THREE friends who started an internet radio station in a spare bedroom say they are emotional to see it take to the airwaves.
Wallingford Radio began life in the spare room of Ian Fell, from Cholsey, near Wallingford – after he was told at an audition for Kiss FM that he was too old to be a radio presenter.
Friends Sarah Pentecost and Liam O'Brien joined him in starting up his own station, moving it into a custom-built garden studio and trailer and then a more permanent home in Ayres Yard, off Station Road, in Wallingford.
READ MORE: Internet radio station going live on the airwaves
This week, three years after successfully securing an FM license, the station is finally on air on 107.3 FM.
Mr Fell, who used to be in the Royal Navy, said: "It all started in 1998. I practised at home but didn't have the confidence.
"I eventually went to an audition for Kiss FM and waited in line for three hours and didn't get it as I was too old. I knew I didn't fit in there.
"But [Kiss FM and Radio 1] DJ Melvin Odoom told me not to give up and just keep doing what I'm doing... so I came back and made an internet radio station in 2012".
READ MORE: Garden centre staff walk 26 miles in their bras to raise money for a breast cancer charity
The station, originally called Flash FM, soon moved into Mr Fell's garden studio built by Ian Cholsey. More volunteers got involved until the show moved to a rented studio in Berinsfield in 2014.
In 2016, the station moved into a mobile trailer and started covering local events such as Wallingford's Bunkfest music event.
The friends then applied for an FM license costing £600. They also needed about £15,000 to buy equipment and licenses to get the station going.
"We planned lots of events for fundraising," said Mr Fell. "But Covid turned up and absolutely devastated the events industry.
"When the pandemic eased in March last year, we did a 24-hour live show and raised £6,500."
READ MORE: Martial arts students sparred for 24 hours to raise money for a new charity
A year later the station moved to Ayres Yard and was able to get set up using three reconditioned computers and a custom-built sound desk.
The show went live on the airwaves last Saturday (30). Mr Fell said: "It was quite emotional. It really hit home the amount of people over the years that have helped us.
"It still doesn't feel real. It's something I never thought I'd do.
"Our future is to be the community radio station for the whole of South Oxfordshire."
-
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok
Got a story for us? Send us your news and pictures here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here