Witney Radio 99.9FM awarded National Lottery grant

For immediate release

NEWS RELEASE

Witney Radio 99.9FM awarded £7,614 grant from The National Lottery.

Community Interest Company, Witney Radio, broadcasting in Witney to West Oxfordshire has been awarded £7,614 from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The fund, which provides much needed money for community focused projects, allow volunteer run companies to expand without the essential need for commercial intevention.

The National Lottery Community Fund supported Witney Radio by awarding this money to expand its service which broadcasts to Witney and West Oxfordshire with Better Broadcasting in the Community. This grant will allow the station to purchase outside broadcasting equipment to allow Witney Radio to take a state of the art digital studio out into the community and broadcast from events, functions and public gatherings. The grant will also replace some much used, preowned, donated equipment which is beyond its expected life which will be replaced with brand new kit. Witney Radio will also now be able to begin focusing on a much needed Studio 2 for the station. With over 30 volunteer presenters, time in the studio is becoming more and more precious for production duties such as show editing and show production so by having a second studio there will be less pressure to vacate our broadcast studio during show times.

Witney Radio not only broadcasts great community content but allows volunteers to be trained in audio production as well as industry experience in social media training as well as building personal skills in confidence and public speaking.

Station Operations Manager Grant Grindley said “Witney Radio’s goal of delivering trusted local community radio is getting a step closer with this grant from the National Lottery. The station goes from strength to strength with our recent power increase, giving the station a reach of almost 60,000 listeners. Witney Radio was the first station in the country to receive such an increase from regulator OFCOM, along with the most enthusiastic group of presenters any radio station would be more than proud of. This award goes to show that all the volunteers hard work is paying off in the station becoming THE local radio station for West Oxfordshire.”

Witney Radio’s founder Barry Clack said “In the 7-year journey from a small online station broadcasting from a garage to our FM license award in 2017 and DAB around the corner, Witney Radio is bringing back local radio to West Oxfordshire. The large radio groups have long cut local services to the bone which I believe is why Witney Radio is going from strength to strength broadcasting to our local community.”

If you’re interested joining the station, would like Witney Radio to promote your event with an outside broadcast or would like to know more information about the project, Please email mail@witneyradio.co.uk and get involved.

ENDS

Photos –

  1. Some of the presenters gather to celebrate the grant awarded by The National Lottery
  2. L to R Barry Clack (station founder) Grant Grindley (Station Operations Manager) Laura Dean (Volunteer Coordinator).

Some of the presenters gather to celebrate the grant awarded by The National Lottery



L to R Barry Clack (station founder) Grant Grindley (Station Operation Manager) Laura Dean Volunteer Coordinator

About Witney Radio

Witney Radio 99.9FM is a community interest company based in Witney and licensed for broadcasting on the FM radio band by regulator OFCOM serving Witney and surrounding area and is run entirely by volunteers.



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