Richard Dawson from Erewash Sound is to embark on a sponsored broadcast in February totalling over 50 hours via an outside broadcast.
He’ll be in place at The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton from his regular breakfast show start time of 8am on Sunday 25th February and, from his regular finish time of 10am, will not come off air until 12noon on Tuesday 27th February.
Raising money for and awareness of local groups and initiatives as well as for Erewash Sound, Richard will focus on the impact of preventing isolation through community and belonging. He has also committed himself to the challenge to mark his 50th birthday.
Listeners will be able to join him through regular open access to the theatre venue, enabling them to play a part in the radio station, make a donation, watch events and activities as they happen and attend a number of events for which tickets are being sold separately to raise funds for the nominated causes.
Richard’s radio station colleagues will also be visiting to try and keep him awake and offer moral support and encouragement as the hours pass.
A number of community groups will also be taking part including theatre and musical groups and musicians, a running club, the local carnival team, a local brass band and members of the Erewash Voluntary Service.
🕛 Erewash Sound presenter Richard Dawson is to set about completing a 52 hour #sponsoredbroadcast, live on air from the @DuchessTheatre in #LongEaton in late February.
⬇️ Find out more and give your support on our website.
🔗 https://t.co/U1Xa4gAv5N#PlayErewashSound pic.twitter.com/P1AtkBXTg3
— Erewash Sound (@erewashsound) January 26, 2024
Richard said: “I do a lot of work in the community and one of the biggest things I see that impacts on a lot of people is loneliness and isolation. Erewash Sound has always been big on building community connections and I’m passionate about what the radio station can do to support that, so, as a random idea – I don’t even know where it came from – I have decided to do a 52 hour radiothon at the end of February, which means I’ll probably get very little sleep!
“Already, we’ve got 25 guests signed up that are going to be coming in throughout the 50+ hours, including community groups that look at mental health, around isolation, loneliness and belonging, so it is all about community, and with the theatre open except from between midnight and 7am, people can come in, have a cuppa, and see live radio as it happens, but also, we’ve got a couple of events to draw people in to see groups perform that revolve around community, and there is an 80s night and a party night too.
“The more I speak about it, the more real it becomes, which is just a little bit worrying, but there is such a need out there for community belonging. I talk to a lot of people who are struggling with mental health and you can even feel lonely in a crowded place, so what we want to do is highlight that, and highlight groups that can help that people can connect with.
“Erewash Sound is a big information provider. The amount of e-mails that we had during lockdown for example – and ever since – that said that the radio station was their lifeline to the World out there – we need to highlight that too.”