To take a house on Lenton and turn it into the epicentre of student life would appear, with hindsight, to be a good idea for a radio programme for students at the University of Nottingham.

Wayne Widdowson

Well, this is what occurred to me along with everyone who joined back in June 2002.

Not only has Lenton Boulevard provided a fantastic opportunity to produce a regular radio drama but it’s also been a creative challenge.

What is life like for young people and mature students in Higher education? What are the issues? How can they be portrayed in ways that don’t dramatise them, with story-lines and characters which reflect the regional and cultural values of where students live and come from? This is what we’ve attempted to convey.

What I’ve enjoyed about Lenton Boulevard is that it’s taught me about what is involved in creating radio drama and working creatively, both as an individual and as part of a team.

Everyone involved has learnt from the 'ground up' - making the last nine months an exciting and ongoing learning experience.

Everything about the show, and many of the things that are now taken as standard at URN 1350AM, is down to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved.

In the immediate future there is another series of Lenton Boulevard to produce.

The summer season kicks off in April 2003 and will broadcast on URN 1350AM every weekend until mid-June.

I’m looking forward to improving my directing skills. While on the technical side we’ve got a number of new approaches to sound effects to try out.

When I graduate I’d like to use the experience gained, along with my skills in marketing and experience as a clothes designer and working with children, to continue doing what I have developed a passion for - producing quality radio drama (for all ages).

Anna Johncock - Writer, Cofounder, mature student and Wilford resident

Degree: English

Anna Johncock Lenton Boulevard… Last summer, Wayne Widdowson (Director) and I worked very hard to get Lenton Boulevard up and running. We began by creating the characters that were eventually to populate our Student Soap Opera, giving them personalities, histories and faces. This was mostly an hilarious process and sometimes frustrating - what does Joey look like? What is Supria’s relationship with her parents? After I had written, in conjunction with our writing team, the first two episodes, Wayne and I began editing and negotiating necessary changes. In the early autumn Ian began to assist us, bringing with him welcome technical knowledge and a fresh creative perspective. Finally, we completed a long process which enabled us to start thinking about the actual production of the series. One of the most enjoyable parts of the process was auditioning and rehearsing the actors. In the future… After completing my BA I hope to go on to take a masters degree in English Studies. This study would be part time to enable me to spend time on my own writing for radio and television.

Ian Kennedy - Leading scriptwriter and Cofounder

Degree: English

Ian Kennedy Lenton Boulevard… I’ve been at the heart of Lenton Boulevard from the outset, playing a key role getting the project off the ground and helping to organise its general day to day functioning. My major contribution has been writing and editing the scripts. I've been thrilled to have this opportunity to use and refine my varied talents and think we can all be very proud of our achievement. In the future… I’ve been a committed and prolific writer all my life, and aim to write creatively for television or radio after I graduate this summer (2003). Along with Lenton Boulevard I also have a number of other projects in progress which include the writing of- two plays, one which I intend to take to the Edinburgh Festival; a science fiction trilogy (entitled A Mortal Universe); and a book and website. I've also had several articles published in the national media. I hope to pursue my interest in writing in the life ahead of me, and feel that the fantastic opportunities such as Lenton Boulevard I'm getting will make all the difference in enabling me to do so.

Asli Eser Akbay - Actress

Degree: Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

Asli Eser Akbay Lenton Boulevard… I have nurtured an interest in drama and attended a performing arts college where I studied theatre. Throughout the duration of my first degree I worked as a preseenter on Cambridge University Radio. Lenton Boulevard has given me the opportunity to combine my skills from both areas. In the future… I feel privileged to be a part of the first radio drama at URN and intend to continue with Lenton Boulevard along with the other productions now taking place at the University of Nottingham.

Louise Hunter - Actress

Degree: History

Louise Hunter Lenton Boulevard… Lenton Boulevard is a wonderful opportunity to be involved with student drama, but with a long-term commitment to one, evolving project. In the future… I would like to continue to be involved with radio drama on campus and hopefully, after I have finished my studies, in a wider arena in the future.

Edward Evans - Actor

Degree: Chemistry Phd

Edward Evans Lenton Boulevard… What I liked most was being about to try out several different voices - you don’t get that opportunity in ordinary plays. In the future… To play a major role in a student radio play, to continue my involvement in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Thomas Geoffrey John Skidmore - Actor

Degree: Politics

Thomas Geoffrey John Skidmore Lenton Boulevard… Due to my previous lack of experience with radio work, I found the whole production process fascinating. It was strange to see the soap in print on the Monday and then hear it broadcast on the Sunday. In the future… Lenton Boulevard has made me much more interested in carrying on my involvement in radio work. A friend and I have already begun writing some scripts we hope to get produced.

Rory Skrebowski - Actor

Degree: Economics

Rory Skrebowski Lenton Boulevard… Being in the series has been great fun. Playing the comedy figure of the series has meant that recording the shows is a great laugh, on mic and off. In the future… I currently have a radio show on URN 1350 and hope to continue this and extend my role as a DJ.

Mary-Ann Silcock - Actress

Degree: Maths

Mary-Ann Silcock Lenton Boulevard… From the first weekend the cast and crew really bonded and it has stayed one of the best aspects of the production. Going to record was always something to look forward too as it was very interesting finding out how it was all produced. In the future… I hope to stay involved in Lenton Boulevard, to see where the stories send us! Our student radio is also running some short radio dramas, which I would like to do. I am also a member of the universities sailing team and we are currently training for BUSA finals.

Chitra Nagarajan - Actress

Degree: Law and American Law

Chitra Nagarajan Lenton Boulevard… Prior to my involvement with Lenton Boulevard I had not really acted before and I really enjoyed the whole process. In the future… I definitely want to increase my involvement in drama in my new role as URN's Drama editor for 2003. I am looking forward to the 'Writers in Residence' season and extending the variety of drama that is now broadcast at URN.

Euan Lawrence - Actor

Degree: Ancient history / History

Euan Lawrence Lenton Boulevard… Acting on Lenton Boulevard was a tremendously interesting experience. It was a world away from the kind of continuous performance that is expected on stage. The (sometimes-endless) retakes were completely novel to me. In the future… I wish to carry on with theatre as long as I can. I certainly hope to be in a play at Nottingham’s New Theatre this spring, and I’d also love to audition for one of the productions it annually takes up to the Edinburgh fringe.

Martina Heron - Actress

Degree: Theology and English Studies

Martina Heron Lenton Boulevard… What I particularly enjoyed about doing Lenton Boulevard was watching the storylines develop over the course of the series. It was always interesting to find out what was going to be happening to your character each week. In the future… I intend to continue recording Lenton Boulevard this year, and hopefully get involved with some of the new projects which URN have in the pipeline. As a committee member of Nottingham New Theatre I also hope to continue being involved as much as possible with producing high quality student theatre at the University.

Ben Bergin - Actor

Degree: Philiosphy and English Studies

Ben Bergin Lenton Boulevard… I liked the opportunity of being involved in an area of drama previously unknown to me, and also of having a laugh with friends new as well as old. And, of course, being an actor, I liked the ego-trip of having myself recorded and broadcast twice a week. In the future… My hopes and dreams with regard to drama? Well, an Oscar nomination at the very least… but more short term, to continue my involvement with the New Theatre, both as a committee member and as an actor, to further my acting involvement in an increasing variety of mediums, and to avoid playing comedy characters for the next term at least!

Rachel Elisheva Fletcher - Writer and team co-ordinator

Degree: English

Rachel Elisheva Fletcher Lenton Boulevard… Being involved brought all sorts of challenges, but the best part of it was seeing the end result. Experimenting with radio was fascinating. I liked exploring the limits and possibilities of a purely aural medium, with regards to such matters as comedy, timing and casting. In the future… I had been writing plays for radio before Lenton Boulevard began, and so writing regularly for the soap opera was very useful.

Erik Nicholas Thompson - Writer

Degree: Law and Politics

Erik Nicholas Lenton Boulevard… I enjoyed being able to express myself creatively as I am not permitted to do so to any great extent in my coursework. I also relished the freedom and opportunity to raise important issues through the script, and by doing so communicate them to an audience. In the future… My hopes for the not too distant future in terms of writing involve continued work for Lenton Boulevard, another attempt at individually writing a short sitcom and / or drama, and with any luck starting work on a book. In the long term I plan to write screenplays and books.

Anna Cookson - Writer

Degree: English

Anna Cookson Lenton Boulevard… A year ago I had no idea that Lenton Boulevard could be anything more to me than a street in the student sector of Nottingham. Little did I realise that I would be entering in to fervent debates on the likelihood of Joey’s japes or Rob’s ruminations. In the future… I greatly enjoyed working with student radio at university, especially presenting shows and conducting interviews. As Arts Editor for URN, my own show, Uncovered, is a fantastic opportunity to make the arts relevant to a student population. Hosting a news show, dealing with current affairs, celebrity gossip and working with other enthusiastic people is also an incredible experience. This is why I would like to enter into broadcasting as a career, to use the experience I have gained at university and to continue doing what I have developed a passion for.

Natasha Bal Dhumma - Writer

Degree: Social and Cultural Studies with Film Studies

Natasha Bal Dhumma Lenton Boulevard… I enjoy being involved in Lenton Boulevard as it enables all of us to have a much higher level of creative input than most other teams I have been involved in. Also, the audience that it caters for are the people around me and therefore I like being able to address issues in their daily lives, and indeed mine. In the future… Over the next year, I hope to continue working on the show as well as get involved in other aspects of URN that Lenton Boulevard has managed to fuel my interest in. Additionally, I am looking forward to developing and working on a variety of projects planned with the film-making society.

Sara Kassam - Assistant Producer

Degree: Geography

Sara Kassam Lenton Boulevard… Being a part of Lenton Boulevard has been incredibly fun. Being a student in Lenton myself I found myself identifying with many incidents and events in the show and the way that everyone from the cast to the production team had an input into the script helped to keep it fresh. In the future… I have enjoyed being part of the Lenton Boulevard team immensely and it has given me a taste for radio production, something which I had never thought I would be involved in. I’m looking forward to the next series of ‘student radio’s premier soap opera’ and hope that our listenership will widen even more.

Pragun Kapur - Assistant Producer

Degree: Civil Engineering

Pragun Kapur Lenton Boulevard… I enjoyed being a part of something new and exciting and being around to find out if it was successful. In the future… I hope to produce a show in the future and maybe direct and hopefully go on to do behind the scenes job in television or film. My dream is to be a stuntman and work in Hollywood.

Naomi Clarke - Assistant Producer

Degree: English and American Studies

Naomi Clarke Lenton Boulevard… I have enjoyed the challenge of approaching a venture that was completely new to me. I have acquired new skills and invaluable hands-on experience. In the future… Through my involvement with Lenton Boulevard I have become more active in the radio station generally. Although initially I would not have necessarily pursued this field, I have found the technical and production aspect of the show extremely enjoyable and it may be an area of interest in the future.

Richard Latimer - Soundtrack writer

Degree: Mechanical Engineering

Richard Latimer Lenton Boulevard... It was a good opportunity to be involved in something different and a little out of the ordinary. I had never attempted to write a theme tune before so it introduced me to a new approach to song writing, one that I enjoyed at that. In the future… I hope to continue making music both with my band (The Amateurs) and also maybe on more projects like this one.

Tony Johnson - Head Technical Producer

Degree: Computer Science

Antony Johnson Lenton Boulevard… The feeling when everything came together well, and hearing it go out on air gave me a buzz. In the future… I look forward to seeing more dramas written for student radio, not just at Nottingham, but everywhere and for more and more people to get involved. It really is worth the effort. Personally, I’d like to continue to create technically more complex and more challenging dramas for URN, using different effects with music and sound to create output for the highest quality.

Kevin Payne - Technical Producer / Advisor (Episodes 1-3)

Degree: English Literature and Media

Kevin Payne Lenton Boulevard… I enjoyed the opportunity to work on a well-written drama with enthusiastic and committed people. In the future… Since graduating in 1999, I have been involved with local radio, working for Nottingham Hospital Radio, where I have been Programme Controller. At the moment I am involved in news production and the in-house production of jingles and sweepers.

Alp Arat - Photographer

Degree: Economics

Alp Arat Lenton Boulevard… Lenton Boulevard gave me the opportunity to work with a lot of people at the same time. I have worked on various other projects with Wayne before, but nothing could compare to Lenton Boulevard with so many shots to make up and prepare. On the whole, as the pictures themselves illustrate, I believe it was a very pleasant experience for everyone involved. In the future… No immediate plans. Taking the publicity shots for the summer series of Lenton Boulevard.