East Marshian Chronicles

In this episode, EMU’s Chief Storyteller Lauren Davidson sits down with Josie Moon, People and Place Ambassador, to explore the work she is leading and the impact it is having across the East Marsh in Grimsby. Josie shares insights into her role supporting community wellbeing, strengthening connections, and helping shape a more resilient, community-led future. The conversation highlights the impor...

As proud recipients of Project Grant Funding from Create NEL, East Marsh United were able to run workshops with a class of Year 5 pupils from Weelsby Academy, working with The Colour Foundry to imagine a rewilded local landscape. Using sound recordings, mark making techniques and digital art, they created a magical space to be explored. 'Wild Pixels' their vision for a 'Greener East...

Continuing our journey along Freeman Street, we pass by The Warehouse.  A quick left turn into Newmarket Street, and we chance upon the unassuming frontage of Foresight.  Opening the door, we enter a labyrinth of wonderful people doing wonderful work... Foresight is a dedicated organisation committed to meeting the needs and requirements of disabled individuals, their families, and carers.  Their...

And we're back for 2024! In today's episode, recorded last December, Dan talks with EMU's own Carolyn Doyley about a couple of projects that go live this week. First they discuss 'The Toy Cupboard'  - our new venture with our friends at the NSPCC. This is a beautiful little spot in Freeman Street Market where parents and carers of pre-school children can borrow toys for a...

In today's episode we leave the cosy confines of the East Marshian Chronicles studio,  and take our mobile unit out for the first time. After a short walk up Freeman Street, turning onto Newmarket Street we come upon We are ONE Foundation - a grassroots charity staffed solely by volunteers, which works to provide support for people facing food poverty including the homeless, those in hostels,...

Wondering what those new shipping containers next to the Fishing Heritage Centre are all about? Well today we find out! These containers are the home of Projekt Renewable, 'an educational and cultural destination to inspire a generation' , and today Dan talks to director Richard Askam all about it. Richard and Dan discuss the Projekt's humble beginnings, unfamiliar spelling choices,...

We continue our current series of discussions with other organisations seeking to effect positive change in Grimsby's East Marsh and surrounding areas. In this episode, Dan interviews Robin Barr and Denny Batty from Harbour Place outreach and night shelter about their work with disenfranchised and vulnerable people, and their commitment to reducing and eventually eradicating homelessness and...

In this episode, Dan Humphrey speaks with Paula Graves, East Marsh United's own Community-Led Housing Manager. They discuss the current state of private renting, and what EMU is doing to combat this in our role as an 'ethical landlord'. Paula can be contacted at: Paula@eastmarshunited.org ..................................................................................................

Our new season continues with the next in our series of interviews with other groups effecting positive change in the Grimsby area. This week, EMU's own Dan Humphrey talks with Sandra Ritchie from We Are F.I.S.H. about their work with local families and public spaces. Find out more at: https://www.facebook.com/wearefishgy/ https://www.instagram.com/wearefishgy/ www.wearefish.org.uk .............

Welcome to Season Three!!! We're kicking off with a series of conversations between East Marsh United's own Dan Humphrey and friends, colleagues and allies from other local organisations working towards positive change. Today's interview is with Vicky Dunn from Grimsby Community Energy,  a co-operative  who are dedicated to bringing sustainable community energy projects to our area....

In this episode Josie Moon talks to Sue Baker and Caroline Gooch about a musical project with our East Marsh schools that has been quite a journey.   In 2020 Josie began the Anthem for the East Marsh project, a plan to write a community song featuring ideas and lyrics from the community.  Sue and Caroline undertook work in all six schools to gather ideas from the children for the song. Alongside c...

This is an extract from a panel discussion which took place at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford entitled: 'Grimsby and Blackpool- how community power is helping them with levelling up'. The panel consisted of Professor Sir Paul Collier, Baroness Valentine & Jason Stockwood along with East Marsh United's own Billy Dasein & Josie Moon. Josie set the scene for the...

This mini-episode is our final recording made at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . Today's writer is Kelly McLaughlin, who reads her poem 'Seasons of my Life'. Thanks again to everyone involved in the creation of the book and the wonderful launch event - here&apo...

This mini-episode is our penultimate recording made at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . Today's extract is from 'White Winter Mischief', written and read by Caroline Beeson Spence. Find out more: East Marsh United - eastmarshunited.org To buy a book, contact car...

This mini-episode is another recording made at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . Today's extract is a poem by Stephen Barrett entitled 'Bookworm'.  Unfortunately Stephen was unable to attend the event, so Paul Haddock nobly stepped into his shoes to read this pie...

Today's mini-episode is another recording made at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . Our writer today is Ines Aschkowski who reads two pieces - an excerpt from 'The Spirit of the Oak Tree' and 'Walk near Buck Beck, September 9th, 2021' Find out more: Eas...

Today's mini-episode is our second recording made at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . This piece is 'The Promise' written by Pat Moughton, and read by Carolyn Doyley, the group's facilitator, and editor of the book. Find out more: East Marsh United - eastma...

Over the next few few days we'll be releasing audio recorded at the very successful book launch of Tales from the East Marsh by our very own East Marsh Writers Group, Quills. See more about the event at this blog post . The extracts are readings from the book by the group themselves. Special thanks to our fabulous host Lisa February, whose voice can be heard introducing the readers. Find out...

Today’s episode sets the scene for some short releases over the coming week. Our interview is with Carolyn Doyley and Paul Haddock. Carolyn set up our East Marsh Writers Group in 2019 and Paul was one of the first to join. The group have published their first book Tales from the East Marsh by the Quills Writing Group and the two tell us all about it and about their group. Find out more: East Marsh...

Today’s episode is the first in our new series on community wealth building, and features an interview with Victoria Bettany. Victoria is a senior researcher at CLES - the national organisation for local economies. CLES is dedicated to developing progressive economics for people, planet and place, working towards achieving social justice and effective public services. They define community wealth...

Our friends John Smith and Quinn Needham from HEY credit union talk about the purpose and history of credit unions and about their work here in Grimsby - including on our East Marsh (Fridays, EMU's Courtyard Office, Freeman Street Market - just turn up!). HEY are a not-for-profit financial co-operative providing fair and responsible savings and loans for local people. Their aim is to improve...

Our guest is Ben Wrigley and Ben is a Community Shares Practitioner working with East Marsh United to raise £500,000 to buy 10 more houses - part of our grand vision to buy 100 houses for 100 years and ensure the continuity of community engagement here on the East Marsh. Ben talks about Community Share Offers and about how the whole process is managed via his own company, Resonance, and the not-fo...

Today's episode about the Million Pound Challenge takes place from Grimsby's Freeman Street Market.  The million pound challenge aims to put money into the pockets of East Marsh residents by providing free welfare and advice appointments at Freeman Street Market. Help may also be available if people are struggling to pay housing and home energy bills or dealing with unmanageable debt.  ...

This episode is our third Ragged Reading Group discussion - this time we explored the text suggested during our last one:  An Inspector Calls by English dramatist J. B. Priestley. An Inspector Calls is a three-act drama which takes place on a single night in April 1912, focusing on the prosperous upper middle-class Birling family, who live in a comfortable home in the fictional town of Brumley, &q...

In today's episode, Jack Booth and Billy Dasein talk to Jason Stockwood,  Club Chairman of Grimsby Town Football Club and so much more. We set a high bar with our opening question and the conversation then ranges across kibbutzim and DisneyWorld, how work really works for people and organisations (spoiler: trust people), a brief discussion of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus...