Community Fund supports new oral history podcast

Bristol Community Radio Station BCfm has launched 12 Communities 1 Bristol – a new 12-part podcast series bringing to life stories of the people and communities that make Bristol a special and unique place.
A Community Grant from the UWE Bristol Fund provided initial funding for the pilot project which kick started the series.
Nine UWE Bristol MA Radio Journalism students researched, recorded and edited short audio pieces which form part of the new podcast, led by Dr Anne Harbin, Associate Head of Department for Broadcast and Journalism.
From experiences of the Blitz and Somalian refugee settlers to pioneers of the early punk rock movement, the podcasts cover all sorts of topics. “There are stories of an old man in Hartcliffe who eats snails and calls them wall-fish, funny tales of a female rugby team based in Avonmouth, plus hip-hop from Knowle West and bee conservation in St George.” says podcast presenter Marcus Smith.
The final series of unusual interviews, stories and accounts was created in partnership with BCfm Radio, Bristol24/7, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and the Bristol Archives.
Supporting community cohesion and pride
Each episode will focus on a particular Bristol neighbourhood, all identified by the City Council as having the lowest level of satisfaction when it comes to social cohesion, culture and heritage.
“Many of these areas are often overlooked or stigmatised” explains Marcus, “so we have created something to change perceptions and share unique local stories. This new podcast is for Bristolians, welcomed newcomers and future generations to come.” Dr Anne Harbin describes the project as a “real champion for inclusivity”, bringing together and celebrating diverse communities.
Cllr Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor of Bristol, added: “I’m delighted to see the launch of a local podcast that will shine a light on the lives of people from across Bristol’s diverse and vibrant communities. Each community has its own stories to tell, and I’m looking forward to hearing about the uniqueness of each community and the things that tie us together as a city.”
The 12 neighbourhoods featured are: Barton Hill, Knowle West, Lawrence Weston, Easton, Fishponds, Hartcliffe, St George, Hillfields, Southmead, Eastville, Stockwood and Avonmouth.
More about the UWE Bristol Fund
This inspiring project would not have happened without the support of a Community Grant from the UWE Bristol Fund. And it’s all made possible through the generous donations of UWE Bristol alumni.
Find out more about how we could support your project, or about how to donate to support future projects on our UWE Bristol Fund webpages.
Related news

04 April 2025
New partnership between UWE Bristol and Bristol Creative Industries will develop student talent network
UWE Bristol and Bristol Creative Industries (BCI) have formed a new partnership to support Bristol’s thriving creative businesses and provide enhanced careers opportunities to students entering the industry.

24 February 2025
WESTbusStop+ makes sustainable travel more convenient
A new WESTbusStop+ bringing together buses and other ways to travel has been officially opened at UWE Bristol’s Frenchay campus.

06 February 2025
Opinion: ‘We’re ensuring people have access to diverse images for healthcare’
Flicking through the pages of academic medical textbooks back in 2022, our team spotted a surprising omission: a stark absence of images of health conditions on darker skin tones.

03 February 2025
Groundbreaking UWE Bristol project based on children’s lived experiences of racism in the UK set to transform police training
UWE Bristol researchers have worked with over 1,000 primary-aged children to explore everyday experiences of racism to inform future police training.

22 January 2025
Can DIY greening solutions transform your street and combat climate change?
Do-it-yourself (DIY) greening kits could help safeguard the country's most vulnerable communities from the impacts of a rapidly changing environment, according to a new project supported by UWE Bristol.

15 January 2025
Pupils’ work produced in anti-racism lessons to be displayed at Bristol Cathedral
Work produced by school children in response to specially designed lessons on anti-racism will go on show at an exhibition at Bristol Cathedral.

12 November 2024
UWE Bristol to help inspire next generation of young people into green careers
UWE Bristol will play a key role in a new programme to educate more than 10,000 young people in the West of England about green skills and help them explore eco-friendly careers.

28 October 2024
Artist Sir Richard Long on the line up of UWE Bristol events announced for Being Human Festival
UWE Bristol will host a conversation with Bristol artist and sculptor Sir Richard Long as part of the Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of humanities.

25 October 2024
Families urged to open their hearts and homes to Project Zulu choir
People local to the Bristol area are being asked to volunteer as a host family for next year’s Project Zulu choir tour.

01 October 2024
Research study aims to improve dementia assessments for diverse communities in Bristol
UWE Bristol is launching a research project aimed at transforming the assessment and diagnosis of dementia for people from three minority ethnic communities in Bristol.

17 September 2024
Repair Café returns to UWE Bristol’s School of Engineering
UWE Bristol’s Repair Café returns this autumn with a special ‘repairs skills day’ on 25 September, ahead of the café reopening monthly from 9 October.

12 August 2024
‘Absolutely incredible’ – UWE Bristol responds to silver medal win for student Izzy Thorpe
The UWE Bristol community has congratulated sports rehabilitation student Izzy Thorpe, and her partner Kate Shortman, after the pair won a silver medal in artistic swimming at the Paris Olympics.