Bradford Community Broadcasting (BCB) is a volunteer-led, community organisation that uses engagement with Community Radio as a tool for personal development, community empowerment and social change.
BCB provides the Community Radio station for Bradford and has successfully worked at the heart of communities for 25 years, supporting local people to be active in their community, the city, and to have a voice in the media.
BCB has over 200 active volunteers from Bradford’s diverse communities, mostly serving as volunteer broadcasters, or volunteer station managers supporting the work of others. BCB has a small staff team that offers training and support to volunteers. We particularly engage people from marginalised or disadvantaged communities e.g. older people, refugees, women, LGBTQ community, mental health service users, people in recovery, excluded young people, communities on outlying estates, people encountering poverty, BAME communities, carers, people with disabilities etc.
BCB’s city centre premises provide a vibrant, inclusive, welcoming community hub where people from diverse cultures, neighbourhoods, ages and life experiences all come together on equal terms to take part in their Community Radio station.
BCB also hosts Radio 119, a radio project for Adults with Learning Disabilities that we set up 15 years ago; we also provide meeting space for other community groups.
BCB106.6fm was awarded a full time FM radio licence in 2001, one of the first Community Radio stations in the UK. We broadcast a range of speech and music programmes made by and for Bradford’s communities and provide interview opportunities for approx 120 community organisations and individuals every week, giving media focus to community issues, people and activities. We also support community groups to produce their own programmes. BCB has a listenership of approx 31,000 people per week. BCB also broadcasts online at www.bcbradio.co.uk
BCB is governed by a Voluntary Management Committee of 10 people, made up entirely of BCB volunteers. They are elected at the AGM, ensuring that the organisation is led and directed by people actively involved in the organisation. BCB is a company limited by guarantee, registered 10th February 1994.
Aims of BCB:
To provide an accessible community radio station for the Bradford District, broadcasting a range of speech and music programmes that celebrate diversity in the city.
To give a voice to local communities and groups most often denied access to the media.
To provide training and support to individuals, voluntary and community groups to enable their active participation in community radio.
To provide an inclusive organisation that offers equal access to all the opportunities provided by BCB.
BCB Values:
These are the core values that underpin every area of BCB’s activity – volunteering, broadcasting, governance, training, community engagement etc. These are not the only shared values within the organisation but are key to helping us to be confident in who we are, what we do and why we do it.
Equality and fairness
BCB actively includes and reflects Bradford’s diverse communities and those groups and individuals encountering social or economic disadvantage, recognising and reflecting the lived experiences of those diverse groups, and advocating on behalf of the less powerful.
Respect and kindness
Ensuring that we have a culture of respect, that everyone who encounters BCB is welcomed and treated fairly and respectfully, creating a sense of community and showing kindness to each other.
Being bold and courageous
Making sure that we are confident in what we do, not being afraid to ask questions, challenge power and hold people to account – and finding creative ways of doing things that provide alternatives to the mainstream or status quo.
Recognising and celebrating success
Creating a culture where we recognise and reflect the positive contribution that people make both within BCB itself and throughout Bradford and beyond.
Striving for excellence, doing the best we can
Constantly reflecting on what we do and how we do it, having dialogue and listening to each other, making positive changes and working together so that we are able to do our best for BCB and for Bradford.
BCB Volunteer Your Input is our Output! If you want to become a volunteer at BCB , suggest an idea for a radio programme or to tell us the news from your community just contact us – now!
Where to find BCB: Our city centre studios are at 11 Rawson Road, Bradford BD1 3SH (just next to the Oastler Centre), 5 minutes walk from Forster Square railway station; 10 minutes walk from Bradford Interchange. Map directions
Contact BCB: Call 01274 771677, email hello@bcbradio.co.uk or message us directly.
Video: Bradford College HND Creative Media Production Students talk about their time at BCB Radio
Listen to BCB
You can listen:
by dialing your FM radio to 106.6FM when in the Bradford district.
live on the internet via our Listen Live service and via Internet radio providers like Tune In Radio
on your mobile device via apps such as Radioplayer or by the built in FM radio
on demand to shows that have already been broadcasts via our Listen Again service
