Jeff Martin of Erewash Sound said, “The station will be around 75% music and 25% speech but we want to entertain as well as inform”. “By featuring the best of today’s chart hits as well as a large back catalogue of favourites from as far back as the 60s we hope it will be a station the whole family can enjoy”. A team of local presenters have been assembled to bring a lively schedule of shows. Some have lots of radio experience while others have been trained and will take to the air for the first time. We hope to also bring one of the areas biggest radio names back to weekday peak-time radio."

Erewash Sound is in the process of putting together a strong news team to bring you news and information from around the borough. “We want your news too!” Jeff added. “We would like to set up a network of local news reporters in all areas of Erewash to let our news team know what is happening in their community”.

To start with, Erewash Sound will be staffed entirely by volunteers but there may well be some paid positions once the station becomes established.  Erewash Sound is a social enterprise, and any profits will go back into the station.  Funding for the radio station will come from grants, donations, advertising and sponsorship. “Here is a real opportunity for local businesses to reach their customers through cost effective local, targeted, advertising." said Jeff.

Test transmissions on 96.8FM begin on February 20^th . “If you have a radio in the car or at home with presets, now is the time to set a button up at 96.8, then you will be ready for the big switch on”. Jeff added.

More information about Erewash Sound can be found on their website at erewashsound.com.  If you would like more information about getting involved or advertising on the radio station, email info@erewashsound.co.uk

Transcript of speech delivered as part of the official ribbon cutting ceremony.

"Can I just say that I think Community Radio is actually the cement in the community?  It is actually what will bring and hold us together. We have people here - and not to put too finer a point on it – who span the spectrum of ages quite well, and it’s marvellous that we have got Bennerley Business & Enterprise College (BBEC) involved that are actually educating the future – and you young people of course, having seen the BBEC presentation when you became a college, was quite interesting to see how many various ideas that we oldies have that should be knocked on the head – that times are changing, that shift happens. It is quite right that the shift happens, and that the shift is towards young people. 

Young people can’t do it on their own – they need to be educated by those of us that have been here somewhat longer.  Therefore, this work, going on now with Erewash Sound is vitally important, because it is bringing together the young people and the current residents of the borough.   I’m quite pleased to hear that there will be something for all, so that, within my own household, there will be something for me, there will be something for my daughter, there will be something for my grand-daughter. 

It is also special for me to know that, already, there is a certain amount of information that goes out on the internet, so that my son, who moved away to North Wales, my son, who moved away to Norwich, and my best friend who lives in Zimbabwe, all of them can keep in touch with what is happening here, and perhaps especially this year, which has been my very special year as Mayor.   My friend from Zimbabwe sent me an e-mail the other day saying ‘My God, I don’t know how you keep up with it all.  Everytime I listen, there is something else happening!’  He keeps an eye on what I’ve been up to over the years. 

I can say that, as Mayor, there have been many occasions that I’ve been to where I’ve been met by Erewash Sound.  I was there when you had your new van at the Hospital Summer Fayre, and one thing that is really very special is to have somebody who can teach the younger people how, those of us who are less experienced in radio can get some confidence in speaking.  It isn’t at all like Jeremy Paxman.  Jeremy Paxman, when you see him in his worst moments, where he really makes you feel that you could curl up and die when he spoke to you like that – Erewash Sound helps you to lead on, and helps you to speak.  I think that’s something that is going to be very important in the future.  

It is special for me to be involved at this very earliest stage, and it’s going to be a real pleasure to me to cut the bow and to open Erewash Sound.  I wish you all the very best for the future, and I look forward to listening to you even when I can no longer stand, even with a pair of walking sticks!  Best of luck to you all.  Thankyou."

Listen out for a recording of this speech, and other excerpts from the opening event, aired during our programming output, weekdays from Erewash Sound. 

The borough’s very own radio station - Erewash Sound is celebrating the 2nd birthday of its on-line radio service.  After conducting an trial FM broadcast in Summer 2005, the station then began planning an application for a full-time FM community radio licence just for the Erewash borough.

Jeff Martin is the media spokesperson for Erewash Sound – he said: “On January 27^th 2007, we launched ‘Erewash Sound’ via our website, so that the borough could listen to a dedicated local radio service on a more permanent basis, whilst we waited for the broadcasting authorities to invite an application for a full-time FM community licence.   Our on-line service has continued to develop and gain in popularity ever since. Happily, the opportunity to apply for a full-time licence arose in October 2007, and we were granted the licence in the April of 2008. 

Ian Perry is the Station Director for Erewash Sound.  He said: “The fact that we have both sustained and developed our on-line radio service over the past two years further emphasises our commitment to providing the people of Erewash with a service they so richly deserve.  I would like to thank everyone who has been involved behind the scenes for all their hard work and dedication so far, and to all the listeners and supporters who regularly tune in and have contributed in so many ways."

"Erewash doesn’t have to wait to listen to a dedicated local radio service as it is already available to anyone with broadband internet access.  I would encourage as many people to log on and tune in for a mere taster of what we will be offering on a full-time basis from later in 2009.  The real thing, and so much more, has yet to come!”

The board of directors behind the borough's radio station are to begin seeking valuable start up and operational funding after securing 'Community Interest Company' (CIC) status from both Companies House and a regulator. 

A lengthy and complex application process was completed this week when the CIC Regulator notified Erewash Sound that it had been successful.  The radio station will now operate off-air as 'Erewash Sound Community Interest Company'.  A Community Interest Company is a new type of company, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.  CICs have special features to ensure that they are working for the benefit of the community.

Erewash Sound needed to satisfy the regulator that its purposes were regarded as being in the community or wider public interest and that its benefits will not be confined to a restricted group.  The radio station will be financed from a variety of sources including grants, donations and fundraising.  Assets are locked into being for the benefit of the community at all times.

Country Music Radio is still alive and well here in Erewash!  Erewash Sound has emphasised the continuation of its Country Music programming after a regional broadcaster recently dropped its specialist programme which was broadcast on a Sunday night at the same time as the borough's community radio station programme.

Colin Thorpe presents Erewash Sound Country every Sunday night from 5:00pm-7:00pm featuring a look at the Country Chart, the latest Country Music News, details of line dancing classes and country music nights & gigs locally, as well as playing country classics and new releases.  There is also the addition of Fiona's Six Question Quiz - where "the questions are easy - merely the answers are impossible".

Erewash Sound has had a long association with specialist music programming with a variety of programmes featured on previous FM broadcasts, and a sample of them on the current internet-only service.   Ian Perry is the Station Director for Erewash Sound: "Erewash residents can be assured that we remain dedicated to providing a versatile, dedicated, entertaining and information local radio service, and that we won't be dropping our Country Music programming from our current or future programming schedule - so don't go throwing away those stetsons, spurs and check shirts just yet!"

Renowned local radio broadcaster Paul Mackenzie has thrown his support behind the bid to bring a full-time radio station to the borough.  Paul has been described as "one of the funniest men on radio” with an unmistakeable broadcasting style, keeping listeners glued to their radios for over 20 years with his warm personality and quirky humour.  Paul has been responsible for hundreds of original radio features which are now used around the world.  He has also a collection of letters and e-mails from professional radio presenters who were prompted to enter broadcasting after having enjoyed the unique “Mackenzie Style” of presentation.  “All those messages are quite humbling, and two or three of them were quite a shock!” says Paul.

Speaking from Erewash Sound, Paul said, “I believe that the listener comes first, they are the most important element of the radio entertainment equation – and this is one of the values held dear by Erewash Sound.  I am honoured to be involved with Erewash Sound’s professional broadcasting team who, like me, believe in genuine local broadcasting."

We look forward to working with Paul Mackenzie in a variety of ways as the radio station plans gather momentum.