Radio Rewind

Radio Rewind - A Trip Down Memory Lane (2017 - 2024)

Witney Radio (WRFM) On Air From: 14-07-2017 (FM ) / 01-05-24 (DAB)

2024

2023

UK Events:

• King Charles III's Coronation: The coronation took place on May 6.
• Ongoing Economic Challenges: The UK faced high inflation and cost-of-living issues.
• Strikes Across Sectors: Widespread strikes occurred in healthcare, education, and transport due to pay disputes.
• Net Zero Strategy: The government faced scrutiny over its climate policies and net zero commitments

World Events:

• Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine: Continued fighting and humanitarian challenges persisted.
• Earthquake in Turkey and Syria: A devastating earthquake in February resulted in significant casualties and destruction.
• COP15 Biodiversity Conference: Held in Montreal, focusing on global biodiversity issues.
• AI Developments: Rapid advancements and discussions about the implications of AI technology emerged.
• Political Unrest in Various Countries: Protests erupted in multiple nations over economic and political grievances.

2022

UK Events:

• Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee: Celebrations for her 70-year reign occurred in June.
• Liz Truss Becomes PM: She took office in September but resigned after 44 days.
• Rishi Sunak Becomes PM: He became Prime Minister in October amid economic challenges.
• Russian Invasion of Ukraine: The UK provided military support to Ukraine throughout the year.

World Events:

• Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Beginning in February, leading to global economic and humanitarian crises.
• Queen Elizabeth II Passes: The UK mourned the death of its monarch in September.
• Inflation Surge: Rising prices became a global concern, affecting economies.
• FIFA World Cup in Qatar: Held in November and December, marking the first in the Middle East.
• Global Energy Crisis: Triggered by the war in Ukraine, leading to increased energy prices.

2021

UK Events:

• COP26: The UN Climate Change Conference was hosted in Glasgow in November.
• Vaccination Rollout Continues: The UK led one of the fastest vaccination rollouts globally.
• AUKUS Pact: The security partnership with Australia and the US was announced, causing diplomatic tensions with France.
• G7 Summit: The UK hosted the G7 summit in Cornwall in June, focusing on global recovery from COVID-19.

World Events:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Rollouts: Global vaccination campaigns began, with varying degrees of success.
• US Capitol Riot: On January 6, supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol.
• Taliban Takes Control of Afghanistan: Following the US withdrawal, the Taliban regained power in August.
• Ever Given Suez Canal Blockage: The container ship blocked one of the world's busiest trade routes for six days.
• Global Supply Chain Crisis: Disruptions began to impact economies worldwide.

2020

UK Events:

• COVID-19 Pandemic: Lockdowns began in March, with a national lockdown announced.
• Black Lives Matter Protests: Protests against racial injustice occurred across the UK in June.
• Brexit Transition: The UK officially left the EU on January 31, with a transition period ending December 31.
• Vaccination Rollout: The UK began its vaccination campaign in December.

World Events:

• COVID-19 Pandemic: The virus spread globally, leading to widespread lockdowns.
• George Floyd Protests: Triggered protests worldwide against police brutality and racial injustice.
• US Presidential Election: Joe Biden won the presidency amid a highly polarized political climate.
• Australian Bushfires: Severe fires in Australia led to ecological devastation.
• Brexit Transition: The UK completed its transition out of the EU.

2019

UK Events:

• Boris Johnson Becomes PM: He took office in July, focusing on delivering Brexit.
• Parliament Suspension: Controversial suspension of Parliament by Johnson sparked legal battles.
• General Election: A snap election in December led to a significant Conservative majority.
• UK Supreme Court Ruling: The court ruled that Johnson's suspension of Parliament was unlawful.

World Events:

• Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire: The iconic Paris cathedral was severely damaged in April.
• Climate Strikes: Global protests led by young activists demanding action on climate change.
• Hong Kong Protests: Widespread protests against a proposed extradition bill escalated.
• US-China Trade War: Ongoing tensions between the two countries affected global markets.
• First Image of Black Hole: Scientists revealed the first-ever image of a black hole in April.

2018 

UK Events:

• Brexit Negotiations: Ongoing talks about the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
• Royal Wedding: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married on May 19.
• Novichok Poisoning: The poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury raised international tensions.
• Windrush Scandal: Public outcry over the treatment of the Windrush generation by the UK government.

World Events:

• North Korea–United States Summit: Historic meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.
• Wildfires in California: Devastating fires led to significant loss and destruction.
• Rohingya Crisis: Continued displacement of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar.
• Pope Francis Visits Ireland: Marked the first papal visit in 39 years.
• Yellow Vest Protests: Began in France over fuel taxes and economic inequality.

2017 

We were at the Witney Christmas lights switch on in this year and a very important taste test was done to determine the best mince pies available.

.

All the Christmas No1s up to that year were captured in this retrospective with Barry & Laura (she's full of cold and probably could have ordered a second class dicket to dottingham at the train station, in the days when we had tickets offices instead of apps)

& part 2....

We even broadcast a show on Christmas Day in this year.

We followed the Witney Round Table who were helping Father Christmas ...

UK Events:

• Grenfell Tower Fire: A devastating fire engulfed Grenfell Tower, a high-rise residential building in London, resulting in the deaths of 72 people.
• Manchester Arena Bombing: A suicide bomber attacked a concert at the Manchester Arena, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more.
• General Election: The UK held a general election, resulting in a hung parliament and Theresa May remaining Prime Minister.
• Brexit Negotiations: Negotiations between the UK and the EU regarding Brexit began.

World Events:

• US Presidential Inauguration: Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States.
• Hurricane Harvey: Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, causing devastating flooding and widespread damage.
• Hurricane Maria: Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, causing widespread power outages and infrastructure damage.
• Catalan Independence Referendum: Catalonia held a controversial independence referendum, which was followed by a Spanish government crackdown.
• North Korea Missile Tests: North Korea conducted a number of missile tests, increasing tensions with the United States and its allies.
• Paris Climate Agreement: The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

2018

In the summer of 2018 we were into beer in a big way....at the 21st Charlbury Beer Festival.

Christmas came around very quickly and we return for the Witney Christmas Light switch on.