Nearly two weeks in and it’s only now that I can really take in the fact that we’re into 2024 and that it feels normal.
I took time away from tasks and duties in the first week of the year – almost as a way to take back the first week from from 2023 when I was horrendously ill. This year, no real illness to be part of so just downtime and doing what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t stay away from a good task so I still dipped in and out of certain projects from time to time.
Saturday 6th January
The first time back ‘at work’, two outside broadcasts (OB) with Pure West Radio on the Saturday before going back on air on the Monday. Reunited with Gina from the Breakfast Show slightly earlier than planned, and not on a weekday and loving it. The early call time less so with the broadcast starting at 08:30am! A good warm up for the Monday at least. And Gina even agreed to do Body Attack!
The Pembrokeshire Leisure Extravaganza – a free mass exercise event in Haverfordwest and we were giving the lowdown on the event itself and how you can keep your fitness goals with the help of Pembs Leisure.
I had a lot of fun being reunited with Gina and Andrew for the first OB of the year catching up with lots of people. I love talking to people.
You can listen back to the whole show here, and watch the videos on the Pure West Radio Radio Facebook page.
Immediately on pack down I headed into Haverfordwest where Daytime Show Sponsors, Ocky White Travel as they celebrated 60 years of business and provide insight to their work and also give away prizes and announce a prize of a lifetime, a cruise! Details to come soon!
It was great seeing how bustling the shop was, saw some familiar faces booking their own holidays and also took some brochures away for myself. It was nice going from the co-lead in the Leisure Centre to the support in the shop and being able to observe and contribute.
You can listen back to that show and see the videos on the catch up and on Facebook
Sunday 7th January
First day back in a rehearsal room. I love performing but I’ll be honest on this morning I was thinking ‘why?’
However, the trip to Cardiff was well worth the trip. Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society are celebrating 100 years of community theatre and to commemorate this they are performing Mel Brooks’ The Producers – a show I did back in March 2023 as a last minute replacement for Max Bialystok – and also the Welsh Premiere of Shakespeare in Love. It is the latter that I have a small roll in.
It was so great to be back in the rehearsal. Seeing old friends in a New Year and being reminded how great the theatre community is. The read through was bloomin’ freezing! But the read through, the first time everyone gets together and reads the play with no direction whatsoever just to get a feel of the show, was hot!
I can’t wait to see this one come alive and due to the nature of the role I have, I will see it in big stages come together. I can’t wait.
It’s not the only show I’m pencilled in for though with PAODS signing me up for Joey in Sister Act! More on that at a later date.
Monday 8th January
Back on air from 6am with Pure West Radio in the morning and covering Choirs For Good Swansea. The first of three choir sessions this week!
You will usually find me on a Tuesday evening waving my hands about in front of Choirs For Good Haverfordwest and I have to admit it was strange having my first session away from my crew, but more on them tomorrow!
Heading up to Swansea was very nostalgic having studied there and their brand new rehearsal venue being a stones throw away from my old home where I made friends for life. I would walk past it everyday. It really helped that I know a lot of the choristers already despite only covering Choirs For Good Bridgend in the past. I was given a very warm welcome on a very cold night.
It was really beneficial for me to head over to see if just what I do with Haverfordwest is effective, I really hope it is. We went through our warm ups and into some song singing fine tuning some “oohs and aahs” on a song before finishing with some choir favourites.
Little known to me, I was being photographed while conducting… You can’t say I don’t put my all into it! Captions by Kev
Choirs For Good 1/3 Done.
I even got to drive home in the snow after driving past my old house and sharing memories with my old housemates.
Tuesday 9th January
Back on air on Pure West Radio for a bit of Grati-Tuesday and a lovely story from Father Neil about celestial beings as he informs us about the stars and their meaning to us.
In the evening I had Choirs For Good number 2 and a homecoming with the choir I lead on a weekly basis; Choirs For Good Haverfordwest.
We only two weeks off every year and two of those occur over the Christmas break so it was great to be back in the same room and also be joined by 4 new members for their taster sessions. We’re also running an initiative that if you join now you get a whole month free!
We have a number of new songs around the corner so very much looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into them with this choir. We turn 2 years in old in March and I’ve got a little plan to get together with some other acts and celebrate with some other choirs. Watch this space.
Want to give singing a go in 2024, sign up for your free taster session now!
Choirs For Good 2/3 complete!
Wednesday 10th January
I Continue my singing journey on Wednesday by topping and tailing my day talking about the Aloud Charity with Beth Jenkins and then heading out for my last cover session of the week leading Choirs For Good Pontypridd in another trip down memory lane as I drove past my old house in Ponty!
Speaking with Beth was great. Turns out the choir community is tiny and I have the pleasure of working and being friends with Aloud Choir Leaders, Tiff, Paul, Iori and we’ve even caught up with Cardiff Singer of the World Finalist, Jessica Robinson who is also an Aloud Choir Leader. Ruth will soon be joining the team too.
I love singing and the physical and mental health benefit of singing. I often wish I started sooner, or at least did more a little bit more structured music when younger. That’s what I love about the Aloud Charity giving these opportunities for free! With such great performances lined up too!
Want to know more, have a watch here:
I also do some project work with ArtWorks Cymru and had an excellent catch up with one of the mentees on the course!
Then off to Pontypridd! What’s great about Choirs For Good is that we’re all connected and can all take part in joint concerts and piggy pack into other rehearsals. In Haverfordwest, we get a few people join us on their holidays and I was greeted by Jon who has been to a Haverfordwest session before.
Pontypridd already have a gig booked for Six Nations – did I mention we perform too if you want to be involved in that? – He wanted me to go over three songs I hadn’t learnt yet, in Welsh! I am currently learning Welsh on DuoLingo and with Learn Cymraeg Pembrokeshire but I’ve never taught in Welsh before.
Calon Lan, Yma O Hyd and Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau later and he’s nearly gig ready! They sounded great and some food for thought for Haverfordwest too! We finished off with two favourites, Movin On Up and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Such a great night!
Thursday 11th January
Thursday morning on the radio is the Pub Quiz and that was, as ever, great fun! The highest score being a 4/5 from Rachal.
On the second Thursday of every month between 9-11pm Pure West Radio hosts Healthy Minds, Better Lives with two mental health professionals, Hayley T Wheeler and Tammy Foley. My background running the ACTivate Your Life course with Tenovus Cancer Care puts me in a good place to chair the show. Although the ACTivate Your Life service no longer exists they have reinstated their counselling service.
This month we looked at the pressure of starting a new year, resolutions and mastering your mindset. Tammy also had a catch up with Dr Megan who has teamed up with Holland & Barrett about looking at gut health. The importance of our gut is amazing! You can listen back to the whole show on the catch up or watch the videos back on Pure West Radio’s Facebook or YouTube.
Friday 12th January
The last working day of the week and back with the radio in the morning for a hilarious show for Feel Good Friday and then onto nurturing the future of the radio with Haverfordwest High Radio Club with Gina in the afternoon. A lovely get together after the Christmas Break looking at goals for this term. On the third Sunday of the month they take over Pure West Radio for an hour so tune in for that one. You can listen to previous episodes here.
From there to a mystery location to maybe be revealed in the future and onto the new Swansea arena to cash in a Christmas present, Six, The Musical!
After getting ripped off for food away from the arena we made it just in time to take our seats. Very reasonably priced with a great view, we heard absolute power houses sing their songs with great humour and movement to boot. I love the live band element. Such a simple show done so well. I was familiar with the musical but definitely didn’t know it. One to download for sure and see if you can.
Saturday 13th January
Today – resting, writing and sorting.
I have been out every evening this week so having downtime today before rehearsing Shakespeare in Love tomorrow!
Keep in Touch
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