Be part of 103 The Eye's all-day DEC EAST AFRICA APPEAL / Saturday 30 July - originally posted 20.7.2011

With the greatest humanitarian crisis to hit our world in modern times, the drought in the Horn of Africa has become the focus of charitable activity across the world. Millions of children are facing death. Millions more are becoming displaced and will require re-settlement. And the situation is worsening daily. 

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the 14 overseas development agencies it represents are raising awareness and funds to improve the chance of survival for those effected. Every penny helps. 

BE INVOLVED IN 103'S AWARENESS RAISING APPEAL: 

Local radio 103 The Eye is raising awareness by running a day-long Appeal on Saturday 30 July, featuring interviews with DEC organisations and local experts. We'll be talking to people who have recently returned from the drought area and hear what can be done to help. We'll also be speaking to celebrities about their involvement. 

103's listeners are invited to take part in this special day by choosing a piece of music that means something special: this is your opportunity to email or phone in your LIFE TRACK story to be played on air on Saturday 30 July.

Either pick your own track or choose one of those suggested for you by 103 presenters, which will be listed in advance online and in local press. 

And of course we're encouraging everyone to donate direct to the DEC.

More info from Mitch de Faria on 0845 052 5280 / mitch@thisismitch.co.uk 

See also #103DEC & http://on.fb.me/nDwBuH

103 East Africa Awareness Campaign - 103DEC flag-up jingle
  Dec East Africa Appeal Promo - Fay Ripley

Originally posted 20.7.2011 

Counting Down: Nine days to 103DEC / Saturday 30 July - originally posted 21.7.2011

On Saturday 30 July, 103 The Eye is dedicating the entire day's broadcasting to raising awareness of the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

We've had warm weather across the East Midlands in recent weeks, but there's still food in the shops and water in our taps, rivers and streams but In the Horn of Africa there have been months of drought followed by the severest famine in living memory. In a daily worsening situation, millions of people are facing death.

So 103 The Eye is supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee and encouraging everyone to help by donating direct to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

All day on Saturday 30 July we'll be broadcasting interviews and information about the situation in Africa and we're asking you, our listeners, to share the day with us by telling us your life stories through your favorite music. Details about LIFE TRACKS are available here, on 103 The Eye and in the local press over the coming week. 

DON'T WAIT TO DONATE! 

But don't wait to donate - your money can be put to good use right now. Just follow the instructions in red on the side bar and help the DEC's member organisations to save lives immediately.

Saturday 30 July will be DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal day on 103 The Eye. We look forward to sharing the great day with you!

Originally posted 21.7.2011

 

8 Days & Counting: 103DEC Poster - originally posted 22.7.2011

Originally posted 22.7.2011

UN calls Emergency meeting: "This is a Children's Famine" - originally posted 25.7.2011

In recent days famine has been declared in two areas of Somalia. 

Eye-witnesses report that thousands have already died.

Concern has been expressed that Somalia's rebel forces are exacerbating the humanitarian difficulties and refusing access by some agencies, fortunately not those associated with the DEC.

Today an emergency meeting was held in Rome at the UN's Food & Agricultural Organisation, called by the French Government which currently chairs the G20.

Josette Sheeran, Head of the World Food Programme, was in Somalia last week and reported to the meeting that half a million children will die in, "The worst food crisis many of us have ever seen." 

She said, "This is a children's famine."

THE NEED IS OBVIOUS & OVERWHELMING. 
PLEASE DON'T WAIT, DONATE NOW!

 Originally posted 25.7.2011

DEC 'warmly supports' 103DEC Crisis Appeal by 103 The Eye - originally posted 30.7.2011

"This is the first famine in a century that should never have known famine. 

"Thousands of people have already died and millions are on the edge of survival. 

"The most vulnerable are the children and the elderly. 

"Yet a little money makes a real difference to these precarious lives, which is why the Disasters Emergency Committee warmly supports the all-day East Africa Crisis Appeal by 103 The Eye on Saturday 30 July. 

"Thank you and your listeners for helping those in so much need."

Brendan Paddy

Communications Manager

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)

Originally posted 30.7.2011

Thanks to everyone for 103 The Eye's all-day 103DEC Appeal broadcast - originally posted 31.7.2011

So proud of 103 The Eye, directors, presenters & listeners for supporting the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal all-day broadcast yesterday. Thank you all for your phone calls, email & text messages and for your donations direct to the DEC.

We'd also like to thank our interviewees for their enthusiasm and willingness to be involved in the 103DEC project. 

All the interviews featured during yesterday's broadcast will be posted here and on YouTube shortly.

Thanks too to the DEC for supporting the 103DEC broadcast initiative. We hope other local radio stations will follow 103's lead and dedicate broadcasting to the very real need to raise awareness of the millions living on the edge or survival in the Horn of Africa.

THANK YOU ALL! & PLEASE CONTINUE TO DONATE!

Originally posted 31.7.2011
 

Thanks to 103DEC interviewees & Leicester Mercury feature - originally posted 4.8.2011

Many thanks to all the 103DEC interviewees, who have responded to our thanks & feedback by saying if there's anything else they can do to help us...  
Only wish 103 The Eye & other local radio stations could do more to help those in so much need in East Africa.

 Leicester Mercury 4 August 2011

Originally posted 4.8.2011

 

Melton Times 103DEC cutting - originally posted 4.8.2011

Melton Times 4 August 2011
(Click image to enlarge) 

Originally posted 4.8.2011

QUESTION: Can 103 The Eye FM do more to help as the situation in East Africa worsens? - originally posted 5.9.2011

In light of the worsening situation in East Africa announced today, perhaps 103 The Eye and its generous workforce of presenters & volunteers could do something more to assist the DEC Crisis Appeal?

With 103DEC on 30 July, 103 The Eye did something unique and the DEC told us at the time it wished other radio stations would do something similar.

There's a limit to the number of days & of the effectiveness of special broadcasts we can manage locally, so your ideas about how 103 might possibly continue to help, perhaps via other radio stations, or perhaps via other means, will be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you for your continuing support!

Originally posted 5.9.2011

Christmas Update - originally posted 25.12.2011

It's Christmas Day. It's quiet, mild for the time of year, and raining. I'm just home from presenting my Christmas radio show on 103FM.

As a chicken roasts in the oven and I'm about to tuck into a snack of cheese, biscuits and strawberries, I reflect how lucky and thankful I am to have a roof over my head and plenty to eat.

For one reason or another many people around the world have been deprived of life's essentials this year, none more so than in Somalia and the neighbouring drought-hit countries of East Africa.

Of all my activities in the past 12 months I'm proudest of what my broadcaster colleagues and I achieved on 30 July during our day-long transmission to raise awareness of the famine in the Horn of Africa, a campaign linking 103FM with the Disasters Emergency Committee, which we called 103DEC.

It was no easy matter persuading either the radio station managers or the Disasters Emergency Committee that local radio had the reach and audience to raise funds, which we as a station weren't able to take on directly. But our enthusiasm and the obvious need couldn't in the end be denied and on the day itself everyone associated with 103 was firmly on board.

We'll never know how much money our day's broadcasting raised although our listener numbers, phone calls, emails and Internet take-up were all substantially increased from usual Saturday figures and we can only hope that those who committed to give money to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal actually did so.

It's quite something that a small radio station, albeit with a substantial geographical reach and listenership, is willing to donate an entire day's output for the greater good of an emergency taking place not just beyond our own East Midlands region but outwith the UK. 

It proves that local radio, so often accused of leaving larger issues to terrestrial broadcasters, is able to construct high quality, meaningful content that reflects the concerns of its audience even when those concerns are bigger, international, humanitarian issues. 

I believe that's something in which everyone involved can be justifiably proud.

Wishing you good things this Christmas and always.


For the full 103DEC story visit www.103dec.blogspot.com
Up to date images from East Africa by the BBC available here.

Originally posted 25.12.2011