BCB HISTORY

BCB is one of the most established and pioneering Community Radio organisations in the UK. We set up as Bradford Festival Radio in 1991, changing to BCB in 1994. We realised the role that a community radio station could play in Bradford, bringing together, and giving a voice to the diverse communities in Bradford, using media to work together for social
change.

BCB was instrumental in campaigning for legislation to create full time FM Community radio stations. BCB was chosen as one of 15 experimental Access Radio stations in 2002 and was one of the first to be granted a full time Community Radio licence in 2005.

We’ve been broadcasting full time, 24/7 ever since – an achievement itself and testament to the enduring commitment of our volunteers.

In 2005 with support from ERDF and Bradford Council, we refurbished an old market building to establish new city centre premises with 4 broadcast studios, drop-in production and IT facilities, meeting and training rooms as well as social space.

Funding over the years.

We’ve established a strong track record of successful project delivery having received major funding from ERDF, ESF, Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, Connecting Communities, Children in Need, Erasmus Plus etc. We’ve also received support from Bradford Council for the past 15 years.

Empowering people and communities is at the heart of what we do.

Over the years we have delivered projects and targeted work that actively engages those communities and individuals whose voice is rarely heard – refugees and asylum seekers, older people at risk of isolation, young offenders, carers and young carers, Muslim women, migrants, diverse BAME communities, people on outlying estates, long term unemployed, NEET young people, etc. All have come together, on equal terms, as volunteers and contributors at BCB.

We know that this engagement with BCB, as volunteers in a creative and exciting community media environment, provides an opportunity for people to develop skills, confidence, knowledge and self belief. Alongside this, it also provides a meaningful and relevant context for finding out how things work in the city, how decisions are made, meeting the people who make the decisions and crucially understand how communities can participate in decision making processes.

Providing opportunities for active citizenship and volunteering is a key aspect of BCB. We are a volunteer led organisation with all members of the Management Committee elected from our volunteer base.