Former Big L and Capital Radio presenter Ian Davidson attended the opening at Maidstone Radio where volunteers and supporters were able to see the new studio for the first time. Ian (pictured) was joined by fellow Maidstone Lion club associate Anita Crayford to present a cheque for £3,000 at the station based in The Maidstone Community Support Centre on Marsham Street.
Maidstone Radio will provide opportunities for local people to get involved with running a radio station, everything from presenting the programmes to managing the office. It will also provide training, learning and work experience programmes to people and community interest groups of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Speaking at the event, one of the Maidstone Radio Directors Jason McCrossan said “Thanks to early funding from the Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help’ scheme and the Cobtree Charity Trust, we have been able to build and partly equip our new studio to a point where we can invite our volunteers and supporters in to look around, try out the equipment and hopefully get excited and motivated about our project and remind them we still need further funding and donations to help us get on air this summer”.
The radio station is seeking to raise a further £17,00 to help it get on air to buy equipment and pay for licensing costs. Stuart Baker, another Director of the station said “We want to bring back local radio to Maidstone, and The Maidstone Lions donation helps towards hitting our £17,000 target, which enables us to buy everything we need to have a fully functioning radio station and get us broadcasting”.
Jason McCrossan 