Launching a new radio station is enormous fun and a lot of hard work.   It was five years from our first meeting to gaining a full licence to broadcast, with much blood sweat and tears along the way.  In that time we put on three short term services, raised public awareness, fund raised, built studios and filled out endless forms for licences and permissions.  It was worth it though.

My vision as Programme Director came to life as we recruited experienced presenters to work alongside beginners, encouraging people to come and  share their love of a music genre or a field of interest.  The town got behind us and provided topics for thousands of interviews and 'what's-ons'.  Our amazing engineering and technical teams built fantastic studios, OB kits and all the tech infrastructure one could wish for. 

Wycombe Sound won Station of the Year at the Community Radio Awards in 2017, after being on air for just eight months.   It was the first of nineteen awards, and an ARIA nomination, during my time steering the ship.

The broadcasting element though, is only part of the story.  What goes on behind the scenes is equally as important and fulfilling. We mentored young people with disabilities, some of whom went on to present their own programmes;  we ran employability skills training courses; we helped people to learn new skills, get jobs, increase their confidence and make new friends.  These are the things I am most proud of as I look back.

Community radio was once viewed as the lowly cousin of the big commercial groups and the BBC.  It's got much better over the years and, during the pandemic, really came into its own, providing a fantastic service to listeners and volunteers alike.

Onwards and upwards.