The Beyond Radio team speaks to local people across Lancaster and Morecambe Bay to discover their stories. The best of our interviews on our community programmes, local news shows and reports, and out and about at events across the area.
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A special episode of interviews from a day of celebrating the centenary of the great TV comedian Eric Morecambe. Featuring chats with Eric's son and daughter, Gary and Gail Morecambe, and the man who created the Eric Morecambe Statue, Graham Ibbeson.
In this episode we bring you two major announcements on Beyond Radio. The first is a chat with Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, about big plans to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Eric Morecambe with a weekend of events at the theatre this May. The second is an exclusive announcement, first heard on the Beyond Breakfast Show, as Chris Lawson, CEO of The Dukes in Lancaster, reveals the identity of this year's summer Park Show in Williamson Park.
We had a fabulous day delivering presents with the Love Lancaster BID Christmas Toy Appeal team. Beyond Bear and the team visited: Unique Kidz & Co CancerCare North Lancashire and South Cumbria Ridge Community Centre The Royal Lancaster Infirmary Children's Ward A big thank you to Travellers Choice as always for the minibus and to everyone else who helped with transport and delivery, and of course everyone who donated gifts! We spoke to some lovely people along the way.
In this episode we follow the fortunes of the 'prisoners' taking part in the charity fundraiser 'Jail and Bail' for St John's Hospice, as people from local organisations are locked up in the former prison at Lancaster Castle and have to raise enough funds to be released.
Lancaster wheelchair adventurer Shaun Gash talks about his latest inspiring challenge, as he took on the deadly scuba dive in Egypt known as Bells Blue Hole - aka 'the divers' graveyard' due to the number of fatalities. Shaun is joined by his diving instructor Curly from Morecambe Area Divers, as well as MAD divers instructor Jodie Rawsthorn and Jim Cooke from Centreline Films, who captured the incredible journey on video.
In this episode of Voices of Morecambe Bay, Greg Lambert talks to Morecambe hairdresser Colin Brown as he marks 40 years in business, plus songs and chat with Lancaster author and musician Rosie Ross as she releases her new book.
The annual Armed Forces Day celebrations in Morecambe pulled thousands to the Promenade to watch two fly-pasts by the Red Arrows, parachute displays by the RAF Falcons and the Red Devils, and many more activities. Beyond Radio's Gibson Freedman spoke to some of those who were there on the day, of Saturday June 21 2025. Interviews are with: Commander Mark Lister OBE, retired submarine commander Alec Smith, 92, a local veteran who served on the HMS Vanguard battleship and HMS Morecambe Bay LCpl Welsh from the Lancaster Army Cadets based at Alexandra Barracks Matthew from the Royal Air Force Cade
Beyond Radio's Luke Edmondson talks to Robert Mee, organiser of Lancaster Pride, ahead of this year's event. Then Beyond Radio's Phil McGrath speaks to attendees of the event in Dalton Square on Sunday June 22. Interviews include: Councillor Caroline Jackson, Jim, Sam Ud-din, Lancaster and Morecambe District Secretary for the National Education Union (NEU), Simon Stewart, chaplain at the Cornerstone in Lancaster, Joanna Young, CEO of Citizens Advice North Lancashire, Donna from Red Rose Recovery, Tommy Jackson, LGBT Network chair at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trus
The Beyond Radio team was out and about at two fabulous community events on Saturday June 14 2025 - the Moonlight Walk for St John's Hospice and Barefest in Morecambe. Luke Edmondson speaks to hospice heroes who took part in the walk, and Catherine Butterworth and Lily Knight from the hospice team. Meanwhile Gibson Freedman chats to Patricia Simon from the Morecambe 1940s Revival Weekend, street entertainer Adrian Catch, Vanessa Whittle from Lancaster Red Rose AODS, Alan Dean from Bare Village Club and inspirational fundraiser Graham Jackson.
