South West London is the best part of our capital city. We LOVE living in Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton and Lambeth and we want to celebrate our greatness.
Over a million people call South West London home and they deserve a community radio service providing local news and other content showcasing the people who live here.
We celebrate our greatness, diversity and vibrant culture by exposing the talents and creativity of the people who live here and hold those in power to account with a focus on improving life in South West London for everyone.
Riverside Radio has a volunteer force of over 200 local people from every walk of life, age and background who come together to create something special for local people.
We have built a strong, friendly volunteer family giving those involved a shared purpose and pride in our area.
There is much to celebrate with the most amount of green open spaces in the capital, more people participating in sport than anywhere else in London, a huge variety of arts and performance venues, numerous local festivals and events, a thriving business community and stimulating and active political life.
Riverside Radio is at the heart of South West London connecting our diverse communities, celebrating our strengths and encouraging debate.
Riverside Radio works with the educational charity Sound Vision CIO (1172980) to offer impactful training opportunities for local young people to develop radio skills and confidence and help progress positively into the world of work.
Riversiders are young people, aged 11 to 16, who attend the Riverside Radio studios every Saturday. The radio club is a volunteer activity, free to participants whose only requirement is a commitment to regularly attend. Led by station director Fayon Dixon the club provides a warm-hearted welcome where young people are encouraged to develop their skills and creativity without fear of being laughed at. The group engage with each other in a team approach to develop all the skills and confidence to make radio.
As our educational partner Sound Vision helps us to ensure a skills infastructure that delivers two primary outcomes.
1. Improved employability or re-engagement with education:
• Industry skills - tech, radio, music, audio, production, performance.
• Soft skills - confidence, teamwork, interpersonal.
• Transferable skills - verbal & written confidence, interviewing, time management, problem-solving.
• Qualifications – Arts Awards or NCFE accreditation.
2. Improved mental health outcomes:
• Empowered - improved self-esteem and skills from a supportive environment. Using radio and music as a therapeutic creative outlet.
• Connection - reduced loneliness, opportunity and ability to make new friends.
Paul Dunne, Head Teacher of St John Bosco College, which, many of the Riversiders attend, evidences the success of our approach: "The Riverside Radio club has provided our students, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds and minority ethnic groups, with a fantastic opportunity to develop their self-confidence and engagement with the wider community. The process of planning and delivering live radio has enabled them to learn valuable skills including communication, listening and empathy - all of which help to equip them for adult life. I cannot speak highly enough of the positive impact on the children involved."
Evidence that our approach works comes directly from participants and supporters.
Alina Nilca is a parent: "I'd highly recommend the Riversiders programme ran by the wonderful Fayon. My son Alexis Nilca was lucky enough to be able to attend and gain his bronze radio award through this amazing initiative. It helped my son immensely with his confidence, teamwork skills, self-expression and personal development. He got much better with timekeeping! The fantastic opportunity gave him a sense of belonging and a hobby for life. We would love for him to carry on and meet many new friends along the way."
Emilia was a previous participant: “We are living proof that radio is needed. This has changed my life.”
Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, who recently handed out qualification certificates to the latest young people on the radio club at Lift 109 in Battersea Power Station said: "The open access training young people of Battersea can get at Riverside Radio gives them the skills and confidence to have a voice and a platform to use it. Being part of this team helps them progress well in life and develop valuable learnings to take into their future education and employment. I've seen these positive effects first hand as I have been privileged to meet these young people and award them their qualification certificates for the last 2 years.”
For more information about Riversiders and the training contact Fayon Dixon fayon@riversideradio.com
history of
Riverside
Radio
Radio presenter and journalist Jason Rosam noticed a number of community online radio services being set up in other parts of London and wanted to set up a station for Wandsworth as he’s lived in the borough for the past 15 years.
A meeting was held at the Battersea Arts Centre in May 2013 after Jason published an advert for people who wanted to get involved.
Over 60 people turned up to the first meeting brimming with programme ideas.
Work then started on building on these ideas, finding a suitable studio space and raising funds to be able to pay for equipment.
The local community was fantastic with over £4,000 being raised using Crowdfunding for our studio equipment and software.
We were accepted for a Big Society Award from Wandsworth Council of £5,000. Amazing local HIV Charity Wandsworth Oasis offered us a space above their shop in Battersea Park Road for our studio. Volunteers then began fine tuning their programme ideas and were trained on the software and studio equipment.
As the end of 2014 approached a decision was made to launch the station in January 2015. A week of rehearsals took place at the start of the year.
On 12th January at 7.30pm the Mayor of Wandsworth Cllr Stuart Thom opened the station while a packed launch party was going on across the road from the studios.
In the Summer of 2017 Wandsworth Radio moved into new, purpose built studios at the Doddington and Rollo Business Centre in Battersea once again with help from the local community and our volunteers who raised over £3,000. We now have two studios in our unit: one for presenting, and one for our newsreaders.
In 2018, we were awarded ‘Digital and RSL Station of the Year’ at the Community Media Awards 2018 in Sheffield.
As opportunities for small, local radio stations to broadcast on DAB Digital Radio improves, a decision was made to expand the radio station to boroughs surrounding Wandsworth in preparation for broadcasting on the new small scale DAB.
We decided on the name Riverside Radio as the river Thames and river Wandle connect our four London boroughs of Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton and Lambeth together.
At the University Boat Race in Putney on April 7th 2019 Riverside Radio was launched with much fanfare, an outside broadcast and concert right by the riverside at Putney bridge.
In July we were finally awarded a licence by Ofcom to broadcast on the London Trial SSDAB service.
On August 1st we went live on DAB!
We have worked really hard to get everyone ready for the transition onto DAB and are all very excited to broadcast our shows to a wider audience across South West London.
Won the Digital Radio Station of the Year in a virtual ceremony at the Community Radio Awards for the second time.
Built two new modern studios and moved into our brand new Broadcast Centre in Battersea.
Joined forces with local secondary school St John Bosco College by launching a Radio Club for young people from 11-16 years to build skills in broadcasting and media while gaining an NCFE qualification in radio and boosting confidence.
Celebrated Local Radio Day by broadcasting LIVE from a passenger boat on the River Thames from Kew to Westminster and back again.