​🎧 Finchley Frequency: Podcasts To Connect

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In the age of digital connection, podcasts are a window to insight, entertainment, and education with a personal touch.

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Here are 5 Finchley-focused podcasts to connect you more closely with the community.

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1: Finchley Symphony Orchestra: A Tribute to Tom Hammond

The late Tom Hammond was Finchley Symphony Orchestra's former Musical Director. He sadly passed away in December 2021. Through interviews here, Tom shares his profound insights on music and conducting. He recounts his journey to becoming a conductor, his approach to choosing repertoire, and his musical heroes.

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2: Mr. Finchley's Delightful Detours.

Mr. Finchley is a character in 3 comic novels by Victor Canning. He is a middle-aged solicitor's clerk whose mundane life turns extraordinary through a series of unforeseen escapades across England and beyond.

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Mr. Finchley's residence is technically in Hampstead, but we felt that was close enough to include.

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3. Barnet Council's Audio-Guided Heritage Walks.

Explore our history and natural beauty with Barnet Council's audio-guided heritage walks. There are 7 walks available of 5-10k. These include Hendon to Mill Hill, East Finchley to New Southgate, and East Finchley to Finchley Church End. Listen to stories about Finchley as you get your steps in.

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4. The Cheap Show: Tat Hunt in East Finchley.

Dive into the quirky and comedic world of Tat Hunt, where hosts Eli and Paul embark on a thrift shop adventure in East Finchley. With a modest budget and a keen eye for the eccentric, their quest for charity shop treasure will entertain you.

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5. The House I Grew Up In: Peter Hennessy

Lord Hennessy is an English historian and academic specialising in the history of government. He was brought up in Allandale Avenue and then Lyndhurst Gardens. In this podcast by the BBC, he returns to Finchley to reminisce about his childhood.

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And not quite a podcast, but Finchley-born Grammy award-winning Jacob Collier has 2.5m monthly listeners on Spotify.

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Check out our Rock On Finchley edition for 10 musicians with local roots.

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Have a listen, then send us in your Finchley-related podcasts!🎧​

Events

Monday 5th February

​Walking Tennis | Mon, Feb. 05 | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | Prothero Gardens, London NW4 3SJ | Free trial | Fun, friendly and inclusive. a slower pace for all levels of tennis. help keep your body and mind active and refreshed.
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Barnet Age - Dementia Cafe | Mon, Feb. 05 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | 55 Leicester Road, EN5 5EL | Free | Monthly dementia cafes are a lovely way for carers to share experiences with others as well as a chance for carers and the person they’re caring for to have fun together. There are always dementia advisers on hand to answer any dementia-related questions too. all Helen on 07384 466840

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Wednesday 7th February

​​​The Legends of American Country Show​​ | Wed, Feb. 07 | 7:30 pm | Millfield Theatre, N18 1PJ | £26.50 | The Legends of American Country “returns for another fantastic night of toe-tapping Country nostalgia. One thing is for sure: if it’s Country music you like, then this is the only show in town.

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Thursday 8th February

​​​Be a social sensation​​ | Thu, Feb. 8 | 9:30 am to 1:00 pm | WE Hub, Finchley, N3 | Free | If you’re a small business owner looking to up your social media game, you’re in for a treat. A morning of insightful discussions, and hands-on sessions lined up to give you the lowdown on the latest tips and tricks all designed to help you boost your online presence.

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​Barnet business breakfast briefing - apprenticeships and recruitment | Fri, Feb. 09 | 8:30 am to 10:30 am | Barnet Council, Colindale 2 Bristol Ave, NW9 4EW | Free | Join this Barnet Council event to help understand how your business can get help with funding recruitment and apprenticeships as well as do important networking for your business.

Local Lowdown

Property

• Goodbye to the old. Finchley's skyline is set for a shake-up. Goldstein Heather Architecture just got the green light to transform a pair of 1930s semis into a swanky 4-storey apartment complex on Regents Park Road. Expect nine stylish flats, mainly two-bedders, promising a slice of "elegance and understated grandeur" near the North Circular.

Shopping

• Renovation revelation. The Temple Fortune Waitrose is hitting the pause button for a makeover, promising a fresh, new shopping experience by March. Time to plan our snack strategies accordingly. Maybe a switch to Tesco?

Primary Care

• Top doc. The Muswell Hill Practice isn't just any GP surgery. Recently crowned 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, it's now one of the borough's top-rated surgeries. Their secret sauce? A new purpose-built building, appointments out of hours, and they ensure homeless people can register even with no fixed address.

Exercise

• Pedal power. London's cycling scene is getting a turbo boost with 1,400 new e-bikes joining the Santander Cycles fleet this summer, pushing the total to an impressive 2,000. Get ready to zip around town with more ease and less sweat. Plus, a new £ 3-day pass will give us unlimited sub-30-minute rides.

Hospitals

• Big win for health. The Royal Free Hospital is setting a UK-first with a revolutionary £8 million PET scanner, thanks to the Royal Free Charity. Expect sharper, faster diagnoses with less radiation.

Finchleyite: Melita Norwood

​Melita Norwood was a British civil servant, Communist Party of GB member, and KGB spy. She lived in Finchley.

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She married Hilary Nussbaum, of Russian Jewish descent in 1935. He was a teacher and lifelong communist and changed his name to Norwood.

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The National Archive files show that Norwood was involved in a spy ring. MI5 knew this, opened a file on her, and began surveillance at the Finchley home she shared with her husband.

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Of the many British spies working for the Soviets, only Norwood was awarded the Red Banner.

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Known as Lettie, she handed over crucial information to the Soviets over 39 years, aiding in their atomic weapon development, yet never saw her actions as unpatriotic.

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She had many handlers. Some were strangers. She already knew 'Sonya', Ursula Kucyznski through her family's links with the Lawn Road flats.

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Juggling espionage with her role as a working mother, Norwood's life inspired David Burke's book, "The Spy Who Came in from the Co-Op," highlighting her significance in a vast spy network. She died in 2005.