On the Radio!!! - by Martha Coleman

After attending the National Spokesperson training I was asked 4 days later if I was available to speak on the radio about the “Real Role Models” campaign. I was invited to speak on LBC (London’s Biggest Conversation) and BBC Radio Oxford by the PR Office’s Kim Sanders and Jim Ranger.

The LBC interview was to take place at 6:50am! For any teenager on their summer holiday this was a big ask… but I was willing to do it for the sake of Girlguiding! I just hoped I didn’t sound half asleep on the radio. The phone rang at 6:50 exactly and I was a bundle of nerves and excitement at the same time! I was going to be interviewed by Susan Bookbinder along with one of the 10 role models, Yewande Akinola, who is an engineer. The interview seemed to be over in seconds, or about 3 minutes! The questions were insightful and inquisitive which made a few of them more difficult to answer at that early hour. But, according to my adoring fans that woke up early enough, I sounded enthusiastic about Girlguiding and confident in what I was saying…which is always a positive!

The second interview took place at 9:07am on BBC Radio Oxford with Phil Gayle (3hrs 5mins in). I was interviewed as part of their conversation hour where Phil asked for the Oxfordshire public’s experience with youth organisations- great PR! Despite him calling me a Guide (several times) even though I’m a Ranger and calling Scouts, Boy Scouts, the interview went without a hitch and I really enjoyed it! I had a bigger audience of my adoring fans due to its more acceptable hour and hopefully a bigger audience of potential volunteers and girls who wish to join Girlguiding UK!

I can’t wait to do more opportunities such as these two for Girlguiding UK or even just local Middlesex East! Hopefully they won’t be so early next time…