Rochdale pupils hit the air waves

Participants David and Charlotte preparing for their radio show on Fusion FM

Pupils from Springhill High School will work together with a number of pupils from Falinge Park High School and other young people from across Rochdale to take control of the airwaves next Monday (7 July) through to Friday (11 July) as part of the Fusion Radio Project.

The show will be broadcast on 87.9 Fusion FM, where the children will play a mixture of their own originally produced music and mainstream tunes as well as voicing their issues and providing information on life as a young person in the town.

Fusion Managing Director Jonathan Burns said: "The young people involved in Fusion Radio have worked extremely hard in preparing and producing the station over the past few months. The station promises to be a unique mixture of musical tastes, culture and ideas, and will highlight the positive and creative contribution our young people can make."

The station will be launched at 11am by former Springhill pupil and Member of Youth Parliament for Rochdale, Usman Nawaz.

Since summer 2007 Fusion has been giving young people in Rochdale the opportunity to manage and produce their very own radio station and broadcast their programmes live to listeners across the town. Over the past year the Fusion Radio project has already celebrated the success of two radio broadcasts led by over 150 young people in Middleton and Heywood, and now the project is moving across to Rochdale.

Fusion Radio has been working with pupils from Springhill and other areas of Rochdale to develop skills and gain nationally recognised accreditations in Radio Broadcasting, Presenting and Producing. These young people now have the chance to put those skills into action as Fusion Radio broadcasts live for five days to the whole of Rochdale.

Fusion 87.9 FM is an opportunity for local people to tune in and listen to the views, opinions, culture and ideas of young people in their community. There will even be a number of programmes which are presented in a language other than English.

Some of the programmes will explore topics such as anti bullying, experiences of being a young carer and drug and alcohol awareness. The young presenters hope to promote the positive activities and the support which are on offer to young people in Rochdale.

The Station will be closed down by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Robin Parker, at 2pm on Friday 11 July.

Any young people wishing to get involved in the Fusion Radio project should contact Pride Media Association:

Email: info@fusion-radio.org.uk
Telephone: 0161 643 6266
Visit: www.fusion-radio.org.uk