Community radio station Rutland and Stamford Sound to launch on Friday
A new community radio station for the Rutland and Stamford area will launch on Friday (March 5).
Rob Persani will be at the controls when Rutland and Stamford Sound begins broadcasting at 8am on Friday, a little later than the usual 6am start for the show.
After more than 20 years of local broadcasting on Rutland Radio, Rob is a familiar voice in the area. He will be getting back behind the controls to present the breakfast show.
Since last Autumn, Rob has been driving plans to bring a new station to the area. He was employed by Rutland County Council as a project manager to drive forward the community radio station, and is now employed by the radio station which is operating as a community interest company, a not-for-profit organisation which meets the needs of local people.
Rob said: "I’m excited to be bringing a mix of great music and local news when I start the breakfast show."
“We’ve got a brilliant line-up of presenters and shows, all with local connections. There will be well-known voices and some newcomers and every broadcaster shares a love for the Rutland and Stamford area.”
Rob will be one of a team of nine voices launching the radio station. The other presenters will be: Graham Wright, David Ross, Lydia Meredith, Mick Meadows, Simon Fynn, Sayeh Stone, Dean Cornish and Laura Ray.
In common with all new radio stations, Rutland and Stamford Sound will start online. Listeners can find the station using web-based and smart technology.
“You can listen to the radio online via computer, tablet, mobile phone, smart speaker, smart TV and in-car systems,” said Rob. “All the information about how to access the station is on our website, which will be available from Thursday which is where you can also find about the schedule and presenters.”
Rutland and Stamford Sound is the name chosen by 61 per cent of 1,107 votes in a local poll conducted in the autumn of 2020. The station’s logo and artwork have been created by a local designer, with pictures taken by a photographer in the area.
Fans follow the radio station through local newspapers, on social media, with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The station achieved a reach of over 20,000 in the first two weeks of launching their social media feed in early February 2021.
The radio station is managed by a board of directors, all of whom are volunteers and residents from the Rutland and Stamford area. Board members have good community links and strong business, volunteer, wellbeing and broadcast skills and experience.
