Mend is on air!

Last Tuesday Mend officially hit the airwaves as we recorded our very first Mend London Blog Show on Shoreditch Radio! Shoreditch Radio is a community radio station based in Hackney and is the latest in a long tradition of community radio in London. We have yet to hear the final edit but I am already bracing myself for being transported to my 16-year old grunge loving self when I hear my own voice back....! How do proper broadcasters ever get used to that?

Every fortnight we will be interviewing local residents, businesses, politicians and organisations on the important issues and topics affecting people in Hackney. Our first show features Euan Mills discussing the process and progress of establishing one of the first Neighbourhood Plans in London for Chatsworth Road. Check out their website here to get involved: www.chatsworthroade5.co.uk

Emily Webber from Hackney's very own hyperlocal site Yeah!Hackney also joined us to talk about how the site came about and the reasons it has taken off so much...it is now a major local virtual landmark and is the authority on all things happening in Hackney. The content comes from the local people using it - so nice and eclectic, up to the minute and extremely friendly. Go see: www.yeahhackney.com/

We also briefly talk about the vagaries of government claiming things that are already doing very nicely for themselves thank you....namely the tech hub recently dubbed the "Silicon Roundabout" in Shoreditch which has been busy bubbling away for a few years only for civil servants to gallantly announce its arrival! How to kill something sexy.....For many, Old Street's scruffy charm is the key to its success in attracting young tech creatives and the last thing they need is a big government scouring pad to come along and make it nice and corporate friendly....or do they? Cameron is keen to brand the area and its extention out to Stratford as "TechCity" but is this yet another example of chucking stuff in East London to keep it busy or is there a genuine cluster emerging here?

Check out the show here: www.shoreditchradio.co.uk/show/mend-london/

Get involved, tell us what you think or want us to talk about next, suggest some tunes or invite yourself in as a guest.