Turn on, tune in and hear the voice of the community
PORTOBELLO RADIO GIVES A PLATFORM TO DJS AND THE AREA’S DIVERSE COMMUNITY
WHEN DJ Piers Thompson started a radio show in 2015 he said it was just about “a couple of regular old geezers pumping out tunes”.
However, having grown up in socially divided Kensington and Chelsea he had always been involved in local issues.
So when a local trust announced unpopular plans to redevelop parts of the area, Piers quickly found his radio show transition into an important voice for the Kensington community. And within a few short months, alongside Chris Sullivan and Greg Weir, Portobello Radio was born.
Five years on, Portobello Radio moved out of the garden shed it started in and now reaches audiences in three continents, has more than 15,000 monthly listeners and has featured in the top global radio charts.
However, according to Piers, being able to provide a voice for the community he grew up in is up there with the best of accolades.
“There’s nothing else really like us here. It’s a really important thing to us. The community really values it,” Piers said.
“We’re very rooted in the community and the knowledge that our community is made up of different people - Bohemian English, Africans, West Indians, Portuguese, Spanish - we’re the original melting point. That’s important to what we do.
“Our mission is to be the authentic voice of Ladbroke Grove and give a platform to softer voices or those who have never been heard.”
So far, Portobello Radio has been just that. They were extremely active in the community effort to save Silchester Estate from demolition in 2016, as well as voicing the laments of the community before and after Grenfell fire.
Edward Daffarn, who coauthored a community blog warning of the risk of the fire, also featured as a guest before the incident.
Piers shared that Portobello Radio takes heavy inspiration from Dread Broadcasting Corporation (DBC) - Britain’s first black run pirate radio station. DBC broadcasted from Neasden and Ladbroke Grove in the 1980s playing music that would otherwise not be heard publicly.
Artists such as Ms Dynamit,e Neneh Cherry first received a platform through DBC, and Portobello Radio hope to offer the same opportunities for today’s local talent.
Piers said: “I’m really proud when we give someone a leg up, when we help them move from A to B.
“We’ve given loads of debuts to DJs. I’m proud of the sheer amount of stuff we’ve done.”
With all the important work Portobello Radio do, they’re only managing to exist on the back of small council grants and the goodwill of local businesses like the Muse Gallery where they broadcast on Portobello Road.
The station continually seeks to partner with different groups such as pubs and clubs who can broadcast Portobello Radio to their customers. Even with their limited finances, Piers shared that Portobello Radio is invaluable to the community.
“Even if people don’t listen to us much, they love the fact that we’re there. People love us when they listen to us. Our social media pages are beginning to act as a what’s on in the neighbourhood.
“More or less anyone can come on Portobello Radio and tell the world what’s on their mind.
“And that’s a really important thing.”
Whilst UK lockdown continues due to coronavirus, Portobello Radio has gone into “overdrive” extending some of their shows later into the night to keep their audience entertained.
They’ve featured RBKC deputy leader, Councillor Kim TaylorSmith to share the local council’s coronavirus response, in addition to lectures from an urban bee keeping specialist and featuring DJs from classic London clubs.
Piers Thompson, who has lived in the borough all his life, has over 40 years of DJ and film making experience to lend to Portobello Radio.
He’s helped launch community projects such as the Portobello Live Music Festival and the Portobello Pantomime that’s been running for over 30 years.
To check out Portobello Radio you can find them https://tunein. com/radio/Portobello-Radios277437
I’m proud of the sheer amount of stuff we’ve done.