A new Source FM show will mirror coastal communities on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cornwall is at the foot of England, a peninsula projecting westward toward North America. Cape Cod is an arm thrust eastward. We even share some town names, including... Falmouth.

The two radio stations are collaborating on producing hour-long programs of conversations from one community to the other. On Cape Cod, USA, CAI is the local public radio station for the region, located in the town of Falmouth. In Cornwall, UK, SourceFM is a community radio station staffed primarily by volunteers. It, too, is located in the town of Falmouth.

The communities we serve share specific challenges: coastal environmental impacts from climate change, big problems with affordable housing as our tourist-friendly locations are increasingly dominated by short-term rentals; young people moving away for opportunities elsewhere. And we also share many positives: we're areas renowned for natural beauty, with energetic, engaged communities.

This new collaboration aims to connect these two communities through direct conversations between residents on both sides of the ocean. In show 1 which will air today (Wednesday 13th April) at 3pm on SourceFM and 9am/7pm (local) on WCAI Cape Cod, there will be the following features:

• Chris Henderson of Mylor Stores, in Falmouth, UK, speaks with Steve Bernier, owner of Cronig's Market on Martha's Vineyard, USA, about managing their community grocery stores through the early days of the pandemic.
• Ellie Baxter, 22, of Falmouth, England, and Trinity Poon, 18, of Sandwich, Massachusetts, share their experiences growing up in a coastal community in a time of climate change.
• Sgraffito and moon jar: two potters - Michel Francois of Cornwall and Sarah Caruso of Cape Cod - compare notes on shaping clay, surviving the pandemic, and building community.

And we're looking for suggestions! Want to join the conversation? Know someone you think we should speak with? Send us an email.