If you’ve always fancied having a go at radio, then this course will get you going and teach you all you need to know to become a Preston FM presenter.

No experience is necessary (although if you do have some radio experience, that’s fine too) and the course is free.

We have three courses running through February and March, all covering the same content:

• Course 1: Starting 27^th February on Mondays & Thursdays, 1:30-4:30pm for 4 weeks
• Course 2: Starting 27^th February on Mondays & Thursdays*, 6.30-9.30pm for 4 weeks
• Course 3:  Starting 25^th February, every Saturday 10am-5pm for 4 weeks.

*Note: some e-mails we’ve sent promoting these courses contained an error. Course 2 takes place on Monday and Thursday evenings, NOT Tuesday evenings as advertised in some places.

You must be available to attend all of the course dates to apply for a place on a course.  The courses are friendly, practical and open to everyone living or working in Preston, South Ribble or surrounding areas. We can pay travel and childcare expenses to help you take advantage of the training on offer – and you’ll work towards a Level 2 qualification in radio production while you’re with us.

There are limited places available and our courses often get oversubscribed. To find out more about the course, how volunteering at Preston FM works and how we allocate places on our courses, please check out our guide to volunteering.

To apply for a place on the course, or to ask any questions that you have, please contact hello@yourprestonfm.org.uk by 5pm on Monday 6th February, or call us on 01772 880791.

Other charities involved, who will also benefit from funds raised through the auction, are the Princes Trust; and Bolton Lads and Girls Club. There are a range of original artworks for sale, all donated by artists wanting to support the charities.

The auction can be found on-line at the Lateral Arts website and closes on 27th February 2012. We hope, if this one goes well, to run a second auction later in the year, coupled with an event in Your Prescap’s community gallery.

Please dig deep, and help support Your Prescap’s activities in communities as well as the excellent work done by the other partner charities.

Photo credit: Andrew Scott

We are looking for a researcher with facilitation skills to help us find out about our building and the surrounding streets in the past nine Guild years. From the research gathered by yourself and 12 volunteers Your Arts and Your Preston FM will create an audio and visual self guided tour.

Please download the full brief for further information.

Deadline for applications: Wed 18th January, 12 noon.

Photo: © Crown copyright and database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey

2012 is going to be an exceptional year for Preston, and we’re hugely excited to be a part of it. Here are a few things to look out for during the year:

• Starting on 9th January, hear from Prestonians from across the city and around the world every day on Chat City as part of 366 Proud Prestonians, produced alongside BBC Radio Lancashire.
• Listen to the Guild show, with all the latest news and gossip throughout Guild year.
• Take part in a once-in-a-Preston-Guild international sound art project as Preston FM brings you “Scroll Up”, launching in early 2012.
• Join us during the Guild City Festival as we broadcast ten days of special programmes from the heart of the celebrations.
• Watch out for Ribble and the whole Preston FM crew during the community and torchlight processions.

There’s lots more, of course: you can be sure that Preston FM will be there to bring you the latest from across the city all year – on our regular Guild show as well as elsewhere across the schedule.

And, of course, there’s more information than you could possibly take in at the official Preston Guild website.

Photo: © Copyright Alexander P Kapp and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

You can find out about all the programmes on offer over on our schedule pages – but here are some of the highlights:

• Christmas in a multi-faith Society – The Afinity inter-faith group discuss the way in which this innately Christian festival is viewed by a contemporary society that is made up of all faiths and none – Christmas Eve, 5pm
• One last midwinter – Join Mac and Margaret for a compendium of original and traditional Christmas snippets to see you on till lunch time – Christmas Day, 11am
• Polski Beben Christmas Carols – let Jacek Chrzuszcz supply some Polski-style music therapy as you settle down for Christmas dinner – Christmas Day, 2pm
• Preston FM’s alternative Christmas message – join Age Concern’s LGBT project officer, Drew Drake for Preston FM’s alternative festive speech – Christmas Day, 3pm
• Heroes’ Hour – Hosted by the Our Local Heroes Foundation and dedicated to injured service personnel in the North West. Guests include people injured in Afganistan and Iraq as well as charity supporters – Christmas Day, 7pm

Community Gateway: “Gateway Direct” can be contacted for emergency repairs only on some days during the holidays on 0800 953 0213 – see the Community Gateway website for details of opening times.

Council services:

• Preston City Council operate an out-of-hours service for emergencies only – call 01772 906916 or, for housing emergencies, call 01772 251076. There’s also information on-line about rubbish and recycling collections over Christmas.
• South Ribble Borough Council have published details of the Christmas opening times and waste and recycling collections on their website. There’s also information about how to access the SRBC emergency out-of-hours service.

Domestic Violence: Preston Domestic Violence Services‘ 24 hour helpline will be open throughout Christmas – call 01772 201 601.

Health services: NHS Central Lancashire can provide details of chemist opening times over the Christmas period as well as information about how to access other out-of-hours health services over the holidays. Call 111 (the new number for non-urgent medical help), or visit their website for details of out-of-hours GP services and chemist opening times.

Homelessness: The Preston Homeless Forum have compiled a list of all the services and drop-ins available for homeless people in Preston over the Christmas period. Most take place at the Foxton Centre in Avenham or at the Salvation Army near the University. Download the full programme here.

Samaritans: Visit the Samaritans website any time over Christmas for confidential support, or call 01772 822022 or 08457 90 90 90.

Young people: If there is something you need to talk about, something you want some help, information or advice about then you can contact Lancashire Young People’s Service from 10am-10pm every day throughout Christmas:

• Call 0800 51 11 11 (free from landlines, Virgin, 3 and Orange)
• Text 07786 51 11 11
• Use the on-line WebTalk service

• 08:00: Preston FM’s Music Team Special. Join members of our Music Team for this special music programme dedicated to International Human Rights Day.
• 10:00: Human Rights Watch. An opportunity to hear some of the podcasts that Human Rights Watch have produced over the past few months on issues of Human Rights.
• 11:00: Preston Eye. A global perspective on Human Rights with discussion, music, quizes and stories from around the world and a look at Human Rights within our own country.
• 12:00: Speak Up for Human Rights. Preston FM’s team of community journalists look at human rights issues around the world and talk with Amnesty International.
• 13:00: Human Rights and what it means to YOU. Coral Rose looks into the history of Human Rights and where it stands in today’s society.
• 14:00: Mike Gardner in the City. Join Mike Gardner for a special edition of the programme with information on the origins of Amnesty International and a focus on Nelson Mandella.
• 15:00: Domestic Violence as an infringement of Human Rights. Join Dave Gilson for a discussion on domestic violence in the UK, focussing on the Lancashire area, with special guests from Preston Domestic Violence Services and Lancashire Constabulary.
• 16:00: Snap the Lens Human Rights Special. Snap the Lens is a new photography show on Preston FM. In this special edition Kerry-Anne talks to photographer Giles Duley, who is currently in rehab after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan earlier this year, and Emma Daly from Human Rights Watch in New York, about the important role photographers play in covering human rights issues.
• 17:00: This Way Out Human Rights Special. We join the regular International Gay & Lesbian Radio Magazine programme, to talk about LGBT rights, including an interview with lan Johnson of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Then a Building Dridges special on topical Human Rights.
• 18:00: Preston FM’s Music Team Special. Another chance to hear the special music programme dedicated to International Human Rights Day.

All these programmes are available in Preston and South Ribble on 103.2 FM, and on-line, anywhere, at www.preston.fm

The framework is a set of guidelines that have been designed to give guidance for organisations working with, and developing arts projects aimed at the participatory arts sector.

The consortium, made up of 13 separate arts organisations from across the North West, came together in light of a report from Arts Council England (ACE), which identified the need to set guidelines of best practice for people and organisations working in participatory arts. The recommendation made by ACE was for the guidelines to be developed from the grass roots of the sector and developed by those working in the industry.

The culmination of many years hard work is a robust and sustainable framework of how best to plan and execute projects that are aimed at working with members of the public from a wide range of backgrounds; including disability groups, minority ethnic groups, young and older people.

The guidelines allow arts organisations to assess their current levels of practice and competencies and work towards the standards the Core Competency Framework sets out. When put into practice, the framework will allow arts organisations to better demonstrate the quality of work they are already delivering in a tangible way, as well as make adjustments in order to thrive in coming changes to the wider arts and culture industry.

Naomi Whitman, Development Officer for C-Pal said:

“Prior to the recommendations made by ACE, it was agreed amongst the sector that we needed to have a shared approach and language which we can use to describe what we do, and more importantly look at the ways we do it. The Core Competencies Framework allows the sector to better develop their projects, ensuring the highest quality is achieved at every level of the organisation, and the activities they engage in.”

Ben Hunt, Chief Executive of Your Prescap and participant in C-PAL said:

“I am delighted to see many years of hard work become a reality. The Core Competencies Framework which has been developed in partnership with C-PAL organisations is groundbreaking within the arts sector. It is our hope the framework is adopted by many more organisations, further increasing the amazing value arts organisations offer the people they work with as well as their local communities.

“Never before have so many organisations worked so closely to develop guidelines which set a clear and definitive standard of operation for organisations involved in participatory arts. The framework allows for better planning and execution for projects whether they are internal and involve members of staff, or external projects which engage with the community. Having implemented the framework in our own organisation, we can already see the benefits.”

The Core Competencies Framework: Excellence in Arts Practice documentation can be accessed on www.participatoryartslearning.wordpress.com as well as via C-PAL’s website.

You can listen in Preston and the surrounding area on 103.2 FM, and around the world online at www.preston.fm via the “listen live” link. The day will include relevant music as well as discussions, debates and interviews.

Here’s the schedule for the day:

• 8-10am – Music Team Meets Men’s Day – Start the special day off by joining Preston FM’s music team, for two hours of the best relevant music for International Men’s Day.
• 10-12noon –  Saturday Brunch – A special edition of the programme, looking at men in entertainment and the joys and difficulties of choosing it from an early age, including Right Said Fred talking about family and being in the showbiz field.
• 12-1pm – Young Men and Criminality – Join the NACRO team in their discussion on crimiality in today’s society and a light hearted look at the plights of some dumb criminals.
• 1-2pm – African Talk Show – Join Francis for a worldwide look at promoting positive male role models and to celebrate men’s positive contributions to the society.
• 2-3pm – Up Front – Join the gents live on the day for a range of special features. Hughie will have an interview with a young man who was always getting into trouble with police and was given a prison sentence, but has now turned his life around. Peter focuses on some poetry on male role models. John is doing a story about males in children’s caring role and Chris brings us three tracks from positive male artists.
• 3-4pm – Preston and Beyond – A programme dedicated to features from around the world, with the theme of men’s stories.
• 4-5pm – Andy Ellis – Join Andy for a selection of music choices to tie in with International Men’s Day as well as a look into the founding, history, core principles and progression of International Men’s Day within the UK. The show will also look at the work of the charities ORCHID, Mankind and Broken Rainbow UK.
• 5-6pm –  Speak Up Preston – Join Preston FM’s community journalists and find out more about role models for young men in the sporting sector.
• 6-7pm – Drum and Bass Sounds – Join Neil for some D+B music and some features on International Men’s Day.
• 7-8pm – Bugz Milone and David Gilson talk about what it’s like being a single dad.
• 8-9pm – IMD Interviews – We finish off this special day with a range of interviews, from male healthcare providers to single fathers’ stories.

So what is International Men’s Day?

Objectives of International Men’s Day include a focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the discrimination against them.

The November IMD is a significant date as it interfaces the popular ‘Movember’ charity event and also with Universal Children’s Day on Nov 20 with which IMD forms a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively, and of the special relationships they share.

Black and South Asian people are three times more likely to need an organ transplant than the rest of the population. However a shortage of registered donors means that they have to wait, on average, three times longer for a transplant than a White person and are under-represented on the organ donor register. Consent to donation is also less likely where relatives are from a BME background.

Whatever your background, we need your help to create radio features, discussions, debates and other on-air and off-air content over the next few months, to support the NHS’s BME Organ Donation campaign. As well as contributing to a worthwhile project, you’ll be able to pick up some new radio skills yourself and work alongside others on an exciting radio social action campaign.

Everyone’s welcome – whether you’d like to take part as an individual or on behalf of a group; and whether you can give a few hours or a few weeks to the project.

To kick off, we’re pleased to be able to welcome Jim Harrison, a specialist nurse from the NHS Blood & Transplant service, to brief us all about some of the issues that the campaign could cover. Jim will be at Preston FM on Thursday 24th November from 4:30-7:30pm, and we’d love you to join us to hear from him and start thinking of creative ideas for the project. Light refreshments will be provided.

Please do let us know if you can come, by registering at http://pfm-gift-of-life.eventbrite.com

If you’re not able to attend on the 24th but would like to be involved in the project, please drop an e-mail to richard@yourprestonfm.org.uk so we can keep you up to date over the coming months.