Friend Friday: A bit of a Plug

Let me introduce you to my friend, and fellow Compassion-sponsor, Alex Banwell.

I met Alex 20 years ago. We shared a room at boarding-school, and her family in particular have always treated us like sisters. I travelled in to school daily for the first year or so. School would finish at 4, and a taxi would pick me up from the boarding-house at about 5:15 every night. One morning, the relief houseparent asked would I take Alex over to school. I knew her name, but we’d never spent any time together. I wanted to make conversation – to say something like: “Who’s your favourite pop star?” but shyness got in the way. As we walked up the corridor, I was in a dilemma. I didn’t want to take Alex to my form room, because I was nervous of my form; I didn’t want them to randomly take a dislike to Alex and start picking on her, so what was I going to do? I thought it best she waited for me outside the chapel, but I didn’t articulate this very well. Actually, I just said: “This is the chapel” and ran off! I ran upstairs and into my form room, dumped my schoolbag, and ran back down again, but by the time I reached the chapel, Alex had been guided in by somebody else. I don’t think I was ever asked to take another person over to school!

I’m glad to say she’s forgiven me for deserting her. Hopefully I’m a loyal friend now; she’s certainly been loyal to me. Alex is a great encourager, who’ll sometimes come out with these funny quotes like: “I don’t know whether I’m coming, going or been”. She’s always keen to read my writing and give me feedback, but now it’s Alex’s turn to have a new project (this is where the plug comes in). After a live audition, which I had the privilege of hearing not so long ago, she’s just been given her own show on an online radio-station called Mushroom fm – ‘The home of the fun guys’, as they say! The station already has a southern gospel music-show, but Alex’s aim is to play a whole variety of Christian music – anything from Third Day to a male voice choir.

So, if you’re free on a Tuesday afternoon, 12-3 pm UK-time, why not give her new show a listen?
www.mushroomfm.com

Are any of your friends involved in something you want to shout about? And, if you’re a friend of mine, let me know if you’d like to be featured one ‘Friend Friday’ in the future.