Community Radio Awards Explained

The Community Radio Awards are an accolade bestowed upon creatives in the community sector of broadcast radio in the United Kingdom. The awards showcase the work of community radio volunteers.[1]

History

The Community Radio Awards were founded in 2016 by Martin Steers.[2] [3] [4]

The 2016 awards ceremony was held in Birmingham

The 2017 awards ceremony was held on 23 September in Bristol following a process involving over 350 entries in 16 categories from 70 community stations.[5] [6] [7]

The 2018 ceremony was held on 15 September in Sheffield, with 360 entries considered from 77 stations in 18 categories.[3]

The 2019 ceremony was held in Barry, Wales in October, receiving more than 425 entries.[4]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 ceremony was held online on December 7, receiving 460 entries for consideration from 90 stations.[8]

The 2021 ceremony was held on 23 October in Coventry following the inaugural national Community Radio Conference by the UK Community Radio Network [9]

Nominations and Winners

2022

Community Radio Awards 2022 winners:[10] [11]

Station of the Year! style="background:#FAEB86;" width="34%"
Community Development Project of the Year
  • Gold: The 4Ps Radio Training School for Young people, Vectis Radio
  • Silver: Ukraine Community Appeal, Sheppey FM 92.2
  • Bronze: Older Voices, ALLFM
Community Show of the YearCovid and Community Rebuild
  • Gold: Tommyfield Live
  • Silver: Think on Our feet
  • Bronze: #MercatMarriage, K107FM
Digital and RSL Station of the YearMale Presenter of the Year
  • Gold: Petersfield's Shine Radio
  • Silver: Poppyland Radio
  • Bronze: Radio Ysbyty Gwynedd
Female Presenter of the YearLive Event or Outside Broadcast
  • Gold: Rupa Mooker
  • Silver: Dr Audrey Tang
  • Bronze: Leigh Chambers
  • Gold: Iron To Iron, Erewash Sound
  • Silver: The Barry Island Festival of Food, BRO RADIO
  • Bronze: Hustings 2022, Radio Skye
Entertainment Show of the YearSpeech and Journalism of the Year
  • Gold: Natasha Reneaux
  • Silver: Paul James
  • Bronze: We Are Young
  • Gold: Fighting Fear With Hope
  • Silver: Friday Night Clive
  • Bronze: One Love One Planet
Arts and Creative Radio of the YearSpecialist Music Show of the Year
  • Gold: Hills Are Alive
  • Silver: The Easts
  • Bronze: Be the Sea
  • Gold: Priya Matharu
  • Silver: The Letty Rock Show
  • Bronze: Saltire Indie Rock Show
Sports Show of the YearVolunteer of the Year
  • Gold: Black Country Saturday Sports Show
  • Silver: Skye Spòrs
  • Bronze: Saturday Sports Show – Twitter Spaces
  • Gold: Mark Draper
  • Silver: Tom Walker
  • Bronze: Robin Zhang
Young Person of the YearSage Person of the Year
  • Gold: Megan Hayward
  • Silver: Toby Crabb
  • Bronze: Daisy Barker
  • Gold: Craig Mitchell
  • Silver: John Rumble
  • Bronze: Jim Campbell
Newcomer of the YearInnovation of the Year
  • Gold: Anna Gillingham-Sutton
  • Silver: Chloe Monaghan
  • Bronze: John Reid-Hansen
  • Gold: ECHO@ALLFM
  • Silver: Falmouth to Falmouth
  • Bronze: The 4ps Training School for young people
Podcast of the YearCommunity Radio Award Honours
  • Gold: Dogs with Jobs, Petersfield's Shine Radio
  • Silver: Self Injury Support, Gentle Activism
  • Bronze: The Shine Radio Recipe, Petersfield's Shine Radio
  • Recipient: Bill Best
  • Recipient: Geoff Rogers

2021

Community Radio Awards 2021:

2020

Community Radio Awards[13] 2020:

2019

[15]

2018

[16]

2017

[17] [6]

2016

[18] [19]

Honours

In 2021 the awards launched an Honours programme to honour those who have provided outstanding or exceptional service to Community Radio.

Those who have received honours are:

Audrey Hall for her decades of presenting and producing radio, and for community activity in support of and to increase representation of the black community in Greater Manchester, with most recently being part of the team at AllFM.

Danny Lawrence for his 20 plus years’ service to community radio, at various stations across the country, including the last 15 years at Gateway 97.8, for his services representing and supporting the sector with roles at the CMA, for founding the Radio Hub, and also in the last year supporting stations to give out thousands of free radios to those lonely and isolated.

Graham Laycock for over 50 years of exceptional commitment to Community radio and his outstanding dedication to Brooklands Radio and the volunteers within it.

Nathan Spackman for his significant impact in the development of Bro Radio in Wales, especially illustrated by the station winning station of the year at last year’s awards, but also his continued work at developing and representing the sector, locally in Wales as the founding co chair of the Welsh community radio network and co-founder of the UK Community Radio Network

Soo Williams for her work at Ofcom being instrumental in facilitating the creation of community radio in its current form, and for overseeing its implementation until her retirement last year.

Tony Smith for his hard work and dedication over the last 20 plus years launching and running Angel Radio, who support an underserved older audience.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Community Radio Awards to recognise work of volunteers . 23 March 2016 . . Shahzada . Choudhury . 25 September 2017.
  2. News: 25 September 2017 . Radio station that helped to launched Brit-nominated Blossoms is fighting to survive . live . Alex . 23 February 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170925203120/http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/radio-station-helped-launched-brit-12646728 . Scapens . 25 September 2017 . Manchester Evening News.
  3. News: . 7 September 2018 . 7 September 2018 . 13 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180907181731/https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/bonnyrigg-s-bill-prentice-uk-s-oldest-radio-presenter-up-for-award-1-4796622. Bonnyrigg's Bill Prentice, UK's oldest radio presenter, up for award. live . Diane . King .
  4. News: 1 October 2019 . 1 October 2019 . 1 October 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191001095413/https://www.thenational.scot/news/17937488.scottish-community-radio-station-heartland-fm-national-award/ . Greg . . Russell . Scottish community radio station Heartland FM up for national award.
  5. News: Wareham . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170925203755/http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/15556650.Community_radio_station_crowned_station_of_the_year_at_awards_ceremony/ . Wycombe Sound crowned station of the year at awards ceremony . 25 September 2017 . Stephanie . 25 September 2017 . .
  6. News: Radio Today to broadcast live from the Community Radio Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20180914022914/https://www.commedia.org.uk/news/2017/09/radio-today-broadcast-cras/ . . . 21 September 2017 . Bill. 14 September 2018 . 25 September 2017 . dead . Best.
  7. News: Spark Leads the Way in the Community Radio Awards! . Ethan . Lowerson-Marshall . https://web.archive.org/web/20170925210018/http://www.sparksunderland.com/2017/08/24/65635/ . 24 August 2017 . 25 September 2017 . . 25 September 2017 . Spark Sunderland.
  8. News: 2020-11-17 . Vectis Radio shortlisted for five National Community Radio Awards . en-GB . 2020-11-17 . OnTheWight.com . Isle of Wight.
  9. Web site: 2021-10-24 . All the winners from the Community Radio Awards 2021 . 2022-04-13 . RadioToday . en-GB.
  10. Web site: Finalist revealed for the Community Radio Awards 2022 . October 8, 2022.
  11. News: UK . RadioToday . All the winners from the 2022 Community Radio Awards . 22 November 2022 . RadioToday . 22 November 2022.
  12. https://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/23139244.black-country-radio-named-station-year-awards-bash/
  13. News: 2020-11-15 . Community Radio Awards 2020 shortlist revealed . en-GB . 2020-11-17.
  14. Web site: Listen to Radio LaB's Student Radio Award winning documentary 'Meet The Smugglers' . Radio LaB 97.1FM . 13 July 2021.
  15. News: Winners announced at the 2019 Community Radio Awards . . live . 2020-06-20 . 2019-10-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191029070643/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/10/winners-announced-at-the-2019-community-radio-awards/ . 2019-10-27.
  16. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20180918151525/https://communityradioawards.org.uk/recipients-announced-for-the-2018-community-radio-awards/ . Recipients announced for the 2018 Community Radio Awards . live . Community Radio Awards (UK) . 18 September 2018 . 18 September 2018 . Christopher . Smith . 17 September 2018 .
  17. News: Community Radio Awards 2017 nominations out . 2017 . . 25 September 2017 .
  18. News: 25 September 2017 . dead. Steve . Collins . Community Radio Awards to be broadcast live. . 25 September 2017 . 21 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170925204218/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/09/community-radio-awards-to-be-broadcast-live/ . Radio Today.
  19. News: Ujima Radio Wins Big At National Awards . Wyver . 25 September 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170925211158/https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/national-community-radio-awards/. 100 guests at Birmingham City University on Saturday, Ujima were awarded gold for National Community Radio Station of the Year . Kate . 12 September 2016 . . 25 September 2017 . Bristol24-7.