After 13 years of broadcasting on Restricted Service Licences, Hope FM has been awarded a five year licence to broadcast a community radio service throughout Bournemouth and surrounding area.
Hope FM is the broadcasting arm of Bournemouth YMCA . The Association is a Christian charity committed to helping people particularly in times of need regardless of gender, race, ability or faith.
Operating from the YMCA?s Christian ethos, the station will seek to promote a sense of belonging, encouraging inclusion by giving Bournemouth residents a voice. This will be reflected in a high level of input into programmes from people and organisations in every sector of the local community.
Bournemouth YMCA?s Executive Director Blair Crawford comments: ?Having submitted our application to Ofcom in November 2004, we are delighted to be given the opportunity to serve the local community through broadcasting. Since the inception of Hope FM we have sought to involve people from every walk of society training them to use broadcast skills as a means of communication. This is an exciting opportunity, although running radio 24/7 is quite different from a commitment to run it 1 or 2 months a year?.
Ofcom has given the station up to two years to get on the air with its full time service although organisers expect that this will be possible within a shorter time-span. ?We want to get as many people on board as possible and allow time for appropriate recruitment and training of volunteers. There is quite a lot of work to be done in preparation by the local management committee, so we are determined not to rush our launch? comments Hope FM?s Chairman, Andrew Dobbins.
Local people who are interested in getting involved with the station should contact Blair Crawford and further information can be obtained from the station?s website.