Susy Radio: Grant Awarded From National Lottery Community Fund

Photo: Radio gardener, Jean Griffin speaking with Susy Radio presenter, Tony Williams at a recent outside broadcast.

Susy Radio has been awarded a grant of £9,900 from the National Lottery Community Fund. This will provide core funding to support our work as the licensed community radio station for the East Surrey and North Sussex area.

Our radio service benefits all ages of the community; the grant will enable our volunteers of all ages to learn and gain confidence in new skills. Community radio can help reduce isolation and loneliness among our listeners, many of whom turn to the station for companionship and fully engage with our presenters during their shows. We also support and work with other good causes in the area. The funding will enable us to continue the service in the community.

Many in our team have worked in professional broadcasting and now share their skills and knowledge at Susy Radio in their spare time to give something back to the community. The age spectrum of our volunteers ranges from 18 to no upper age limit contributing to a range of aspects including news gathering, outside broadcasts, engineering and admin. The radio station has established long standing relationships in the community for example giving air time to local bands, interviewing representatives from charities, and communicating local news issues such as the regeneration of Redhill town centre, and the closure of our high street banks.

Our community radio licence has been renewed twice; the most recent renewal being in 2022, which has enabled us to establish longstanding relationships in the community.

Photo above: The Susy Radio outside broadcast unit

The station takes its mobile unit to local events, taking the station to our listeners and broadcasting live from these events, interviewing guests and members of the visiting public. In the past year we have broadcast from the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service open day, a scout group’s fundraising fireworks event, and many school Christmas Fairs. We also recorded a Christmas carol concert at a local church which was broadcast to our listeners on Christmas Day. Other examples of supporting the community have included regular on air announcements with details of the ‘Winter Warmer’ hubs in Crawley where people could access a warm place each day during the colder months to help combat the high energy costs of bills in their homes.