The Quarantini

We know many more people have made time in the last year to get out into the countryside, to walk more and notice nature that surrounds us. But how easy is it for people of colour to feel comfortable in the UK countryside? We hear from Sophie Brown and Ruth Pitter from Bristol Steppin Sistas, ALSO - music from Bristol Beacon's new project A Song for Bristol - this time a track from Grove and Hope CreativePLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Lockdown Riddim, Grove and Hope CreativeHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening/closing musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

Education for students of all ages has thrown up enormous challenges during the pandemic. How has life been for journalism students learning how to make contacts, obtain interviews and generally keep on track of what is going on in the world? University of the West of England Journalism student Timea Farkas talks about completing her final year during lockdown. ALSO - we've got more fabulous, stirring music from the irresistible and completely watchable Clark familyPLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: 500 Miles, Clark FamilyHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening/closing musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In this episode we find out about the rise in the popularity - in the last year - of making a pilgrimage. We interview The British Pilgrimage's Trust project leader of the Old Way - an ancient pilgrimage route from Southampton to Canterbury, and she gives tips on the process from finding accommodation to setting an intention. ALSO - we've got a beautiful track Human from American singer India CarneyPLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Human, India CarneyHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening/closing musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

We interview artist Susan Thomson who gives us her thoughts about the pandemic and talks about her new film essay The Cytokine Storms in which she explores the colonial echoes of the UK government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemicALSO - we've got a stunning brand new track Willing from Lady Nade - she says: 'Willing is a message of acceptance, loyalty and friendship, particularly poignant after this prolonged period of separation. All too often we try to be the person we think other people want us to be rather than ourselves. Willing is a celebration of who we are and we can support each other.' PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Willing, Lady NadeHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

Still celebrating the past year, in this episode, we hear from Bristol-based digital artist Lucy Turner about how she responded to the virus in her work...ALSO - two more of our favourite music tracks!PLUS - we tell the story of the pandemic through the astonishing breadth of ingenuity and creativity we unearthed here in Bristol, the UK and around the world.....Music: Quarantine is not quite over, The Holderness FamilyMr Motivator, IdlesHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In our anniversary episode we bring you a story of the pandemic as told by a variety of clips of our interviewees over the last year. ALSO - three of our favourite music tracks! PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Happy Together, The Colt FamilyMassive Attack, Young Fathers, Professor Guy StandingThe Getaway, Old Bones CollectiveHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In this episode as we start thinking seriously about emerging from lockdown, the Underfall Yard in Bristol Harbour is also making its preparations. Andrew Blayney tells us all about it. ALSO - we've got some drum and base this week from Dr Meaker! PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Here and Now, Dr MeakerHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

We kick off season 5 with an interview with three women from the Dhaqan Collective. Fozia Ismail, Asmaa Jama and Ayan Cilmi talk about their project Camel Meat and Cassette Tapes - an artistic soundscape about the tradition of the UK Somali community sending cassette tapes back and forth with recordings of their lives. Camel meat was chewed while they listened to news of their families to get them in the mood!ALSO - we've chosen a truly beautiful music track from Algerian singer Siem Folknomade. PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Diamond, Siem FolknomadeHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

We finish off season 4 with an interview with three remarkable women who are behind the festival and 4-part documentary "Nature Through Her Eyes" which airs on March 8th 2021 on CuriosityStream. The interview features Emma Tyrell, Development Executive and Festival Producer; Jacqueline Farmer, Film Director and Producer and Gail Jenkinson, Director of Photography. They talk about the world of Natural History film-making mainly being dominated by white men and how this needs to change. In a time of climate crisis, stories about nature and our environment need to be told through a diversity of lenses including women and people of colour.ALSO - we've chosen a brand new track from Helefonix called 'Jackie Weaver's kicked him out'. Yes Jackie Weaver from the notorious Handforth Parish Council meeting. All proceeds to to the NALC Make a Change campaign.PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Jackie Weaver's kicked him out, HelenofonixHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In this episode we feature an interview with Bristolian 20 year old creative Oona Chanfi who has recently had her photographs published in Rife Magazine. She talks about the project - 10 portraits entitled Multiculturalism, being mixed race and having more than one culture and what its like growing up in multicultural Bristol but still being part of a largely white community. Her photographs are absolutely stunning.ALSO - we've chosen two tracks this time. We are honoured to be given permission to play Idles' latest track Carcinogenic which they perform in various empty and unused music venues around the city of Bristol to remind us of times when we could see live music....PLUS - the world-wide YouTube sensation Jerusalema which became a dance craze after a group of friends in Angola made up and videoed themselves eating their dinner while dancing to the track! Since then its been danced by thousands of groups all over the world including Swiss Air cabin crew, elephant sanctuary staff (and a baby elephant - aw!) and the Irish Gardaí (Police). Beautiful vocals from South African Master MK's sister Nomcebo.PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Jerusalema, Master KG [Feat Nomcebo]Carcinogenic, IdlesHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In this episode we celebrate birth with Project Mama! CEO Fiona Mann tells us all about this project that supports pregnant refugees, asylum seekers and trafficked women and how it's been for them during the pandemic.ALSO - reggae music from Jah Garvey, a singing bus driver from Bristol!PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Brand New Day - Jah GarveyHot Flu - Seb Gutiez, the Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

How do we resolve the tensions between getting out into the countryside with managing the numbers? Given the experience of our national parks last summer, when reluctance to travel abroad and fantastic weather meant thousands more of us flocked to beauty spots, how are they beginning to plan for this spring and summer coming? Sunita Welch, Public Engagement Manager for the Brecon Beacons gives us her views. ALSO - we've discovered Sea Shanties and TikTok.... yes they go together and this week we bring you a TikTok sea-shanty mash-up!PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: The Wellerman - TikTok Sea Shanty Mashup 2021 Hot Flu - Seb Gutiez, the Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

Bienvenue dans notre épisode bonus en français!Dans cet épisode un peu spécial, nous avons une interview depuis Paris!Et... une liste des meilleures initiatives de l’année depuis le début de la crise... Et... un poème de l’artiste et art thérapeute Léonard Pietri: “Terre iodée”. Et.... de la musique avec une chanson de la star française: Vanessa Paradis! Concernant l'interview, Melissa a dit:"Je voulais parler de vivre deux lockdown et/ou confinements en un an, du Royaume-Uni et de Paris, ma ville natale, et des industries créatives et surtout de musique… Alors j'ai pensé : qui mieux que la journaliste musique franco-écossais basée à Paris : Marjorie Hache?"Musique: Merci Pour Tout, Vanessa ParadisHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective Animateurs: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProductrice: Pommy Harmar

What has it been like to go through the last year and be in lockdown in Paris. Or Scotland! And what has it been like for the music industry. In this episode we talk to Majorie Hache, a Scottish/French music journalist who tells us all about it.ALSO - we've chosen one of our favourite pieces of music from the year - one which marks the lockdowns we have and are going through - it's called Gotta Be Patient and it's by Stay Homas, a group of musicians who happened to share a flat together in Barcelona and who wrote three or four songs every week which they performed and recorded on their balcony.PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Gotta Be Patient, Stay HomasHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

The pandemic has brought home the desperate need for a UK-wide policy to tackle the growing digital divide. The number of households lacking laptops, broadband and/or the skills to use the internet is higher in the UK than we might imagine. Dr Gemma Burgess from the University of Cambridge has been researching digital poverty in Britain and she tells us about it in this episode. You can read her article here. We also hear from Bristol teacher Jason Gillman who is fundraising for laptops for his students who cannot do their school work when self-isolating at home. You can donate here.ALSO - we celebrate our favourite band The Old Bones Collective who provide every episode's opening music....PLUS - we bring you our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Carlos, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones CollectiveHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In the year of the pandemic, of George Floyd's murder and the toppling of slave trader Colston's statue here in Bristol, we ask Aisha Thomas, educator and mother what it means to her to be black and to teach black children.We are deilghted to have music from Aldous Harding who is over here recording her latest album and has kindly let us play a track from one of her previous albums - Designer.PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Fixture Picture , Aldous HardingHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In this first episode of season 4, and as the UK heads back into lockdown, we think about grief.In the wake of Bristol's Good Grief Festival, we talk to Eva Hibbs author of a picture book called Where is Uncle AL? and together with illustrator Sarah Harrison, they discuss how the book came about, why we need to get better at talking about death in a more straightforward way and how Covid may be changing our approach to grief.To find out more or to buy a copy of the book, click here.A donation with each purchase goes to Action for ChildrenAnd we have music from Some Bodies, courtesy of Funnel MusicPLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: Ain't Over Yet , Some BodiesHot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective - opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

In the final episode of season 3 we celebrate the NHS.From a We Say No protest and march in Bristol, we hear from NHS nurses including Alex Oldham and Shannon O’Sullivan.From the Migration Museum, Robyn Kasozi (pictured) talks about the brand new free online exhibition - Heart of the Nation: Migration and Making of the NHS. And we have poetry from NHS staff, from the book These Are The Hands, Poems from the Heart of the NHS, Foreword by Michael Rosen, Fair Acre Press. (You can buy it here)PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Music: The NHS Song (parody SOS, ABBA)Hot Flu, Seb Gutiez, The Old Bones Collective -opening musicHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

It's all Clowning and Covid this week with clown, clown teacher, drama therapist, Ted Talker and theatre director Holly Stoppit.How does a clown approach the pandemic?Does clowning help?How do you even become a clown?Holly Stoppit reveals all...PLUS - our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....PLUS - a huge thanks to world-famous and Bristol-based band IDLES for letting us use one of the tracks - A Hymn - from their brand new album hot off the press only this week!Music: A Hymn, Idles -from their new album Ultra Mono, courtesy ofPartisan RecordsHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar

We go to the other side of the planet this week to hear from Green Party candidate and former Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand Celia Wade-Brown. Find out how she feels New Zealand has handled the Covid Crisis and why she thinks The Climate Emergency is more important. We have our usual round up of positive responses to the virus from around the world....Plus, courtesy of Funnel Music, music from Katy Pearson's debut album 'Return', due to be released on 13/11/2020 via Heavenly Recordings. Music: Fix Me Up, Katy PearsonOpening music: Hot Flu, The Old Bones CollectiveHosts: Melissa Chemam and Pommy HarmarProducer: Pommy Harmar