THE town’s community radio station, Frome FM, held a fundraiser last month and raised £800 that will be used to replace their 25-year-old mixing desk.
The fundraising event was held on Sunday 27th August at Station Approach and involved live music and food from Rye Bakery.
“The event was held to showcase some of the best local talent; to celebrate, listen and dance together with our fellow presenters and listeners and to raise funds to enhance what we are able to offer to the community,” says marketing director Tom Rickey. “We raised £800 compared to an initial target of £600.
“Every artist and DJ lives in Frome and gave their time for free to contribute to the radio showing that, not only did the community turn out to attend, but also turned out to offer their talents for free.
“We had a beautiful performance by Masa Band plus Kamerum Cuba playing some of his own unreleased productions for the first time.”
Frome FM is based in Frome Town Hall and broadcasts a range of programmes from talk shows to music shows which can be listened back on-demand via the website.
Chair of the station Rupert Kirkham said, “From my point of view this was another way to put Frome FM in front of the community. It’s difficult to know, without spending thousands of pounds each year, how many people are listening to the station and so that makes it difficult to ask commercial organisations for help because they want to know how many people will hear their adverts or sponsorship messages.
“We don’t need a fortune to run the station as everyone volunteers and those who make shows pay a monthly subscription. But there’s rent and utilities, insurance and music rights to pay as well as a license and telecommunications fee to Ofcom, so we fundraise.”
The radio station is a non-for-profit organisation run and managed entirely by volunteers; Rupert says there are around 80 members.
“There’s a new and younger board of directors emerging – each of the new directors has a skill that will enhance the service we offer to the community,” explains Rupert, “Youth programming and training, mental health and environmental issues are at the top of our agenda this year.”
