Coming Soon - Something New For Drivetime...

Hi Bloggers

Changes are afoot here at Radio Verulam! From Tuesday 4th May there will be a new look to the show and a new title - "West Herts Drivetime With Danny Smith" will be born.

To go with the new show will be a new blog:

westhertsdrivetime.blogspot.com

Please note the new blog address as this will be the one-stop online resource for the show. We also have a fan page on Facebook and you can follow us on Twitter.

Taking an Easter Break

Hi Bloggers

All of our regular features will be taking a break until sometime after Easter. However, I hope you can still join me for great music weekdays between 4pm - 7pm.

Films on free to air TV for the next 7 days

Hi everyone, here are Simons recommendations for the week ahead

Wednesday

Slumdog Millionaire

9:00pm - 11:20pm

Film4

American History X

10:00pm - 12:25am

ITV4

Thursday

This Is England

9:00pm - 11:00pm

Film4

Life Is Sweet

11:00pm - 1:05am

Film4

Friday

King Kong

10:15pm - 1:30am

ITV1 London

Saturday

Apollo 13

6:20pm - 9:00pm

ITV2

Sunday

13 Going on 30

5:10pm - 7:05pm

Five

Monday

Little Voice

9:00pm - 10:30pm

BBC4

Tuesday

Payback

9:00pm - 11:00pm

Five USA

Monthly feature with Karin Williams of the Citizens Advice Bureau

Hi everyone,

On the show today we heard from Karin Williams of the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Karin begun the interview by pointng out that from the 6th April this year, the age at which you can claim the state pensions is increasing for both men and women. If you were born after the 6th April 1959, you won't be able to get a state pension until your aged between 65 and 68 depending on when you were born. On a positive note, the number of qualifying years for the state pension is to be reduced to 30 years.

The next topic that Karin covered was claims to employment tribunals. When an employee wins a case, some employers don't pay the due compensation. From the 6th April, employees can ask a High Court Enforcement Officer to collect the debt if the employer doesn't pay and this will only cost £50. This change comes about as a result of campaigning by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The next topic was about people who have paid £1000's for training courses only to find the training company becomes insolvent. The advice Karin gave is to pay by credit card for these services which then offer you some protection in such circumstances.

Also on the subject of training, Karin advised that from the 6th April, in any company with more than 250 employees, an employee now has a legal right to ask for time off for training and the employer must at least consider the idea. If the employer says no, the employee can legally challenge this using the employers grievance procedure.

For more information on anything that Karin covered, and anything else you need advice on, you can call into the Bureau at 64 London Road, St Albans, or give them a call on 01727 855269, or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

Coming up this week....

Hi all,

Coming up this week we have:

Tuesday: we have our monthly interview at 5.35pm with Karin Williams of the Citizens Advice Bureau

Wednesday: we have the Film Guide at 5.30pm with Simon Carver

Thursday: at 5.35pm we have an interview with Katherine Narroway from Friday Folk

Happy Easter!

Interview with Carol Lodge of Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Hi everyone

On the show today we heard from Carol Lodge who is the Conservation and Planning Officer for Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.

Carol told us that at this time of year the birds are getting busy and the dawn chorus is starting to get more noisy! Birds are currently starting to build nests, particulary in wetland areas.

It's still important to leave bird feed out and remember to keep your bird feeders clean. Dried seeds seeds are popular with most birds.

Carol also pointed out that if you have a pond in your garden you might start seeing frog spawn - even lizards have been recently spotted!

And of course, April is the time when lots of plants begin to flower, especially bluebells. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust are running a series of bluebell walks at various locations on the 25th April, 29th April, 6th May and the 9th May. A minimum donation of £2 per person is asked and bluebells will be experienced at their most wonderful.

For more information on these walks, and for everything else to do with the Wildlife Trust visit www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk.

Playlist w/c 29th March 2010

Hi Bloggers

I cannot believe how ahead of the game I am this week! Normally, I am struggling to get the playlist out before Monday's show but this week I am almost a day early!!!

Below you will find our drivetime new music playlist for the coming week:

Arno Carstens - Heartbreak Monday
Codeine Velvet Club - Vanity Kills
Corinne Bailey Rae - Paris Nights / New York Mornings
Ella Chi - Cuz He Needed Me
Eliza Doolittle - Skinny Genes
Gabriella Cilmi - On A Mission
Goldfrapp - Rocket
Harper Simon - Shooting Star
Joshua Radin - I’d Rather Be With You
Katherine Jenkins - Fear of Falling
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Lisbee Stainton - Is Whispering
Lissie - In Sleep
London Community Gospel Choir (Feat. Paul Carrack) - Soul To Soul
Maria Mena - All This Time
Meat Loaf - Los Angeloser
Mica Paris - Born Again
Nell Bryden - Tonight
OneRepublic - Secrets
Paloma Faith - Upside Down
Paolo Nutini - Growing Up Beside You
Paul Weller - No Tears To Cry
Plan B - She Said
ROX - My Baby Left Me
Scouting For Girls - This Ain’t A Love Song
The Lucinda Belle Orchestra - My Voice & My 45 Strings
Timothy B Schmit - Ella Jean
Whitney Houston - Nothin’ But Love

Items in BOLD are new additions.

See you on the air!