Borders youngsters hit airwaves with new radio station

Radio Rowland’s is broadcasting each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5pm to 7pm.

It’s been almost six months in the planning, and, once the present Covid-19 lockdown ends, it will be produced by a team of 10 youths at their West Port base.

Until then, Jed Bury, 17, and his dad Duncan are broadcasting the show from their Selkirk home, with the rest of the team submitting podcasts, playlists and jingles.

“We are the first young people’s group in the Borders to do this,” youth worker Charlie Dawson said. “They’ve been learning about podcasting and interviewing and we want to branch out into the community going forward.

“That might include interviews with older people in Selkirk, as well as features decided by the group including mental health and wellbeing issues.

“The youngsters all have a variety of different music tastes so that makes it realyl interesting.

“The radio and its shows are led predominantly by the young people.

“The lock down has made things a bit restricitve, and they’ve been working really hard these past five weeks, putting in a lot of hours to get this launched despite the lock down.”

Rowland’s is also offering online support to its members and the wider community through online chats, quizes, and virtual support sessions during the lock down.

A separate project has seen youngsters at Rowland’s, all ages between 12 and 18, collect around 130 letters from people in the town detailing their experience of the Covic-19 lock down, which will be read on the radio in one year’s time.

To listen live go to:

https://s2.citrus3.com:2000/public/radiorowlands

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