Volunteer As A Community Reporter At Leicester Riverside Festival

Evington Echo will be supporting Soar Sound and Decentered Media at Leicester Riverside Festival on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June 2026, helping to gather local voices, stories and reflections from people taking part in the weekend.

The team will be based in the Castle Gardens area, alongside the University of Leicester Heritage Hub and Learning Zone. The aim is to record short interviews, conversations and festival atmosphere that can be used later in radio programmes, podcasts, web posts, social media updates and community reports.

This is an opportunity for volunteers who would like to gain hands-on experience as community reporters. Previous radio or journalism experience is welcome, but it is not essential. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who have transferable skills in listening, writing, photography, events, community work, social media, audio, editing, public engagement or helping people feel welcome.

Volunteers may help by speaking with visitors, asking simple questions, recording short conversations, taking photographs, welcoming guests, supporting contributors, logging material, helping with social media, or assisting with the smooth running of the space.

The main themes for the weekend will include myths and legends of Leicester and the East Midlands, what people value about Leicester, and how Riverside Festival brings people together. Volunteers will be encouraged to ask open and friendly questions that help people share memories, experiences and reflections in their own words.

This will not be a live broadcast. The material will be recorded at the festival, then reviewed and prepared before it is shared. This gives the team time to check consent, edit carefully and make sure contributors are represented fairly. A useful phrase for the weekend will be “recorded at Riverside Festival in Castle Gardens.”

Community reporting is about listening carefully, treating people with respect and helping local voices to be heard. The most useful recordings are often short, clear and warm. A brief conversation with a visitor, volunteer, performer, organiser or local resident could become part of a future radio feature, podcast clip, website article or community media report.

Riverside Festival is a strong setting for this kind of work. It brings together families, community groups, visitors, artists, organisations and local stories in one shared public space. For volunteers, it offers a practical way to learn how community media works in real conditions, from approaching people respectfully to working with consent, background noise, weather and event activity.

Anyone interested in getting involved should contact Evington Echo, Soar Sound or Decentered Media with a short note about their availability, the skills they can offer and the kind of role they would feel most comfortable trying.

This is a practical opportunity to support local storytelling, build confidence and help capture the voices and atmosphere of Leicester Riverside Festival.