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The station is to receive £24,000 over three years from the Wellcome
Trust to run a science-education project for local young people.
The project will involve secondary school students learning about
science, medicine and technology from scientists, doctors and engineers.
Students will be trained by Academy FM staff to record their interviews
for broadcast.
Academy FM has also been awarded a grant from the OFCOM Community Radio
Fund for £16,000, in conjunction with 107.8 Academy FM Thanet, which is
based at the Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate.
This will fund a Business Development Manager who will work on projects
that will help maintain the operation of the two radio stations, which
are both registered charities.
Regulations prevent the stations from taking paid-for commercials, but
the new post will enable Academy FM to develop other promotions and web
advertising.
Both stations’ websites get thousands of hits per month, and are used by
local businesses to promote their products and services.
A third grant, from the Overstone Grassroots Fund for £2,600 to Academy
FM will fund a project educating young people about the wider Folkestone
area, including trips to the Kent Downs, local farms, and museums.
Students will record their experiences for broadcast on Academy FM.
The station has received £20,000 from the Roger De Haan Charitable
Trust, and also receives financial support from a growing Friends
organisation.
Over the next year Academy FM, which is largely funded by grants and donations, will have to raise around £45,000.
David Sharp, Academy FM Folkestone’s Station Manager said "Funding is
hard to come by for charities at the moment, and it’s great that the
potential of Community Radio is being recognised.
"We can now run some exciting projects that will benefit the young
people of Folkestone. Our new Business Development Manager is a step
towards making both Academy FM stations sustainable in the long term,
although we badly need the support of local people and businesses to
keep us on the air."
© Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2012
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