UK

The best of Community Radio has been celebrated in Bradford for the 2025 Community Radio Awards.
Hosted by Stephen Higgs and Fiona McNeill, the evening celebrated the hard work of recipients from up and down the country.
Rebecca Steers, awards chair, said: “What another fantastic year for community radio. As we celebrate 20 years of community radio, it has been great to both share and celebrate with the awards and conference earlier in the day.
“Well done to all the winners, as well as all the finalists for the awards.”
The winners are as follows:

Elections & Political Coverage of the Year
Gold – Vote WNC – NLive Radio
Silver – Your Voice Matters: St Austell Speaks – CHAOS Radio
Bronze – Charles Fletcher – 60 Seconds Scotland – K107FM

Celebrating & Championing Community Radio of the Year, sponsored by PPL
Gold – Championing The 4Ps Radio Training School – Vectis Radio
Silver – K107FM Community Space – K107FM

Digital Content of the Year, sponsored by Viamux / Optimux
Gold – Accessibility and Community are at the Heart of What We Do – RNIB Connect Radio
Silver – Riverside Broadcasting Digital Team – Riverside Radio
Bronze – Radio LaB’s New Digital Content Strategy – Radio LaB 97.1fm

Newcomer of the Year, sponsored by Be Broadcast
Gold – Amy Boyd – Chelmsford Community Radio
Silver – Kirsty Corbett – Erewash Sound
Bronze – Seb Grant – Spark

Sage Person of the Year (Over 60)
Gold – Pat Reading – Marlow FM
Silver – Terry Snowden – ALL FM
Bronze – Paul James – Academy fm ThanetIan Barclay – Riverside Radio

Young Person or people of the Year (under 25), sponsored by Aiir
Gold – Harrison RB – Express FM
Silver – Daisy Barker – Chelmsford Community Radio
Bronze – Amy Boyd – Chelmsford Community Radio

Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by UK Community Radio Network
Gold – Nick Mundy – Radio Winchcombe
Silver – Ste Greenall – Black Cat Radio
Bronze – Richard Belle – Andover Radio

Sports Show of the Year
Gold – Women’s Sports Mix Show – Cambridge Radio
Silver – Habbin The Night of Our Lives – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Switch Radio Sport – Switch Radio

Arts & Creative Radio of the Year, sponsored by RadioPlayer
Gold – Radio LaB’s Halloween Murder Mystery – Radio LaB 97.1FM
Silver – Choices: Deluxe Edition – Radio LaB 97.1FM
Bronze – Treasure Island – Chelmsford Community Radio

News, Journalism & Factual Storytelling of the Year, sponsored by RadioToday
Gold – The Saxonvale Saga – Frome FM
Silver – Riverside Reports Team – Riverside Radio
Bronze – Natasha Reneaux – BFBS Aldershot

Specialist Content Show of the Year, sponsored by Fix Radio
Gold – Month of the Military Child – BFBS Aldershot
Silver – The Mid Morning Show – Vectis Radio
Bronze – The Voice of Business with Nell Op de Beeck – Radio Woking

Specialist Music Show of the Year, sponsored by Promo Only
Gold – The Midweek Mosh – Switch Radio
Silver – The Jazz Club – Jake Hart – RNIB Connect Radio
Bronze – Priya Matharu’s Desi Beats – Switch Radio

Entertainment Show of the Year, sponsored by CopMedia
Gold – House of Fun – PCRFM
Silver – Wednesday Drivetime – Academy fm Thanet
Bronze – The Full English Breakfast Show – Black Cat Radio

Live Event or Outside Broadcast of the Year, sponsored by Hippynet Broadcast Technologies
Gold – Live from Gŵyl Cefni 2025 – MônFM
Silver – Cambridge Folk Festival 2024 – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taf – GTFM

Presenter of the Year: Man, sponsored by All In Media
Gold – Chris Kaye – BFBS Catterick
Silver – Gavin Richards – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Dan Draper – Riverside Radio

Presenter of the Year: Woman, sponsored by DTS AutoStage
Gold – Priya Matharu – Switch Radio
Silver – Amy Gray – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Lizzie Sentance – Marlow FM

Voices of the Community Award, sponsored by RadioPlayer
Gold – Older Voices – Radio Tyneside
Silver – In Her Element, supporting women and girls in the North East – Spark
Bronze – Mark McKenzie & Major Karen Tate – BFBS Scotland

Voices for All Award, sponsored by Devaweb
Gold – The Ukraine Hour – Somer Valley FM
Silver – Glocal – Ujima Radio
Bronze – Me Time Podcast on the Joy Ethic Show – ALL FM

Community Impact Project of the Year, sponsored by Be Broadcast
Gold – The 4Ps Radio Training School – Vectis Radio
Silver – Finding Your Voice – Colne Radio
Bronze – Hear Our Voices – Ujima Radio

Station of the Year, sponsored by Aiir
Gold – Radio Skye
Silver – Academy fm Thanet
Bronze – Vectis Radio

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Former presenters from Radio Orwell are coming together to mark 50 years since the station first went on air in Ipswich.

To celebrate the milestone, Norman Lloyd from Suffolk Sound Radio will host a special programme at 9am on Tuesday 28 October, revisiting the early days of the original local station and speaking to some of the voices who helped shape it.
The broadcast will include interviews with well-known presenters from the time, including Andy Archer, Stephen “Foz” Foster and Patrick Eide, along with other guests who were part of Radio Orwell’s story.
Radio Orwell began broadcasting on 28 October 1975, serving Suffolk and the surrounding area from its original studios in Ipswich. It was one of the first ILR (Independent Local Radio) stations in the UK and became well known for its mix of local news, music and community programming.
Norman said the show will be a celebration of the people and passion that defined the early years of local radio in Suffolk. “It’s about remembering the friendships, the fun and the impact Radio Orwell had on so many lives across the county,” he said.
The anniversary programme will air on Suffolk Sound Radio and be available online for listeners who want to relive the sounds and stories from the station’s early days.
Radio Orwell celebrates 50 years with a special show on 28 October featuring original presenters chatting with Norman Lloyd on Suffolk Sound Radio

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Boots Opticians has launched a new podcast series, See What’s Possible, hosted by broadcaster Myleene Klass, featuring well-known guests sharing inspiring personal stories alongside expert advice on eye health and style.
The seven-episode series aims to spark conversations around topics including neurodiversity, female health, poverty, confidence and personal style. Each fortnightly episode features Myleene in discussion with celebrity guests such as Kimberley Wyatt, Ellie Simmonds, Chris Kamara, Christine McGuinness and magician Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo.
The debut episode, available from 23 October, features ex-Pussycat Doll Kimberley Wyatt and musician Leo Stay Trill discussing life in the music industry and the evolution of personal style. Kimberley shares insights into her career and encourages women to embrace new looks and colours as they grow older.
Myleene said: “I am delighted to be working with Boots Opticians to host their See What’s Possible podcast, as it opens up discussions on a range of health and societal topics close to my heart. The podcast not only reveals unique stories from our guests, it also shares practical advice for listeners.”
Guy Smith, Head of Marketing at Boots Opticians, added that the series “shines a light on important topics, challenges misconceptions and explores real-life experiences that shape how we see the world.”
Sponsored by Essilor Luxottica, the podcast is available to watch on Boots Opticians’ YouTube channel and to listen on Acast, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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A new global network has been launched to support podcast and audio professionals around the world.

The International Podcast Alliance (IPA) brings together industry bodies from Europe and North America to strengthen collaboration, share knowledge and promote fair practices across the fast-growing podcast sector.
The IPA is a joint initiative from France’s Syndicat des Producteurs Professionnels et Indépendants de l’Audio (PIA) and AudioUK, which represents podcast and audio producers in the UK.
They are joined by Podd- och radioproduktionsbolagen from Sweden, the ABIQ – Association du Balado Indépendant du Québec in Canada, and the Collectif des producteurs et productrices belges francophones from Belgium.
The alliance aims to improve dialogue between national organisations, share market data, promote best practice and campaign for fairer treatment of independent creators. It will also focus on issues such as legal recognition, equitable platform relationships and access to funding.
PIA President Katia Sanerot said: “The podcast is a global phenomenon, growing everywhere with the same creative energy and the same structural challenges. Some answers will be found locally, but many of tomorrow’s solutions will have to be built together, at an international level.”
AudioUK CEO Chloe Straw added: “Collaboration is one of the key drivers of growth in the podcast and audio industry. It’s exciting to see us come together as a global alliance to share expertise, champion best practice and drive innovation.”
The IPA will meet virtually every quarter and gather annually in person, rotating between member countries. Its first virtual meeting will take place on 17 November 2025 at 3pm CET to set out its initial priorities and working methods.
The alliance is inviting other professional podcast organisations to join and contribute to what it describes as a global effort to ensure a fair, diverse and independent podcast and audio ecosystem.

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Radio Bath has hosted its first-ever Charity Awards, celebrating the volunteers, charities and organisations making a difference across the city and surrounding areas.

Held at The Pavilion in Bath, the event brought together more than 200 guests, including representatives from local businesses, community groups and charities, for an afternoon recognising exceptional contributions to local life.
Supported by headline sponsor South West Business Finance and partner 3SG, the ceremony featured 17 award categories highlighting remarkable acts of service, commitment and community spirit. Guests enjoyed lunch from Tu Mangetout before the awards began.
Over 100 nominations were received, which were reviewed by a panel of Radio Bath Patrons. Partner Dan Smith from South West Business Finance spoke about the company’s pride in supporting the event and helping to shine a light on local charitable excellence.
Radio Bath co-founder Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE said: “This has been a wish of Radio Bath’s for a long time, to celebrate the incredible work that local charities, organisations and volunteers do to support so many. It’s important to shine a light on their hard work.”
Steve Fountain from Radio Bath added his thanks to the event sponsors and the station’s patrons for their ongoing support.
The awards, co-hosted by Radio Bath co-founder Simon McNeill-Ritchie and Toni Green from 3SG, mark a milestone for the station as it approaches its fifth anniversary, further cementing its role at the heart of the local community.

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Juliet Njeri has been named as the BBC’s new Regional Director for Africa, leading the organisation’s editorial and operational strategy across the continent from its Nairobi hub.

The role gives Juliet responsibility for all eleven African language services and BBC News English for Africa, reaching around 120 million people every week across countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, DRC and Ethiopia.
Juliet will oversee the BBC’s editorial output, business operations, and compliance functions while working with regional and international teams to expand the corporation’s audience and strengthen its editorial presence in Africa.
Jonathan Munro, Deputy CEO and Global Director of BBC News, said: “Strong leadership is critical to our transformation plan so I’m thrilled to have appointed Juliet Njeri as the Regional Director for Africa. Juliet has a wealth of regional expertise and market insight alongside a distinguished career in journalism.”
Juliet said she was “delighted to be appointed Regional Director for Africa” and looked forward to leading the BBC’s talented teams across the continent. “As well as high quality journalism, Africa has an abundance of rich and diverse storytelling that we want to bring to audiences across the region and around the world,” she said.
Her appointment follows the BBC’s restructure of its global operations earlier this year, which introduced six new regional director roles around the world to better connect the BBC with its international audiences.
The BBC’s African services include Afaan Oromoo, Afrique, Amharic, Gahuza, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin, Somali, Swahili, Tigrinya and Yoruba, all produced under the BBC World Service.

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