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last updated 23rd May

Stroud FM presenters head off on their hols - so it's now YOUR turn!
It's that time of the year when people decide to head off on their hols and a load of Stroud FM presenters are boarding planes, trains and boats and leaving the country.. But only for the week!
So if you find yourself at a loose end and fancy doing a programme during the half term, why don't you give us a call?
You have to have done a taster session/induction with Ivor... he holds them every Tuesday evening in the Radio Station , from 6pm, so do come along.. and then we can hold your hand while you go on air.

Go on, what are you waiting for? Give us a call on 07528378876
Have a look at our schedule

Stroud FM celebrates its first month
It's been just over a month since Stroud FM took to the airwaves and what a month it's been! The range and diversity of programmes has been quite staggering.
Special thanks to the main stay presenters who have been toiling around the clock to keep us on air. The morning kicks off at 7am-9am with the Breakfast show. Three days a week that's Barney Neild, Tasha Roche and Louis Wenzweig- they are all media students at Gloucestershire College. They'll have to take a bit more of a back seat in the coming weeks because of the pressure of their studies, so there is a hot seat just waiting for someone else to take over. Other presenters who also get up at the crack of dawn are Steve Rowley, Clare Jackson, Clare Madhiyone and Claire Penketh.
Bernard Wakefield Heath, has been doing stirling work on the drive time slot( 5-7) He's had guests such as Dale Vince, MD of Ecotricity, who did an in- depth interview.Bernard has been rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at Badminton. He interviewed Zara Philips. He's also done an amazing one man round up of the local elections in the Stroud District. Alice Murray comes in from Chalford to read the news and the What's On's and to keep Bernard company and occasionally mop his brow. The mayor, John Marjoram also popped in on the Friday night.
Our other mainstay presenters include the husky voiced Kate Lewis and the irreverent John Bassett, with his Bizarre Hour. There's more frivolity with Friday Nights Cocktail hour presented by Clare Jackson, Andrea Preston and Sally Bazzett. Andrea also does a punk hour on a Sunday....
Jagdish Patel does an arts round-up programme on a Thursday night and his guests have included Rick Vick from The Space and Neil Walker from Arts Space, along with local bands.
Chris Gregory, who runs Nailstock, had all sorts of local bands coming in to talk about their music on his Saturday afternoon slot in the build up to the festival. Plus, Garry Mitchell, who was on Severn Sound for 12 years, recently kicked off a regular sports programme on a Saturday afternoon.
Scotty's Sunday round-up is a folk programme that's been showcasing local musicians, complete with a live spot.
Paul Moss, who also works on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, has a regular and wonderfully diverse world music music programme. Chas Burns, who runs his own local record labels, has been playing all sorts of local bands..
There's blues from Marion Miller, along with her profiling of local literary talent on the Lit Bit.
Johnny Panic has been introducing a touch of the surreal and psychedelic with his Bible of Dreams show.
All sorts of community groups have been coming in to talk to us about their events, along with a range of bands and artists.
Mike Cooper from the Rotary Club in Nailsworth has been playing tunes aimed at those who were around during the second world war in his Wednesday afternoon slot.
And at the other extreme, we have Josh Allot, who still at school and has his own Sunday night programme.
This is just a sample of the shows that are on air at Stroud FM and I apologies for anyone I have missed out.. you'll get a mention next time!
So, it's been all go on the airwaves! However, there are still some slots, particularly in the day time - which is when most of us merry band of volunteers go and do our day jobs - so if you want to make a programme then contact us at radio@stroudfm.co.uk

Waitrose comes on board
Stroud FM, the towns first community radio station, has hooked a big one with Waitrose supermarket agreeing to become its first advertiser.
The station has only been on air for four weeks, so getting such significant support so early on has proved an amazing boost for the station - which is run entirely by volunteers.
Claire Penketh, Chair of the Board of Directors says 'Getting sponsorship is vital for us. It'll allow us to do the things we want to do - like deliver training sessions, buy more kit and do the basics such as pay the phone bill!"
Community radio differs from commercial radio in that its revenue doesn't just come from adverts - much of the funding it has had so far come from bodies such as
The Princes Trust, the lottery and Stroud District Council, Stroud Town Council and Gloucestershire County Council. Its remit is totally different from commercial radio; it offers training and - its open to every-one. It's what community is all about.