Year: 2025

Former BBC and pirate radio broadcaster, Tom Edwards has passed away aged 80.

Tom, who was on pirate stations Radio City and Radio Caroline in the 1960s, went on to work for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. He also spent time as an announcer for various TV stations, including Thames Television, ATV, and HTV West.
From Norwich, Tom began his radio career when he joined offshore pirate Radio City in 1965, where he went on to become senior DJ.
He joined Radio Caroline South in early 1967 where he stayed until the Marine Offences Act came into force in August of that year. He affectionally earned the nickname of Tatty Tom because he was always smartly dressed.
In late 1967 Tom joined the BBC working as a TV newsreader and presenter on BBC Look East. Then, in 1968 he started working for BBC Radio 1 initially replacing Simon Dee on Midday Spin, later becoming a staff announcer and newsreader on both Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. He also presented a number of shows on Radio 2 during the 1970s.
Tom returned to his hometown of Norwich in 1990 after working as a freelancer in TV during the 1980s and spent time working on BBC Radio Norfolk.
His autobiography, Is Anybody There, which goes into detail about his career and personal struggles, was published in 2018.

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The best of Community Radio has been celebrated in Bradford for the 2025 Community Radio Awards.
Hosted by Stephen Higgs and Fiona McNeill, the evening celebrated the hard work of recipients from up and down the country.
Rebecca Steers, awards chair, said: “What another fantastic year for community radio. As we celebrate 20 years of community radio, it has been great to both share and celebrate with the awards and conference earlier in the day.
“Well done to all the winners, as well as all the finalists for the awards.”
The winners are as follows:

Elections & Political Coverage of the Year
Gold – Vote WNC – NLive Radio
Silver – Your Voice Matters: St Austell Speaks – CHAOS Radio
Bronze – Charles Fletcher – 60 Seconds Scotland – K107FM

Celebrating & Championing Community Radio of the Year, sponsored by PPL
Gold – Championing The 4Ps Radio Training School – Vectis Radio
Silver – K107FM Community Space – K107FM

Digital Content of the Year, sponsored by Viamux / Optimux
Gold – Accessibility and Community are at the Heart of What We Do – RNIB Connect Radio
Silver – Riverside Broadcasting Digital Team – Riverside Radio
Bronze – Radio LaB’s New Digital Content Strategy – Radio LaB 97.1fm

Newcomer of the Year, sponsored by Be Broadcast
Gold – Amy Boyd – Chelmsford Community Radio
Silver – Kirsty Corbett – Erewash Sound
Bronze – Seb Grant – Spark

Sage Person of the Year (Over 60)
Gold – Pat Reading – Marlow FM
Silver – Terry Snowden – ALL FM
Bronze – Paul James – Academy fm ThanetIan Barclay – Riverside Radio

Young Person or people of the Year (under 25), sponsored by Aiir
Gold – Harrison RB – Express FM
Silver – Daisy Barker – Chelmsford Community Radio
Bronze – Amy Boyd – Chelmsford Community Radio

Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by UK Community Radio Network
Gold – Nick Mundy – Radio Winchcombe
Silver – Ste Greenall – Black Cat Radio
Bronze – Richard Belle – Andover Radio

Sports Show of the Year
Gold – Women’s Sports Mix Show – Cambridge Radio
Silver – Habbin The Night of Our Lives – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Switch Radio Sport – Switch Radio

Arts & Creative Radio of the Year, sponsored by RadioPlayer
Gold – Radio LaB’s Halloween Murder Mystery – Radio LaB 97.1FM
Silver – Choices: Deluxe Edition – Radio LaB 97.1FM
Bronze – Treasure Island – Chelmsford Community Radio

News, Journalism & Factual Storytelling of the Year, sponsored by RadioToday
Gold – The Saxonvale Saga – Frome FM
Silver – Riverside Reports Team – Riverside Radio
Bronze – Natasha Reneaux – BFBS Aldershot

Specialist Content Show of the Year, sponsored by Fix Radio
Gold – Month of the Military Child – BFBS Aldershot
Silver – The Mid Morning Show – Vectis Radio
Bronze – The Voice of Business with Nell Op de Beeck – Radio Woking

Specialist Music Show of the Year, sponsored by Promo Only
Gold – The Midweek Mosh – Switch Radio
Silver – The Jazz Club – Jake Hart – RNIB Connect Radio
Bronze – Priya Matharu’s Desi Beats – Switch Radio

Entertainment Show of the Year, sponsored by CopMedia
Gold – House of Fun – PCRFM
Silver – Wednesday Drivetime – Academy fm Thanet
Bronze – The Full English Breakfast Show – Black Cat Radio

Live Event or Outside Broadcast of the Year, sponsored by Hippynet Broadcast Technologies
Gold – Live from Gŵyl Cefni 2025 – MônFM
Silver – Cambridge Folk Festival 2024 – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taf – GTFM

Presenter of the Year: Man, sponsored by All In Media
Gold – Chris Kaye – BFBS Catterick
Silver – Gavin Richards – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Dan Draper – Riverside Radio

Presenter of the Year: Woman, sponsored by DTS AutoStage
Gold – Priya Matharu – Switch Radio
Silver – Amy Gray – Cambridge Radio
Bronze – Lizzie Sentance – Marlow FM

Voices of the Community Award, sponsored by RadioPlayer
Gold – Older Voices – Radio Tyneside
Silver – In Her Element, supporting women and girls in the North East – Spark
Bronze – Mark McKenzie & Major Karen Tate – BFBS Scotland

Voices for All Award, sponsored by Devaweb
Gold – The Ukraine Hour – Somer Valley FM
Silver – Glocal – Ujima Radio
Bronze – Me Time Podcast on the Joy Ethic Show – ALL FM

Community Impact Project of the Year, sponsored by Be Broadcast
Gold – The 4Ps Radio Training School – Vectis Radio
Silver – Finding Your Voice – Colne Radio
Bronze – Hear Our Voices – Ujima Radio

Station of the Year, sponsored by Aiir
Gold – Radio Skye
Silver – Academy fm Thanet
Bronze – Vectis Radio

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Former presenters from Radio Orwell are coming together to mark 50 years since the station first went on air in Ipswich.

To celebrate the milestone, Norman Lloyd from Suffolk Sound Radio will host a special programme at 9am on Tuesday 28 October, revisiting the early days of the original local station and speaking to some of the voices who helped shape it.
The broadcast will include interviews with well-known presenters from the time, including Andy Archer, Stephen “Foz” Foster and Patrick Eide, along with other guests who were part of Radio Orwell’s story.
Radio Orwell began broadcasting on 28 October 1975, serving Suffolk and the surrounding area from its original studios in Ipswich. It was one of the first ILR (Independent Local Radio) stations in the UK and became well known for its mix of local news, music and community programming.
Norman said the show will be a celebration of the people and passion that defined the early years of local radio in Suffolk. “It’s about remembering the friendships, the fun and the impact Radio Orwell had on so many lives across the county,” he said.
The anniversary programme will air on Suffolk Sound Radio and be available online for listeners who want to relive the sounds and stories from the station’s early days.
Radio Orwell celebrates 50 years with a special show on 28 October featuring original presenters chatting with Norman Lloyd on Suffolk Sound Radio

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