Diversity award for Bristol community station
From a press release to news@media.info
Posted 12 October 2015, 12.22pm bst
Bristol community radio station Ujima Radio have won a prestigious national award. At the annual National Diversity Awards held at Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral last Friday, the Bristol radio station won the outstanding contribution to diversity in the race, faith and religion category. The awards celebrate the excellent achievements of grass-root communities that tackle equality issues, providing recognition for their dedication and hard work.
Ujima Radio 98fm is a community radio station broadcasting music, primarily promoting African and Caribbean artistic, economic and community enhancement. British R&B star Lemar Obika handed the gong to Ujima founder and current director Kevin Philemon and lead administrator Ade Olaitan. “It’s an amazing achievement for all at Ujima Radio,” said Philemon. “Who would have thought that less than a year ago we were fighting for our lives as we were effectively forced to leave our original premises in St Paul’s.
“Now with over 130 volunteers from a range of the most disadvantaged communities in the city we are going from strength to strength in our new home at the Creative Youth network building in Broadmead.”
During the day, Ujima runs topical discussion programmes which reflect the concerns of the more disadvantaged residents of Bristol especially BME but also communities such as Knowle West and Lawrence Weston. The station also promotes issues impacting woman and the LGBT and transgender communities through specialist programming. Ujima Radio is run exclusively by local volunteers for whom they provide training in all aspects of radio production and broadcasting in exchange for commitment to support their operational work.
A very strong aspect of Ujima’s work is the focus on projects with a lasting social impact. Recently these projects have been in partnership with organisations such as the Bristol Old Vic, Bristol City Council, Avon and Somerset Police, the NHS and many other organisations both locally and nationally.