Ofcom has today announced that 47 community radio stations have successfully been awarded grants following the conclusion the Community Radio Fund, with the total amount of funding awarded reaching over £1 million.
Community radio stations provide a voice for hundreds of local communities across the UK. Fuelled by the hard work and enthusiasm of volunteers, they reflect a diverse mix of cultures and interests and provide a rich mix of mostly locally produced content.
The Community Radio Fund is provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and administered by Ofcom.
It was established to support the sustainability of Ofcom licensed community radio stations, which operate on a not-for-profit basis to deliver specific social benefits to a particular geographical area or a community of interest.
In this funding round, grants were awarded to 47 community radio stations, totalling over £1 million. Grants awarded ranged from £7,500 up to £39,839, with an average of £21,368. The panel considered 115 applications, with the total amount requested over £2.9 million.
Mark Jones, Community Radio Fund Chair, said:
“The panel were pleased to be able to fund small and large projects in rural and urban areas. In the coming year a variety of income generating posts will be in place to enable stations to become financially self-sustaining. Additionally, the fund has paid for training provision at a small number of stations to support a new generation of volunteers.
“I'd like to thank everyone who submitted a bid and to assure them that their application was read and discussed by the panel.”
Media Minister Ian Murray said:
“Community radio stations are at the heart of hundreds of local communities in the UK. Not only do they showcase locally produced content, but they keep people connected and informed about their area.
“That is why I am delighted that our increased funding is helping nearly 50 stations across all four nations. This support will ensure they can continue to grow, create more jobs and reach even more listeners.”
107FM broadcasts to East Hull, providing a voice to disadvantaged areas of the community.
Affinity Radio broadcasts local news and a wide range of music to cater to all members of the community.
Ambur Radio is a service for the people of Walsall, with a focus on Asian communities. Programming is provided in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.
Andover Radio is a community radio station broadcasting music and local news for residents in Andover and nearby villages.
Asian Community Radio broadcasts in English and Asian languages to serve the Asian community in Milton Keynes with entertainment, news and celebrating cultural festivals in the content.
Basingstoke Community Radio serves the general community in Basingstoke, with content delivering community benefits and information.
BCB106.6fm is a community radio station focused on targeting inner city communities in Bradford, covering a range of ethnic minorities, age groups and special interest groups, supporting the natural diversity in the area.
Black Country Radio serves Stourbridge and Dudley, providing information relevant to the local area.
Bro Radio broadcasts local news, information, specialist music and sport in both English and Welsh within the Vale of Glamorgan.
Caithness FM is a community radio station serving listeners in Caithness providing enterainment and communicating local information to its listeners.
CRFM broadcasts local content to communities in Carlisle, with a specific emphasis on supporting the vulnerable and deprived in their community.
East Coast FM is a community radio station broadcasting local information and a variety of programming to Haddington and the surrounding rural areas.
Flame CCR entertains and educates on Christian issues and provided information about community activities in Liverpool.
Future Radio is a community radio station broadcasting to the general population across Norwich, including programming tailored to support disadvantaged groups.
Gaydio Brighton broadcasts specialist LGBTQ+ content across Brighton on FM and acts as a local champion for this community in the local area, providing informative and entertaining content.
K107FM is a not-for-profit station broadcasting to listeners in Kirkaldy and Fife, reflecting community interests in its content.
Koast Radio provides contemporary music, local shows and community information for residents of South-East Northumberland.
Legacy 90.1FM specialises in playing music of a Black origin, while offering an inclusive voice to the target community and promotes equality of opportunity to African Caribbean audiences across Hulme in Manchester.
Merseyside Dementia Radio is a specialist community radio station that supports people living with dementia, carers and families in Liverpool.
Mighty Radio is Southport’s community station broadcasting local information and features while providing the opportunity for the community to contribute to and determine the output.
Mix 92.6 is a community radio station serving St Albans and surrounding areas, focusing on sharing information to allow local charities and local voluntary organisations to promote themselves.
MônFM is a bilingual community station in Llangefni covering Anglesey and Gwynedd, broadcasting local information to their community.
Nevis Radio provides a local service, encouraging social involvement, serving Lochaber, Fort William and surrounding areas. Output is broadcast in English and Gaelic.
North Manchester FM aims to improve the quality of life of residents in North Manchester. It allows residents to take part in discussions and decisions affecting them and provides airtime to non-English speaking communities.
Outreach promotes and supports local initiatives and improves community awareness and community spirit within Hedge End and surrounding areas.
Penistone FM is a community station broadcasting dedicated local programming to Penistone and Stocksbridge. It provides an interactive community facility to provide experience in radio broadcasting.
Pheonix FM is a community station delivering music and content to those living and working in Brentwood.
Phonic FM broadcasts a range of arts and community-based programming to audiences in Exeter. As well as offering education and training opportunities.
Pride Radio is a community radio station based in Newcastle and Gateshead serving the diverse range of tastes of the LGBT community.
Premier Radio broadcasts local programming in English and Welsh to audiences in Wrexham.
Radio Ikhlas is a community radio station in Derby serving the Asian (primarily Pakistani) community, featuring multilingual programming.
Radio Lear is a creative arts station in Leicester, serving over 25s with an interest in creative arts, community storytelling and civic discussion.
Radio Lisburn Live serves local and working-class communities in Lisburn & Castlereagh. .
Radio Newquay provides a service to educate, inform and positively promote Newquay and surrounding Cornish villages.
Radio Panj broadcasts content in Punjabi, English (and additional languages) to the Punjabi communities in Coventry.
Radio Tamworth is a community station serving residents, particularly those under 30, across Tamworth, Staffordshire. It has a focus on accessible training.
Reprezent is a youth focused community radio station based in Brixton, providing a platform to discuss issues, represent their views, and feature music they like.
Resonance FM is an arts station featuring, experimental music, spoken word and programming for disadvantaged groups, serving listeners across central London.
Salford City Radio is a volunteer led community station facilitating the involvement of minority groups. It broadcasts local news, talk and music to Salford residents.
Sheffield Live! broadcasts music, community talk and city news and culture, serving audiences facing disadvantage and social exclusion in Sheffield and Rotherham.
Strawberry Radio is a community radio station in Stockport reaching adult listeners in Cheshire, broadcasting music, speech and more.
Switch Radio is a community radio station broadcasting to audiences in North Birmingham.
Unity 101 Community Radio broadcasts Bollywood and South Asian music with community programmes, serving multicultural audiences across Southampton.
Vectis Radio is a community radio station on The Isle of Wight, Newport reaching local audiences.
WCR FM is a community radio station in Wolverhampton serving those living in disadvantaged areas of the city.
Westside Radio serves Southall’s multicultural community, particularly young people.