COLUMN - On The Radio with Christine Slomkowska of 103 The Eye
Community radio isn't only about a presenter in a studio, talking into a microphone and playing great music.
We do that a lot of the time at 103 The Eye but we also do a great deal more out and about in the local area.
Our presenter Ian Smith joined participants in the weekly parkrun staged at Melton Country Park earlier this month.
103 The Eye actively supports initiatives such as this, which promote health and wellbeing under the banner of Let's Get Moving.
Ian presents two weekly shows - Late Night Listening and I'll Take It From Here - but he took time out to support the run.
This was an extra special one as the Melton PROSTaid group were raising awareness of early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Ian said: “I started running in 2022 and I definitely feel the health benefit.
"I've done 68 parkruns up to now - I've got my ‘50 parkruns’ T-shirt - and I get a real buzz of achievement each time I cross that finish line.
"These parkruns support a lot of different charities and PROSTaid is really important for all men to get themselves checked."
Bob White, who runs the Melton prostate cancer support group, thanked 103 The Eye for their ongoing support and promotion of the group's activities and information for those affected by prostate cancer.
103 The Eye has also been doing live outside broadcasts, with Jerry's Pop-Up Studio during the Sunday morning Community Focus Show, giving local people the opportunity to tell our audience about all about what's happening locally that day and to encourage them to go along and join in.
At the weekend they were at the King’s Arms, in Scalford, in support of the village scarecrow trail and produce show, which was raising money for the new community room being created inside St Egelwyn's Church.
The previous Sunday, the live broadcast came from the Belvoir Education and Sports Trust family fun day at Knipton and, on September 12, the station will make its annual visit to Hickling Scarecrow Festival.
103 The Eye also has a team which takes part in the Angrave Family Quizzes several times a year, most recently last Friday's event in aid of the Mayor of Melton's Appeal for the Air Ambulance.
Thirty teams of four took part altogether and although we didn't finish anywhere near the top, we thoroughly enjoyed the evening in good company, helping this very worthwhile charity to raise a total of £965.
It was a busy day last Friday as earlier in the day, we had been to the summer fair at Wilton Manor residential care home, recording interviews with staff, entertainers and visitors for broadcast.
We've produced programmes featuring record requests by residents in the past and we plan to do some more in the near future.
Each summer we get asked if we can provide a week's work experience for a Year 12 student planning to study media at university and we are one of the few organisations which still offer that.
For the second consecutive year, the students have come from Toothill School, in Bingham, and we are hoping this will pave the way for more collaborative work between the school and the radio station.