Celebrations as Black Country Radio crowned as best in country
Volunteers at a community radio station have been celebrating after being officially crowned Station of the Year.
Black Country Radio was named Station of the Year at the 2022 Community Radio Awards in Bedford.
The station was presented with the prestigious award at the end of the evening, with its services described by the judges as an "upbeat, engaging and informative service which is to be highly commended for their work both on air and off air".
It put the stamp on an evening of success, with the sports team winning the Gold award for Sports Show of the Year for Saturday Sports Show, while Friday Night Clive, presented by Clive Payne and produced by Andy Caddick, also picked up a silver award in the Speech and Journalism category.
Finally, technical director Tom Walker - who volunteers countless hours behind the scenes with his team of specialist technical volunteers, keeping the station on air and developing new state-of-the-art services - won a silver award in the Volunteer of the Year category.
It capped a year of success for the station, which received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2021, saw volunteer Alex Griffiths receive the British Empire Medal for his work with the NHS and presenter and volunteer Billy Spakemon recognised in the Dudley CVS Kindness Awards.
Station chairman Keith Horsfall said it had been a long journey to get there for the station, but worth it for the recognition and success it had received.
He said: "From working at the back of a church and having equipment nicked and being moved around and not having a proper home, we've been through a lot and we've slowly been building up what we do and how we do it.
"It's come at a risk, with a lot of people saying we'll never be able to do it, but myself, station manager Dave Brownhill and the board haven't wavered and we're very proud of what we and the 140 volunteers on the station have achieved.
"It's also recognition for Roy Felstead and the sports team, of which I'm a proud member, with their award, as it is for Clive Payne, Andy Caddick and Tom Walker, who if there had been a technical support award would have won that easily.
"It's wonderful to hear our peers say we're doing a really good job and I couldn't be prouder of the fact that we've been given the gold award."
To find out more about Black Country Radio and to listen, go to blackcountryradio.co.uk
