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The Somerset coolathon – 24 hours on the radio for very cool causes

Somerset Cool 24 We’re doing a 24 hour non-stop radio show at the weekend (Saturday 25th-Sunday 26th May). I know. Who’s crazy idea was that eh?!! ;) Well, there’s a couple of reasons why it might not be as crazy as it sounds and they are the two causes we’re supporting whilst we do it.

The first is Somerset and Dorset Animal Rescue, who are currently helping to save dogs from the Chinese meat trade. When we heard about that, we just had to try and support them. The reality of the dog meat trade is unimaginably horrific and you might’ve seen our posts about the three dogs they’ve recently helped to rescue – Hope, Lotto (now Alfie) and little Daisy.

The second awesome cause we’re proud to support is Lurcher SOS, an amazing sighthound Rescue that’s saved hundreds of sighthounds from abandonment, cruelty and death.

Please consider donating to this appeal.

If you do, we’ve got a little something up our Somerset cool sleeves ;). We’re talking about our Acts of Kindness that you might’ve read a bit about on our Instagram and Twitter.

coolathon photo grid

To say thanks for your kindness, some friends and supporters of the show have gifted amazing things to us and we’re giving them away. So, if you donate, you might get a special surprise including…

  • A 3 night stay at the awesome Holi Moli at Dunster Beach – a lovingly restored dog friendly beach hut, full of life and colour.
  • An awesome party for your dog and up to 10 guests (dogs or people) at the brilliant Cheddar Paws Bakery in Cheddar, Somerset, complete with a large bespoke handmade celebration cake for your houndie, puppachino for each dog, tea or coffee for each human, human cake for each person, party bag for each doggo and party hats too!
  • A morning or afternoon taking photos with Wildlife photographer Carl Bovis – what a gift for any photography or wildlife lover
  • A commission to have your animal companion painted by awesome artist Camilla Frederick
  • A taste of the very best artisan preserves from Bumblee’s Preserves handmade in the heart of Somerset

And there’s more to come!

Plus, massive drumroll please, we’ve got an exciting announcement during our Makers Hour from 4-5pm on Saturday afternoon, so you won’t want to miss that!

Right! You know about our causes and the acts of kindness and that something exciting is on the way… but what can you actually listen to us get up to throughout the 1,440 minutes? ;) Well, feast your eyes on this little lot! It’ll be a Somerset cool celebration of art, music, makers, food, wildlife, photography and err… silliness! There’ll be something for everyone to get involved with and have fun with, so do join us on the day/s. We need you!

SATURDAY, MAY 25TH

  • 1-2pm – Somerset cool kick off, sponsored by Hurds Hill. Setting the scene with chats with Lurcher SOS & Somerset & Dorset Animal Rescue
  • 2-3pm – Wildlife Hour. Celebrating wildlife with special guests, chat & music. Artist Jackie Curtis, Photographer Carl Bovis & The Lost Words campaigner & book reviewer John Fish join us in the studio
  • 3-4pm – Photography hour, sponsored by Clevedon Pier. Celebrating photography with special guests in the studio including Polly Skene, Carl Bovis & Jonathan Warner
  • 4-5pm – Makers Hour, sponsored by Boo Cottage Botanicals. Celebrating people who create, make and inspire… and an exciting announcement with Zoe Burmester from Sugar Street Studios and Channel 4′s Extreme Cake Making.
  • 5-6pm – Foodie Hour, sponsored by Bumblee’s Preserves. Celebrating great food and artisan producers and there’s a cheese tasting in the studio with the brilliant Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company. The one & only Patrick ‘Beardy Veg Man’ from Riverford joins us in the studio to talk all things organic & we chat to programme sponsor Francine Lee about what being an artisan producer really means.
  • 6-7pm – Art Hour. Celebrating art in all it’s forms with artists Camilla Frederick and Fiona Campbell in the studio
  • 7-9pm – Rescues & Requests, sponsored by Winston James Woof. A very special programme featuring your stories of your own rescued animals, and the songs you’d like to play for them. You’ve sent us some incredible stories and requested some amazing tunes, so don’t miss it! The guys from Cheddar Paws Bakery will be with us in the studio.
  • 9-10pm – 70′s hour, Flares! Sponsored by The Regency Chess Company. A trip back to the 70′s kicks off our bit of nostalgia. 70′s music at it’s finest with Johnny, Ida (and Jenna if she’s still awake ;)) There may be costumes!
  • 10-11pm – 80′s hour – Club Tropicana (drinks aren’t free! ;) A trip back to the 80′s with Ida (& a bit of Jenn). There may be props!
  • 11pm – midnight – Recap & Rescues. A cause special. We recap Day 1 & chat to Liz Stewart, founder of Somerset & Dorset Animal Rescue.

SUNDAY MAY 26TH

  • Midnight – 1am – 90′s hour – Graeme takes control, Sponsored by Tickety Boo Creative. What classics has G got up his sleeve? He’s in control though, so we’re all doomed! ;)
  • 1am-3am – Teenage Kicks Presents. The Teenage Kicks team create a fantastic show to support us and bring a teenage perspective on life. There’s an animal noise quiz for Jenn too, and an hour of EMO.
  • 3-4am – Jenn goes crazy! Sponsored by Simple Brighter Days. Tunes that Jenn only normally plays ‘drunk dancing’ in the kitchen! No drink will be involved on the radio of course, but there are 3 guilty pleasure songs back to back, which she’ll never live down. What are they? Set your alarm!! ;)
  • 4-6am – You rock!. A special guest-hosted slot with us chipping in and dancing in the studio, so we can all get our rock on! What could possibly go wrong? ;)
  • 6-8am – The Dawn Chorus, sponsored by The Drawing Room at Butleigh. Special surprises, a great interview with naturalist and author Stephen Moss, and making in the studio with Lara from Manor Farm Cottage Flowers. Nic from Dog Friendly Frome will also be in the studio and there’s a rumour programme sponsor Jade from The Drawing Room will be popping in for cake and chat! :)
  • 8-9am – Book Club. Jenn chats books with ace book reviewer John Fish, who recommends some fantastic stuff for your reading list. John also has an emotional and poignant interview with an acclaimed author. Tune in to find out more.
  • 9am – noon – The Sunday Sizzler. A very special version of the weekly Saturday Sizzler, with Ida, Jenna, Graeme and some guests in the studio. Dunster Beach Hut talk Acts of Kindness and beach life, and we’ve a very special competition between Brewed Boy and Palmer Street Bottle! Who will win the on air battle of the beers?
  • 12-1pm Somerset cool (a)Live – sponsored by The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company. Are we alive? Did we make it? Either way it’ll be awesome because Cheryl from Mojo moves is in to keep us awake! ;)

Wow! What a packed 24 hours that is… and to listen from wherever you are in the world, just go to www.frome.fm and click LISTEN NOW.

When you’re ready to hear us 24-houring for all we’re worth, we’ll be there! ;)

Will radio ever be the same again? Will we ever be allowed back on the airwaves? ;) Will you help us raise some serious funds for two very worthy causes? Find out by tuning in from 1pm this Saturday (May 25th) to 1pm Sunday May 26th. We can’t wait to have you with us.

Thank you so much for your donations and a huge thanks goes to our sponsors and act of kindness supporters… and for all your messages of support so far. It means so much to us and the animals we’re hoping to save.

Give away – T&C’s that we have to pop on! ;)

1. We’ll give away, at random, the stated gifts to selected people who have kindly donated to our appeal.

2. Accommodation only for Dunster Beach Hut – no travel or food/drink is included. The 3 night stay is for two adults and up to 2 dogs and no travel is included for any of the give aways. The Dunster Beach Hut stay is for these dates only: Friday 25th to Monday 28th October.

3. The give away is as stated and no cash or other alternatives are offered.The gifts are not transferable. Gifts are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value, without giving notice.

4. We’ll let give away recipients know by DM on Twitter, Instagram or by email as soon as possible and within 28 days of giving the gifts away on the radio and/or on social media. If the recipient can’t be contacted within 14 days, we’ll pick a replacement recipient.

5. We’ll notify the recipient when and where the prize can be collected or if it’s delivered.

6. We reserve the right to cancel or amend the give away and these terms and conditions at any time without notice and to cancel the give away if circumstances arise outside of our control.

7. Our decision in respect of all matters to do with the give away is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

8. As part of the give away, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

A version of this blog post was originally published on www.somersetcool.com