To build the first community radio station owned DAB transmitter in the UK for community radio stations in Leicestershire to use.
Hermitage FM provides a 24-hour broadcasting service for North West Leicestershire on 99.2 FM. We also provide a service to the people of Loughborough, Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham & Melton Mowbray on our sister station, Carillon Radio which broadcasts on 1386 & 1431 AM. Our third station, Carillon Wellbeing Radio provides a wide collection of music across five decades and information about health and wellbeing in conjunction with the NHS. It broadcasts to the whole community served by the West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group) including hospitals, doctors waiting rooms, etc. With studios in Coalville & Loughborough, we aim to entertain, provide well-being and community support both on and off-air.
The voluntary placements and free training that we provide aim to improve the employability of participants by teaching transferable skills, as well as improving self-esteem and confidence. Hermitage FM confronts the lack of volunteering and work experience opportunities for young people in the area. Our work placements in the Community Coffee Lounge are proven to enhance CVs and help people back into work or education. We believe in the unique potential of community radio to connect various strands of the community in an inclusive, democratic, creative and participatory environment.
Our training in broadcasting and production have proven to be successful, with young people gaining valuable work experience as well as technical and transferable skills. For example, one of our former trainees now works for Radio Four and Capital FM. She recalls, 'Hermitage FM provided me with the training and opportunities to start my career in radio. I emphasised the experience I’d gained at Hermitage FM, and undoubtedly this helped me get my place at City University,"
Staffed by volunteers and enthusiasts, we also operate a Community Coffee Lounge at our premises in Coalville. We are a charity (1105151) and not-for-profit community organisation concerned with community cohesion, regeneration and learning. The radio station provides free training and media work experience whilst the Community Coffee Lounge provides supported work placements and catering/customer service training for vulnerable or marginalised people in our community. These may be NEET young people (not in employment, education or training), long-term unemployed, disabled or those with learning disabilities or mental health issues.
We aim to be a community anchor in the heart of Coalville, a town that has suffered economic decline and a lack of opportunities for marginalised and disadvantaged people. We provide a broadcasting service by and for local people, community meeting facilities and skills development and learning opportunities for local people.
The world of radio is developing rapidly and we are seeing the biggest changes since the first broadcasts of 1906. Our three station now need to move with the times and complying with new legislation move to DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).
After years of AM and FM use, this is our future. We intend applying for a DAB MPX licence to operate from our existing site on Bardon Hill. The successful application would allow us to broadcast our three services and offer opportunities to other Community Radio stations.
We would use the money to buy equipment to install on our transmitter site. OFCOM standards are strict and equipment would need to be sourced from authorised suppliers.
This project closed unsuccessfully on 22nd April 2020