You're never fully dressed without a smile

17th May 2024

Hi there. My name is Lydia I live on the coast in Bournemouth. 

For a while now I have prepared a monthly newspaper review for the Sunny Sessions radio show. I choose news stories that are varied, for example, stories about things like the  cost of living crisis and food banks. I meet Jon on zoom and we record the piece each month which is simply awesome!

News is very important for me as helps me understand and comprehend what  is going on in the world around me. It is important that news is delivered in a clear down to earth way that I can understand.  

I always wanted to be a journalist, I always wanted to be a News Round Press Packer.

I started listening to a local radio station called Hot Gold in Bournemouth  and found a  unique presenter called Sparky who I always enjoy listening to as he is a character like me.  I met Sparky at a local event and we got chatting. I told him I have been choosing my newspapers each day based on the headlines he reads out. This included both national and local news. He came up the creation of Frank the paper boy (Frank is my partner and main carer). Frank went out each morning and picked up my choice of paper and I would let Sparky know my choice and he would mention me.

It made me feel valued and empowered doing this and it helped me take my mind off my health conditions.

I regularly posted the picture of me with the paper on social media which was well spotted by Jon at the Sunny Sessions.

From that I now have a regular monthly newspaper review on the Sunny Sessions whereby I pick out stories which have really caught my eye. I haven’t heard of any other people with a learning disability who does something like this. Therefore I hope I inspire people.

The Sunny Sessions news reviews make me feel complete and empowered. I can say things in my own way that other people can understand. It is a dream come true for me I like to think that I am making a difference so that people like me have a voice they can understand and relate to.  Doing this also increases my confidence and makes me feel I have a voice.

I have been supported to interview a young man called Isaac and his dad about foodbanks and their creation of a food bank network in their local area.  I found it useful to work out the questions with Jon in advance and It helped having some knowledge  of the subject before we did the interview.

I love being part of Sunnybank even though I don’t live in Epsom I feel connected to everybody and they care about me and inspire me. I have been on some of the zoom sessions and loved the Karaoke.

I love listening to the radio shows and being inspired by other people's stories and personalities.

The Sunny Sessions as a radio show is terrific! I enjoy hearing what others have to say and the ongoing challenges they face with their own lives. Jon is brilliant. He is great at opening a discussion and giving people a voice that may not normally be heard.

You can hear my news review on the first Monday of each month on the Sunny Sessions on Surrey Hills Comm

unity Radio from 10a , also on the Radio Woking Sunny Session on the first Wednesday of each month from 9am

You can read my blog at www.5newsukgreatfan.co.uk 

On You Tube search for LNLFGH were you can watch my regular video diaries.