The Morecambe Bay Podcast

*They’ve been part of Morecambe life since 1920.

Today, Morecambe FC, the Shrimps, are competing in League One and dreaming of what comes next. But there’s far more to the club than what happens for 90 minutes on the pitch.

Morecambe FC has become deeply involved in the life of the community, with projects and activities reaching people of all ages across Morecambe Bay.

In this episode, we meet the man overseeing that work — one of the youngest senior leaders in football — and discover how a team of around 200 people is helping the Shrimps make a difference well beyond the football ground.

From football to community, discover the other side of Morecambe FC and why the Shrimps mean so much to the Bay.

*Recorded August 2022

Despite floods, Storm Arwen and record-breaking heat, Leighton Moss continues to be one of Morecambe Bay’s most important places for wildlife.

The RSPB reserve is home to the largest reed bed in north-west England and has become particularly famous for its growing population of bitterns. But while some species are thriving, increasingly extreme weather is raising concerns about what the future could hold for this precious habitat.

At the same time, the pandemic has brought a new generation of wildlife lovers to Leighton Moss, with more people discovering the joy of watching birds and exploring nature around the Bay.

In this episode, we discover why Leighton Moss matters, how its wildlife is coping with a changing climate and why the reserve is attracting more visitors than ever.

They’re ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week whatever the weather, whatever the conditions.

The volunteers of Fleetwood Lifeboat form part of the RNLI’s nationwide network of lifeboat stations, launching to help people in trouble at sea and along the coast.

Now, after a long wait, the station is opening its doors to the public for the first time since the pandemic. The open day offers a chance to meet the volunteers, see the station’s Shannon and D-class lifeboats up close and discover what it takes to be ready for an emergency at any time.

It’s also an opportunity for the crew, their families and supporters to celebrate the vital role the station plays in keeping people safe.

Meet the volunteers behind Fleetwood Lifeboat and discover what it takes to be ready to launch when someone needs help.

Fleetwood Lifeboat Station – RNLI

What does it mean to live well?

For the sixth year, The Bay Health Festivals are bringing people together around Morecambe Bay — creating spaces to pause, talk, listen and reconnect.

The idea is simple: make time for conversations that matter, whether they’re with family, friends, neighbours or even ourselves. In a world where life can feel increasingly busy and uncertain, taking a moment to stop and reflect may be more important than ever.

This year’s festival spans the Bay, offering opportunities to explore the “lost art of living” and discover new ways of looking after our wellbeing.

In this episode, we explore why making time for connection, conversation and simply being present could help us all live a little better.

Morecambe Bay is home to a remarkable mix of communities, industries and infrastructure — from two nuclear power stations and the M6 to busy shipping routes and air traffic overhead.

That makes having a fast, effective emergency service ready to respond more important than ever.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is currently looking for on-call firefighters in and around Morecambe. Once known as “retained” firefighters, they often have another job and provide emergency cover from home or work, responding when their pager sounds.

But what’s it really like to be ready to drop everything and answer an emergency call?

In this episode, firefighter Rosie Pearson and station manager Kevin Warwick explain what the role involves, why they do it and what it takes to become an on-call firefighter.

And this is no studio conversation — we recorded it just as an emergency call came in.

After a pandemic-enforced absence, a fleet of beautifully preserved historic buses returned to the streets of Morecambe and Heysham — bringing back a familiar sight and a taste of the town’s transport history.

The Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust is dedicated to restoring and preserving the buses that once carried passengers around the area. This year’s event gave people the chance to climb aboard and travel to destinations around Morecambe and Heysham in a piece of living history.

Supported by Morecambe BID and Stagecoach, the event proved a hit with passengers and enthusiasts alike.

In this episode, we climb aboard to meet some of the people behind the event, discover what it takes to care for these remarkable old vehicles and find out why preserving Morecambe’s transport heritage matters.

Step aboard for a nostalgic journey through Morecambe’s streets — and meet the volunteers keeping these historic buses on the road.

Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust

The scenes from the conflict of Ukraine have prompted many people around the Bay to support the communities affected by the war. 

It might be hundreds of miles away but the images and stories emerging seem very close to home for many: that's certainly true for members of Bay Search and Rescue. 

Among the volunteers' rescue fleet is a Sherp, an all terrain vehicle that - in normal times - is made in Kiev. The Morecambe Bay team have travelled to the company's factory in the past and know many of those who build the life-saving truck. They've been prompted to gather a lorry load of supplies donated by the communities around the Bay including Morecambe Football Club. Later this month (21st April) a team led by one of the organisation's founders, Gary Parsons, will drive the donations from the Bay to the Polish border with Ukraine.

'I think they thought I was mad!' Photographer Tessa Bunney whose new exhibition today (Sat 9th April) describing how her subjects viewed her during a three year long mission to document one of Morecambe Bay's oldest industries.

She's braved the Bay's famously variable weather to take thousands of images of the fishermen and women who ply their trade on these hazardous sands and channels.

The Lancaster Maritime Museum on St George's Quay in Lancaster is hosting the exhibition until July *. So how did she manage to gather such an amazing collection of images - and how do you choose which to display? Tessa tells us about the challenges she faced and the characters she met during the course of work to create this important lasting record of an industry that will forever be linked to the Bay.

*Recorded in April 2022

After battling through the challenges of the pandemic, Morecambe Band has plenty to celebrate.

The band recently won the Fourth Section at the North West Areas Regional Contest — earning a place at the National Finals in September and giving its members plenty to look forward to in 2022.

But this is no overnight success story. Formed in 1875, Morecambe Band has survived for almost 150 years, building a proud tradition of music and community along the way.

In this episode, we meet some of the band’s longest-serving members alongside its newest recruits at a rehearsal. They share memories of the past, the excitement of recent success and their ambitions for the future.

From 1875 to the National Finals: discover the remarkable story of Morecambe Band and the people keeping its music alive.

It's known as the small charity making a big difference; from artwork and the Morecambe Bay cycle path to beach cleans and recent sunset talks. The Morecambe Bay Partnership has a new Chief Executive who's arrived in the area after spending nine years working in conservation on the Scilly Isles. Sarah Mason is six months into the role and joins at an interesting time. The Eden Project, concerns over sewage discharges and the effects of increased tourism prompted by the pandemic are among matters causing debate around the Bay. On a wintry day in Arnside she tells us more about her plans for the charity.