Our Sounds Sweep the Boards

26 February 2010

Our podcasts swept the boards at a media awards ceremony in London last night (25 February), winning four prizes.

Our award-winning programmes were:
‘Let Us Pod - The Budgerigar and the Prisoner’ - Gold.
‘Let Us Pod - Family Reunited’ - Gold.
‘Christmas Robins’ - Silver.
‘Holy Footsteps: Blessed Dominic Barberi’ - Bronze

The honours came in the podcast category of the Christian Broadcast Council awards.

Bishop Declan said: “I am delighted that cliftondiocese.com received four awards for some of our podcasts including the story of Dieumerci Kasongo Kongolo being reunited with his young family, and Les, a prisoner whose life was changed so much. 

“During the recent Ad Limina visit to the Holy See our website was recommended as an example of good practise by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.  The council recommended it not only to dioceses in England and Wales but also to a wider audience. 

“Called to proclaim the Good News, we need to positively use all means of communication to be effective in our mission.”

‘Let Us Pod - The Budgerigar and the Prisoner’ tells the story of Les who spent six years in prison for a serious crime.  During that time, his life was turned round by looking after a budgerigar.  Waiting for his release he had time to think about life and responsibility. 

The programme interweaves Les’s story with the reflections of a Bristol Catholic priest, Father Robert King, who talks about Advent and the transformation of human life through the birth of Jesus.  For Christians, Advent is a time of waiting - waiting for the birth of Christ who Christians believe transforms their lives. 

Clifton Cathedral parishioner Mary Colwell produced the podcast which has previously won Sony Gold and a New York Festival World Gold Medal.

‘Let Us Pod - Family Reunited’ tells the story of Dieumerci Kasongo Kongolo a refugee living with his family in Bristol.  Dieumerci tells us how he was reunited with his three young children and partner Stella very early one morning.  He had been detained for two weeks.  Dieumerci is a parishioner of inner-city Bristol’s St Nicholas of Tolentino Church.

Parish Priest Father Richard McKay and the St Nick’s community supported Dieumerci and his family following his detention and threatened removal.  Dieumerci relives how he was ripped away from his family - all of whom are British citizens.  He explains why he is seeking refuge in this country as well as how he fears for his life.  

‘Let Us Pod - Family Reunited’ was recorded when Dieumerci had just returned home to Bristol.  He talks about how his faith and the support of St Nick’s parish sustained him during detention.  The relieved Stella, resolute Father Richard, and really joyful children can also be heard in this simple and powerful story.

‘Christmas Robins’ was cliftondiocese.com’s Advent reflection for 2009.  It was presented and produced by Mary Colwell and features top West Country naturalist Chris Sperring along with the music of Bristol pianist Annette Dunn as well as the sounds of the nation’s favourite bird.  It looks afresh at the Robin - a classic symbol of Christmas.

‘Holy Footsteps: Blessed Dominic Barberi’ is part of a cliftondiocese.com series bringing to life amazing stories of saints associated with the Catholic Church in the West of England.  It is presented by Father Richard Barton, Parish Priest of Our Lady and St Alphege in Bath, who tells the story of Blessed Dominic Barberi’s fascinating life, as he takes listeners to places where Dominic lived and preached.  Places where our holy heritage are still clear to see.

Father Robert King was at the ceremony last night.  He said:  “It’s wonderful news that cliftondiocese.com was the recipient of so many awards.  Our pastoral guidelines, ‘Called to be a People of Hope’, challenges us to proclaim the Gospel to the contemporary world in which we live.  These awards celebrate and affirm the power of story and the eclectic mix of people living the Gospel in our diocese.”

cliftondiocese.com has now won 14 media awards in the past four years and has been described as a prime example of public service broadcasting in the new media age by the BBC media correspondent.