch with the project. Having been out of work for a while it was good to be back amongst people, learning a new skill.

“The voice coach was excellent – she made us think about how we speak, and taught us how to project ourselves better than we normally would.

“At the end of the course I interviewed the chairman of a local business live on air and that came across well. I got some good feedback and I really enjoyed it.”

Since the project ended, Chris has been working three days a week as an administrator for the Kent Association for the Blind while he gains further work experience in the media.

“The course definitely helped me with my confidence and I think that helped me get this job,” he said. “I’ve since been looking around to do community radio stations in my local area. There is a community radio station in Bromley, near to where I live, so I’m going to get in touch with them.”

Chris now has ambitions to have his own drive-time show or to become a sports reporter and is emphatic in his praise for the ESF-funded course.

“The thing that stood out the most was seeing people with different impairments approaching the course in different ways and for their own benefit - but we all came together as a group. It’s a great project.”

Project information

Reigate & Banstead Community Radio Ltd was awarded a £12,000 Community Grant from the European Social Fund to run a training programme for eight students during spring and summer 2009.

Participants were taught:

• techniques of writing for radio
• techniques for conducting a radio interview
• the laws of contempt, libel and other restrictions on broadcasters
• the structure of the radio industry
• the techniques for writing a CV
• presentation techniques

The Co-Financing Organisation was the Learning & Skills Council (LSC).