Southend City Radio Talks

Great chat with great guests.

Fun and engaging conversations with some of the coolest, nicest and generally awesome people from music, comedy, entertainment and the arts. Plus interviews and discussions with local people, charities, organisations and businesses on topics and events for the Southend and Essex area.

Latest posts

Southchurch Business Expo showcases the best in local business

This Thursday the Southchurch Business Expo returns even bigger and better than last year. With local businesses gathering in the SCF Plaza on Southchurch Road for one of the largest business networking events in the area, it promises a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to form new alliances and for the whole community to meet some of the people behind our local businesses.

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Southend’s First EVER Kite Festival lifts off this Saturday

Bring your kites, your family, and your sense of wonder for this free, family-friendly event stretching between Billy Hundreds/Ocean Beach and the Roslin Beach Hotel. Whether you’re a seasoned kite flyer or digging one out of the loft for the first time in years, everyone is welcome — no bookings, no fees, just turn up and take to the skies!

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EasyJet launches new base, bringing 20 new flights, 3 new planes and over 140 jobs to Southend Airport

Click play on the box below to hear an exclusive interview with Kat Sanger, a Southchurch-born EasyJet pilot, and Gary Wilson, CEO of EasyJet Holidays. The clip also features statements from Bayo Alaba MP for Southend and Rochford, Kenton Jarvis, CEO of EasyJet, and Jude Winstanley, CEO of Southend Airport, as they discuss the future of Southend Airport and what this new base means for local travelers.

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Project Southchurch Community Meeting – March 2025

Featuring updates on a plethora of events, goals, community projects and updates from all sorts of community organisations, the Project Southchurch Community Meeting, hosted at Belle Vue Baptist Church, Southchurch, brought us updates from Essex Police, SHIP, Welcome To The UK, The Hindu Association and more plus a Q&A panel made up up of local councillors were quizzed on a range of local hot topics.

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Chief Inspector David Browning, Essex Police: Project Southchurch Community Meeting March 2025

Chief Inspector David Browning gave an update on the priorities and aims of Essex Police under his tenure in his new role as part of last week’s Community Meeting hosted by Project Southchurch at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Outlining some of the latests news, operations and goals, David also explained more about how you can keep up to date on all of the latest news and updates from Essex police including via their regular dispatch newsletter, the latest of which can be found here.

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Chief Inspector David Browning, Essex Police: Project Southchurch Community Meeting

Chief Inspector David Browning gave an update on the priorities and aims of Essex Police under his tenure in his new role as part of last week’s Community Meeting hosted by Project Southchurch at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Outlining some of the latests news, operations and goals, David also explained more about how you can keep up to date on all of the latest news and updates from Essex police including via their regular dispatch newsletter, the latest of which can be found here.

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Surfers Against Sewage: Project Southchurch Community Meeting

Helen McGhee Shine spoke about her role as a national and regional rep for Surfers Against Sewage as part of last week’s Community Meeting hosted by Project Southchurch at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Outlining some of the upcoming events, projects and goals, Helen also explained more about how you can support Surfers Against Sewage and invited everyone to the next beach clean.

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Have your say on Southend as part of Southend City Vision

Tamil Pachalko from Southend’s City Vision introduced a new survey aimed at everyone working, living, studying or visiting Southend as part of last week’s Community Meeting hosted by Project Southchurch at Belle Vue Baptist Church. The survey is intended to guide Southend City Council to benefit residents, communities, businesses, and organisations and to enhance the wellbeing of residents and communities and fulfil their aspirations for the city over the next 10 years. Outlining the ways you can take the survey, what they hope to learn from the results and why it is important to engage the whole community, Tamil encourages everyone to…

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Project Southchurch Community Meeting – November 2024

Rob McAvoy from Project Southchurch gave a round up of a whole year full of spectacular community events as part of last week’s Community Meeting hosted by Project Southchurch at Belle Vue Baptist Church. Detailing some of the many ways Project Southchurch have helped to improve the local community through their work in 2024 plus outlining their plans for 2025 and some of the ways you can get involved or support Project Southchurch in their work, it was great to loo back over a successful year and exciting to look ahead at what is still to come in the new…

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Peroni’s People: Rosalie Cunningham

In this episode Frankie talks to local queen of psychedelic rock, Rosalie Cunningham. Talking about all sorts from her earliest studio sessions at 10 years old to the inspiration behind the new album. Listen in for a great chat and a full track by track of Rosalie’s new album “To Shoot Another Day”

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Art Trail Set To Illuminate Southchurch from 14th – 24th September

In its third year, Southchurch Art Trail, promises to showcase the talents of 70+ artists on display in 45+ businesses along Southchurch Road from 14th-24th September. Ahead of the Art Trail we spoke to Rob McAvoy from Project Southchurch, local artist Harry Overell, Jenny from Out of the Earth and Andy from Under The Sun about visitors can expect and what the Southchurch Art Trail brings to the local community.

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Project Southchurch: an update on the east quarter

From disheveled bridges and a lack of disabled access at Southend East station to the boarding up of The Kursaal, calls for a new health centre, an update on recent vandalism and a fire at the library to a rundown of upcoming events, we joined Rob McAvoy, co-founder of Project Southchurch to hear about some of the events, areas of focus and struggles that face Southchurch, Kursaal, St Luke’s and Thorpe.

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Peroni’s People: Wendy Roberts

In this episode Frankie talks to incredible Vocalist Wendy Roberts, founder member of the world’s foremost Carpenters tribute band actually sanctioned by Richard Carpenter himself. Wendy also talks about her time recording and touring with Mike Oldfield.

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Peroni’s People: Kate West

In this episode Frankie sits down with singer songwriter Kate West for a chat about all sorts from winning talent shows as a kid to picking up a guitar much later. Already a local star as a solo artist, Kate also performs with her covers band Kismet but more recently founded Hear My Roar who have been sharing some incredible original songs. Kate tells all, plays some of her original songs exclusively in the studio and talks us through Hear My Roar’s upcoming gigs and debut single which we get to hear at the end of the show!

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Anglian Water on local flooding and updates from Essex Police, SHIP & Project Southchurch alongside Councillor’s Open Mic at Southchurch Community Meeting

Speaking at the meeting were representatives from Anglian Water to address concerns around flooding in the area and to update on a number of issues. Also speaking at the meeting was Rob McAvoy, Co-Chair and Co-Founder of Project Southchurch, Clive Baggallay, Community Chaplin, Insp Dave Gardiner of Essex Police, Becky Champion, Director of Art & Culture at Southchurch Art Trail, Pat from S.H.I.P. and a few words from Avery about registering to vote in the upcoming elections. In addition, we have a recording of the Councillors Open Mic in which you will hear those in attendance say a few words…

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More Local Hairdressers Needed To Support Haircuts 4 Homeless

Since 2014, Haircuts 4 Homeless has provided over 35,000 haircuts to homeless people across the UK. In Southend, free haircuts are available through the charity at HARP’s Bradbury Day Centre but more local hairdressers are needed to keep up with demand. We visited Clifford’s Barber Shop in Southchurch and spoke to Nickiey about why volunteering time for the charity is so important, why more volunteers are needed and how the benefits of having a haircut can have such a huge impact.

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222 goal thriller featuring over 100 players in a huge 24 hour football clash sees local sports stars raise big money for local charities

Last week, Garon Park hosted an epic 24 hour football match that saw Adventure Island’s Stockvale United take on The Farke Knight Rises CFC in a 222 goal thriller. The monumental fundraiser featured players of all levels from the Mayor of Southend to Southend United’s Justin Rees, the Echo’s Chris Phillips and Southend City Radio’s own Stewart Pink. Still in his shin pads and armed with just an umbrella and a mic, Stewart spoke to some of the players, coaches and crowd assembled including Southend United’s Justin Rees, Stockvale United’s Bobby and Mel, Farke Knight Rises CFC’s Mike, Dan and…

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Southend City Radio School: Vincent’s Radio Show

Last week we were lucky to have Vincent, media student at Southend Adult Community College, with us on work experience. As part of Vincent’s time working for Southend City Radio, he prepared, researched, conducted and produced several interviews before recording his own radio show… Vince even recorded a song too, maybe one day you’ll get to hear it on one of our music shows! Here you can listen to Vincent’s interviews and his radio show.

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Johnny from Colchester’s Pet Needs on why the band are shooting for “bottom of the pops” with their phenomenal third album

Ahead of the release of their new album “Intermittent Fast Living” Stewart Pink caught up with frontman Johnny Marriott from Colchester’s Pet Needs.

We caught up about the latest singles, new album and upcoming tour plus all sorts of other stuff from Lego to Tiptree Jam, why all bands should play Romania, a top tip for growing bands and your next visit to a Wetherspoons!

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NEW SHOW: Peroni’s People

With a tonne of live gigging experience, Lumpy Gravy Records, a growing back catalogue of studio releases and even a TV appearance to his name, Frankie is one of Westcliff’s local stars. In his new show, Peroni’s People, Frankie takes a trip through the lives and minds of some of music’s most engaging artists and fans. You’ll hear exclusive interviews with some of the most talented and diverse people involved in music and the arts. In his first show, Frankie interviews Charlie Brookes about her David Bowie Superfan status.

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Dexy’s Helen O’Hara introduces her memoirs “What’s She Like” named after the song that she inspired and relives her life in music

Violinist Helen O’Hara has an amazing story to tell. She’s written it all into a memoir titled ‘What’s She Like’, named after the Dexy’s Midnight Runners song that she herself inspired. It’s an exuberant, joyful account of a classical musical student who suddenly finds herself on Top of the Pops. Helen joins Sandy Kaye to tell us all about the book and shares memories of her life in music.

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Local fundraising hero reveals monumental total raised for charity this year on his quest to raise over £1million in his lifetime!

From climbing mountains to sleeping on the streets and from sponsored silences to organising football matches, Lee Fundraiser Clark will stop at nothing on his bold mission to raise a million pounds for charity in his lifetime. This year, we’ve climbed Leigh steps with Lee and heard all about his fundraising plans in the summer so it was great to catch up as he revealed his grand total and looked over some of his favourite moments of 2023.

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Women Reclaim The Night! Southend’s women take part in historic march to end violence against women and girls

As part of 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls, yesterday’s first ever Reclaim The Night march saw the women of Southend fill the high street for the first time as part of the White Ribbon Campaign. We spoke to Sarah from Safe Steps and Tracy from Southend City Council to find out more about Reclaim The Night and what local help is available to those who need it.

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Unity: The Song School unveils new music video as part of Hands Together Campaign

Back in the summer, Southend City Radio was invited along to witness the beginnings of an exciting new project at The Song School. Over the holidays and during the following weeks, the students would be working on a brand new original song and video as part of the Hands Together campaign. This week, that video has arrived as The Song School releases their new and original song “Unity”

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Jonny Morgan on his debut album “Good Luck With The Music”

Ahead of the release of his debut album, it was great to catch up with Jonny Morgan about all sorts from songwriting retreats and spinning vinyl with his parent’s to his upcoming album launch in Camden hosted by Whispering Bob Harris! Obviously, we also talked about “The Music” and the inspiration behind some of Jonny’s latest singles taken from the album “Good Luck With The Music”

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The Essex Small Business Awards – NOMINATIONS CLOSING SOON!

New for 2023 The Essex Small Business Awards offers a fantastic platform to celebrate and promote small businesses that contribute so much to our local communities. As proud media partners, Southend City Radio is looking forward to showcasing some of the many businesses that bring so much to our communities across Essex. Nominations close soon so be quick! 

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D3lta on moving to London, new music and being happy out of love

The last time we spoke to D3lta, he’d just released his debut EP Into The Rabbit Hole and was preparing to spend more time in the UK. This week we caught up after his move to London from Greece and were able to celebrate the release of his incredible new single “Happy Out Of Love” – plus we talked about all sorts of other things too from his upcoming tour supporting Scouting For Girls, the inspiration behind his uniquely brilliant new single and a few hints as to what we can look forward to hearing on his new album due…

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Sophie Griffiths on her new EP Note To Self

To celebrate the release of her new EP Note To Self, Essex based singer, songwriter Sophie Griffiths joined us for a track by track of the whole EP. We talked about all sorts from the inspiration behind singles like Power Cut and My Own Fate to the personal stories that brought Modern Love, Mother’s Daughter and Middle Ground to life. We also spoke about Sophie’s upcoming live shows including a headline show at The Paper Dress Vintage and The Billericay Fireworks plus the dangers of hanging a disco ball and tattoos!

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Urgent Appeal To Save The Ironworks

Over the past year The Ironworks has greatly enriched our community. Now facing a funding crisis, it urgently needs your support. We spoke to Ami about upcoming events, fundraising and how people, businesses and government can help this vital community hub to survive.

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