Sutton radio teens broadcast from Skeggy beach

Budding radio presenters have spent their summer holidays working as creative media professions at Sutton-based Takeover Radio.

The station’s ‘Broadcast and Achieve’ project finished last Thursday (28th August) as Takeover staged its biggest ever outside broadcast, taking nine of the 12 participants to Skegness to broadcast live from the beach.

In addition to studio-based activities developing broadcast journalism skills, the scheme has included outside broadcasts to develop production and presenting on location.

Youngsters have taken to the airwaves from Making It discovery centre, Asylum Skate Park, The Village Laser Quest and the National Space Centre in Leicester prior to the big finish in Skegness.

Organiser, children’s Producer Craig Priest, 23 said: Every single participant has not only given up the majority of their summer break, but has arrived every morning with an eagerness to learn and develop their skills. To get a group of 12 teenagers in a room wanting to learn during their own holiday time is astounding.

“Every single day their quest for media knowledge continues – I just wish there was more time to deliver it over the school year.”

Ashfield Comprehensive pupil Emily Matchett, 13 began summer setting her sights on becoming an actress but now she wants to be a radio presenter.

She said: “I have learned so many new skills over the summer, like how to write a blog post to improve my show and have improved my confidence by working with new people. I’m so surprised at how my confidence has shot up over the summer, I really don’t want the experience to come to an end and hope there will be other chances to do it again in the future.”

Another participant, Alison Davey, praised the scheme for boosting her skills for a career in the media industry.

She said: “Unlike school it gives you a choice of what exactly you would like to do and who to work with – this has helped me become confident and eager to learn.”

Cam Felton, 15 said: “We have been able to get to grips as to what a professional radio station would be like with shift patterns and show content.

“At first I found it difficult because of the time, but working in our groups has helped with my confidence which has made the time fly by”

Thirteen year old Brandon Williams added: “I was a bit scared because Craig said we had to present a show for three hours, I wasn’t sure I could do that. Being able to learn from others has taught me how to do that with ease. I’d now like to take media as a subject at school because of my time on the scheme.”

Seven of the students held sponsored swim on Sunday (31st August) at Lammas Leisure Centre, swimming more than lengths in an hour, raising over £500 for the station.

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