Support Academy fm - Your Voice in the Community

Hi Everyone

Thank you so much for your donations, it's really appreciated.

We are currently having problems with our Air Conditioning, well actually it's broken.

It's so important that air conditioning is in the studios, and where the transmitter is sited, we call it the racks room. Without it, the equipment will overheat, and stop transmitting the radio station.

We have had quotes, and we need to raise £3720.

I am asking if you might be able to help us. I know times are hard right now for us all, but even a £1 will help us.

Please can you help us?

Thank you so much

Debbie

Hello, I'm Debbie and I'm thrilled to say I am the Station Manager at Academy fm Thanet, Thanets Community Radio Station, we are also a registered charity.

We began broadcasting on April 5th 2010, in Ramsgate where our studios are based, and we are available on 107.8fm and online.

We feature a range of local programming including music, news, local artists, shows, and more. The station also plays a wide variety of music from across the decades and genres.

Over the years we have trained many different people from teenagers to the older generation. I am very proud to say that a lot of our presenters, which I must add are all volunteers, have been trained by us. I have been lucky enough to have trained 2 blind students from East Kent College, they were both amazing. Wilson is now studying at the Royal National College for the Blind, and Ellie is still studying at East Kent College. It was always the highlight of my week when they came in.

Our role as the community radio station for Thanet, is to support, teach new skills, and be a friendly voice, whilst also entertaining our listeners. Through the pandemic, Academy fm was the only form of the company some people had, we encouraged listeners to call in for a chat, to be fair, we always do.

Onto the reason, I am writing this.

All the training is covered by grants, but it has become increasingly harder to be awarded a grant to cover training costs.

Like all charities, we have utility bills to pay, rent, and so many licences, and as with everything these have increased.

We want to be able to continue to offer our free training programmes to the community of Thanet, but we need some help.

For 8 sessions it costs £240, so I am asking if you can help us raise some funds so we can continue. We are constantly applying for grants, we have to as it costs approximately £45,000 per year to keep the station on the air.

Any amount will help, and if you are a taxpayer, I would be so grateful if you would tick the gift aid box.

Thank you so much for reading

Take care, and keep safe.

Debbie