FROME FM needs your vote when it appears on The People’s Millions on Tuesday 26th November, in a bid to obtain funding for an innovative project.
FromeFM’s ‘suitcase studio’ project will go head to head against a community green project in the Forest of Dean during the ITV 6.00pm news programme. The phone number to call to place your vote will be revealed on the day, and will be publicised on www.frome.fm, and you can vote from 9.00am-midnight.
FromeFM have been gathering support over the last couple of weeks. 17 charities and community groups and over 120 members of the public came to see an example of a FromeFM suitcase studio in the Westway recently and have pledged their support.
A crowd also turned out to feature in a promotional clip for FromeFM, which was filmed by ITV last Friday.
The People’s Millions is a grants programme run in partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV. It asks the public to vote for the projects they want to see supported.
FromeFM is asking The People’s Millions to fund three ‘suitcase studios’ – portable studios which can be taken out into the community. This will enable Frome’s children, local clubs, community groups and charities to make their own radio programmes about the things they are passionate about. One of the aims is to encourage people to participate in radio production, and the grant would also fund a trainer to help new enthusiasts.
Maggie Gregory from FromeFM volunteer community radio said, “A suitcase just like this is in the Philippines right now. It is being used to broadcast to the local people where to get food, water and vital medical supplies. Suitcase studios has already helped a massive number of people overseas and now we want to use it to help people in Frome too.
“One of our volunteers has Asperger’s and he wants youngsters with autism to have fun making radio programmes and at the same time help boost their confidence and communication skills, and make a real difference to their lives. They can’t come in to the studio but the suitcase could come to them.”
“Frome College want to use it to help children with literacy problems. Critchill Court’s elderly and dementia residents would like to use it to tell their stories, and the children from Oakfield Academy could interview them. Frome Talking Newspaper could make a programme about the valuable work that they do for the blind.
“It was fantastic how many different groups and charities came to talk to us on one wet, windy day in the Westway, with such an amazing number of different ideas for how Suitcase studio could help them. The possibilities are endless.
“Please vote for FromeFM Suitcase Studio on ITV1 regional 6.00pm news on Tuesday 26th November. Go to www.frome.fm/suitcase and sign up for the newsletter so we can email you with the phone number on the day.
“A vote for FromeFM is a vote for every charity, community group and school in Frome.”
The voting line will be open from 9.00am – midnight on Tuesday 26th November. The phone number to call will be available at www.frome.fm. Calls cost 11p from BT landlines, more from mobiles. You can vote up to 10 times from each phone number.
