Big Skill

Jim, Sharon and Dr Finnian Perth

"He should take his clothes off," said Shaz as her first lesson in massage got underway live on BBC Radio Suffolk.

Sharon had opted to celebrate the Big Skill Awards, which encourage people of all ages to learn a new skill, by offering therapeutic relief to BBC Suffolk's station sound producer (and Sharon's partner) Jim Bowman.

"I've not been massaged professionally before," Jim said. "Not with the oils and the aroma...and the photographer."

Or the webcam for that matter.

Friend of the programme Dr Finnian Perth, a chiropractor from Ipswich, was there to offer Shaz some expert advice.

"You can massage away a lot of muscle spasm, but what's causing that spasm is actually a nerve underneath firing to make that muscle contract."

Using an oil "allows your hands to glide over the skin," he added as a conga-line-of-massage was formed in the studio.

"You start by relaxing the tissue over the top, a technique called effleurage.

Dr Finnian Perth

"That's a slow rhythmic movement towards the heart and then down again. That starts to stimulate the skin.

"Then you start on something called petrosage, using your fingers and thumbs to actually knead into the tissue underneath as well.

"Then you do kneading and then cupping, where you cup your hand and slap the back which should sound like a horse trotting."

The Whight stuff

The taster session fulfilled a long-held ambition for Sharon, who gave us this report:

"I've always fancied myself as a bit of a masseuse (what with being so naturally good with my hands).

"I had actually thought about physiotherapy as a career, but was turned down for the uni courses that I applied for, as they were hugely over subscribed.

"Someone suggested trying massage on an adult learners evening class, but as with most of these things, it's something I haven't got round to.

"The Big Skill gave me the excuse to give myself a bit of a kick up the bum and try my hands at massage.

Doing the massage conga

"Dr Finnian Perth is a regular friend of the James Hazell Show. He's a chiropractor in the town and leapt at the chance to give me and my partner Jim a bit of hands-on tuition in the studio.

"I really enjoyed the experience and was amazed at just how much is involved in giving a massage.

"I often do a little bit of (what I thought of as massage) on unsuspecting family and friends, but didn't realise that in reality I was only completing one of the many stages to a good, all over massage.

"Finnian talked us through the many stages of a massage, demonstrating on my back what I should be doing on Jim's back, and it all seemed to work quite well. I felt a huge sense of achievement, and Jim felt……well, relaxed I hope!

"I'm looking forward to going for my next training session in the next week or so and, who knows, maybe a whole new sideline beckons."

You can share the experience in full by clicking on the link below:

And if there's someone you know who has improved their live through learning you can nominate them for a Big Skill Award 2009: