Welcome to Radio Free Brighton!
Radio Free Brighton is an entirely volunteer run community radio station, but as you can see our friends reach far beyond these shores… (More about us.)
The People
We broadcast music, news and discussion live 10am to 10pm and repeat overnight, 7 days a week.
We cover a wide range of topics by all ages for all ages:
- Eco issues, human rights and in-depth news (both local and global)
- Science, history, arts and poetry
- Stories, weekend live performances by Brighton musicians.
Brighton is full of voices : voices with knowledge, experience, humour to share, opportunities, ideas, creativity, imagination, and music. So let’s hear honesty, inclusiveness –respect for people and planet.



- Radio Free Brighton is a virtual and actual community centre.
- With the internet radio and soon video too, young families can join in baby music, workshops, story telling and other arts activities at home. We hope this will inspire them to come out to join us at Under the Bridge Studios, where sessions happen every Mon, Wed and Frid 11am and 2pm
- Local academics/ people with specialist knowledge share with the community through the radio.
- We teach others, in Europe/USA/Africa how we do internet radio and exchange programs.
- We learn the views and priorities of other communities across the world and find common ground. We share experience of how we handle issues within our communities.
- We work for a more peaceful and co-operative world.
Radio Free Brighton latest news
Naked Swimming, Music, Protest and More! What’s going on in Brighton and Hove.
Thursday May 17th
Teach the ‘IDAHO Lesson’
Making schools safer and improving learning achievement for all!
Marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
The event is at the Old Steine, Brighton.
For further information, please contact Eric Page on 01273 294638.
Friday, 18th May
Sunday, 20th May
Brighton Festival Fringe concert: Rachel Fryer (piano)
The former Green city councillor plays Bach’s Goldberg Variations
St. Michael’s and All Angels Church, St. Michael’s Place, Brighton, 6 p.m.
Wednesday May 23rd
Climate Jobs Caravan visits Brighton
Promoting the One Million Climate Jobs report. The Climate Jobs Caravan will visit over 25 towns and cities. It will argue that the creation of one million climate jobs could help solve both the economic and environmental crises we are facing.
More details: www.climate-change-jobs.org/node/14/pamphlet and www.climate-change-jobs.org/caravan.
For more updates and to follow the Caravan on twitter: @climate_caravan or the website: www.facebook.com/groups/253497651395542/.
Friday 25th — Sunday 27th May
The Hanging Gardens of Brighton
In the Old Steine Gardens with live music, cabaret and food
Saturday, 26th May
Action for Access: Shoreham Downs walk
By car: there is a car park on the A283 near Dacre Gardens (not recommended as this is not a circular walk, so drivers will need to walk back another mile after Erringham farm!).
Tuesday 29th May
Sussex Equality Group meeting
7 — 9 p.m. at The Friends Meeting House
Brighton Sussex Equality Group is a voluntary organisation working to reduce income inequality in Sussex to make a better local society for everyone.
More information: www.sussexequalitygroup.org.uk or contact Stuart at stuart.hill@sussexequalitygroup.org.uk.
Friday and Saturday, 15th-16th June
A national showcase of the latest technologies which perform a crucial role in protecting the environment and making our daily business and home lives more efficient. Over 100 exhibitors.
Tuesday, June 19th
Brighton Café Scientifique
Detecting earthquakes and nuclear explosions
Cyril Isenberg, University of Kent.
Latest Music Bar, Manchester St, Brighton; 7.30 for 8 p.m.
www.café-scientifique-brighton.org.uk, e-mail: contact@brightoncafesci.com.
Outside Brighton and Hove
Wednesday May 23rd
On London’s Oil Road: A journey to the heart of the energy economy
Transition Walks, in association the Ramblers Association.
Starts at 6.30 p.m. Tickets: £5 + 75p booking fee from http://oil-walk.eventbrite.co.uk/, who will notify the exact starting point to all those who have registered one week before the event.
www.festivaloftransition.net/walks/oil-walk
Friday, July 27th – Sunday, July 29th
Reclaim the Fields: Summer Gathering
The Clervaux Trust, Croft-on-Tees, Darlington, DL2 2LF
Suggested donation: £5 a day — includes all meals
Bookings or more info: rtfsummergathering@gmail.com, www.reclaimthefields.org.uk
Global Tool to Gauge Earth’s & Humanity’s Vital Signs Launches in Africa
“We can no longer afford to make decisions without really seeing the full picture of what is happening to the planet… We need to put our finger on Earth’s pulse.” - Dr. Sandy Andelman, Conservation International
That is the motivation behind an innovative new food security initiative launching today by Conservation International and in the U.S. and Africa, with a new $10m U.S. three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced in Rome. The Africa Monitoring System is a comprehensive, integrated policy tool to help decision makers and investors in Africa see the big picture as they consider places and priorities for agricultural intensification, particularly with regard to the tradeoffs and benefits to communities and ecosystems. Why is this important? For the first time, these decision makers will be able to see all the data, gathered in a standardized way, in one place — rather than searching for metrics from various and inconsistent sources. This holistic view will help to act like an early warning system for nature, revealing when ecosystems that supply fresh water, pollinators, arable soil, and other services which are essential to agricultural production, become in danger of degradation or collapse. It will also though, track measures of human well-being such as livelihood and health, which are directly affected by the ecosystem health supporting people.
Interested in learning more? Please read our full press release on the Activist’s Corner page of SHOWS, or contact me if you are interested in speaking with Dr. Andelman, the Executive Director of the Africa Monitoring System.
Thank you,
Kim McCabe, Conservation International
New Radio Free Brighton Shop — buy goodies online!
We know you guys love Radio Free Brighton. We know you want to support us. So here at RFB towers, we set our heads to pondering and decided to skin two cats with one mixed metaphor.
Introducing the new Radio Free Brighton Shop!
Listen Here — Biodiversity and Language Diversity in World’s Threatened Hotspots
Did you know that:
- 70 % (4,824) of the worlds known languages occur in these 35 Hotspots and 5 wilderness areas, which is an area that is less than a quarter of the Earth’s land surface.
- In the hotspots, 1,553 of the languages are spoken by fewer than 10,000 people and 544 of those have less than 1,000 speakers.
- The Wilderness areas have 1,251 languages with fewer than 10,000 speakers and 657 are spoken by less than 1,000 people.
Suzanne Romaine, Merton Professor of English Language in the University of Oxford, predicts between 50–90% of known languages will have disappeared before the end of this century. She joined us here on Radio Free Brighon to discuss this, and the impact that it will have for future generations.
Listen in on Thursday the 17th at noon (repeated at midnight) to hear more, or check it out here right now.
Find out more about the issue here. And for further examples of Suzanne’s work please look here.
Local Students to Design Greener Schools
Local Schools have begun a competition, in partnership with the Eco Technology Show to make their schools greener and more energy efficient.
All local primary and secondary pupils have been challenged to come up with ways to reduce their schools’ impact on the environment in one of the following areas: water, waste, energy and transport.
The deadline for the designs is on May the 17th, and the winning designs will be announced and exhibited at the American Express Community Stadium at the Eco Technology Show 2012 (15−16 June), where it will be seen by thousands of visitors.
’”Robyn Steer, Creative Arts Coördinator, Albion in the Community, said: “The project was set up to engage young people in an eco-discussion and to give them the opportunity to actively explore what their school already does that is ‘green’.
“The project lets Brighton and Hove’s young people audit their school’s existing eco-projects and take creative control in designing how their school could be even greener.
“All of the schools involved so far are eco-schools, but this project enables them to look that bit further and see what else they could do – with no budget set, the project really encourages blue-sky thinking. It’s also open for any new local school to get involved and I am really excited to see what they design!”
Nicola Gunstone, director at the Eco Technology Show says: “Environmental awareness and sustainable behaviour is becoming increasingly important within schools, to help the younger generation better understand the issues facing our planet and to look after their environment.
“The Eco Technology Show at Brighton’s Amex Stadium is a great day out for local families, as well as school groups and teachers. It provides access to the best suppliers of sustainable products to help minimise waste, improve energy efficiency and reuse products for use in homes, schools and businesses. It’s also the place to gain clarification on environmentally focused government regulations which will be covered in a series of free seminars on the exhibition floor.
“Furthermore, activities and interactive elements of the show to ensure it’s an entertaining day out for families and schools. Visitors can try out the latest transport equipment on our free Test Track, such as the Segways, and check out the latest Eco cars and scooters, including the brand new Renault electric car the Twiz and the new solar powered e-trikes. Do also come and taste and shop in our sustainable food market or join one of the many practical workshops and seminars.“‘
For further information please see www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk
Mouslecombe School at Under the Bridge
On Thursday the 3rd of May Under the Bridge Studios, the home of Radio Free Brighton, Music for Kids and many others, was proud to have a group of talented children from the local Moulsecoomb School come and vist. Whilst here they were given the chance to record a song of their choosing with some of Brighton’s most talented musicians.
The result, a cover of Aloe Blacc’s I Need a Dollar, can be listened to here. Check it out and let us know what you think!
Brighton Energy Coop launches 16th May
We launch our scheme on Wednesday 16th May, 7.45pm at the Friends Meeting House in Brighton.
Brighton MP Caroline Lucas will give an introduction, and newly-elected leader of Brighton Council Jason Kitkat will also say a few words. Then the directors of Brighton Energy Coop will outline the scheme, and answer any questions you might have.
It’s also a chance to pick up a copy of our share invitation, which will also be available on this website after the event.
Do come along and feel free to invite invite friends and neighbours. It’s a great opportunity to learn of our journey to this point and about the details of this exciting scheme. In the meantime, if you’re interested in investing, you can pledge your investment here.
Listen Here — Panel Discussion with Simon Bright, Director of “Robert Mugabe…What happened?”
After the free showing of the film Robert Mugabe…What Happened? (Dir Simon Bright), there took place a fascinating and informative panel discussion , chaired by Ian Scoones (Institute of Development Studies, UoS).
Screened to packed houses in South Africa, Belgium, Holland and the UK,
this critically acclaimed film is a definitive account of Mugabe’s life.
You can here the panel discussion here in full.
Also, check out our Radio Free Brighton interview with Mike Holdgate about his time teaching in Zimbabwe here, or listen to it as our Wednesday Special Interest story on Wednesday at noon (repeated at mindnight).
Listen here :Brighton and Hove Women Against The Cuts
Radio Free Brighton talks to Brighton & Hove Women Against Cuts. BHWAC is a group of local women who have come together to take action against the coalition cuts. This is their first ever experience of doing a radio show and we thought it a terrific start! Brave girls! They are very well informed and we hope to have them back on a regular basis to keep us up to speed with the changes, the many ammendments, and what people can do to oppose the cuts.
http://www.mixcloud.com/RadioFreeBrighton/brighton-and-hove-women-against-the-cuts-/
Listen here Bryan Calcott on Work Experience
Bryan is currently visiting us from Macclesfield doing a week’s work experience. Bryan’s brother Mark is in We Walk In Straight Lines who regularly practise at our rehearsal studios. Bryan got his first taste of radio when he chatted with Rob about his love of live music and played us some tunes he’s been digging at the moment, including tracks by Fei Comodo and Miss May I. Listen here to his first ever radio show
http://www.mixcloud.com/RadioFreeBrighton/bryan-selects-some-of-his-favourite-metal-tunes/
Bryan drums for metal band Araxa, who have a female vocalist. They’ve just start putting together some of their own tunes, and hope to start gigging out in nearby Manchester soon. Watch this space!
You can find out more Araxa by visiting their facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Araxa/328154910575324
If you – or someone you know – would be interested in doing work experience at our studios feel free to email us at studio@radiofreebrighton.org.uk
Stop the Internet Big Brother Law
“The government wants to give itself new powers to spy on our internet and email use in real time — but a massive national outcry can save the internet and stop the big brother law.
Public outrage is growing and news reports suggest that Cameron and Clegg are being forced to slow down their march to secure draconian powers to spy on what we do online. If we pile on the pressure now, we can persuade them to back off the big brother bill for good.
The last time this was mooted in Parliament it failed precisely because of strong public opposition. Our call to Cameron, Clegg and Home Secretary Theresa May can protect our privacy and save the internet. Sign the petition to beat back big brother and forward widely.” (taken from Avaaz.org)
You can sign Avaaz’s petition to halt this sinister bill here and find out other ways to get involved
Amnesty Internation UK — Tell Shell: Own up, Pay up and Clean up the Niger Delta
Amnesty International UK -
Tell Shell: Own up, Pay up and Clean up the Niger Delta
Emmanuel Kuru used to have his own fishing business in Bodo Creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. His wife, Cecilia Teela, collected shellfish – the money she made paid for the children to go to school and a new roof for their house.
But in 2008, a pipeline owned by Shell failed. Oil poured into the creek, destroying Emmanuel’s boat and nets, and killing most of the shellfish. The community had driven away poverty, Emmanuel says, but now they are unable to fish it has returned. The oil spills have still not been cleaned up.
Shell’s activities in the Niger Delta are robbing people of their livelihoods, making them sick and ruining their lives. Ask Chief Executive Peter Voser to own up, pay up and clean up the Niger Delta
Since the company now known as Royal Dutch Shell first discovered oil in the Niger Delta in 1956, the region’s oil reserves have generated billions of dollars for Shell and other multinationals.
But for people living in the region, the oil deposits have been a curse. Thanks to the oil industry, many rivers, mangrove swamps and farming lands are poisoned and the air people breathe is polluted.
It’s time for Shell to own up to what they’ve done to the Niger Delta. We want them to put up an initial $1 billion (£630 million) to kick start the clean-up. Sign our petition now
That may seem a lot of money, until you consider the company recently posted an annual profit of $28.6 billion (£18 billion) – or more than $3.2 million (£2 million) profit per hour. Meanwhile, once proud residents of the Niger Delta like Emmanuel Kuru are reduced to begging to get by.
Tell Shell we won’t tolerate them putting profit before people. Sign our petition – own up, pay up and clean up the Niger Delta
Say NO to Monsanto
About Say NO to MONSANTO
Among other places in the world, India is being hit hard with Monsanto’s greed. The Indian farmers are being forced to use pesticides on their crops to kill the weeds. These crops were genetically altered to withstand the pesticide, however this pesticide costs money — lots of money. The farmers’ animals are dying, wildlife is dying from the pesticide, and the high cost is putting many into worse states of poverty than before. These people need to be heard. Reports have now been confirmed that more and more farmers are drinking this pesticide to commit suicide because they are shamed and cannot afford to support their families.
Millions Against Monsanto Campaign for “Round-Up Ready Soy Beans“
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm
Indian farmers are restricted from buying cheaper, more fuel efficient cars.
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/IndianCottonFarmersBetrayed.php
This Cause’s picture is taken from the website
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.geocities.com/Northstarzone/monsanto3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geocities.com/Northstarzone/MONSANTO.html&h=312&w=450&sz=34&hl=en&start=5&sig2=M8a1tNvJfLMIJ6gSEPwd5Q&um=1&tbnid=k2KdnLxkJTCWqM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=127&ei=IFQCSJ76Hpf0eZWn_CI&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmonsanto%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS254%26sa%3DN
1. Crops should not be genetically engineered
2. People should be able to choose how to grow and take care of their own farmland.
3. Monsanto should not be allowed to monopolize the worlds crops.
Concordia Volunteers Interview 21st March 2012
Radio Free Brighton interviews Francesca from Concordia to discuss their international volunteering projects and play music from local bands.
http://www.mixcloud.com/RadioFreeBrighton/concordia-volunteers/
This week’s Spanish Show Thurs 1pm Special Guest Alberto Martinez





















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