Emily Wood is a volunteer who has made an important contribution to Voices from the Forest, the oral history project looking at changes in the Forest of Dean in the last half of the twentieth century as described by people in the Forest of Dean. Roger Deeks and Jason Griffiths, the producers of the podcast were looking for a fresh young voice to add sparkle to the opening credits.
The first podcast was entitled ‘Got any Gum Chum’, based on the call made to American soldiers by Forest children during the Second World War. The team hit on the idea of having a young person announce the title to reflect its origins and use by children. Emily’s contribution was so good it was decided that she would be an ideal announcer for all six podcasts in the series.
Emily, aged 11 years had been attending Pillowell Primary
School and this Autumn, just having had her eleventh birthday, she will enrol
at Heart of the Forest School. She enjoys art and craft work, music and dance.
It is her musicality and singing voice that led her to audition for a part in
the making of the Voices Podcast. Roger and Jason were looking for an
interesting, young and lively voice to announce the title.
Emily was given the script and did several ‘takes’ of the
title and her unique singing voice became a trademark of the series of six
podcasts produced over seven months. Her Mum and Dad, coached Emily and helped
with the recording. The podcasts were launched on the website and through social
media and subsequently played on Dean Radio to a wide and appreciative
audience.
Richard, Emily’s Dad, is a self-employed engineer, fitting
and maintaining wood burners and he listened to the podcasts on his journey
between jobs and appointments and in addition to listening to his daughter, he
followed the series that he found interesting and revealing about the Forest’s
recent past. Emily enjoyed hearing her own voice and her volunteering is an
experience she can take with her as she confidently starts her new school.
If you would like to hear Emily’s contribution you can hear the
podcasts here: https://www.voicesfromtheforest.co.uk/podcast.html