Huw Stephens will headline the UK Community Radio Networks National Community Radio Conference.
Taking place at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday 16th November, the 6 Music, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru presenter will talk about his early career at Rookwood Sound Hospital Radio in Cardiff, his passion for supporting homegrown music and his recent book, Wales: A Hundred Records.
Rookwood Sound will also be speaking at the conference, sharing the journey from hospital to community radio, after recently launching on DAB as a CDSP service in the Welsh Capital.
Other highlights on the line-up, include information on the BBC Local Democracy Report Service and upcoming opportunities to bid for future contracts, the development of training and skills academies and some of the big campaigns run by stations in the last twelve months, including River Radio’s Big Toy Appeal and Rhondda Radio’s Heritage Hour.
The UKCRN will be asking the views of stations on what’s required to secure the future of community radio across the UK in a discussion titled “A new government, a new era for Community Radio?”.
The conference is followed by the Community Radio Awards, with the afternoon of the event focusing on developing future talent, with a panel led by BFBS UK Bases Manager Frank McCarthy.,
Former Voice FM Southampton presenter Ryan Galpin, who now presents afternoons on BFBS Salisbury Plain, will join the panel to discuss the development and nurturing of talent.
Also, 1-2-1 sessions with BBC, BFBS and commercial radio management and presenters will be available to book on the day. In order to support presenters and volunteers who may be attending the awards, there is an afternoon-only ticket which includes the ability to book these sessions.
A limited number of spaces have been arranged for tours of the BBC’s Central Square on Friday evening ahead of the conference, with bookings to be made directly via hello@ukcrn.radio
UKCRN Co-Founder and Conference organiser Nathan Spackman said: “We’ve once again pulled together a brilliant line-up, that covers new ideas, development and conversations, that we hope will leave stations with lots of ideas to take back to their own communities.
“As someone who started off at Rookwood Sound myself, I’m delighted Huw Stephens has agreed to come and share his story of becoming Radio 1’s youngest ever presenter, his love for radio and passion for homegrown music.”
Early bird tickets for the UKCRN Conference and Community Radio Awards in Cardiff have been extended to the end of Friday 1st November. For tickets and more information go here.
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This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk