ECDP Radio features interviews with a range of ECDP commissioned artists, diverse artists, arts organisations and past and present projects, presented by Nita Jhummu. Nita spends a delightful 40 minutes with Seema Anand, Storyteller, Artist and Narrative Specialist, talking about the power of stories to shape identity, connect communities and bring about positive change.

About ECDP Radio

ECDP RADIO compliments our recently launched ECDP TV, which features a range of new content related to our work across Essex and the East Region, housed on our website, YouTube and other online channels. Over the last few months we’ve also been working in partnership with BBC Essex, appearing regularly on Essex Voices, their weekly radio programme that focuses on community.

“ECDP RADIO is an exciting opportunity for us to create new digital content for our online platforms, allowing us to engage and keep connected with our audiences. It builds on our bank of digital experiences created during lockdown, which will have a long lasting legacy for all to enjoy” Indi Sandhu, ECDP Creative Director.

About Seema Anand

Seema is a Storyteller, Artist and Narrative Specialist. She is a Doctor of Narrative Practices, working with the uses and the implications of ‘Oralness’, specialising in Story telling. Seema specialises in global mythologies – comparing and retelling stories through different cultural nuances to give everyone ownership of the tales. Her ongoing work in researching and collating stories from the ancient Asian texts is an invaluable resource, both in the corporate and the education sectors. Story, according to Seema, is a physical skill and a visual art and her work is developed to include alternative aesthetic and cultural perspectives for all ages and capacities. ECDP has partnered with Seema on many different projects over the years, including the Kavaad Picnic in rural locations of Essex, hosting events as part of a project inspired by ‘Princess Sophia: Suffragettes and Women’s Votes, exploring BAME women’s engagement in the democratic process. Seema has also hosted events as part of our Festival of Norfolk & Punjab.

Seema Anand on Instagram | Facebook group | Facebook page

About Nita Jhummu

Nita Jhummu is an award-winning radio broadcaster having won “Presenter of the Year” at the HBA National Hospital Radio Awards in Bolton in 2017, as part of the Hospital Radio Chelmsford team. She currently presents popular show, “City Talk” on Monday nights on Chelmsford Community Radio (CCR 104.4FM) and has a real passion for radio – be that talk shows or feel-good music.

Aside from radio broadcasting, Nita has a background in financial services and data analytics. Nita is a graduate of the London School of Economics and having worked for prestigious companies such as Citibank, Deloitte and Lloyds Banking Group, Nita is now working for a specialist lender who focus on niche mortgages, development, construction and asset finance.

Nita is from Brentwood and her heritage is from Mauritius. Her parents were instrumental in setting up the Essex Hindu Dharma Society which was a group set up in Brentwood in the 1990s and is still going strong today from it’s base in Witham. Nita’s favourite foods are her Mum’s dholl puri and her Dad’s rougaille – both yummy traditional Mauritian foods.

Nita is looking forward to joining the Essex Cultural Diversity Project and presenting for ECDP Radio!