Award win as station makes the right noises
A youth- led community radio station has been rewarded for its positive impact with a prestigious gong.
Community group Creative Crieff and Radio Earn were named as winners of the Innovative Town category at the Scotland Loves Local Awards.
Based on the Strath capital’s High Street, the station launched in June and is being run by volunteers with the aim of offering a wide variety of programmes.
The new media outlet is also providing paid jobs for those between the ages of 18 and 25 and the project’s progress since its inception has been such that judges decided the accolade should head to Perthshire.
The awards - presented by STV’s Sean Batty - were broadcast online during a ceremony on Thursday last week.
In an interview aired as part of the celebration, Radio Earn’s Luke Duffin said: “This was born as a way to communicate with the people here, to get them involved with what’s going on in the community and act as a catalyst to other things which are going on.”
Colleague Rachel Cook added: “It’s a very creative place that we live in. We want to enhance and be at the hub of that, showing that we are for the community and by the community at the same time.”
Organised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the Scotland Loves Local Awards are designed to recognise and reward work taking place to transform communities.
They also highlight the need for people to support locally-based businesses and activities.
STP chair Professor Leigh Sparks declared: “You cannot fail but to be both humbled and energised by the fantastic work that all of our nominees are doing to create a fairer, stronger, more sustainable future where local life is the heartbeat of Scotland.
“They go above and beyond, day in, day out to help create communities which we will all be the better for and deserve this rich recognition.”
Radio Earn’s Innovative Town Award was sponsored by Commsworld.