The show has been running for over two years and has featured numerous local poets and writers and a number of big names at the forefront of contemporary poetry including John Hegley, Luke Wright, Jude Simpson and Roddy Lumsden. The playlist is never predictable. Music has included classical, Japanese hardcore, chip music, psychedelia, improvised percussion by humans and elephants, lo-fi electronica, house and jazz to name a few.

As a teenager I was influenced by the radio I heard at the time. John Peel is an obvious influence but it was Mark Radcliffe's late night Radio 1 show that inspired me to make poetry and spoken word a key part of my programming. I got involved in radio at university where I joined the music department of the student radio station. After university I pursued other paths. When podcasting technology came along, though I didn't know it at the time, I began to experiment and developed the format for Headstand.

After three years in Japan I returned to Cambridge and days after getting back I heard about 209radio at Strawberry Fair. I wasted no time in putting forward a programme proposal. The first edition of Headstand aired in September 2007 and I have been broadcasting regularly ever since. After two years, I have had the privilege of doing a special show as part of 209's first live outdoor broadcast at this year's Fair.

2009 saw the launch of Headstand at the Maypole, a monthly live event featuring local poets and spoken word artists. It has already featured some the best artists in the country including the multi-award winning Helen Mort, Slam champion Hollie McNish and member of renowned spoken word collective Aisle16, Ross Sutherland. the performances are broadcast on the following show and free podcasts of the readings are available at headstand.podomatic.com. The event runs on the last Sunday of every month and the next event is on January 31st with John Guy, John Lyons, Jean Rees-Lyons and Moving Tone’s Rychard Carrington.

I am always looking for music and spoken word for the show, especially from local artists, so if you have anything you would like to share on the airwaves please get in touch.'

Headstand at the Maypole takes place upstairs at the Maypole, Portugal Place on the last Sunday of the month from 7:30pm.

www.patrickwiddess.co.uk

www.209radio.co.uk