Bush Finns ry – The Legacy of the Finnish-Language Section of the BBC World Service

Friday, 9 October 2026
18:00-20:00

Finnbrit warmly welcomes Ilpo Salonen and his colleagues to introduce Bush Finns ry and talk about the legacy of the Finnish-language section of the BBC World Service.

Bush Finns ry is the heritage association of the former Finnish-language section of the BBC World Service. Founded in 2019, the association preserves the history and legacy of the Finnish broadcasts that were transmitted from London for 57 years, from 1940 until the service closed in 1997.

This presentation introduces the fascinating story of the BBC Finnish Service and its home in London’s iconic Bush House, the legendary headquarters of the BBC World Service, which was once known as the “most expensive building in the world”.

Finnish-language radio broadcasts from London began just five days after the end of the Winter War. The preparation for the Finnish-language broadcasting operations had started in the second half of 1939. During and after the Winter War, Britain competed for radio supremacy even more with Germany than with the Soviet Union.

We will hear about the role of Finnish-language broadcasting during times of war, political change and international uncertainty, highlighting how the BBC became a trusted source of news and information for generations of Finnish listeners. The presentation also looks at the work of Bush Finns ry in preserving this unique chapter of Finnish broadcasting history.

At the event, the book about the history of the Finnish Service, ‘Täällä Lontoo – BBC:n suomalaistoimittajat idän ja lännen välisessä informaatiosodassa’ (WSOY 2020), will be available for purchase for 15 euros.

Image: Stephen Richards, Bush House, Aldwych. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en]. Source: Wikimedia Commons [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bush_House,_Aldwych_%28geograph_4238525%29.jpg]. 

Finnbrit clubs and events are open to everyone. Booking through the Finnbrit website is essential. Please contact Finnbrit if you have any questions.

Cancellations

You can request to cancel an existing booking here: Cancel my booking