Youngsters seek help to get others on airwaves

£8,000 APPEAL TO REPLACE BROKEN DOWN MIXING DESK

A COMMUNITY radio station run for and partially by young people has launched an appeal to help it keep up its service.

Takeover Radio has been on the airwaves from Leicester since 2002. Children and adults aged eight to 18 produce and present their own shows outside school hours.

The station, which is operated by a charity, Takeover Radio Children’s Media Trust, trains young people in presentation, journalism, web design, video production and any other new media, with a view to enhancing their conditions of life, and to work towards careers in the media.

A spokesman said the broadcast mixing desk in the station’s main studio has broken down.

He said: “Although the station has a second studio which has meant broadcasting can continue, fixing the main studio will allow their second studio to be used for the training of their young people once again.”

The charity has launched #TakeoverRadio2020 campaign, hoping to raise £8,000 to pay for a mixing desk, as well as improving the infrastructure which will allow it to provide outreach projects to schools and youth groups.

Volunteer Dan Flanders said: “Takeover Radio is an organisation very close to my heart.

“I benefited from the charity when I was younger and had six years producing and presenting radio.

“I firmly believe my time spent at the station between the ages of 12 and 18 set me up incredibly well to start my career in video production.

“I use skills I learnt there every day and had opportunities a young person could usually only dream of.

“This campaign will hopefully help us rebuild studio 1, allowing us to resume normal service and continue supporting young people across the city and county, as well as helping us to deliver workshops to schools and youth groups to increase our coverage and output.”

You can donate to the #TakeoverRadio2020 campaign by searching for “Takeover Radio GofundMe” or visiting any of the station’s social media channels.

The station broadcasts on 103.2FM. ■ More charity news, Pages 28 & 29.