Vectis Radio is a multi award winning community radio station broadcasting on FM104.6 DAB, Online and on Hospedia Channel 5, and is built on a simple belief: everyone deserves to have a voice and a place where they can be heard.
From its beginnings at Quay Arts on the Isle of Wight back in January 2010 and now based at the Riverside Centre in Newport since 2014, Vectis Radio has grown into much more than a radio station. It has become an important community platform, giving local people, charities, organisations, businesses, musicians and community groups the opportunity to share their stories, celebrate their achievements and talk about the issues that matter to them.
For us, the most important part of Vectis Radio is giving a voice to people who might not otherwise have one. We believe local radio should genuinely belong to the community it serves. That means creating opportunities for people to get involved, whether that is presenting a programme, learning how to produce radio, working behind the scenes or simply having the confidence to tell their story.
One of our proudest achievements is the development of the 4Ps Radio Training School. It gives young people and adults the opportunity to learn practical broadcasting skills in a real radio environment. For many of those who take part, it is about far more than radio. It is about developing confidence, communication skills, teamwork and independence, while discovering talents they may not have realised they had.
Over 300 students have since completed the course which has been successful in helping many young people improve their confidence and communication through teaching the four key areas of radio; presenting, production, promotion and podcasting. The course is available free of charge to 11-19 year olds, and also up to 25 for people with additional needs.
We have seen people who initially lacked confidence grow into presenters, producers and valuable members of our station team. We have also been fortunate to receive recognition for the work we do, with our community projects and the opportunities we provide continuing to attract attention and support.
Our ambition is to build on that success. We want Vectis Radio to remain a genuine community asset, working with schools, charities, businesses and local organisations to create even more opportunities and ensure local voices continue to be heard. Running a community station is not always easy. It takes commitment, creativity, teamwork and a huge amount of dedication from volunteers and staff. But that is what makes Vectis Radio special.
Ian Mac, Founder of Vectis Radio who has kindly written this article, signs off with:
“Ultimately, Vectis Radio is about people. It is about opening doors, building confidence, creating connections and giving the Isle of Wight a platform to tell its own story. That is why we are so proud of what we have achieved and so determined to keep moving forward.”
Creative Island are thrilled to be working with Vectis Radio on amplifying CAN YOU HEAR US? As community connection is one of the leading ambitions which so perfectly aligns with Vectis Radio. Sam Cattee, Creative Island Communications Manager, adds:
“Getting to chat with Ian every couple of weeks live-on-air about what’s coming up, sharing opportunities and highlights, has been brilliant. The team are welcoming, and have created a space where you can safely chat about the Island, which has hopefully captured the attention of their listeners. We’re so grateful for their help capturing the legacy of this programme, as it’s not your typical annual festival. It’s a one-off, monumental celebration of what already exists here, and we need everyone to know about it and take part.”
You can listen to Vectis Radio locally on FM 104.6 and DAB, or tune in via the Vectis Radio Player.
