I talk to Denise Gannon of Craft Arena, who is definitely one of Barleylands Craft Village's big success stories. I'm glad to say her business survived lockdown and she's here to tell us all about her shop that sells craft products and art supplies. Her workshops and classes and the Alchemy Gallery. Denise tells us about her longstanding interest in craft and how it has helped her mental health. How her business has grown and her family's involvement in the business and much more. https:/www.craftarena.co.uk

Sam and Hannah from Eco Essex are two mums who have a passion for sustainable living. They set the Facebook group up in 2018 and it just grew and grew. Realising what potential it had to make a difference they kept in expanding it. https://www.facebook.com/ecoessexpage

I had such a great chat with Ian Eagleton who is the author of the much lauded children's book, 'Nen and the Lonely Fisherman'. Illustrated by James Mayhew and published by Owlett Press. The book has been described as - 'A lovely, gentle story of friendship and love between a merman, Nen, and Ernest, the Fisherman of the title, with a conservationist theme rippling throughout. Mayhew' s light-dappled, tender illustrations are the perfect foil for Eagleton's quiet, well-chosen words'. We had such a warm and wonderful conversation and Ian shared much, always underlined with worldly wisdom. Ian is also an education consultant and a teacher. As Ian shows visuals of the book and some of his recommended children's reading books it is probably best to view this interview on YouTube - https://youtu.be/KW91f-OO42o

I chat to Ken Porter on a bright July morning, all about his recent local history books, 'Basildon Famous People Volume 2', 'Poems and a Brief History of Laindon and Surrounding District', and 'Joan Rosaire and Wonder Horse, Goldy'. Ken is also the Chairman of the Basildon Borough Heritage Group and Web based Laindon & District Community Archive.

I chat to Jeremy Suffolk and Tony Stratton, two presenters from BHR 87.7 otherwise known as Basildon Hospital Radio which has recently been made an FM radio station and voted second most listened to amateur radio in the country. I explore how they got into volunteering for hospital radio and some of the great interviews they've conducted over the last eighteen months.

I talk to Rachel Sprunt and Cherry Mckean from the Eco Colnes & Halstead Group and the Earls Colne Community Garden. With plans on the agenda for the Ecolnes Refillery. We talked about all things green such as cutting down on plastic waste, sharing info on Eco products in their community, easy eco changes and growing free food within the community where there is a give and take ethos.

Geraldine and Angela's family ran 'The Barge' once known as 'The Old Barge Inn' in Vange for seventy years! Geraldine's aunt, Elizabeth Goodson paid £2,643.06 for the lease of The Barge Inn and surrounding land on May 20th, 1937.

Spinning has been part of James Perry's life for 17 years. This moved onto dyeing and weaving. He wanted to improve his spinning and so turned to wood turning. Internationally published in two magazines and has written many UK based articles. He teaches workshops in the UK and when he can would like to teach abroad. https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Ashenflock

Tracy Vine is a post-modern urban artist, appropriating photography from the past and combining it with representations of today to challenge the values and meanings of social and cultural hierarchies. Her influences are the photographers of the New Topographics who represented the last manifestation of pure photography in the 1970's. Tracy graduated with a 1st class Digital, Fine Art and Design degree and has a Masters in Art Research.

'OPEN LAB is a super exciting project that fills vacant shops in Basildon town centre with creative pop-up activities for you to enjoy!' This is what it says in their leaflets and this resolute researcher found this to be very true!